Skills courses under the PMTO banner for 25 years

Hafnarfjörður leading in PMTO in Iceland

„Congratulations on your 25th anniversary,“ said Valdimar Víðisson, the mayor, as he delivered a speech at the educational day and anniversary celebration of the PMTO concept, held at the Nordic House recently. A number of specialists were in attendance.

„Looking back over these 25 years, it is abundantly clear that this was not just about implementing one method, but about making decisions that have shaped the culture in schools and local authorities across the country. “This was a decision to respond to children's problems with support and preventative measures, instead of being in firefighting mode every day," he said, adding that Hafnarfjörður was both fortunate and bold to be among the first municipalities to take part in this journey.

„It's something we are extremely proud of. But such pride also comes with responsibility. When we choose to adopt such an approach, we are not just adopting a new procedure, but deciding what values should underpin our interactions with children, parents and each other.“

100 attended the PMTO skills course last year

In total, 100 parents attended the PMTO parenting skills course with the City of Hafnarfjörður last year. The parents receive instruction and are trained in supportive methods for their parenting role. They learn, among other things, how to set clear boundaries for their children in a gentle way. Kolbrún Sigþórsdóttir, the project manager for PMTO parenting skills at the municipality, told us about the procedure at the beginning of the year. „Parents are given the right tools and taught how to use them so that the outcome is as good as possible.“ She now attended the training session along with representatives from the City of Hafnarfjörður.

Valdimar said in his address that PMTO and SMT have been crucial as a philosophy that has permeated all work. „How we talk to children, how we tackle problems, how we praise and how we set boundaries without being destructive,“ said the former headteacher. The effects are seen in the small moments of the day, in a classroom where a teacher manages to maintain calm without raising their voice, in a child who was once a „challenging pupil“ but is now „the pupil who does well when given the chance“, in a parent-teacher meeting that is held in co-operation rather than on the defensive. These are the moments that tell us why this work matters so much,“ he said.

„We have seen that when schools speak the same language, when specialist services support with the same approach and when parents feel they are part of the solution, then something great happens. Then behavioural problems stop being a private matter for the child or family and become a shared responsibility. That is the real change with this system: not just teaching certain steps, but changing how we think about children, responsibility and collaboration.“

No quick fixes for changing challenges

Valdimar said that we must face the fact that the challenges have changed over these 25 years and how tempting it is to constantly look for new magic solutions, a new programme or a new system.

„But this 25-year history and experience of PMTO and SMT tells us that we need to cultivate what works. We need to nurture the fundamentals: communication, parenting, home-school partnership, clear boundaries and warmth. These are timeless values that we need, if anything, to rely on even more now than ever before.“

He gave special thanks to the pioneers who began this journey. „I want to thank all the PMTO and SMT specialists who have kept the momentum going, trained, guided and stood firm when the going got tough.“ He also thanked the school staff, parents and children who had taken part.

„The crux of the matter is that this work has taught us that children who show difficulties are not troublesome children, but children in difficulty. It reminds us that behaviour is language and that solutions are found when we stand together: the school, the home, the local authority and specialist services.“ This approach should be continued.

PMTO parenting skills have been used and taught in the City of Hafnarfjörður since the turn of the century.

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