Introducing a New Group Type for Parenting to discover and engage with their communities

It’s often said that it takes a village to raise a child but, for many, becoming a parent can be an isolating experience. That experience can be even harder at a time like this when you physically can’t be with others. But whether you’re a dad with daughters, a single parent or a mom in tech, Facebook groups can provide a safe space for parents to come together to share support, education and resources.

“More than 5.5 million people in India are part of active parenting groups on Facebook. To help support these communities, we’re launching a new Facebook group type – parenting. The new features will make it easier for parents to discover the right communities, and make it safer and easier to engage within them,” said Grace Clapham, Head of Community Partnerships APAC, Facebook.

Starting today, when admins select the parenting group type, they will unlock access to three unique features customized to the parenting experience. With these new features, parents can feel more comfortable when speaking to their personal journey, easily identify content that’s important to them, and seek or share advice with others.

Anonymous Post:

We’ve heard from parents that they want a way for them to discuss topics they may not be comfortable sharing openly. To enable members of a parenting group to make sensitive posts without revealing their identity, we’re adding Anonymous Post to Facebook parenting groups. For example, if you’re looking to share or receive feedback related to financial concerns or dealing with the loss of a child, posting anonymously can help you easily facilitate those discussions.

Badging:

We are adding new badges to parenting groups, so that members can choose to identify themselves to groups members in regards to what stage in the parenting journey they are in. If you want to find people who are going through a similar situation as you, badging makes it easier to quickly find those people and connect to them. Example badges include “New Parent” and “Expecting Parent” to help parents connect more closely with those in similar situations.

Mentorship:

We are also expanding our Mentorship feature to all parenting groups who select this group type. Parenting group admins can now choose and create an online mentoring program, let members sign up and match mentor/mentee pairs. Members can pair up with one another to offer guidance during some of life’s biggest moments like expecting a new child, moving or switching careers.