"What next?": an educational program for parents of newborns

A community agency, a volunteer group and a hospital staff collaborated to provide a hospital based education program for parents of newborns. The program rationale, design, development, and evaluation are presented. "What next?" represents a family life education program which seeks to alleviate the normal stresses of becoming a parent. In a supportive small group hospital setting, trained volunteers provide parents with information about post partum adjustments, child development, parenting and community resources. Experience indicates that this is a replicable program.