What is good parenting? The perspectives of different professionals

Defining parenting, and good parenting in particular, is a complex task wrought with ambiguities. This creates problems in agreeing on a standard parenting capacity assessment, particularly in relation to strengths as opposed to weaknesses. To address this lack of consensus, the current study explored the convergence and divergence of different professional groups' opinions on good parenting. A mixed-methods design was employed, with semi-structured interviews and rating scales administered to 19 professionals with experience in parenting capacity assessments. Data were analyzed using a constructivist grounded theory. The findings suggest that, in general, professionals agree on main themes of good parenting, including (1) insight, (2) willingness and ability, (3) day-to-day versus complex/long-term needs, (4) child's needs before own, (5) fostering attachment, and (6) consistency versus flexibility. Within these six categories, individual differences emerged. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.