Family Support & Parenting

Parenting is an activity undertaken by those who bring up children. This includes mothers and fathers, foster carers and adoptive parents, step-parents, and grandparents.  Local authorities also act as corporate parents for children and young people in their care.  There are a lot of ways in which families can be supported to bring up their children.  Emotional support, timely information, practical and preventative action and a network of parenting and relationship support can be crucial in helping some families cope.

Good parenting is respectful to the child’s best interests and rights, and is key to successful outcomes for children. Children in Wales supports positive parenting which is about showing children how to behave in ways which are acceptable to their parents and others.  Positive parenting helps children to understand how and why they should behave in different situations and by praising and rewarding them when they behave well.

Children in Wales has seen supporting parents and families as a key part of our work for many years, and we have had a staff dedicated to this work since 2002.

Children in Wales’ current work in this area includes:

• Providing training to a range of professionals
• Organising seminars, conferences and other events that share research, policy and good practice
• Providing information, support and resources for the parenting workforce
• Providing opportunities for practice and information exchange through our Parenting Coordinator’s Network
• Promoting positive parenting approaches
• Promoting the use of the National Occupational Standards for Work with Parents

For more information about any of these issues please contact: Anna Westall, Development Officer Family Support, Early Years and Childcare, tel: 029 2034 2434, e-mail: anna.westall@childreninwales.org.uk