Programme Overview

Programme Summary

These four sessions, developed by The Centre for Emotional Health use knowledge and research about the impact of parental conflict on families to increase parents’ understanding of the influence of parental relationships on children and they link this understanding with some key strategies for maintaining and improving parenting and reducing parental conflict within families. The word “parents” is used to refer to anyone in a parenting role, including foster carers, grandparents, etc.

Each week therefore includes some presentation of theory, some opportunities for discussion about how the theory relates to parents’ own experiences, and a practical strategy, or strategies, to apply in their own situations at home.

​

Programme Content

Week 1 - Self Awareness​

• The role of parents for children and young people

• Managing difficult feelings

• Nurturing Ourselves

 

Week 2 - Appropriate Expectations   

• Appropriate expectations

• Networks of support

• Communicating Clearly

 

Week 3 - Boundaries and Positive Discipline

• Parenting Styles

• Time to calm down

• Problem Solving and negotiating

 

Week 4 - Empathy​

• Choosing how to respond

• Reviewing tools and strategies

​

Outcomes For Parents & Children

The key aims of the sessions are to support parenting through developing the relationship between parents/carers and children by:

• Exploring the importance of positive relationships within families.

• Developing parents’ understanding of the importance of the 4 constructs to support their parenting.

• Developing parents’ understanding of the impact of their interpersonal relationships on children and young people.

• Promoting positive approaches to reducing parental conflict.

• Providing an opportunity for parents to share their experiences with others.

 

Specific Objectives and Learning Outcomes are included with the detailed plans for each session. The Objectives describe what parents will be learning or experiencing during each weekly session; and the Learning Outcomes describe what they should know or understand and what they should be able to do, as a result of their learning. As programme facilitators these provide a useful check for us to think about whether we are communicating the key points of the session; of course, there will be plenty of other learning also.

​

Resources For Parents

• Keeping Your Child in Mind: Guide for parents​

​

Impact & Evidence

Click link for evidence to support the effectiveness of the Keeping Your Child in Mind programme.