Introduction to parenting support

The Kirklees Parenting Support Service has been operational since April 2008. The service has evolved from its predecessor the Kirklees Parenting Support Forum.

The aim of the service is to ensure all parents, mothers and fathers, and carers across Kirklees receive a "core offer" of parenting support services, which puts the needs of the child and young person and their parent or carer at the centre of service provision.

We aim to do this by:

• ensuring parents, carers and children have voice and influence in the development of parenting support across Kirklees
• bringing stakeholders together to agree principles for parenting support and to work together strategically to implement the Parenting Strategy
• make the role of parents and carers even more central to the achievement of the five Every Child Matters outcomes
• ensure a continuum of quality support for parents and carers from universal provision through the early intervention and preventative services, to targeted and intensive interventions to support families. This will include statutory enforcement of parenting contracts and orders
• ensuring that the Parenting Strategy informs the Children and Young People Plan and that the strategy forms a basis for links across the full range of adult and children's services in line with government guidance
• ensuring that the parents who themselves have additional needs are supported

Parents and the home environment they create are the single most important factor in shaping their children's well-being, achievements and prospects.
Alan Johnson
Every Parent/carer Matters 2007

The named Parenting Commissioner for Kirklees is Karen Worrall, who is the head of Localities.

The Kirklees Parenting Support Services is part of Localities and sits within the KEYS (Kirklees Early Years Service) service.

The Kirklees Parenting Support Service has been operational since April 2008. The service has evolved from its predecessor the Kirklees Parenting Support Forum.

The aim of the service is to ensure all parents, mothers and fathers, and carers across Kirklees receive a “core offer” of parenting support services, which puts the needs of the child and young person and their parent or carer at the centre of service provision.

This new service is managed by Carole Pickburn in the role of Strategy Manager.

This key role includes responsibility for leading and championing the development and implementation of a multi-agency strategic approach to parenting support in Kirklees, to oversee the development and maintenance of good practice in terms of parenting support, linking with local, regional and national agendas. Carole also has responsibility for developing an information and communication strategy in respect of parenting support in Kirklees and also takes responsibility for key aspects of the delivery of parenting support, including the management of key posts associated with that delivery.

Carole was appointed in Sept 07 and has 28 years experience in social work with families and has also worked for the Trust for the Study of Adolescence – Parenting in Youth Justice.

Sue Davis is the Deputy Manager who has responsibility for co-ordinating parenting support in line with the DCSF's Youth Taskforce RESPECT agenda, the role is to address the incidence of, and factors associated with, anti – social behaviour in relation to parents and carers.

Sue is the lead officer responsible for the Workforce Development and the practice development of Strengthening Families.

Sue is a qualified Teacher, Parenting UK Trainer/Consultant and Social Worker and has 28 years experience in social care and learning and development.

Peter Robinson is the Parenting Practitioner with responsibility for developing services to Fathers of children aged 8 – 19 years and provides a weekly informal group in Mirfield for Dads and their children. The Dads group consists of ‘graduates' from parenting programmes across the authority who are developing links to colleagues in localities to enhance the menu of support to Dads of older children throughout Kirklees.

Peter will be the lead for supporting the development of services to parents of children with disabilities.

Peter also offers practitioner skills in working with colleagues and volunteers from partner agencies to provide structured parenting programme groups and workshops on topics appropriate to parents of children aged 8 – 19 years.

Peter has 20 years experience in residential child care and family support and has recently completed the Parenting Academy Working With Parent's programme.

Jan Wittrick co-ordinates our volunteer scheme which successfully manages a bank of 20 volunteers who work across Safeguarding's Family Support Team and the Parenting Support Service. These valuable volunteers provide a range of support roles including

• working with parents and/or children to support and maintain a plan of work
• co-facilitating structured parenting programmes
• supporting staff delivering workshops
• supporting staff delivering Dads and Kids Group
• assisting in engaging parents
• assisting in training new volunteers
• assisting in interview panels

We also have a small team of volunteers who have become casual paid staff through experience and training who can now work sessionally; in providing structured parenting programme group work.

Jan has NVQ Level 3 , Advanced Diploma in Group work and Counselling and recently completed the Parenting Academy Training the Trainers Qualification. Jan has 20 years experience in residential child care, family support and volunteer recruitment.

Maria Birch is one of two Parenting Development Officers.

She has responsibility for the supporting the implementation of the strategic approach to parenting support throughout Kirklees.

Maria supports the development of good practice locally through the practice development network which meets regularly providing support, networking opportunities, learning and practice development opportunities in line with national standards and national policy.

Maria is responsible for supporting the development of services and links with Extended Schools , Parent Support Advisors, and the Kirklees Teenage Pregnancy Strategy.

Maria is the lead for Webster Stratton and coordinates the delivery of the programme throughout the borough. She also delivers Share Plus in partnership with Extended Learning Services.

Maria also offers coaching and mentoring to practitioners and agencies individually to support the development of parenting support in particular to local schools and to practitioners working with families with children age 5 to 13 years.

Maria has completed the Parenting Academy Training the Trainers Qualification, and has considerable experience in early years family support.

Claire Hellawell is the second Parenting Support Development Officer, who along with Maria will have responsibility for supporting the implementation of the strategic approach to parenting support throughout Kirklees.

Claire's areas of responsibility are supporting the development of services to BME families, parents with learning disabilities and to parents with young people age 13 to 19 years. Advice and information is available to practitioners working with the groups Claire will be responsible for.

Claire is the lead for supporting the development of STEPS (Steps to excellence and personal success). This is a programme designed to raise confidence and self esteem of the participants.

Claire manages a library of resources which includes useful Programme materials, Books, Videos, DVD's and Creative Tools to assist practitioners who work with parents. The resources are housed in The Croft at Northorpe Hall, 37 Northorpe Lane in Mirfield. You can arrange to visit the library, receive advice and guidance, and borrow resources by contacting Claire.

Claire is studying towards the Parenting Academy Training the Trainers Qualification and has 11 years experience of working with families both in a residential setting and in an outreach setting. She has spent 2 years co-ordinating an Intensive Family Support Project before moving to Kirklees.

We are working to expand support to colleagues working with parents across the authority.

All this hard work is ably supported by our administrator Caroline Crowther who is based at The Croft, Northorpe Hall, Northorpe Lane , Mirfield.