| Sumario: | Young children living with grandparents due to parental absence, called skipped-generation families, are at risk for improper growth and development. Grandparents are key to effective parenting practices, but most existing programs are not tailored to grandparents and lack participation by researchers and stakeholders. This study reports the qualitative descriptive phase of a community-based action research study aimed at identifying situations related to early childhood parenting practices in Thai skipped-generation families, as well as the problems and needs related to these parenting practices. The participants were purposively selected from a rural sub-district in Thailand's northern province and comprised two groups. The core working group included nine representative stakeholders. The participants for the problems and needs assessment comprised 20 grandparents of children aged 1-6 years in skipped-generation families and 39 stakeholders. Data collection was performed through focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and participant observation. Qualitative data were transcribed verbatim, and content analysis was conducted. Four categories emerged: 1) inappropriate perceptions toward parenting practices, 2) lack of adequate knowledge and skills regarding parenting practices, 3) barriers to promoting children's health and development, and 4) strategies required to address parenting challenges. Findings help nurses and early childhood teachers gain a better understanding of the issues and facilitators for promoting grandparents' parenting practices tailored to their actual needs. These findings serve as a basis for developing practical interventions grounded in stakeholder participation to empower grandparents to overcome parenting challenges by enhancing awareness and parenting skills and providing support from family members and the community.
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