Parenting Support/Parenting Programmes

Our Family Support team offers reassurance and practical support to parents/guardians/carers during difficult times.  This is provided by way of parenting programmes and one-to-one support imparting parenting skills that parents can use to improve children’s wellbeing and their outcomes for the future. We work with families to identify each family members strengths; what is working well in your family, and what things you would like to improve. We work together with your family to support you to make changes that will help you and your family.

The service offers support to families in some of the following areas:

Parenting When Separated

Families going through separation can experience increased isolation and conflict.  With our Parenting When Separated Programme,  can  parents to personally cope, and to co-parent effectively, to ensure their children cope and thrive.

This programme is practical, solution-focused and draws on parents strengths. It is suitable for  parents who are preparing for, going through or have gone through a separation or divorce. It is flexible and can be delivered over 6-12 weeks in small groups or with individuals.

By participating in this programme  you will learn how  to:

  • Solve co-parenting problems in a positive way which focuses on the needs of their children
  • Create practical arrangements for children that minimise stress and conflict
  • Improve communication with their children and with their children’s other parent
  • Cope with the emotional impact of separation and learn stress management techniques
  • Help their children cope emotionally with the separation
  • Deal with the challenges of lone parenting or being a ‘live away’

 

Parenting Adolescents

The teenage years can be a challenging time for many families. By helping parents develop warm relationships with their teenagers you can reduce conflict and support their teenagers to grow up as well-adjusted and happy adults. 

This programme is practical, solution-focused and draws on parents strengths. It is suitable for parents of adolescents, including those with additional needs, such as ADHD. It is flexible and can be delivered over 6-12 weeks in small groups or with individuals.

As parents of adolescents , you will learn how to support parents of adolescents to:

  • Manage and resolve conflict
  • Build self-esteem and confidence
  • Create warm connected relationships
  • Positively discipline their adolescent
  • Negotiate rules and boundaries
  • Solve problems together
  • Communicate positively and effectively
  • Reduce their own stress as parents
PUP- Parenting Under Pressure

The PuP program is designed for families in which there are many difficult life circumstances that impact on family functioning. Such problems may include mental health challenges including trauma, substance misuse, family conflict and severe financial stress. The PuP program can be delivered in families’ homes, community settings, residential treatment facilities or a combination of any of these.

The overarching aim of the PuP program is to help children have optimal development. This can be supported by helping parents facing adversity develop positive and secure relationships with their children. Within this strength-based approach, the family environment becomes more nurturing, and less conflictual, and both parents and children learn strategies to identify and manage their emotions.

 

Strengthening Families

Strengthening Families Programme ‘SFP’ is an evidence-based programme that typically runs over a period of fourteen weeks, taking place on one evening during the week. The programme is hosted by a team of experienced facilitators and staff.

The aim of this programme is to help support families to build more positive relationships, for both parents and young people to develop essential skills and to encourage communication within the family unit. This is done through purposeful exercises/activities, role play, discussion and games.

A family meal is also served each week at the beginning of the evening in order to allow the family the opportunity to sit down together.

The main goal of ‘SFP’ is to help support families through adversity and challenges they may be facing and to help lead to more positive and happy family life.