Maryam Chowdhry, one of the newest members of the Strengthening Families team, has recently started delivering an SFSC programme to a group of Urdu speaking mums in Battersea, London.
Group work in a community language can be challenging but offers significant benefits. We know that a commitment of three hours weekly can seem like quite an ask for parents who will have considerable demands on their time. And as with all deliveries, asking parents with young children to use the creche service can sometimes cause anxiety, especially if the parent is not used to being separated from their child or have anyone but a family member take care of them. Yet, the rewards are profound as Maryam explains:
Sensitivity to difference, values and traditions lies at the core of the programme, recognising the importance of faith culture and ethnicity is key. The majority of parents I currently deliver to have migrated from Pakistan and India, bringing unique childhood experiences. The SFSC: Stronger Relationships programme operates with an acute awareness of these backgrounds, supporting parents in adapting to living and studying in the UK. Some parents harbour fears or mistrust about their children mixing with others who may do things differently to the way things are done in their own homes, even within the Urdu language group this can be an issue. Whilst a single language group like this does not allow for a more diverse learning experience like you may get in some SFSC deliveries, the focus remains on highlighting shared values across all cultures, ethnic and faith groups.
For most parents, discussing parenting difficulties openly is a challenge, but this can be particularly acute in some communities who have experienced services negatively or been on the receiving end of negative stereotyping. We actively address this by emphasising confidentiality, creating a safe space for parents to share experiences and seek guidance without judgement. For myself and my co-facilitator, having established relationships in the community and being trusted faces is also really important.
The impact on community empowerment is profound. Lifelong friendships often blossom among parents attending SFSC courses, fostering a sense of camaraderie and shared experiences. For those who have moved from abroad independently, the programme becomes a lifeline in building support networks in the absence of family. Parents, equipped with newfound knowledge, become ambassadors of positive change, sharing their experiences through word of mouth with friends, family and neighbours. This organic dissemination amplifies the programme’s influence, reaching and empowering even more families within the Urdu-speaking community.
Speaking in their mother tongue empowers parents to feel comfortable, valued and able to express themselves fully, fostering confidence that often extends to pursuits like further study, employment, or volunteering. As an experienced facilitator I have seen this time and again with parents I work with across all communities; but it is certainly visible amongst Urdu speaking mums just how much SFSC and the group environment we provide supports them to build confidence and explore opportunities in the wider community. The impact is much broader than individual growth and happier families, as parents actively engage in their children’s schools and education.
My current programme is part of our Stronger Relationships delivery which means that we spend time focusing on the adult relationships around the child, as well as the parent child relationship, and we have found that this group fully engages with discussions in this space. Like all families, disagreements exist and the information in the programme can really help parents understand the impact that conflict can have on children and make the relationship enhancing strategies that we discuss all the more relevant and helpful. These strategies can be utilised with all adults around the child, so can be used in extended family settings as well as smaller family units, and for many families this leads to a noticeable decrease in tension and conflicts.
It is important to note that like all SFSC 13 week programmes, a community language delivery is a significant commitment for facilitators, perhaps even more so given the additional work that is involved in translating content, planning relevant scenarios and examples and considering how to communicate concepts that sometimes have no direct translation in the delivery language. It is quite a mental challenge. It is also the case that parents who have limited sources of support through mainstream services can see their facilitators as one of the few reliable sources of support and information they have access to. This can be very demanding, especially if you have a large group. Further, staying on track can be a challenge when parents want to talk about all the issues that they may need help with, not just the ones that relate to parenting and relationships!
Despite these challenges, it is just so rewarding to be such a crucial part of a parent’s journey, knowing that you have made a difference to so many of the lives of the parents in your groups and by default their wider families and communities.
