Hull in print : Feature - Your Council working with you to create a healthier environment

Bringing up children and young people is one of the toughest jobs there is.
There is no instruction manual for mums, dads, and carers to follow, and if they need support with their children, or managing their sons and daughters' tantrums and behaviour, where can they turn?
To support parents and families, Hull City Council offers a range of services to provide practical help and support for parents and all those who bring up children and young people across the city.
"Parents do a fantastic job but it's the most natural thing in the world to hit difficulties when raising children, and there is no stigma at all for anyone who asks for help," says Sarah Turner, a parenting practitioner with Hull City Council's Parenting Development Team.
"Anyone who has brought up a child will understand that parenting is a tough job. Many parents feel at their wits end from time to time, but having somewhere to turn is the important thing."
There is a range of services available to support parents. These include Children's Centres, parenting practitioners who provide one-to-one support, and parenting drop-in sessions at the Central Library in Hull.
Parents can also attend parenting programmes, which are delivered in local venues across the city, and bring the added benefit of meeting other parents who are facing similar problems.
Hull also has a Respect parenting practitioner who is there to support families who are involved in antisocial behaviour, and the Family Information Service is also a great source of information on the full range of services available for families.
Recently nine parents became the first people in Hull to complete a pilot programme called Strengthening Families, Strengthening Communities.

Left to right: parenting practitioners Moira Murphy, Carole Marshall, Dianne Baker and Karen Jackson

The programme is for families who have experienced difficult circumstances, which could include past or current drug abuse, antisocial behaviour or difficult family relationships.
Running for 13 weeks, the programme covers many topics designed to help families including child development, how beliefs and values affect behaviour, and positive discipline strategies.
To mark the achievement of the first nine parents completing the pilot programme, a celebration event and certificate presentation ceremony was held at Barnardo's in Hull for the families.
"For these parents to overcome their personal difficulties and take on this programme is very encouraging as it shows they want to make positive improvements in their lives," said Councillor Mike Ross, portfolio holder for community safety.
"I congratulate them on completing the programme and wish them well for the future."
The programme was delivered in a partnership between Hull Citysafe, Hull City Council's Children and Young People's Services, and Compass, which provides services to tackle drug use.
"The pilot scheme received good feedback from everyone who took part," says Respect parenting practitioner Karen Jackson.
"The parents supported one another which helped to create a very positive atmosphere.
"On behalf of the programme team I would like to thank the parents for their hard work and look forward to running more successful parenting programmes in the coming months."

Sources of help

Parent drop-in sessions are held at the Central Library, Albion Street, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 11am to 2.30pm. Parents can pop in for tea or coffee with a parenting worker and chat over issues or concerns they have
a confidential and free phoneline is available 24 hours a day on 0808 800 222, or visit www.parentlineplus.org.uk for information on all parenting issues relating to children of all ages. Also visit www.gotateenager.org.uk
Parenting programmes are available for parents with children aged from 18 months to 18 years. These run for between seven and 13 weeks depending on the programme. All programmes are delivered in a friendly and supportive atmosphere and give ideas and tips for managing a child's behaviour

info

For more information call the Family Information Service on 318318.


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