Author: Donna Kavanagh

As we come to the end of the year we’d like to give a shout out to the great practitioners we collaborated with throughout 2024.  We are always inspired by the work and commitment from the practitioners and managers providing high quality support to families. Well done and thank you to all involved from all of us here in Parents Plus. We look forward to continuing to work with you in 2025 and beyond!

We asked facilitators to send us some highlights and feedback from the year.  Read their contributions below from:

🌟 Bolster Community Northern Ireland

🌟 Kerry Travellers Health and Community Development (KTHCDP)

🌟 Athy Community Family Resource Centre

🌟 Northumberland County Council – Family Hubs

🌟 22q11 Ireland

🌟 Inishowen Development Partnership Ireland

🌟 Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust 

🌟 Northside Family Resource Centre

🌟 North Somerset Council

“Our colleague Gemma Bowker, has shown total commitment to spreading the word about Parents Plus here. Gemma has been a Family Support Worker with Bolster Community for six years, and prior to training in Parents Plus group delivery, she was frustrated that so many families were facing the same issues at the same time.  She recognised that by bringing them together in groups she could help them build on their own strengths and find their own solutions.  She has trained in the Parents Plus Special Needs, ADHD, Adolescent and Children’s programmes, and since completing her first training she has delivered ten programmes in total.”

Impacts

We have delivered four Parents Plus Special Needs Programmes (PPSN) in St Paul’s High School in Bessbrook.  As a result of that collaboration and their continued support for the programme, The Buddies, who are all adults with additional needs, were able to set up pop-up shops to sell the candles they make.  We hope to continue delivering the programme and build on our fantastic relationship with the school in the future.

While running the PPSN we listened carefully to parents’ fears about the future and subsequently submitted a partnership funding proposal to the Department of the Economy to bridge the supports gap for young people over 16 with a learning disability.

We regularly co-deliver a range of Parents Plus programmes with the Southern Health and Social Care Trust (SHSCT) staff and we have advocated for the Parents Plus Children’s Programme to be included as part of the Early Intervention Support Service contract which is aligned to the SHSCT Family Support Hubs.

Feedback from Parents 

Feedback from parents raising a child with a learning disability highlights feelings of isolation and fears for the future. The peer support gained from attending the PPSN programme is invaluable and talking about the future takes some of the fear away. Parents report that they feel less alone by finding other parents in similar situations to them.  

“The Parents Plus ADHD Programme was so helpful to me.  It taught me how to deal with the challenges ADHD brings and how to deal more positively and press the PAUSE button. I understand my child better and am more able to build their self-esteem. It was lovely to meet other parents going through similar journeys.  I don’t feel so alone anymore”

Well done Bolster Community for the commitment to the families you work with.

“We have run several Parents Plus programmes with parents this year in Killarney, Tralee, and Listowel, and have carried out several one to one parent support sessions using the Parents Plus Early Years Core Programme all over Kerry. So far this year we have worked with 68 families. Our courses have waiting lists, and take up to 15 people. We are looking at a new group of young parents for the new year.”

This is a fantastic project supporting traveller parents across Kerry.

Parents attending the groups experienced really positive outcomes.  Feedback from professionals supporting some of the families highlighted the very positive impacts the programme had in helping parents turn things around in very challenging circumstances.

A parent who attended a group left some lovely feedback.  They said “It was life changing attending this programme.”

Always lovely to hear of the positive impact of the Parents Plus programmes.  Well done Athy FRC.

“This year, we have had 12 newly trained practitioners who have hit the ground running. We have had lots of referrals for PWS due to launching new communications, leaflets and providing training to wider teams. 15 parents have accessed support and we are very excited to provide more programmes in 2025. In Northumberland we have run two Parents Plus Parenting When Separated courses in Sept – December 2024. In addition to this, we have a strong regional offer and send referrals to our local partners. With services pooling resources and working together we are able to provide many programme options for our parents to attend – 4 to 6 different dates and times each term.”

We asked Vicki if there was any parent feedback that stood out from those who attended the Parenting When Separated  group?

“One parent really has been empowered by the support she has had from the group and is notably more positive in self-worth and confidence. She did not want the group to end so is now a member of our Family Panels and becoming a volunteer to help shape the future of family hubs and spread the message about the Parenting When Separated Programme.”

Well done to all involved in this collaborative initiative in the North East!

Wesley initiated the Parents Plus Special Need Programme within the clinic and works closely with his colleague Dr Suzane Kelleher to deliver this programme to parents.

Anne wanted Wesley to receive the recognition that he deserves in providing effective support for the many families he works with! Wesley is an experienced Parents Plus facilitator and has trained in the Parents Plus Children’s, Special Needs and Working Things Out Programmes. 

Wonderful to hear of the great parent support work being done at 22q11 Ireland!

Special mention goes out to The Resilience Health and Well-being Team at IDP, Team Lead Particia Lee, Project Administrator Claire Doherty, as well as our community facilitators Sheila Keyes, Alison Bardini, Colleen Kearney and Jacqueline Culligan, who were engaged to deliver on our parenting supports. 

This year we focused on wellness and self-care for parents, ending the year with a finale wellness event before Christmas, which saw over 30 parents attend a wellness morning.  Under Sláintecare Healthy Communities Programme (SHCP), IDP were able to offer seven Parents Plus Programmes including the Special Needs, Parenting When Separated, ADHD and Healthy Families Programmes.  67 parents participated in the groups. They also ran 10 Healthy Families workshops which were attended by over 200 parents throughout 2024. 

The success of recruitment was down to our promotion and communications teams here in IDP, led by Katie Barr and our Resilience and Well-being Development Officer Sheila Keyes, and her knowledge of the peninsula, the families living here, and their parenting support needs.

Some lovely feedback from a parent who attended the Parents Plus Special Needs Programme: “This creates a safe place and space for me to connect and learn and grow – thanks to all at

IDP.”            

Well done to all the Inishowen team for your dedication to providing this support to families in your community.

The CAMHS Learning Disability team worked with the Parents Plus team this year to review the needs of the families they work with in Gloucestershire. 10 team members trained in both the Parents Plus Early Years Programme and Special Needs Programme so they could put together a programme to deliver to parents of children aged 3 to 16 years with special educational needs and learning disabilities. With a focus on parent self-care, and using resources from both programmes, the team have delivered four bespoke programmes targeting early intervention for these families. 

Parents have really enjoyed the group discussions and having a safe place to talk. They reported positive effects on their relationships with their children, and in particular a growing confidence in communicating with their child. Parents also liked the pause button. 

There are six more programmes planned for 2025!  

Gloucestershire CAMHS also now provide the Parents Plus ADHD Programme to families attending their service. Ten programmes were provided in 2023/24 with an average of 13 parents per group, and 71% of the parents attended more than 70% of sessions. 

15 further Parents Plus ADHD groups will be delivered in 2025.

The teams and the parents have loved the programme, which focuses on the differences, strengths and needs of being Neurodivergent – moving away from the idea that the child must be encouraged to change, and taking a more holistic approach to the system around the child to be collaborative, cooperative and understanding of times when the child “Can’t” not “Won’t”. 

The Parents Plus ADHD Parent Book and Solution Focused facilitation encourages empathetic, calmer and realistic approaches with their child by using Parent Plus’s fundamental message of ‘Pause, Tune in  and Plan’.

Feedback from Parents after the final group session

“Inspired by other parents tips and techniques.”

“Probably the feeling of being around other Dads in a group with similar issues and feeling less alone.”

“Talking about ADHD with my child in a positive way.” 

“I finally felt heard – My daughter is going to thrive and isn’t going to have to be made change to please others. The sessions and Parent book have given me ways to have her back.”

“Understanding my son better and how his brain works.”

Great work being done here, and looking forward to collaborating in 2025.

There were 85 referrals to the Parents Plus Parenting When Separated Programme (PWS) in 2024, 60 parents participated in the PWS programmes with a 78% completion rate.

We had some very positive feedback from parents on the support offered by facilitators to participants.

“They made sure everyone had their say.”

“They showed great understanding of everyone’s personal feelings and emotions.”

“The facilitators listened and were very respectful to everyone’s situations.”

Parents highlighted the most helpful parts of the course:

“To be able to hear how separation affects both sides. So it was great to hear the mothers on the course and get feedback from them.”

“Talking with other parents, knowing people are going through similar issues.”

“Sharing drop off and collection strategies.”

Well done to this collaborative FRC project for your continued commitment to providing the PWS.

“I would like to take a moment to formally recognise the outstanding contributions of Lauren Nurse, our Senior Parenting Coordinator, in ensuring the delivery of a high-quality Parenting when Separated (PWS) Programme. Over the last 12 months, Lauren has gone above and beyond in her role, consistently demonstrating dedication and commitment to the success of the programme. Through her collaborative work with Bristol City Council (BCC), Lauren has played a crucial role in expanding the reach and effectiveness of the groups. By working jointly with BCC, we have been able to increase the size of our groups, ensuring a diverse mix of resident and non-resident parents, as well as maintaining excellent group dynamics.

Lauren has also shown incredible flexibility. When other facilitators were unavailable, she stepped in to run groups, ensuring that there was no disruption to the programme. Her close collaboration with BCC has been invaluable in providing support to parents and ensuring that we maintain the fidelity of the PWS Programme, which is vital to its success.

Lauren’s efforts have made a real difference to the parents we support, and I want to sincerely thank her for her hard work and dedication. Her contributions have truly helped to strengthen the programme, and we are fortunate to have her on our team.”

North Somerset ran six Parents Plus Programmes in 2024 including the Parenting when Separated, the Adolescents and the Special Needs Programmes. 

Well done to the teams in North Somerset and Bristol for the work you are doing providing support to parents and families.

 

Calling all services for families in Limerick and Clare in 2025 who support parents of children and young people who have additional support needs

The JP McManus Benevolent Fund and Parents Plus Charity are offering sponsorship for free facilitator training places to professionals providing services to children, adolescents, and young adults with additional support needs in Counties Limerick and Clare. This  sponsorship opportunity will also include materials in 2025.

The JP McManus Benevolent Fund will sponsor the training and post-training supervision of professionals in two of the flagship Parents Plus evidence-based programmes, the Parents Plus Early Years Programme (PPEY) and the Parents Plus Special Needs Programme (PPSN), described in greater detail below. The funding will provide an opportunity to practitioners and services that offer support to parents of children and young people who have additional support needs across the child, adolescent and young adult age ranges.  Charities, community services and family resource centres can choose to train a number of team members in the Special Needs and/or the Early Years Programme.  For example, this may involve training 2 – 3 team members in both programmes.

This sponsorship opportunity is open to professionals and parent volunteers in Co Limerick or Co Clare.  These professionals or parent volunteers must be working with, supporting, or volunteering with families of children or  young people who have additional support needs. 

Applications for sponsorship are invited from professionals and parent volunteers, including the following agencies: 

• Family Resource Centre staff who work with parents of young people who have additional needs
• Parent volunteers in family support roles who may have lived experience raising a child who has additional needs
• Staff or parent volunteers from community organisations or charities who support families of children who have additional needs, and 
• Primary Care professionals who support families of children with additional needs. 

We are encouraging collaborations across local agencies to provide the programmes (depending on age group) to families in need of this support.  This could involve, for example, a professional from a Primary Care Team working with a community family support service or parent peer-support organisation to run either a Parents Plus Special Needs or Early Years Programme.

Please contact Parents Plus Disability Programmes Lead, Ciara Ni Raghallaigh, at Parents Plus, if you have any further queries about this initiative or would like to discuss your application further. ciaranir@parentsplus.ie 

The agencies participating will agree to take part in the associated evaluation of the programmes being conducted by Parents Plus Charity. 

Parents Plus Early Years Programme (PPEY) 

The PPEY Programme can be delivered as a group-based parenting programme or on a 1:1 with parents/guardians who may require additional coaching from a trained facilitator.  Parents Plus launched the new Core delivery of the PPEY Programme in November 2023. The facilitator training will equip facilitators to deliver PPEY content with parents in a group and/or 1:1 format with families of children who have additional support needs. The focus of the PPEY is to help families build positive relationships focusing on communication, play and good daily routines. It’s a holistic family intervention and has a unique video feedback component that coaches parents to develop their skills. Parents and guardians of children up to 9 years of age who have additional support needs will benefit from accessing a Parents Plus Early Years Programme. 

The Early Years Programme will provide parents/guardians/carers of younger children with valuable information and strategies to: 

• Build their children’s communication & support their learning and development
• Develop good attachments and relationships
• Positively manage tantrums and behaviours of concern
• Reduce their own stress as parents
• Build their children’s self-esteem
• Establish positive daily routines

Accessing peer support from other parents and problem-solving in the group are key components to empower parents to build on their own strengths and coping capacities. There are flexible options for delivery -as an 8 -12 week parent programme consisting of group and individual sessions, as an individual intervention tailored to the needs of each family or as a group only delivery. By taking part in the PPEY training you will gain skills as a facilitator in: 

• How to use a strengths-based and solution-focused approach to support parents
• Deliver individual video sessions to parents so as to tailor the intervention to the needs of    specific families 
• Facilitate a supportive group programme so that parents find solutions that work for their

own family and build their network of support 

For this roll-out the training provided in the PPEY will have a disability focus and facilitators will be supported to deliver the programme content suitable to the families they work with (relevant programme videos, using the video feedback model) and to invest time in screening parents in advance of the programme to get the group composition right. The PPEY Programme can also be delivered on a 1:1 with parents who for whatever reason are not ready for a group programme. 

Parents Plus Special Needs Programme (PPSN)

The PPSN is a parenting support programme for parents/guardians of adolescents and young adults, 11-25 years, with an intellectual disability. The Parents Plus Special Needs Programme (PPSN) is run with at least 7 weekly sessions. The programme also involves a follow-up group support session two or three months after the 7 week core programme is completed. It was developed to respond to the complex needs of young people with an intellectual disability and their families. It consists of group sessions delivered to support parents to:

– Manage behaviour and emotional problems 

– Deal with puberty, sexuality and relationships 

– Reduce their own stress as parents 

– Support their child’s education 

– Prepare their young person for adulthood and future transitions 

The facilitator training will be delivered over 4 modules on Zoom from 9am to 1pm. It is practical and solution-focused and will ensure you get an in-depth understanding of the programme content, skills in delivering the programme whether you run face-to-face or online sessions with families. 

The Parents Plus Special Needs Programme (PPSN) is the first international, evidence-based parenting programme with proven benefits for families with an adolescent with an intellectual disability. A Randomised Controlled Trial (2019/20) with TCD Psychology Department, reported significant improvements in problem behaviours, parental satisfaction and self-efficacy, and goal attainment.  

Note: The PPSN topics are also relevant for parents of younger children who have a severe intellectual disability and complex needs and it can be delivered with these families as a group programme by trained facilitators. 

Further information on PPSN and PPEY, their impact for children, young people, parents and families, and PPSN Randomised Controlled Trial results are available on the Parents Plus website www.parentsplus.ie/research

Apply for this sponsorship opportunity  

If you would like to apply for a JP McManus Benevolent funded place on this project, please complete the following Application Form and submit it via email to Ciara Ni Raghallaigh at ciaranir@parentsplus.ie

Please note that as part of this sponsorship opportunity services will agree to take part in an evaluation of the impact of the programme for families being conducted by Parents Plus Charity.

Included in the sponsorship opportunity 

• Programme Training modules (PPEY 5 Modules; PPSN 4 Modules)
• Facilitator Manual and first set of parent books for your parent programme
• Post-training implementation support and coaching

Please feel free to pass on this sponsorship opportunity to your colleagues or parent-led groups in Co Limerick and Co Clare.  If your colleagues or parent volunteers support parents/guardians/carers  of children and young people who have additional support needs they can apply for this sponsorship. Further information on PPSN and PPEY, their impact for children, young people, parents and families, and PPSN Randomised Controlled Trial results are available on the Parents Plus website www.parentsplus.ie/research

We’re looking for a driven, creative, and organised Communications Manager to join our growing team at Parents Plus.  If you’re passionate about our work and have at least four years of solid experience in communications, particularly within the nonprofit or public health sectors, this could be the role for you.

You will lead the communications and marketing function at Parents Plus. You’ll be responsible for creating engaging digital content, including social media posts and email campaigns, organising online and in-person events, updating our website, reporting, and coordinating our publications.  We’re looking for someone who’s not afraid to juggle different tasks, make insightful decisions, and come up with fresh ideas for how we communicate.

You should be comfortable taking the lead on projects and working independently, as well as working with the team.  Above all, we’re excited to find someone who cares about our mission and is eager to make a positive impact.

Download Job Description

Working Arrangements

This part-time role reports to the CEO, offering a consistent schedule of 18.5 hours per week, spread across Monday to Thursday mornings.  With Fridays off, the hours are designed to provide a balanced workday that fits well around other commitments.  This role is fully remote with occasional meetings in Dublin.

How to Apply

If you believe you are a good fit for this role and would enjoy working with us, we want to hear from you!  Please ensure your application includes the following:

1. Provide your up-to-date CV outlining your experience and qualifications.
2. A cover letter, telling us why you would like to join the Parents Plus team and how your experience aligns with this role.
3. Two samples of your recent work to showcase your skills and experience.  These might include social media content, marketing materials, publications, and written materials. Please explain your role in the creation of the work and any measurable outcomes.

Submit your application by emailing admin@parentsplus.ie with the subject line ‘Communications Manager’.  The closing date for applications is Monday, 6^th January 2025 at 5pm.  Candidates must have capacity/permission to reside and work in the EU.

Shortlisting will apply.  We anticipate conducting interviews in mid-January, with the successful candidate starting in February 2025.

 

Application Process

If you would like to apply for this role or have an informal discussion, please contact CEO of Parents Plus at admin@parentsplus.ie for further information