FAQs

Frequently asked questions From Parents

It’s only natural to have lots of questions about the support we offer or about any of our programmes before you attend.

We often say the hardest step is the first one.

We have listed some of the common questions we are asked below but we would love to hear your questions too.

We also post our ‘Ask a Psychologist’ questions and answers in our News section. 

Don’t forget you can also find us (and like us) on Social Media (Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin Facebook where you can find out about where we are going, what we  have been doing and where we share interesting and informative articles.

• How much will it cost me?

Our courses and workshops are FREE for parents and carers.

• Do I need to be able to read and write and spell correctly?

Not at all – all the activities we do will be in pairs or groups – one of the parents will usually write down other parents ideas but only if they are happy to do this. We never worry about spelling on the course – even ours!

• Will it be scary?

Some parents say they are nervous before they come but as soon as they walk through the door they are welcomed and feel relaxed. We only ask you to share things you feel comfortable sharing and when you are ready.

• Do you have a crèche?

Some of our courses are held in Children Centre’s and they can sometimes arrange a crèche.  Unfortunately at this time we do not have our own crèche.

• Can I bring my children with me?

Sadly not – we do provide a comfortable and confidential environment but this is not suitable for children as they do not always understand the context in which parents are sharing and young children will get bored and may distract others from the course. If you do not have local childcare support or family who can help you, why not ask a friend if they can help and perhaps you could offer to have their child on another day?

• Do I need to bring anything?

No, just yourself – we will provide all handouts and refreshments.

• Will people think I’m a bad parent if I tell them I’m going on a parenting course?

No – we think it’s the opposite – good parents want to know more about how to support their children.

• Will the other parents talk about me?

At our first session we draw up group ground rules which includes confidentiality.  We all have a duty to pass on information if we think anyone is at harm but we ask participants to share the learning, not the names or gossip.

• What shall I tell my children?

In our experience we find children are pleased when they know their parents are learning more about how to support them. You can also tell them you will be learning, just like they are when they go to school. You will be a good role model to them – we think learning is life long!

• Will I have to do lots of writing?

Not at all – we do assist you to fill in some forms at the beginning and the end of the course – this is so we know we are doing a good job and also for our funders so we can keep the courses free to you. We will always support you to do this and give you an opportunity to do it 1 to 1 with one of our facilitators if you need help with this.

• Do I have to do homework?

At the end of each session we give out a task which you can do if you want. There is no pressure to do this although it would help you to embed the strategies we share on the course if you can.

• Do I have to talk in front of other people?

No, we have discussions in pairs, small groups and large groups but no one if forced to join in or talk in a big group if they do not want to.

• Is it like School?

Well it’s not like the school I went to! There is a bit of listening but we aim to make the course fun and interactive. We are often up off our chairs, moving around, laughing and chatting to each other. We know that parents will learn from each other as well as from the programme – and we usually learn something new too. We use lots of different tools for different learning styles – we have big posters, flip chart paper, and a little bit of video in some of our courses too.

See What’s Coming Up where you can book your FREE place, meet us in the Community if you have a question of your own contact us for more information about any of the above or register your interest by clicking the button below: