Our training in The Parenting Apart Programme delves deep into the intricate world of family relationships. It is not just about the individual; our goal is to understand and address the broader patterns and settings that influence family life. This approach is vital for sustaining positive change within family systems.
Families are diverse, with each member viewing the world through their own lens. Challenges such as divorce, separation, changes in carer, illness, and other life changes can strain family relationships. While some families navigate these smoothly, others find the journey more challenging.
Our training is tailored for those assisting families overwhelmed by stress, recurring disagreements, or communication breakdowns. It equips professionals with the tools to enhance family communication, foster mutual understanding, and resolve conflicts, with a particular emphasis on protecting children from the fallout of conflicts. This training is ideal for anyone dedicated to promoting a healthier, more harmonious family environment, ensuring children grow up feeling loved and secure.
Core Principles of the Parenting Apart Programme
- Fostering Quality Relationships: The cornerstone of our programme is the belief that the quality of relationships significantly impacts a child's development. We emphasise the need for consistent, sensitive relationships to help children form secure attachments with their parents, essential for their emotional and psychological growth
- Secure Attachments for Positive Development: We highlight the importance of secure attachments, where children feel worthy of love and comfort. Such security enables children to better regulate their emotions and interact with others effectively
- Building Relationship Skills: Recognising the importance of relationship skills as children grow, we understand that while most children develop these skills naturally, those facing attachment disruptions may require additional support. Our programme is tailored to assist these children in building and strengthening their relational skills
- Importance of Family and Social Connections: We stress the significance of various relationships in a child's life - from family members like parents, siblings, and grandparents to social connections like school friend and teachers. We acknowledge that while positive relationships can enhance a child’s mental health and well-being, poor family relationships, conflict, and separation can have detrimental effects
- Long-Term Benefits of Strong Relationships: Our programme is geared towards ensuring that children and adolescents form and maintain positive relationships, which is pivotal for safeguarding their future opportunities and mental health. This aspect is particularly crucial for children experiencing complexities of parental separation, divorce, or persistent and intense conflicts within their parent's relationship
The Parenting Apart Programme offers specialised training for professionals working in child and family focused environments. This training is crucial for those assisting parents or carers in conflict or non-communicative situations about their children. It is ideal for professionals in:
- Schools
- Early Help Services
- Safeguarding Teams
- Mental Health Services
- Independent Professionals in private settings or Private Law Proceedings
- Designed for Various Family Situations
Our programme is tailored for parents or carers experiencing medium to high levels of inter-parental conflict, whether separated or together. It combines psychological research on child development, neuroscientific studies, attachment theory, and conflict and communication theories. The focus is on systemic family therapy approaches and positive, strengths-based communication between parents.
Training Overview
Our training equips trainee with a solution-focused, semi-structured approach to support parents in family challenges. It covers:
- Individual and joint sessions for parents to improve communication and cooperation
- Developing a Parent Working Agreement focused on the child's well-beingrvices
- Core elements including safeguarding, children’s emotional and mental health, enhancing communication, and fostering co-parenting relationships
Comprehensive 3-Day Training
Trainees participate in a 3-day training session, available virtually or face-to-face.
Through our comprehensive training, trainee will acquire a range of skills and knowledge, essential for supporting families effectively. The key learning outcomes include:
- Understanding Complex Family Dynamics: Practitioners will gain insights into the nuances of family relationships, especially in contexts of separation, divorce, and parental conflict
- Skills in Relational Support: Developing the ability to provide relational support by focusing on family systems, communication patterns, and the environment that impacts a child's development
- Attachment Theory Application: Learning to apply attachment theory in practical settings to better support children in forming secure relationships with their parents and caregivers
- Conflict Resolution Techniques: Acquiring skills in conflict resolution to assist parents in navigating and resolving disputes, thereby reducing stress and promoting a healthier family environment
- Child-Centred Intervention Strategies: Understanding and implementing child-centred approaches that prioritise the child's mental and emotional well-being in family interventions
- Developing Effective Co-Parenting Plans: Guiding parents in creating and maintaining effective co-parenting plans that focus on the child’s needs and well-being
- Safeguarding and Child Protection: Enhancing knowledge and skills in safeguarding, recognising the signs of distress or harm in children, and understanding the appropriate steps to ensure their safety
- Communication and Empathy Skills: Strengthening communication and empathy skills to foster a supportive and understanding environment for both parents and children
By the end of the programme, trainees will be equipped with the tools and understanding necessary to provide effective, empathetic support to families facing challenges due to parental separation, conflict, or other complex dynamics.
Accreditation and Partnerships
Upon completion, trainees receive CPD accreditation from AIM Qualifications and Assessment Group. Learn more about AIM Group accreditation.
The programme is in partnership with various Local Authorities and we are recognised provider in the DWP Reducing Parental Conflict. More about the DWP initiative.
Cost and Package Options
For Individual Practitioners: £2,500 for the 3-day training, including Manual and a 12-month licence.
For Organisations/Local Authorities: A comprehensive package for groups of 12 or more trainees, including training, manuals, licence, quarterly reflective practice groups, regular reviews, and a Social Impact Report.
This training ensures that professionals are fully equipped to support parents effectively through their co-parenting challenges, fostering a positive impact in family dynamics.
Feedback
Interested in Further Insights?
For a comprehensive understanding of our Evaluation, Social Impact Reports, Reflective Practice Groups and detailed feedback from Local Authorities on our training, please click below: