SWIFT Study team briefs Western Cape Parliament on scaling digital parenting support

On 27 June 2025, the Supporting Wellness through Integrated Family Training (SWIFT) Study, a Global Parenting Initiative (GPI) study based within the Safety and Violence Initiative (SaVI) Research Unit, briefed the Western Cape Parliament’s Standing Committee on Social Development, highlighting its government-level partnerships to scale evidence-based digital parenting support.

The team showcased the Global Parenting Initiative’s ParentText as an example of the possibilities of Parenting for Lifelong Health’s digital parenting solutions. ParentText is a customised WhatsApp chatbot featuring core modules designed to strengthen parent–child relationships and keep children safe, including online safety and sexual violence prevention.

The initiative aligns with both provincial and national violence prevention and child protection policy frameworks, reflecting a shared commitment to improving child and family wellbeing through accessible, scalable digital interventions. 

Watch the presentation here: Western Cape Parliament proceedings (starts at 1:16:11)