Tag Archives: Families Together

Sink or Swim Programme- Southern Trust

Duration: Every Wednesday for 6 weeks beginning on the 23rd of February 2022 for 1.5 hours from 10.00am – 11.30am

This programme provides parents with a greater awareness of mental health issues and deals sensitively with the issues faced by children when a parent is emotionally unwell.  For parents it can be difficult to explain to their children what is happening and for the child it is difficult to make sense of their parent’s attitude and behaviour. 

It offers practical tips and factual information to meet the child’s needs and reduce their anxiety when their parent is experiencing a mental health issue.

Online via Zoom

To register call us on freephone 0808 8010 722!

Families Together Project in Antrim and Strabane draws to a close after five highly successful years in local schools.

The Families Together Project is a 5-year transformative project deployed in schools within Antrim and Strabane. The project was headed by Parenting NI in partnership with Action Mental Health New Life and with financial support from the National Lottery Community Fund. The project was initially deployed in six schools within Antrim and Strabane which included Sion Mills Primary School, Ballycraigy Primary School, Six Mile Integrated Primary School, Parkhall Primary School, St Catherine’s Primary School & St Mary’s Primary School. The project was able to provide support for an additional 4 schools across the two areas however unfortunately ends this November after five incredible years working within local schools.

A principal remarks on the project;

“It’s hard to imagine the school without them – they’re part of the school now and an important part of our annual pastoral action plan.”

Parenting NI has been providing parenting services across Northern Ireland since 1979 in the belief that effective parenting is the cornerstone of strong families, and that parents should be supported to enable them to provide children with a positive upbringing. Parents are a primary influence on their children and that influence can either be negative or positive depending on the quality of the parenting (Campbell, 1995). The Families Together project was designed around these principles in order to holistically strengthen these relationships. Strabane and Antrim were selected as the two areas for the project because of the high level of disadvantage. Primary schools within the most disadvantaged parts of Strabane and Antrim were invited to become partner schools with Parenting NI to form the Families Together Project.

Once a year, the Families Together Project would host a Family Fun Day in Antrim and Strabane with a variety of local agencies joining in to provide fun activities for families as well as information on local support services. The project hosted a large number of activities, parenting classes, parent & child workshops and counselling sessions for parents and their children within each school. These included the ‘Time for Parents’ Support and Counselling service and ‘Time for Me’ informal listening and signposting sessions and Time Together for the parents and their children. Families Together ran a variety of free parenting workshops for participating schools. These topics ranged from subjects such as Relaxation, Handling Children’s Behaviours and Healthy Choices. The programme ran numerous child workshops, a Parenting Café for parents to informally meet one another and a highly successful Walking Group.

One of the school principals remarks on the programme;

“I am struck by the diversity of needs and parents being engaged – not just those who are always targeted because of high needs, but also fathers and people of different social backgrounds. This is de-stigmatising.”

Over the 5-year duration of the project, the engagement of the schools and families involved in the programme has grown significantly. This has been particularly noticeable with families who lacked confidence in their parenting ability and self-esteem. Parenting NI and the Families Together Project are delighted to celebrate all the great work and engagement the parents, families, children and the teachers in each school have brought to the project over the past five years.

One parent remarked on the programme:

“It’s like a wee lifeline. A good experience – brilliant and highly recommended. I’m definitely more confident as a parent and I have a better support system.”

Families Together Parenting Apart Programme Antrim

Duration: Every Thursday for 6 weeks

The Parenting Apart programme is aimed at parents who have separated, are separating, divorced or thinking of divorce.

The programme explores:

  • Emotional impact
  • Parenting roles
  • Changes in relationships
  • Legalities
  • Financial impact
  • Moving on

The programme will provide practical advice and guidance about what children need to know, and what parents can do to meet their children’s need. Although parents are immersed in their own difficulties, this programme can help parents focus on the child’s needs with the aim of minimising the impact of the separation.

To register call us on freephone 0808 8010 722.

This programme is being delivered as part of our Families Together Project, thanks to funding from the National Lottery Community Fund.

 

Families Together Sink or Swim Programme Antrim

FREE 6 Week Programme Supporting Mental WellBeing of Parents & Carers

Duration: Every Wednesday for 6 weeks
Location: Ballycraigy Primary School

Do you sometimes struggle with parenting? Are some days better than others? Many parents feel exactly the same way!

Sink or Swim explores the realities of parenting, while sharing tips & tools on how to look after your own mental health. 

All parents & carers welcome. Refreshments will be provided.

To register call us on freephone 0808 8010 722.

 

 

 

 

 

Families Together Parenting Apart Programme Strabane

Duration: Every Monday for 6 weeks

The Parenting Apart programme is aimed at parents who have separated, are separating, divorced or thinking of divorce.

The programme explores:

  • Emotional impact
  • Parenting roles
  • Changes in relationships
  • Legalities
  • Financial impact
  • Moving on

The programme will provide practical advice and guidance about what children need to know, and what parents can do to meet their children’s need. Although parents are immersed in their own difficulties, this programme can help parents focus on the child’s needs with the aim of minimising the impact of the separation.

To register call us on freephone 0808 8010 722.

This programme is being delivered as part of our Families Together Project, thanks to funding from the National Lottery Community Fund.

 

Parenting Apart Antrim

Duration: Every Wednesday for 6 weeks

The Parenting Apart programme is aimed at parents who have separated, are separating, divorced or thinking of divorce.

The programme explores:

  • Emotional impact
  • Parenting roles
  • Changes in relationships
  • Legalities
  • Financial impact
  • Moving on

The programme will provide practical advice and guidance about what children need to know, and what parents can do to meet their children’s need. Although parents are immersed in their own difficulties, this programme can help parents focus on the child’s needs with the aim of minimising the impact of the separation.

To register call us on freephone 0808 8010 722.

This programme is being delivered as part of our Families Together Project, thanks to funding from the National Lottery Community Fund.

 

Families Together Parenting Apart Programme Strabane

Duration: Every Monday for 6 weeks

The Parenting Apart programme is aimed at parents who have separated, are separating, divorced or thinking of divorce.

The programme will provide practical advice and guidance about what children need to know, and what parents can do to meet their children’s need. Although parents are immersed in their own difficulties, this programme can help parents focus on the child’s needs with the aim of minimising the impact of the separation.

The programme explores:

  • Emotional impact
  • Parenting roles
  • Changes in relationships
  • Legalities
  • Financial impact
  • Moving on

To register call us on freephone 0808 8010 722.

Families Together Sink or Swim Programme Strabane

FREE 6 Week Programme Supporting Mental Well-Being of Parents & Carers

Duration: Every Thursday for 6 weeks

Do you sometimes struggle with parenting? Are some days better than others? Many parents feel exactly the same way!

Sink or Swim explores the realities of parenting, while sharing tips & tools on how to look after your own mental health. 

All parents & carers welcome. Refreshments will be provided.

To register call us on freephone 0808 8010 722.

Families Together Parenting Apart Programme

Duration: Every Thursday for 6 weeks

The Parenting Apart programme is aimed at parents who have separated, are separating, divorced or thinking of divorce.

The programme will provide practical advice and guidance about what children need to know, and what parents can do to meet their children’s need. Although parents are immersed in their own difficulties, this programme can help parents focus on the child’s needs with the aim of minimising the impact of the separation.

The programme explores:

  • Emotional impact
  • Parenting roles
  • Changes in relationships
  • Legalities
  • Financial impact
  • Moving on

To register call us on freephone 0808 8010 722.

Families Together Sink or Swim Programme

FREE 6 Week Programme Supporting Mental Well-Being of Parents & Carers

Duration: Every Tuesday for 6 weeks

Do you sometimes struggle with parenting? Are some days better than others? Many parents feel exactly the same way!

Sink or Swim explores the realities of parenting, while sharing tips & tools on how to look after your own mental health. 

All parents & carers from Sion Mills & Strabane welcome. Refreshments will be provided.

To register call us on freephone 0808 8010 722.