Other
Maximising the Use of Digital Technology in Contemporary Parenting: Perception of Parents Residing in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja and Practice Considerations for Social Work
Nweke GC ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study explores how parents in Abuja, Nigeria use digital technology in parenting through interviews with 12 parents. Parents reported that digital tools help them communicate with children, access information, monitor children's activities, and manage household tasks. However, parents also face challenges including high device costs, limited digital skills, and concerns about online safety. The study calls for social workers to integrate technology-mediated support services and promote digital literacy and safety education for families.
Key points
- Digital technology enhances parent-child communication and improves access to parenting information
- Parents use digital tools for child monitoring, automating household tasks, and remote family engagement
- Key barriers include high cost of devices, limited digital literacy skills among parents, and online safety concerns
- Social workers should incorporate technology-mediated family support services into professional practice
- Digital inclusion initiatives should focus on affordable access, child online safety education, and community-based digital literacy training
Limitations
The study is based on qualitative data from only 12 parents in one Nigerian city, so findings cannot be generalised to other regions or populations. The research relies on parents' self-reported perceptions rather than observation of actual technology use practices or measurement of child outcomes.
Abstract
Abstract Digital technology has become an integral part of everyday life, found in families and used by parents in running the activities of their households. However, little is known about how digital technology can be maximised in contemporary parenting practices. Therefore, the study examined maximising the use of digital technology in contemporary parenting: perceptions of parents residing in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and practice considerations for social work. An in-depth interview was used to collect data from 12 parents (6 fathers and 6 mothers). Three key themes stood out from the data collection guides. The findings revealed that digital technology enhances parent-child communication, improves access to information and facilitates child monitoring. Findings also highlighted that parents use digital technology to automate household tasks, facilitate remote family engagement and monitor health. Further findings also highlighted the challenges parents encounter in integrating digital technology, the high cost of devices, limited digital literacy skills and concerns over online safety. In conclusion, it is the responsibility of social workers to incorporate technology-mediated family support services into professional practice. Social workers must leverage digital tools to reach out to families and parents with limited access to direct services. Also, social workers working with children, families, communities and schools must understand how family functioning and parent–child interactions are shaped by digital tools; they must champion digital inclusion initiatives, consisting of access to digital technologies that are affordable, education on child online safety and community-based digital literacy for parents.