Doha, April 14 (QNA) - HE Minister of Social Development and Family Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi considered the inauguration of the Kanaf Parenting Center an important national milestone in the development of the family work system, and a practical interpretaion of the state's vision that places the family at the heart of its priorities, based on the belief that the family is the first fortress of society, and that parental education is a national responsibility that requires qualification, knowledge and continuous awareness.

During her remarks at the inauguration ceremony on Tuesday, Her Excellency indicated that the center is an extension of the "Family First" initiative within the ministry's strategy and one of the outputs of the Third National Development Strategy, which aims to build a cohesive society capable of facing challenges and preserving its identity and values ​​in light of rapid changes. She indicated that choosing the name (Kanaf) reflects the meanings of care, containment and closeness, and embodies the center's mission to empower fathers and mothers, and provide them with the skills and tools necessary for sound parenting, through training programs and educational consultations.

Her Excellency highlighted that what distinguishes the center is the comprehensiveness of its programs, which cover various stages of upbringing, starting from the pre-parental stage, through pregnancy and early childhood, up to adolescence, while highlighting the pivotal role of grandparents in strengthening bonds and transmitting values ​​between generations, according to an integrated scientific methodology based on the best global practices. She stressed that investing in the family represents an investment in the future of the nation, and that the center will form a beacon of family awareness, and a national platform that contributes to building conscious and cohesive generations capable of contributing to the development process.

For his part, CEO of the Qatar Foundation for Social Work Rashid Mohammed Al Hamda Al Nuaimi pointed out that the center comes within the foundation's system with the aim of developing family awareness services, through quality programs built on scientific foundations that keep pace with social changes, and contribute to raising parents' awareness and enhancing their skills in dealing with the requirements of upbringing. He considered the center an advanced step toward consolidating the concept of parenting as a specialized field in its own right, by providing modern training content based on the best global practices, and enhancing the quality of services provided to families.

In turn, Executive Director of the Parenting Center (Kanaf) Dr. Maryam Ibrahim Al Malki indictaed that the center works as a scientific reference and national platform to empower parents in light of the accelerating changes and the multiplicity of sources of influence on children. She underscored that its programs cover the various stages of upbringing and include specialized programs for families of people with disabilities and twins, in addition to supporting those in charge of education in dealing with special cases.

The Kanf Center is a qualitative addition to the Qatar Foundation for Social Work system, as it works within an integrated framework with affiliated centers, which contributes to unifying national efforts in the field of family support, and building an integrated national model for parenting based on knowledge and prevention. Its launch reflects the state's direction toward enhancing investment in people and families, and improving the quality of services provided, in line with social transformations and enhancing the effectiveness of preventive interventions. It is expected to contribute to achieving a sustainable impact through building the capacities of parents, strengthening partnerships, and establishing a conscious community culture in parenting. (QNA)