We ran our ‘Empowering Families’ course at a Sure Start Children’s Centre in Maidstone and the reaction was incredible. Even before we got half way the parents loved what they were achieving and wanted more training to be able to take the approach out into the community and support their peers. This inspired us to create a programme, which would take parents from where they are to where they wanted to be.

The parents realised that by being part of the community they would have more empathy and rapport with their peers and be able to attract them into the Children’s Centre. Also they felt able to engage with Dads and the harder to reach families.

The final result is a three-phase programme:

Phase 1 - Our regular ‘Empowering Families’ course

Phase 2 - Specific parent coach training

Phase 3 - Mentoring the parents in their facilitating roles at support groups

Our application to Awards for All (part of the Big Lottery Fund) was successful and we started the programme on October 7th.

As I write this we are into our second week and I have to say I am blown away by the energy, commitment and bonding of this group of parents. I had a sense that this group were going to do well just because for the first time ever we had 100% attendance from registrations and unbelievably we had 100% the second week – is this a record? I think it proves this is not a conventional ‘parenting skills’ programme.

All the parents are engaged and have created a safe and trusting environment for trying new tools and techniques. Last week they experienced a sense of trusting their instincts, which for us is a core learning – this group are going to become fantastic family coaches, serving their communities – watch this space.

This pilot has evolved into a structured and seamless 4 phased programme which has motivated parents to change their lives and those of their children, indeed their whole family - not just in Strood or Kent but around the world. See more details here http://www.parentchampion.com