Parenting Support Team

The Parenting Support Team supports parents of children and young people aged 10 to 18 years to find effective parenting solutions.

The kinds of areas we can support you with are things like co-parenting, joint problem-solving, boundaries and consequences, relationships and communication.

We don’t come in as experts offering advice and telling you what to do as we recognise that you have a better understanding of your own situation. We help you to focus on what is already working and what might work in the future.

What We Offer

 

One to One Support

We work with you directly, but not with your children. We offer about six sessions that are free and last about one hour, taking place in your home, helping you to find effective parenting solutions.

Criteria

  • A child or young person in the family is aged between 10 to 18 years old.
  • The 'focus child' is experiencing difficulties in two or more areas; for example at home and at school, or at home and in the community, or at school and in the community.
  • The child or young person is at risk of committing criminal offences or is already committing criminal offences.
  • The issues are currently not being addressed by another service.

How you can access our One to One support

  • Use the 'request for further information' form.
  • Ask a professional that is working with you to make a referral (for example; GP, school nurse, teacher, family link worker).
  • If your child or young person is being seen by a youth offending service worker you can ask the worker to make a referral.
  • If your child/young person is attending a Targeted Youth Support programme or working with the Intensive Support Team.

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'Family Futures' Parenting Support Groups

A collaboration between the Youth Offending Service and the Family Resource Service, 'Family Futures' is a monthly support group for parents of 10 to 18 year olds. Groups currently run in Worthing, Shoreham, Littlehampton, Bognor Regis, Chichester and Crawley. It is hoped that future groups will run in Mid Sussex, Horsham and Midhurst. This is dependent on demand and local need. 'Family Futures' helps to support parents in finding solutions and strategies through peer and group support.

Criteria

  • A child or young person in the family is aged 10 to 18 years old.
  • A child or young person in the family is exhibiting challenging behaviour, and/or;
  • A child or young person is offending or at risk of offending, and/or;
  • There is a risk of family breakdown due to the behaviour of a child or young person, and/or;
  • A child or young person is at risk of school exclusion.

How you can access our 'Family Futures' parenting support groups

  • Use the 'request for further information' form.
  • Ask a professional that is working with you to make a referral (for example; GP, school nurse, teacher, family link worker).
  • If your child or young person is being seen by a youth offending service worker you can ask the worker to make a referral.

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Parenting Courses

We run a number of parenting courses. These are frequently 6 to 8 week courses running once per week. They often involve the parent(s) and young person attending together for two hours. The first hour has the parents in one group covering various parenting topics and the young people in a separate group covering topics that relate to young people, then the second hour is a family session. Often topics include; peer pressure, communication, boundaries and consequences, drugs and alcohol, dealing with stress and strong emotions; and working together.

Criteria

  • The child or young person is aged 10 to 14 years old;
  • They are exhibiting challenging behaviour and/or;
  • offending or at risk of offending and/or;
  • there is a risk of family breakdown and/or;
  • the child or young person is at risk of school exclusion.

How you can access our Parenting Courses

If none of our services are suitable to you but you still feel you would like support, please get in touch on the number below and we may be able to direct you to one of the wide range of other support services in West Sussex.

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Contact

Main telephone: Senior Parenting Office - 01403 229225.