Tag: Primary Care

Empowering Professionals to Support Healthy Families: The Benefits of the Healthy Families Programme Training
The well-being of families is a crucial component of a thriving society, and empowering professionals to support healthy families is an important step towards this goal.

As a professional working in the community, education, health, or disability services, you understand the importance of supporting families in creating healthy and positive relationships. However, it can be challenging to know how to best provide this support.

The Healthy Families Programme Training, developed by Parents Plus Charity, offers a solution-focused and evidence-based approach to helping professionals work effectively with families.

In this blog post, we will explore the key benefits of training in the The Parents Plus Healthy Families Programme and why it is an invaluable investment for professionals.

The Parents Plus Healthy Families Programme is a highly effective evidence-based programme that has been specifically designed to support families in improving their relationships, communication, and overall well-being. As a professional, attending the training for this programme can equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to effectively deliver this programme to families in your community.

This programme is suitable for all families with young children aged 1 to 12 years. It is flexible and can be delivered over 6-12 weeks in small groups or with individuals.

The next Healthy Families Programme facilitator training is on the 14th, 15th, 21st and 22nd March 2024 (9am-1.30pm) an is suitable for a range of professionals, including:
- Primary Care Teams such as Psychologists and Public Health Nurses
- HSE Sláintecare Healthy Communities
- Children’s Hospitals
- Dieticians
- Health Promotion Officers
- Family Resource Centres
- Regional Parent support networks
- TUSLA Parenting Support Champions Project
- Area Based Childhood Programme (ABC)
Building Stronger Relationships

Strong and healthy relationships are the foundation of a stable family, and the Healthy Families Programme Training provides professionals with the skills and strategies to support positive family dynamics. Through this training, you will learn how to facilitate effective communication around topics such as healthy eating and mealtimes, and incorporating active play and physical activities into their day. You will also learn how to support parents in establishing good routines for sleep, which is essential for overall family well-being.

Enhancing Mental Health Outcomes

Mental health is a critical aspect of overall well-being, and the Healthy Families Programme Training equips professionals with the knowledge and skills to identify and address mental health issues within families. You will learn how to help parents maintain positive mental health and self-esteem in themselves and their children, which is critical for overall family well-being.

Developing Practical Parenting Strategies

Positive parenting practices are essential for healthy family functioning, and the Healthy Families Programme Training provides professionals with practical strategies to support parents. Through this training, professionals learn how to promote positive parenting behaviours, manage challenging behaviours, and enhance parent-child relationships. By empowering parents with practical tools and strategies, professionals can contribute to healthier and happier families.

Fostering a Culture of Prevention and Early Intervention

Prevention and early intervention are critical in addressing family challenges, and the Healthy Families Programme Training provides professionals with the knowledge and skills to identify and address potential issues before they become more significant.

Enhancing Professional Development

Investing in professional development is critical for personal and professional growth, and the Healthy Families Programme Training offers an excellent opportunity for professionals to enhance their skills and knowledge.

Setting up rules around technology use

You will learn how to support parents in setting up rules around technology use at home. With technology playing such a central role in our lives, it is important for families to establish healthy boundaries and routines around technology use to promote positive family relationships.

Learn More About This Programme

In conclusion, if you are a professional working in the community, education, health, or disability services, attending the training for the Parents Plus Healthy Families Programme is a valuable investment in your professional development. The programme has a proven track record of success and can help you to support families in creating healthy and positive relationships. By attending the training, you will gain the knowledge and skills needed to make a positive impact on the families you serve.

We have limited places left on our next programme training and encourage anyone interested to book today to guarantee a spot.

With the demand for this training increasing, we cannot guarantee availability if you delay your booking. Don’t miss out on this valuable opportunity to enhance your professional skills and support families in your community.

Book today to secure your place and gain the skills and knowledge needed to make a positive impact on the families you serve.

Book Your Training Today

If you would like to train in any of our programmes, learn about our group discounts or discover how we can support you to improve outcomes for children, adolescents and families, please contact our Impact Lead, Vicki Byrne, Vicki@parentsplus.ie

We also deliver onsite training and supervision of teams (15 or more), and/or tailored support in the roll-out and evaluation of our programmes to ensure effective community-wide delivery.
January 15, 2024
5 Reasons Why Professionals in Community, Education, Health and Disability Services Should Attend the Healthy Families Programme Training

As a professional working in the community, education, health, or disability services, you understand the importance of supporting families in creating healthy and positive relationships. However, it can be challenging to know how to best provide this support.

The Parents Plus Healthy Families Programme is a highly effective evidence-based programme that has been specifically designed to support families in improving their relationships, communication, and overall well-being. As a professional, attending the training for this programme can equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to effectively deliver this programme to families in your community.

This programme is practical, solution-focused and draws on parents strengths. It is suitable for all families with young children aged 1 to 12 years. It is flexible and can be delivered over 6-12 weeks in small groups or with individuals.

In our pilot with 42 families, the parents reported significant improvements in family well-being and healthy habits in the home.

Here are some reasons why professionals in community, education, health, and disability services should attend this programme:

1. Tailored for Specific Needs:

The programme is tailored to meet the specific needs of families who are facing challenges related to parenting, communication, and family dynamics. The training will provide you with the tools to tailor the programme to the unique needs of the families you work with.

2. Help parents understand how to improve their family’s health and well-being:

This includes promoting healthy eating and mealtimes, and incorporating active play and physical activities into their day. You will also learn how to support parents in establishing good routines for sleep, which is essential for overall family well-being.

3. Help parents maintain positive mental health:

Mental health and self-esteem are also key areas that you will cover in the programme. You will learn how to help parents maintain positive mental health and self-esteem in themselves and their children, which is critical for overall family well-being.

4. Setting up rules around technology use:

You will learn how to support parents in setting up rules around technology use at home. With technology playing such a central role in our lives, it is important for families to establish healthy boundaries and routines around technology use to promote positive family relationships.

5. Building positive family relationships.:

Finally, the programme focuses on building positive family relationships. You will learn how to support parents in creating a positive family environment that promotes effective communication, respect, and cooperation.

Learn More About This Programme

In conclusion, if you are a professional working in the community, education, health, or disability services, attending the training for the Parents Plus Healthy Families Programme is a valuable investment in your professional development. The programme has a proven track record of success and can help you to support families in creating healthy and positive relationships. By attending the training, you will gain the knowledge and skills needed to make a positive impact on the families you serve.

We have limited places left on our next programme training and encourage anyone interested to book today to guarantee a spot.

With the demand for this training increasing, we cannot guarantee availability if you delay your booking. Don’t miss out on this valuable opportunity to enhance your professional skills and support families in your community.

Book today to secure your place and gain the skills and knowledge needed to make a positive impact on the families you serve.

Book Your Training Today

If you would like to train in any of our programmes, learn about our group discounts or discover how we can support you to improve outcomes for children, adolescents and families, please contact our Impact Lead, Vicki Byrne, Vicki@parentsplus.ie

We also deliver onsite training and supervision of teams (15 or more), and/or tailored support in the roll-out and evaluation of our programmes to ensure effective community-wide delivery.

July 4, 2023
A Balancing Act: Navigating Children’s Technology Use in the UK and Ireland

As the world becomes increasingly digitized, children’s use of technology is on the rise.

However, this trend raises concerns about the potential impact on children’s development and well-being.

According to a report by Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, children aged 5 to 15 spend an average of 2 hours and 11 minutes per day online. This figure increases to 3 hours and 32 minutes for children aged 12 to 15. Furthermore, a recent survey by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) found that 9 out of 10 children in the UK own a smartphone by the age of 12.

In Ireland, research by CyberSafeKids found that 95% of 8-12 year-olds have their own smartphone and 87% of 8-12 year olds had their own social media account. Furthermore, the research showed that 15% reported having ‘no rules’ around usage and 34% said they could go online ‘whenever they want’.

95% of 8-12 year-olds have their own smartphone and 87% of 8-12 year olds had their own social media account

These statistics highlight the extent to which children are using technology in the UK and Ireland. While there are undoubtedly benefits to technology use, such as access to educational resources and the ability to stay connected with friends and family, there are also concerns about the potential risks. For example, excessive screen time has been linked to a range of negative outcomes, including poor sleep quality, reduced physical activity, and increased risk of obesity.

As professionals working in the community, health, education and disability services, it is important to ensure that parents understand that children’s use of technology is balanced and appropriate. This includes giving parents the tools to be able to set limits on screen time and encourage their children to engage in other activities, such as outdoor play and face-to-face social interaction. It also means providing the knowledge and support to make them vigilant about the content that their children are accessing online and how to take steps to protect their privacy and security.

This programme covers a wide range of topics important to parents including setting up rules around technology use at home

The Parents Plus Healthy Families Programme is a highly effective evidence-based programme that has been specifically designed to support families in improving their relationships, communication, and overall well-being. As a professional, attending the training for this programme can equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to effectively deliver this programme to families in your community and covers a wide range of topics important to parents including setting up rules around technology use at home.

With our Healthy Families Programme, you can empower parents to create healthy and connected families and improve the well-being of everyone. Learn more about this unique programme training here.

In conclusion, while technology is an increasingly important part of children’s lives, it is important to approach it with caution and care. By setting appropriate limits and ensuring that children’s technology use is balanced with other activities, we can help to promote their development and well-being in the digital age.

For all our latest programme training dates you can visiting our booking calendar here.

February 15, 2023
Learn More About Our On Going Support For Professionals Working in Community, Health, Education and Disability Services
We provide a range of post-training supports for facilitators and agencies who want to ensure sustainable and effective delivery of the programmes within their services.

Our training and supports are designed to improve outcomes for families, through our evidence-based parenting and mental health programmes.

Research shows that families achieve the best outcomes when facilitators and their managers are supported pre and post-training when delivering programmes or education. This is why we provide an extensive package of pre and post-training supports to our facilitators and managers in order to ensure a sustainable and effective delivery of the programmes within their agency or service.

Our comprehensive package of support for professionals and managers working in Community, Health, Education and Disability Services includes –
- Implementation support to get groups off the ground, including planning workshops and coaching for managers.
- Individual and group supervision sessions with an experienced Parents Plus Trainer.
- Advanced training workshops on specific topics.
- Extra resources to facilitate delivery, e.g. fliers, posters, certificates, practice articles, parenting articles, and supplementary handouts.
- Support to promote your Parents Plus courses in your community.
- Advice and guidance on evaluating and monitoring outcomes in your agency to ensure your groups are effective.
- Access to two individual supervision sessions free of charge in the first year post-training.
The Parents Plus Programmes are robustly evidence-based and currently over 25 studies conducted in clinical, community and disability settings attest to their effectiveness for families with children and adolescents of all ages, dealing with a variety of challenges and issues. Our Programs are systemic, solution-focused, group-based interventions designed for delivery in clinical and community settings as treatment programs.

These programmes are designed for families with child-focused problems, such as behavioural difficulties, disruptive behaviour disorders, and emotional disorders in young people with and without developmental
disabilities.

Our programmes have been developed for families of pre-schoolers, preadolescent children, and teenagers, as well as for separated or divorced families. Studies involving over 1,000 families have shown that our programs have a significant impact on child behaviour problems, goal attainment, and parental satisfaction and stress.

You can read more details about our pre- and post-training supports here!

All profits from Parents Plus sales of programme training and supervision is re-invested in developing new evidence-based programmes to respond to the evolving needs of families, and to sponsor facilitator training and supports of services with limited budgets, who work with high need families.
January 9, 2023
2023 Calendar of Professional Programmes from Parents Plus
Our programmes are for professionals who work in Community, Health, Education and Disability services and they’re backed by over 25 years of research and have proven benefits for families.

In the last 10 years alone, we have supported over 1,000 organisations, in Ireland and internationally, to create sustainable change in their service delivery, strengthening over 100,000 families.

Our suite of programmes’ training and supervision are suitable for a range of professionals working in services such as HSE Primary Care, CAMHS, Family Resource Centres, Disability, Education (EWS, HSCL, SCP, Primary and Secondary) as well as Youth Services.

Below are the programmes available to book from our 2023 calendar of training.

The Parents Plus Children’s Programme

The Parents Plus Children’s Programme Training For Professionals

The Parents Plus Children’s Programme is practical and solution-focused. It will provide you with the essential skills and learning to achieve the best outcomes for the parents and families who attend your services.

The training focuses on the following –
- Developing an in-depth understanding of this programme
- Delivering the programme via face-to-face and online sessions, to groups and individual families
- Providing opportunities to observe and practise the skills to become a solution-focused facilitator
- Building on parent’s strengths as a basis for ongoing change
- Strengthening inter-agency and community partnerships
Dates available in May and October 2023

The Parents Plus Special Needs Programme

The Parents Plus Special Needs Programme Training For Professionals

Parents of children with an intellectual disability can face significant challenges, especially during the adolescent years. With our Special Needs Programme, you can support parents to manage these challenges, improve their family’s well-being and strengthen their links with other parents.

The training focuses on the following:
- Developing an in-depth understanding of this programme
- Delivering the programme via face-to-face and online sessions to groups and individual families
- Providing opportunities to observe and practise the skills to become a solution-focused facilitator
- Building on parents’ strengths as a basis for ongoing change
- Strengthening inter-agency and community partnerships
Dates available in May 2023

The Parents Plus Adolescents Programme

The Parents Plus Adolescents Programme Training For Professionals

The teenage years can be a challenging time for many families. Helping parents develop warm relationships with their teenagers reduces conflict and supports them to grow up as well-adjusted and happy adults.

The training focuses on the following:
- Developing an in-depth understanding of this programme
  delivering the programme via face-to-face and online sessions to groups and individual families
- Providing opportunities to observe and practise the skills to become a solution-focused facilitator
- Building on parents’ strengths as a basis for ongoing change
- Strengthening inter-agency and community partnerships
Dates available in October 2023

Parenting When Separated Programme

Parenting When Separated Programme Training for Professionals

Families going through separation can experience increased isolation and conflict. With our Parenting When Separated Programme, you can help parents to personally cope, and to co-parent effectively, to ensure their children cope and thrive.

The training focuses on:
- Solving co-parenting problems in a positive way which focuses on the needs of their children
- Creating practical arrangements for children that minimise stress and conflict
- Improving parents communication with their children and with their children’s other parent
- Coping with the emotional impact of separation and learn stress management techniques
- Helping their children cope emotionally with the separation
- Dealing with the challenges of lone parenting or being a ‘live away’
Dates available October 2023

Healthy Families Programme

The Healthy Families Programme for Professionals

Children are experiencing increased rates of health problems, such as obesity and higher levels of anxiety. With our Healthy Families Programme you can empower parents to create healthy and connected families and improve well-being for everyone.

The training focuses on:
- Understanding how to improve families health and well-being
- Promoting healthy eating and mealtimes
- Incorporating active play and physical activities into their day
- Maintaining positive mental health and self-esteem
- Establishing good routines for sleep
- Setting up rules around technology use at home
- Building positive family relationships
Dates available in October 2023

To view our complete suite of Professional Programmes click here
January 6, 2023
Update from the ADHD Programme Launch Seminar

Speech and language therapist, Úna O’Brien and Parents Plus Clinical Director, Dr John Sharry

The entire team at Parents Plus want to extend a huge thank you to everyone that attend our new ADHD Children’s Programme for Professionals launch seminar.

Cherie Tyner Parents Plus CEO said “It was wonderful to have so many professionals from CAMHS, Primary Care, Education, Disability and Family support services join, all clearly wanting to support families with evidence-based programmes”.

As the Parents Plus ADHD Children’s Programme is Ireland’s first ADHD training programme for frontline professionals it was important to us that attendees to the seminar heard from professionals using the programme. Speech and language therapist, Úna O’Brien who has worked in CAMHS with many families who have a child with ADHD, spoke at the seminar and said it’s “frustrating for professionals who may not know or understand enough about ADHD. If they don’t have the tools to help, they are facing client dissatisfaction, and this affects their confidence.”

The most powerful part of the launch yesterday was the parent presentations. It was wonderful to be able to give them a platform to tell the professionals how the service has impacted them and explain in their own words how the whole family have benefited from the programme.

For anyone who couldn’t make the launch seminar we are delighted to be able to share with you the slide deck which will give you a summary of the course materials and outline the work that has gone into creating this vitally important programme.

The Parents Plus ADHD Children’s Programme Presentation Download

If you have any questions about anything covered in the seminar, booking your training in the Parents Plus ADHD Programme for professionals or any of our other professional programmes please feel free to contact Vicki Byrne at vicki@parentsplus.ie

For those who attended our seminar we would genuinely value you taking 2 minutes of your time to fill out our short survey. via the button below. We know you are extremely busy and truly appreciate your time and feedback as this helps us to continue to provide engaging events and programmes in the future.

Seminar Survey

The Parents Plus ADHD Children’s programme training is for frontline professionals and can help prevent serious secondary problems, such as self-harm and substance misuse, from affecting children with ADHD as they grow older. If you are an interested professional or manager and would like to learn more about the Parents Plus Children’s ADHD training and discover how the programme will work in your service you Click Here.

For a quick snapshot of the seminar and the key messages you can visit our Twitter feed below

We will be LIVE Tweeting from our @Parents_Plus #ADHD Children's Programme Seminar in this thread.

For last-minute registrations please visit the link below👇 https://t.co/KhpeghWGes #adhdtwitter #ADHDAwareness #ADHDsupport pic.twitter.com/qgSzKBs7tq
— Parents Plus (@Parents_Plus) October 20, 2022

The Parents Plus ADHD Childrens Programme was written by Prof John Sharry (Co-founder of Parents Plus and Adjunct Professor, in the School of Psychology, UCD) and Gráinne Hampson (Speech and Language Therapist, Parents Plus) along with a wider multidisciplinary professional team and with input from ADHD Ireland and the parents who attend their services. The programme is distributed by the Parents Plus Charity (CHY 13664), who develop evidence-based programmes and support professionals to deliver them to families.

October 21, 2022