Resources for parents
It’s up to all of us to keep children safe. That’s why the NSPCC are encouraging every adult in the UK to Listen up, Speak up.Through a free, 10-minute training and series of follow-up emails, Listen up, Speak up shows:
some signs a child might be at risk, and steps you can take to help
how to approach difficult conversations to help keep children safe
who you can contact if you’re ever concerned about a child or their family.
Learn more and play your part: nspcc.org.uk/listen-up-speak-up.
Thank you for everything you’re doing to help keep children safe.
Healthy Relationships: How to Argue Better
Happy home, happy adults, happy children
Relationships are tricky and experience ups and downs. They can change over time and can be impacted by life’s events. Do you argue with your partner or ex? Perhaps you are finding that your communication has broken down? This is more common than we would like to think. If this is happening often, it is sometimes tricky to resolve and can cause family life to be unhappy.
If this is happening with you and your partner, whether you are living together or not, it is more likely that your child will become upset, anxious or angry and this may be reflected in their behaviour or attitude towards you or your partner.
If this sounds familiar to you, there are lots of different ways you can access support and information.
If you are a parent of a child aged 8–14 years old, there is free support available to you through the SICPO project. This is a research project where families are randomly selected to complete therapeutic counselling sessions with a therapist or to complete an online digital package with a practitioner. Click here to find out more - Healthy relationships: Tavistock Project (bcpcouncil.gov.uk) or complete this short enquiry form -https://forms.office.com/e/uF9Q2gj9xF to express your interest.
There are also free digital resources suitable for families with children of any age, including expectant parents. You can work through the activities at your own pace with your partner or ex-partner or on your own. The resources will give you ideas and tips on how to stop disagreements from turning into arguments to help reduce stress for you and your child.
Click here to get started. You can work through the sections at your own pace.
Water Lily Cafe
The Water Lily Project is a Christian charity that is passionate about supporting and empowering women across Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole areas and helping them back to independent living.
Need Support? Call 01202 246763 (regularly monitored answerphone) or email support@waterlilyproject.org.uk
Or see their website here
To access the programmes below, a referral form needs to be completed. This can be completed by the school or by a navigator or targeted family support.
A Friday morning drop-in takes place between 9am and 11am at Draper Road, Somerford, Christchurch, BH23 3AS. There will be a navigator there for information, advice, guidance and support. For more information email christchurchfamilyhub@bcpcouncil.gov.uk or call 01202 093500.
Also see Family Information Directory that gives more details of what is happening near you during term time and the school holidays.
Domestic Abuse Recovery Toolkit
The Adult Domestic Abuse Recovery Toolkit is a 12 week programme that helps participants understand the impact of having experienced domestic abuse, explaining how they were prevented from leaving an abusive relationship and the thinking patterns they developed as a method of managing the risk which can hold them back moving forward. The individual’s own strengths, resources and coping skills and resilience are reinforced contributing to their own health and wellness on a long-term basis.
Escape the Trap (teenage relationship abuse programme)
'Escape the Trap' is designed to support young people, particularly teenage girls, who are identified as vulnerable to teenage relationship abuse, to learn about the dynamics of power and control in relationships at a much earlier stage in their experience of intimate relationships.
Grounded (for young people aged 11 to 16 years)
The Grounded groups are for young people, aged 11 to 16, who are experiencing difficulties when coping with situations of conflict or confrontation with adults. They may find themselves in trouble at school, home or in their local community. If you are a young person who sometimes finds yourself in trouble with adults, can lose your temper easily and wants to learn how to stay calm in difficult situations, then come and join our group. These sessions include a mix of activities to encourage participation and teamwork, whilst engaging young people. Groups run for two hours per week for seven weeks.
Living with teenagers (for parents and carers of 11 to 16 years)
Group for parents and carers of teenagers aged 11 to 16 years old. It supports parents and carers who find themselves in difficulties with the behavioural and communication challenges that the teenage years can present. We will support them in developing their skills in coping with and managing their teenager’s behaviour.
Triple P Teen
The Triple P – Positive Parenting Program ® is a parenting and family support system designed to prevent, as well as treat, behavioural and emotional problems in children and teenagers. It aims to prevent problems in the family, school and community before they arise and create family environments that encourage children to realise their potential. It aims to equip parents with the skills and confidence they need to be self-sufficient and to be able to manage family issues without ongoing support. Each programme offers 8 sessions.
Who's in Charge?
Who’s in Charge? is a nine week child to parent violence (CPV) programme aimed at parents whose children are being abusive or violent towards them or who appear to be out of parental control. The structure of the programme consists of eight, two and a half hour sessions, with a two month follow up.