Expert help is at hand for Dorset parents struggling with family relationships, with many experiencing further tensions as a result of the pandemic and lockdown restrictions.
Twin Group, an award winning provider of people-centred services, has received additional Government funding to extend the Reducing Parental Conflict pilot for another year. This suite of free programmes aims to help participants improve communication between themselves and the other parent.
Branded Happy Families, Happy Futures, this inclusive intervention has been designed for parents, who are in a relationship or separated; includes both step and adoptive parents; and those who have caring responsibilities such as grandparents and other individuals where there is a residence order. There is also support for expectant parents in a relationship or who may be separated.
Since its launch in 2019, the programme has helped more than 400 participants and is managed by local partners throughout the South West of England. In Dorset the intervention is delivered by Whitehead-Ross Education and Consulting.
Individual sessions are managed by local partners who provide skilled facilitators to help participants evaluate their relationship with the other parent, and improve ways of communicating, to ultimately benefit their children.
NEW APPEAL
Now Twin Group is launching a two-fold appeal to both potential participants and professional practitioners who are in contact with parents.
“There is no doubt that the pandemic has put an extraordinary strain on many family relationships,” said Samantha Stevens, Contract and Partnership Manager with Twin Group. “We are now promoting that this effective and groundbreaking programme has been extended for another year.
“We are alerting professional practitioners, health visitors and social workers for example, or those involved in another capacity with families, such as teachers, to continue to make referrals. We are also urging parents to register an interest with their professional support contact if they feel that such an intervention could benefit them or simply send an email to [email protected] ”
INTERVENTIONS EXPLAINED
There are four types of intervention available depending on the family’s individual circumstances:
Family Transitions Triple P: advice and guidance to deflect the pressure of divorce or separation away from children.
Incredible Years Inc. Advance: support and techniques for parents working together to do the best for their children in their early years.
Within My Reach: helping parents to understand healthy relationships and the positive impact for their children.
Family Check-Up: building parents’ skills to support positive behaviour.
The local delivery partners are: Exeter Community Initiatives; Home-Start; and Whitehead-Ross Education and Consulting.
PARTICIPANT PRAISE
“The course has really helped me understand not only my child’s, but also my own reactions to certain situations. A worthwhile course tailored around my own time, in the comfort of my own home.”
“Thank you very much for understanding and never judging us. You have really helped me and us as a family and, hopefully, made us a lot stronger as a family. We could not be more thankful.”
Samantha Stevens added: “The Happy Families, Happy Futures programme can be very effective at helping couples to improve how they communicate and reduce conflict within the family. During the pandemic we have changed our mode of delivery to online sessions which have proved very successful with participants and enabled us to continue our much needed service during lockdown.
“However, it is important to stress that this programme is not appropriate for parents dealing with incidents of domestic abuse, where there is an imbalance of power and one partner may feel fearful of the other.”
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