Parenting Support

Welcome to the Parenting Support web page ….we aim to provide mums, dads, carers as well as professionals with up to date information about parenting support on offer across County Durham.

There’s no doubt children enrich our lives, but raising a baby, child or a young person is a difficult job. They aren’t born with a set of instructions and their needs change as they grow and develop. The hours are lousy, there’s no annual leave, and crucially you don’t get training!!!

While we all want to do our best and give our children a good start in life, it’s often hard to know what we should be doing and where to get additional advice or support when we need to. It is important that as parents you know where to get the right information and feel happy to use the support or advice you need. For some parents it will be support from their families and communities, schools and GPs; for others it may also include more specialist support. We recognise that any parenting support needs to be easy to access and must focus on helping parents to achieve the best possible outcomes for their children and young people.

A wealth of Parenting Support is available across County Durham, including fun activities where parents and carers can brush up their skills and meet other parents; Parenting Programmes, which allow parents to access longer interventions and parent support groups, which meet the specific needs of parents, carers, children and young people.  We are also aware that children with additional needs may require skills from parents not always covered in these courses and we will adapt them to make sure they are relevant to your child and the additional needs they have.We have also made sure all parents can access the courses and have designed them keeping in mind those with disabilities, learning difficulties and other needs.

If you ….

• Are you a parent and would like to learn more about parenting positively?
• Are a parent who wishes you were enjoying being a parent more?
• Are you a dad, granddad, step dad, uncle or male carer who would like support?
• Are a parent who would like your life at home to be calmer?
• Are you a family who have a range of complex issues?

We know that you want the very best for your child and we want to give you all the information and advice you need to help you do that job. If you require any further advice on accessing the support you feel you need please contact :-

Karen Davison, Strategic Parenting Co-ordinator on (0191) 372 5428.

These web pages will keep you up to date about the services and support available in County Durham to help your child enjoy their childhood and achieve their very best.

View Parenting Programmes available across County Durham  

View when and where Parenting Programmes will be delivered  

Other Support to consider

Children's Centres in County Durham

How a Parent Support Advisor can support you, they can be contacted through your child's school

Parenting Handbook

Kids in the Middle - An Agony Aunt’s guide for parting parents and their children

Pregnancy Book

Birth to Five Book

Being a Parent in the Real World

Puberty, Relationships and Sex

National Parenting Support Website Links

County Durham Family Pathfinder provide high level, intensive support to families and work with a number of families at any one time.  All team members work in line with the ‘Think Family’ approach to provide support to the whole family supporting parents to parent their children more effectively and improving outcomes for their children.

Parent Partnership website. It is a statutory service supporting parents and carers of children with special educational needs (SEN).  Parent Partnership provides confidential information advice and support through a range of services. This includes home visits, attending school meetings and liaison with all services working with children and young people. Training and guidance to parents and schools on SEN issues are also provided.

Dads Matter The contribution that dads and male carers can make to their children’s development, health and wellbeing is important and dads need to feel supported and valued in what they can give to their children, starting from finding out that he is to become a DAD!

Is it Legal? A families' guide to guide to the law When can children work by law, or go to the doctor alone? What does the law say about term time holidays?  This guide offers welcome clarification of the law for families and all those who work with them. It includes a fully updated Helpfile, a full list of sources of further information on all the main areas affecting families.

Learning and Play new booklet especially for parents about the value of play with loads of tips and ideas. It explains why play and time with parents can give very young children a really good start when they go to school. It also lists lots of activities and even instructions on cooking cakes and making play dough.

Over the top behaviour in the under 10s  A booklet which looks at the differences between normal misbehaviour and where there might be more serious problems.

From Breakfast to Bedtime  A booklet providing advice for parents of toddlers