Mother holding child

The Legacy for Children™ UCLA curriculum is primarily a group-based intervention. Curriculum sessions are provided in two types of alternating learning experiences: on mother-only days, the mothers are able to be more introspective about the issues in the curriculum without distractions and on mother-child days, the mothers have an opportunity to practice what is discussed on mother-only days. The curriculum also allows for home visiting and community building opportunities.

The sessions are structured to elicit a mother's individual, thoughtful and reflective ideas, attitudes, and feelings through a discussion format. Within the Legacy for Children™ groups, each mother is supported, guided and encouraged by the group leader and other group members who value her comments. She is encouraged to reflect upon those factors that influence her parenting behaviors, including thoughts about her family's and peers' parenting beliefs, her analysis of what parenting experiences she herself had that were meaningful to her, and her observations about her parenting behaviors with her child. Self-efficacy requires time, support, and practice, which is accomplished within a safe setting where each mother is valued.

Legacy for Children™ believes that irrespective of life circumstances, healthy, low-income mothers can become responsible, sensitive parents who can positively influence the development of their children through a process that emphasizes positive feelings and confidence in their parenting abilities.

Languages

A Legacy for Children™ curriculum sample session is available for download in both English and Spanish.

Download English

Download Spanish

Session Schedule

Prenatal (optional): Mothers attend 5 weekly sessions prenatally, beginning at about the 35th week of gestation.

Postnatal (2 months through age 3 years): The curriculum consist of 9 Blocks of 10 sessions with a 4-6 week break between each Block, allowing time for home visits.

The sessions alternate between two types of learning experiences.

Sessions 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 in each Block are Mother-Child Days:

  • On mother-child days, mothers have an opportunity to practice what is discussed on mother-only days. These sessions give mothers a chance to apply learned concepts and deepen their understanding.

Sessions 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 in each Block are Mother-Only Days:

  • On mother-only days, mothers are able to be more reflective about the issues in the curriculum without distractions.
  • FUN (Family Unity Network) Club: Occurs every other week following the mother-only sessions.
  • FUN Club sessions introduce mothers to various skills that will be useful to them as active community participants. These skills include leadership, listening, cooperation, organization and planning of activities, and eventual exploration of their children’s educational and community environments.