Introduction
In Somerset, there is a range of parenting support programmes delivered by different practitioners and offered at different times in a child’s life from toddlers to teens.
As part of the Healthy Child Programme, parents can get six visits from a health visitor, which take place at key developmental stages before a child starts school. Health visitors are trained in delivering parenting support programmes and during their visits will provide advice to parents individually.
More information about accessing Health Visitors
In some cases, parents may find it helpful to attend a parenting course to help them work through particular issues they may be experiencing. These programmes can be seen as a chance to try out different ways to help strengthen the relationship between parent and child and work through some of the challenges that many parents face. As well as health visitors, parenting programmes are delivered by Parent and Family Support Advisors based in schools. Parents can choose to have support individually or as part of a group.
The programmes we offer
Triple P
Triple P offers solutions to support social and behavioural problems in children. It can equip parents with the skills and confidence they need to be self-sufficient and be able to manage family issues without ongoing support. Triple P is delivered to parents of children up to 12 years.
Triple P is offered mostly by Parent and Family Support Advisors who you can contact through your child’s school
Webster Stratton – The Incredible Years
The Incredible Years programme helps reduce aggression and emotional problems in children aged 0 to 12 years, preventing later problems in the teenage years. The parenting programmes consist of about 4 to 20 weekly parent group sessions. Each parent group session has two group leaders, 10 to 14 participants, and lasts 2 to 2.5 hours.
Webster Stratton is offered by Health Visitors and by Parent and Family Support Advisors who can be contacted through your child’s school.
Tuning into Kids and Tuning into Teens
Tuning into Kids and Tuning into Teens are offered by some Parent and Family Support Advisors, who can be contacted through your child’s school, and Home-Start West Somerset.
Solihull Approach
Solihull Approach is offered by Health Visitors in Somerset
Mellow Parenting – Mellow Bumps
Each week there are activities that promote emotional wellbeing for the mums-to-be and help them to reduce stress. The activities raise awareness of the social capabilities of babies and the value of early interaction. Mellow Bumps is designed to be offered at about twenty to thirty weeks gestation to capture the period when the pregnancy is most secure and the mums-to-be may have experienced foetal movement but before their attention is taken up with delivery.
Mellow Bumps is delivered through Health Visitors.
Reducing parental conflict – online courses
Being a parent can be hard and challenge any relationship. We want to help parents learn how to argue better and reduce any unhealthy conflict, either living together or separated.
Any parent living in Somerset can now access 3 online courses (30 minutes each) at OnePlusOne/parents – all you need is your postcode and email address to log into all of them.
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Me, You and Baby Too. Becoming parents can change any relationship. Tiredness and stress as a result of having a new baby can lead you and your partner to misunderstand each other. This course can help improve how you communicate with each other and how you could reduce any unhealthy conflict.
- Arguing Better. Understanding how to argue in a constructive way can make all the difference in your relationship. This thought-provoking course takes you through new options for managing disagreements in your relationship.
- Getting it right for children. Separating can be difficult for everyone involved. It’s easy for children to get caught up in the middle of disagreements. This course helps parents develop effective ways to cooperate after separation.
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) webinar for parents and carers
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) webinar is designed for parents and carers who want to prevent Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) or support their child(ren) to heal from previous adversity. It has been developed by the Educational Psychology Service in collaboration with the Somerset Parent Carer Forum as part of a Public Health project. This project aims to raise awareness of ACEs, and provide adults with strategies they can use to support our children and young people to become resilient and healthy adults.