Parenting isn’t an easy job and at times things can get extremely tough. Our Parent Support Advisers are here to help parents deal with any worries they may have, whether it be for themselves, their family or their child.
One of our Parent Support Advisers, Monika explains.
“We empower parents to make positive life choices by building on their strengths, increasing their confidence, developing their parenting skills and improving their access to services. By doing so, we can positively impact their perception of their ability to cope with stressful life circumstances, and thereby increase their chances and their children’s chances for a happy and fulfilling life.”
Some parents may see their situation as desperate, but our team works with them to help them to find a light in a tunnel. The family circumstances may be varied and challenging, including dealing with issues around emotional wellbeing, mental health, children with special educational needs and disabilities and domestic abuse. Parent Support Advisers will support families where any issue is affecting the dynamic by working with them and other organisations where appropriate in a multi-agency approach to support meaningful change.
“Parents can often feel vulnerable to begin with because asking for help is the first and biggest step.” Monika says.
“But it’s important to remember that asking for help isn’t a failure; they ask for help because they want to change their future.”
Usually meeting families in their own home, Parent Support Advisers will provide support for as long as it is needed. Using ‘The Nurtured Heart Approach®’ we help families to turn the most challenging situations toward success by focusing on individual skills and qualities and promoting ‘inner wealth’.
“Some families will just need signposting to other services. Other situations may be more complex and we’ll need to work with other organisations too.” Monika explains.
Helping families to restore balance also reduces the risk of family breakdowns at a later stage, which can often be a cause of youth homelessness, so the role of Parent Support Advisers is important in helping families to get back on track before more serious problems arise.
Monika explains that one of her highlights has been working with a family who was on the brink of a breakdown. Scared of their own child, who was experiencing significant challenges which he was expressing through violence, they didn’t know what to do.
“I worked with the family for some time to put some structures in place and make some changes. Now they are enjoying life.” She says.
“When I see a family making good progress, it’s beautiful. I feel so happy, not for me, but for the family. We want them to feel empowered, their children to be happy and feel that life is working for them again.”
“The important message is that with our support families can turn things around by making their own decisions and introducing change. Some families feel hopeless – but there is always hope.”
Find out more about our Parent Support Advisers or contact 01603 615670
The Benjamin Foundation Parent Support Advisers are proud to work in partnership with the following Norwich schools to deliver this important service: Cecil Gowing Infant School, Sparhawk Infant School, Falcon Junior School, Queen’s Hill Primary and Chapel Break Infant School.
I really enjoyed opening up my presents. Thank you so much.
A young person we look after in one of our accommodation centres
