The purpose of this paper is to report on new parents’ experiences of using the available range of parenting resources that help to guide parenting choices and practices. Using a semi-structured interview schedule, 30 participants were asked about their engagement with parenting resources. The types of resources considered most salient to the participants of this study in Victoria, Australia, included professional services, peers, family and friends, and written material. On the whole, these parents valued expert opinion when they encountered problems but experienced a level of frustration when they did not ‘feel heard’ by professionals or when faced with mixed messages. While they reported some resistance to overt advice offered by family and friends, especially if the information was considered ‘out-dated’, they relied heavily on informal advice and support from peers, even if this was supported only by anecdotal evidence.

Parents are instrumental in the healthy development of their children, and consequently future generations, and should therefore be supported in their parental role. Using a Grounded Theory framework, 24 parents of 0- to 10-year-olds were interviewed about their experiences and preparation for parenthood. Despite their overall satisfaction, many felt underprepared, unsure, alone and inadequate during their transition to parenthood. Most of them felt like they struggled unnecessarily during the first year of parenthood, commenting on changes that would help support new parents. This paper reports the preliminary findings of the study.