Parent Group Leader

(10-week Nurturing Programme for parents)

Face to Face Training

Training to equip practitioners with the knowledge, specialist facilitation skills and resources to deliver the 10-week Nurturing Programme for parents – our core parent programme which improves the emotional health of both adults and children and strengthens family relationships.

It works very well with parents of children with additional needs and parents in prison.

A refresher day to support implementation is also available.

Training for Practitioners

On completion of the training, practitioners will be able to:

describe and use the Four Constructs of the Nurturing Programme in their work with families
demonstrate how to enhance their relationship with families, developing trust and working in partnership with parents
demonstrate group facilitation skills
explain empathy and its importance in relationships
have an understanding of the impact of emotional health on parents, children, young people and practitioners
understand the use of positive behaviour management strategies with children and young people
explain the link between feelings, thoughts and behaviour

This 4-day training is split over 2 weeks to allow for reflection.

2 trained Parent Group Leaders (PGL) are required to deliver the groups, with each PGL trained in the specific programme being delivered.

Every parent/carer should have access to copy of The Parenting Puzzle Book when attending a group.

Download the training course overview PDF for further details and cost.

Download PDF

Practitioners will receive a resources bundle included in the training cost:

The Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Refresher Days are 1-day courses for practitioners who have completed their training to deliver parent groups.

Through activities, group work, fun and nurturing, practitioners will revisit the fundamental principles of the programme and enhance their parent support skills. Relevant updates and national initiatives will be included.

Download the training course overview PDF for further details and cost.

Download PDF

Programme for Parents

The Nurturing Programme is a 10-week parenting programme that improves the emotional health of both adults and children and strengthens family relationships.

It puts connecting and building trusting relationships first. It is a relational programme which focuses on strengths, partnership and supporting personal power – our emotional strength to get our needs met and make choices in our lives. We understand the impact of trauma and apply this understanding both to the facilitation of all Nurturing Programme groups, and to the training to deliver these. It is a cognitive-relational programme, providing parents with new skills in listening and communicating with their children and developing an understanding of behaviour in the context of relationships.

It is based upon four constructs or building blocks: self-awareness, appropriate expectations, positive discipline and empathy.
The programme is for parents of children of all ages. Whoever we are, whatever specific needs we may or may not have, building trusting relationships with others will be an important part of our emotional health.

“Is the Nurturing Programme suitable for parents with children who have additional needs?”

The Nurturing Programme is broad, non-prescriptive and inclusive. It is designed and facilitated in such a way that enables parents to consider how the content best relates to their child(ren) and their own individual needs. This includes children with any additional needs diagnosed or undiagnosed.

The programme doesn’t cover specifics such as ASD and ADHD, but the focus on the parents, their own emotional health, and how they can empathise with their children is an effective way of adding another level of support for parents and, crucially, helping them to ensure that they are meeting their children’s needs.

Week 1

Introducing The Nurturing Programme
Building Blocks: The Four Constructs
Giving Praise

Week 2

The Question of Discipline
Settling Feelings

Week 3

Family Agreements
Rewards and Consequences

Week 4

Personal Power
Self-esteem
Choices – Personal Power in action

Week 5

Feelings…and What We Do With Them
Communicating Clearly: Using I Statements

Week 6

Kinds of Touch
Nurturing Ourselves

Week 7

Ages and Stages in Children’s Development
Helping Children Grow Up

Week 8

Keeping Children Safe

Week 9

Behaviour to Ignore
Problem solving and Negotiating

Week 10

Continuing the Family Journey
Celebration
Outcomes for parents and children

We offer a range of resources such as handbooks, parent group boards and games, all available to purchase in our online shop:

The Parenting Puzzle Book
The Parenting Puzzle Booklet is an abbreviated version of The Parenting Puzzle book, available in other languages.
Games: Ask It Tell It Card Game, The Nurturing Game, Feeling Faces resource

Please note, every parent/carer should have access to a copy of The Parenting Puzzle when attending a group.

For those who will go on to deliver groups, complete sets of Group Boards (available in other languages) are available to purchase as well as portfolio carrying cases. As an alternative to purchasing boards from us, some organisations share boards and others make their own, using images held in the PGL Login area of the website.

Outcomes For Parents & Children 2015 research showed:

On average 8 out of 10 parents attending groups report significant improvements in their children’s behaviour and family life
A significant reduction in conduct problems and hyperactivity
A reduction in the proportion of children with clinical levels of difficulties
Increase in levels of self-efficacy in 8 dimensions of parenting: emotion and affection, play and enjoyment, empathy and understanding, control, discipline and boundary setting, pressures of parenting, self-acceptance and learning and knowledge
Parent Group Leaders report an improvement in children’s behaviour and emotional and mental health; more parents entering education, training and employment; and a reduction in the number of children subject to safeguarding plans.

Visit Our Impact to view evidence to support the effectiveness of The Nurturing Programme.

Reviews of this Training or Programme

“Really enjoyed every aspect and found the facilitation practice very beneficial. I now feel more prepared and confident going forward as a Parent Group Leader.” – Practitioner

“It’s been a life changer. Informative, fun, and eye-opening, I have gained invaluable knowledge and tools that have all improved family life pretty much immediately. The facilitators fostered a wonderfully warm and safe environment, which was so important given the content. I feel empowered to be the best version of myself with the children and the ripple effect of this is vast.” – Parent

“Many parents seek help to try and solve issues with their child’s behaviour they see that the child has to change but the way the programme has been developed, it is really clever because it actually changes the parents mind set and makes them and us as a facilitator reflect on our own childhood and how we, as adults, respond and deal with things. Without any blame or judgement – and that is really powerful. I suppose you could say the programme really gets to the root and is vital in “breaking that cycle.” – Practitioner

“I came into this full of nerves, with so much mum guilt of not knowing how to be a parent to my own child. Now 10 weeks later, the confidence it has given me, the new tools for my toolbox, and your incredible support through it all means I’m communicating better with my husband which has had a huge positive impact on home life. I understand my child’s triggers better and I communicate more calmly.” – Parent

“The 10 week Nurturing Programme is a pleasure to deliver, its approach to parenting is different to other groups. It is empathic and relationship focussed. It helps parents to realise how their own experience of being parented impacts on how they themselves parent their own children. It reinforces that unwanted behaviour can be handled in a more positive and empathic way. Week on week, parents have said that they feel ‘the penny dropping’ for them.” – Practitioner

“I’d gladly advise any fathers to do this as it’s helped me see my children in a different light with regards to their behaviour.” – Parent

Book Training

Contact our training team to discuss or find out more on 01865 401800 or email training@emotionalhealth.org.uk. You can also check our training calendar for upcoming training.

Book now