Passionate about Parenting Courses

Message from Diane Clack - Co-ordinator for Passionate About Parenting.

In 2021 we are celebrating the twenty-first anniversary of the Passionate about Parenting programme. 

Since 2000, three hundred and fifty facilitators have been trained in Great Britain and Ireland, and they have used their skills to support families in a gentle, caring and loving way.  Skills learned during the facilitation training are not confined to just running Parents’ Groups; Parent-and-Toddler groups, Messy Church, Home Groups and Alpha Groups are among other projects to benefit from the expertise gained.

In the Diocese of Chichester, Parents’ Groups have been held in private homes, schools, churches, prisons and community centres, and the parents come from all different backgrounds.  We aim to provide a safe, non-threatening, non-judgmental space for parents, where they can listen and be listened to, where they can share ideas and experiences, and where they develop self-esteem and confidence. From this, good communication and healthy relationships will develop, which will often lead to lasting friendships and mutual support.

It has been mostly mothers and sometimes grandmothers who have attended the groups which I have facilitated, but we have had a few fathers, too.   They are all caring parents who are seeking help to improve their skills.  They discover that they are not alone in having to tackle tricky issues as their children develop, and they appreciate suggestions from other parents who have experienced similar challenges.

We are moving forward with the review of the Passionate about Parenting programme and training. 

Meanwhile we are looking forward to relaunching the programme in our Diocese as soon as we are able; our experienced Diocesan facilitators are ready and waiting to move into action! 

If you would like to know more about the programme, the training or about any aspect of this work, I would be very pleased to hear from you.