Developing a Plan for Flintshire Gail Bennett, Parenting Strategy Coordinator 20 th January 2012

1. Developing a Plan for FlintshireGail Bennett, Parenting Strategy Coordinator20th January 2012

2. Developing a ‘Plan’ for Flintshire Aim of the presentation: Overview of the development of the Flintshire Parenting Strategy and Action Plan an addendum to the Flintshire Children and Young People’s Plan with a focus on parenting programmes

3. ‘Parenting is… an activity undertaken by those who bring up children • mothers and fathers • foster carers • adoptive parents • step-parents • grandparents • siblings may undertake a parenting role • Services e.g. teachers; voluntary sector… All of these play a crucial role in giving the children in their care a flying start in life, providing the best basis for children’s and young people’s growth and development. Local authorities also act as corporate parents for children and young people in their care. Welsh Assembly Government – Parenting Action Plan, December 2005 (Ref: 1.8)

4. Parenting and implications for children • Parents teach by example a child’s values, skills and behaviour • Parenting practices influence whether children: • Develop confidence, self-assurance and resilience • Reach their potential – schooling, qualifications, work • Get on well with others – relationships, families, community • Foundations are laid in the early years for children’s social and emotional skills and relationships

5. Multi-Agency Parenting Strategy Group • Parents, carers and families are the most important influence on outcomes for children and young people • Partnership with parents • Good quality universal support, information, advice and signposting • Specialised targeted support • A menu of parenting support inc. programmes • Engaging parents in children and young people’s education • Quality provision

6. Project Management Approach • Parenting Strategy Group Action Plan and Schedule of Activities 2008-2011 • Raising the profile of parenting and parent involvement • Information and Advice services • Parenting skills and family learning • Parents, education and the school setting • Effective workforce (workforce development) • Task Lists and Action Review Sheets • Outcomes and Outputs

7. Truly multi-agency and collaborative Universal health Children’s Services Educational Psychology Specialist CAMHS Sure Start/Flying Start Youth Justice Service Children and Young People Partnership Voluntary Sector 7 meetings held from January – July 2009 plus 1 follow up November 2009 One whole day facilitated meeting in March 2009 to review parenting programmes Re-grouped: 2011, ongoing plan Links with Families First Parenting Learning Set Anne Currie Andy Drummond Beth Vaughn Brendan McLoughlin Gail Bennett Gill Harrison Heather Chapman Helen Ellis Lesley Taylor Nick Howarth Rose Richards Sara Hammond-Rowley Viv Parry Members of the Task & Finish Group

8. What did we achieve? • Successfully brought together agencies and services to take forward the planning • Identified need to carry out an assessment of needs– consulted NPHS, then paper published by David Utting (Family & Parenting Institute, 2009) • Reviewed Parenting Programme Prospectus (National Academy for Parenting Practitioners, 2009) • Completed the Parenting Programmes Literature Review and Parenting Programmes Evaluation document (2009) – available on Research in Practice website • Agreed a cross agency detailed plan for Parenting Programmes to be delivered in Flintshire

9. Parenting Skills and Family LearningIn the past three years, we have… • Established a Parenting Programme ‘Task and Finish Group’ to bring together agencies and services to take forward the planning and delivery of a range of parenting programmes; • Completed an assessment of need for parenting programmes, including an outline methodology and a review of research; • Developed and published the ‘Flintshire Parenting Programme and Evaluation Toolkit’; • Agreed and implemented developments recommended in the Toolkit: • Agreed Family Information Service as a point of contact for signposting • Created a ‘signposting pack’, with training for services (TAF – 500+) • Developed websites: Family Information Service, Flintshire Parentscentre • Developed multi-agency resources: A Guide for Parents; Respecting Others leaflet for parents • Developed a training programmes for facilitator including supervision and mentoring - further training needs established • Established a central library of resources for recommended programmes to support programme development and delivery • Acknowledged and rewarded the efforts of parents in their learning, through awards, qualifications and celebrations (Ref: Page 64)

10. Parenting Skills and Family LearningIn the next three years, we aim to…(1) • Increase the offer of and take up levels for existing parenting programmes through: • Training • Resourcing • Improving and developing delivery • Quality assurance to enable delivery across all agencies and sectors.

11. Parenting Skills and Family LearningIn the next three years, we aim to…(2) • Establish and work towards addressing gaps in parenting provision for: • universal advice • Parents of teenagers • Parents of children with disabilities and additional needs including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Autistic Spectrum Disorder; • Children in need of protection; parents of high level of needs whose own attachment relationships and / or mental health problems are significantly impacting on their ability to parent their children; • Parents with learning difficulties

12. Parenting Skills and Family LearningIn the next three years, we aim to…(3) • Increase knowledge of and referrals to parenting programmes, which will be delivered by appropriately qualified and experienced staff; with a workforce appropriately ‘qualified’ to work with parents. (Ref: National Occupational Standards for Work with Parents)

13. Offering quality services: What is it and what does it do? • Quality raises the standard of work • Quality ensures consistency • Quality strengthens an organisation, service and integrated working • Quality benchmarks practice • Quality Standards for Work with Parents – values, principles, self-evaluation tool

14. Making Quality a Reality Workforce Planning Recruitment & Selection Induction Role & Team Profiles Job Descriptions Organisation Quality Standards Career Development Learning & Development Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Standards Performance Management Qualifications

15. Working with Parents Qualifications The Award and Certificate in Work with Parents have been designed to equip those working with parents with the necessary skills and knowledge required to support parents in their parenting role. A well-organised and trained multi-disciplinary workforce has an important role to play in achieving the aims of Families First. Pilot in Partnership with Glyndwr University, Flintshire, Wrexham, Denbighshire – approx. 50 people undertaking competency based qualification – first in Wales. Celebration 26 January 2012 – Glyndwr 4 – 6 pm.

16. Flintshire Families First… is an approach Continuum of Services • Universal Services • .Playgroups • .Schools • Youth Services • .Health Visitors/GPs • Targeted Services • .Flying Start • .Inclusion Service • .Play clubs • CAMHS • Referred Services • Childrens Social Care. • .Youth Justice • .Disability Service • Specialist Services • .CAMHS • .Integrated Family Support • Areas for development • Tend to be child focused rather than family focused • Integration between service areas including services for adults

17. Key principles • A long term vision for Flintshire • Adhering to and contributing to the evidence -base • Developing a wide range of programmes to meet different needs • Build on investment to date • Joint agency/service planning and commitment to delivery – where necessary the redefinition of roles

18. Any questions? Thank you.