As we head towards the end of this incredibly busy and hugely satisfying year of our ‘Stronger Relationships’ project, it has been a joy to see how our own strong professional relationships have helped us achieve so much more together than by working in isolation.
A core team of five, we have met weekly to share our experiences and learning. From the outset, we have built upon our team members’ relationships with Local Authorities, faith and other third-sector organisations. Through these relationships, we have been able to support 120 parents in 13-week SFSC Stronger Relationships in person groups with our delivery partners: CAHN, Options 180, SYDRC, Elays Network, T.A.P Project, Muslim Community Association, Dope Black Dads and Happy Homes adding delivery in Bangla, Urdu and Somali.
With the support of our excellent funder (DWP) appointed ‘Regional Integration Lead’, the team was able to add to their list of Local Authority contacts and create new relationships through social media influencers and schools to recruit 760 parents for the online Stronger Relationships 6-week course; parents have signed up from Cornwall to Lancashire and everywhere in between. We also have a small group of freelance facilitators to thank for these incredible numbers: they brought with them their own cohort of parents and delivered in Urdu, Arabic, Bangla and Somali.
In the final stage of our project, we have created what we believe could be groundbreaking changes to the support offered to parents in conflict with our ‘Parenting Plan Workshops’; bringing co-parent ‘couples’ (living together or apart) together in a safe and supportive space to negotiate arrangements for their children for now and as they grow. The inclusive parenting plan we are using in these workshops was co-created with Options 180, Approachable Parenting, Black SEN Mamas, CAHN, Future Men, and SYDRC who brought their expertise and guidance.
All the fantastic relationships that the project depended on allowed us to successfully support parents up and down the country to improve their adult and parent-child relationships, developing a better understanding of what constitutes healthy relationships and why they are essential for happier homes and the well-being of all family members.
We hope that all of our working and personal relationships continue happily and healthily into the new year.
