Resources available to support positive parenting

Shropshire Safeguarding Community Partnership are raising awareness of the advice and resources available to support positive parenting.

The call to action is part of the partnership’s Neglect campaign launched this month (January 2022), in a bid raise awareness of neglect in children and young people, and what resources there are to help families who needs some extra help and support.

Neglect of children – awareness campaign January 2022

Being a parent can be very rewarding and enjoyable. It can also be worrying, frustrating and exhausting. There may be times when you feel that you need some extra help and support to be able to manage the challenges that many parents face.

Shropshire Safeguarding Community Partnership offers a wide range of information to parents and carers on their dedicated website. The website includes lots of resources to support parents, including early help support, esafety, and what to do if you’re concerned about a child.

Shropshire Council’s Early Help service also provides a host of information and advice for parents and carers, to help resolve challenges that may arise in the family which could lead to neglect.

• Shropshire Family Information Service (FIS) has developed a number of information packs for some of the more frequent enquires it receives from parents or practitioners supporting children, young people and families. The packs contain information about local and national services and support, as well as resources aimed at children, young people and families.
• Reducing parental conflict – advice and information on how to acknowledge and help reduce parental conflict, and a video which talks about why reducing parental conflict matters to children.
• Support for parents, children and young people during the pandemic – Links to a range of resources to support parents, children and young people throughout the pandemic.
• Parenting support – For any parent and carer who would like to know more about parenting and how children and teenagers develop, as well as families who feel they need additional support to understand and manage their child’s behaviour and how they can support their child/ren through transitions and difficult times.
• Children’s mental health and wellbeing – Support and advice to ensure that children, young people and their families get timely and appropriate support for emotional health and wellbeing.
• Compass children’s social care – Compass is the front door for children’s social care for receiving new enquiries regarding concerns for the welfare or protection of children and young people in Shropshire. Compass promotes the offer of early help to children and families in the first instance, where it’s safe to do so.
• Early help family hubs – Families that need more support can be referred to this service. The hubs provide support for families with children and young people aged 0-19, or up to 25 years of age for young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They bring together family support services, including early childhood services, targeted youth and parenting support, health and voluntary sector partners and our local schools.

The NSPCC also offer parenting tips for all stages of your child’s life, as well as advice on how to deal with difficult situations. You can find out more here: Support for parents | NSPCC.

The organisations has also created a Positive parenting guide which shares practical advice and tips for parenting techniques that work well for children of all ages – from babies to teenagers.

Kirstie Hurst-Knight, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for children and education, said:-

“We know that parenting can be rewarding, but it can also be challenging.

“In Shropshire we give parents the support and guidance they need to be able to meet the needs of their children, through offering parents early solutions to challenges that arise.

“These may be challenges that come from a sudden upheaval, ongoing change, or just from everyday family life. They could then impact on the whole family or on individual family members, and place stress on relationships within the family.

“These early solutions could be through services which are available to all parents, or it could be that services will be offered through more targeted support.”

Ivan Powell Independent Chair of Shropshire Safeguarding Community Partnership, added:-

“We absolutely understand that all families come under pressure from time to time. But increased or continued stress can seriously affect how well a parent can look after their child.

“This is why we want to reach out to parents and carers who may be struggling and offer them advice and support, to help them build and strengthen their relationship with their child, leading to them being happier, along with less stress for them.

“I strongly encourage families who are finding it difficult to cope with parenting to seek advice and support straightaway; we are here to help.”

Concerned about a child?

If you suspect that a child is experiencing neglect, reporting the concern may not be something you want to consider.

Your initial reaction may be to dismiss it and just hope it’s not true. But it’s vital that you report your concerns if you feel a child may be suffering. If you don’t report your concerns, it could mean that the neglect will continue.

Whether you are the child’s parent, relative, family friend, neighbour or a professional, don’t let anything stop you from protecting a child.

How do I report a concern?

If you suspect that a child or young person is being neglected or is at risk of being neglected then you should report it immediately.

Call us on 0345 678 9021.

If you believe a child or young person in Shropshire to be at immediate risk of harm or in need of emergency medical attention call 999.

For the very latest information and advice about safeguarding children visit Shropshire Safeguarding Children’s website at http://www.safeguardingshropshireschildren.org.uk/

Further information

About Shropshire Safeguarding Community Partnership (SSCP)

The Shropshire Safeguarding Community Partnership are committed to increasing the safety and resilience of people in Shropshire (including children and adults with care and support needs) and their communities; in order to reduce harm caused by abuse, neglect or other crime.

The Shropshire Safeguarding Community Partnership (SSCP) members are:

• Probation Service
• Shropshire Council
• Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service
• Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Group
• West Mercia Police

The aim of the partnership is to:

• safeguard and promote the welfare of children and adults with care and support needs
• reduce crime and disorder and in particular reoffending
• combat the misuse of drugs, alcohol and other substances.