Parenting in Wales: Guidance on engagement and support

1. Unpacking the ‘Parenting in Wales: Guidance on engagement and support’10 September 2014Workshop 3Gail Bennett, Flintshire Parenting Strategy CoordinatorLlinos Davies, Cardiff Parenting Coordinator

2. Parenting in Wales: Guidance on engagement and support

3. Background • ‘Review of parenting support for Flying Start’ • Evidence gleaned from research reports and journal articles • Views from a range of internal and external stakeholders

4. Aims • Outline the underpinning principles that should guide parenting support • Share good practice and encourage the use of evidence based interventions when working with parents • Enhance the quality and consistency of parenting support provision • Inform the decisions made by those delivering and commissioning parenting services

5. Introduction • Considers the case for providing parenting support • Identifies the impact that good parenting can have on promoting successful outcomes for children • Recognises that parenting support can be beneficial for parents and children

6. Core Purpose The core purpose of parenting support is about working with parents to strengthen parenting capacity and reduce risks. Keeping a strong focus on the positive outcomes intended for children and reflecting their rights; support for mothers, fathers and carers should be provided that will: • enhance positive parenting skills to manage behaviour more effectively and promote children’s social skills, self-esteem, well-being and self-discipline; • improve parent–child relationships and parent-parent relationships; • develop positive attitudes and aspiration; • strengthen parents’ understanding of child development and foster their ability to be more responsive to the needs of their children to promote their social, emotional and cognitive development and well-being; • increase parents’ confidence in their parenting role; and • increase parents’ confidence and skills in providing a positive home learning environment and supporting their child with their learning

7. Principles and expectations • Commitment to the principles of the UNCRC • All support for parents should promote the principles of positive parenting • Guidelines on safeguarding children should be followed at all times • Follow organisational information sharing and record keeping protocols • Parenting support services should be inclusive and accessible • Principles and values in the NOS for Work with Parents • Parenting support services should be evidence-based • Welsh language

8. Focus of parenting support Parenting support should be offered under the following age related themes: • Perinatal and support in the early years to age 7 • Support for parents of children in middle childhood • Support for parents of teenagers Each of these age-related themes should be underpinned by the following cross-cutting themes:  • Relationship Support • Early intervention to support vulnerable families • Positive Parenting • Evidence based theories of child development

9. Evidence based theories of child development • Social learning theory • Attachment theory • Parenting styles theory • The model of human ecology

10. Types of support • Evidence-based, group-based structured parenting programmes • Informal Structured Group-based Parenting Support • Informal Drop-in Support • One-to-one support

11. Contents • Summary • Introduction • Core Purpose • Definitions • Principles and Expectations • Focus of Parenting Support • Types of Support • Designing and Delivering Parenting Support • Parents with Specific Needs • Workforce Development • Evaluation and Monitoring • Biliography

12. Unpacking the Guidance • The guidance lands in / on our inbox / desk, what do we do with it? • Do we still need local strategies or local planning tools to get the job done? • What do we do locally • Who needs to be involved?

13. Workshop What next? How can we use this guidance to best effect in our Local Authorities?

14. Thank you / Diolch