Should parenting classes become the norm? A current pilot scheme is trying to prove they should?
Cast your mind back. As a child, you went to school to learn the three Rs ? reading, writing and arithmetic. Perhaps you then went on to college or university to study for A levels or a degree. Out of the classroom, when you wanted to get behind the wheel, you took driving lessons. And, later in life, you may even have chosen to attend evening classes to learn another skill ? a foreign language, for example, or how to make a picture frame or bake the perfect cake. But when you first became a mum, what education did you receive about the biggest job of all?
Antenatal classes during pregnancy, anecdotal help from friends, relatives and, of course, your mum. But, as for formal teaching, very little. House calls from your health visitor in the early weeks, help from a lactation counsellor if you were struggling to breastfeed and a short appointment with your GP if you were worried about your baby?s health. If you consider that bringing up a child is commonly regarded as one of the most important roles in life, it?s not much to go on. And, with the UK still having a high teenage pregnancy rate compared with many other Western European countries, young new parents are often left to cope on their own, not knowing who to get help from, or where to get it from.
In October last year, the government launched the CANparent scheme ? a Classes and Advice Network designed to put an end to this apparent lack of education for new parents. Currently trialed in just three areas of the UK ? Camden in north London, Middlesbrough in the north east and High Peak in Derbyshire ? CANparent offers classes to parents and carers of children aged up to five.
How does the scheme work?
More than 50,000 parents in the three pilot areas are eligible for a voucher worth ?100 to spend with the CANparent Classes and Advice Network. Vouchers are available from health professionals, such as GPs or health visitors, as well as at children?s centres, community centres or schools, nurseries and playgroups, or on the high street at major branches of Boots the chemist. The vouchers are available to all mums and dads, and carers including foster parents, grandparents and step-parents with a child or children up to five years of age. The pilot scheme is intended to run for two years, until March 2014.
The vouchers are used towards a class, or a session of classes, of your choice. Sessions can be face-to-face, group sessions, online and with telephone support or one-to-one. Classes run during the day, at weekends and in the evenings. Some are designed for specific groups of parents, such as fathers, parents of teenagers, new parents, same-sex partners and step-parents, but most are suitable for all parents going through the normal ups and downs of bringing up a child.
Pamela Park, chief executive of Parenting UK, says, ?We know that most mums and dads, especially those with young children, want support and advice with their parenting. This trial is a great way of making it even easier for them to access parenting classes. We hope that the complimentary vouchers will encourage parents to see attending a parenting class to be as normal as attending an antenatal class. There are currently more than 28,000 vouchers in circulation across the three trial areas, with a range of new classes starting in the autumn. We are really pleased with how the trial has developed so far, and look forward to seeing thousands of parents attending classes over the autumn months.?
What is taught?
The subjects covered on CANparent courses are varied, but all have the same aim ? to help parents and their children get on better and to improve the quality of family life. Topics include:
? Communicating and staying calm
? Managing sleep issues
? Learning through play
? Coping with difficult behaviour
? Rules and routines
? Parents working together as a team
? Understanding the different stages of your child?s development and progression.
Jenny Ballantyne, from the Department of Education, who was present at the High Peak launch of CANparent, said: ?We have evidence that about 75% to 80% of parents want to go beyond family and friends to seek advice and support to improve their parenting skills.? Courses are run by nine different providers, ranging from the NCT (National Childbirth Trust) and Barnardo?s through to The Fatherhood Institute and NetMums.com as well as the local councils in each area.
Facing fierce criticism
At its launch, CANparent was criticised for contributing to England?s nanny state, a claim Prime Minister, David Cameron, disputed strongly. ?I think the whole debate about a nanny state is nonsense,? he said. ?It?s not the nanny state ? it?s the sensible state. It?s ludicrous that we should expect people to train for hours to drive a car or use a computer, but when it comes to looking after a baby we tell people to just get on with it.
?I would have loved more guidance when my children were babies. We?ve all been there when it?s the middle of the night, your child won?t stop crying and you don?t know what to do. Parents want help. It is in our interest as a society to help people bring up their children.?
The government?s aim is for the classes to help ?reduce the stigma of asking for advice and help with parenting.? Shadow education secretary, Stephen Twigg, claimed that ?any new scheme must be able to reach a wide range of parents from different backgrounds and provide real value for money.? Only time will tell if it can be achieved.
For more help
If you don?t live in a trial area for CANParent and you?re struggling to cope with certain aspects of parenting, there are other services available?
- Parenting UK is a national membership body for people who work with parents. Visit www.parentinguk.org and search for courses in your area.
- Contact your local council ? they may have details of courses available near where you live. Ask to speak to someone about parenting classes.
- Ask at your GP?s surgery ? nurses and health visitors often run classes for this from pregnancy onwards.
- If your child is under four, ask at your local Sure Start Children?s Centre, found at
www.childrenscentresfinder.direct.gov.uk/childrenscentresfinder/ - Look on noticeboards in your local library, church or community centre, for classes in your area.
Sign up to a new online nhs service
The information is available to all
Mums and dads can sign up, from the early stages of pregnancy, to receive free emails and/or text messages covering issues such as: pregnancy and your developing baby, birth, breast-feeding and immunisations. Online there will be video clips, looking at subjects such as How can I cope with a baby and a toddler?, How will my toddler react to our new baby?, and What can we do if we argue or fight? To register, log on to www.canparent.org.uk and click on the ?Other Support for Parents? tab at the top of the home page.
?This is a new idea and one that all parents can access?
Clio Whittaker, a family learning and parenting teacher, from Ampersand Learning, runs classes in Camden.
?The scheme was launched in April 2012 and, with it being a completely new idea, it has taken a while to get going. I even ran one course in my kitchen, as I hadn?t managed to find another venue! ?We?re still building awareness about what?s on offer. CANparent offers the capacity to be innovative and my classes look at children?s development through children?s literature. Children?s books are written about issues that are important to children. One session, for example, uses the book Owl Babies by Martin Waddell (?5.99, Walker Books Ltd) and covers how to cope with separation anxiety. It?s a way to introduce good children?s books to parents as well as help them discuss with their children the issues raised. ?Parents get more information about their washing machine than they do about how to be a good parent. Everybody can learn about things that are important to them and there?s nothing more important than being able to resolve the inevitable challenges of family life.?
?Parents need lessons and revision just like children?
Kajal Hesamy, 38, is a single mum to Broosk, 14, and Moatasam, five. She went on a CANparent course
?I saw a leaflet about the scheme at my younger son?s school and also collected my vouchers from there. The course was held at the school in the daytime, and ran for five weeks, which used up all of my vouchers. ?Before I started the course, Moatasam would barely look at a book. I liked reading to him but I was never sure how much he understood. No words can describe how useful I found the course ? even talking to other parents was helpful. We were taught how to make stories more interesting. We made finger puppets of characters and then I did this at home. ?I?ve seen such a change in him, and the relationship between him and his brother has improved, too. I found their age gap very difficult to manage previously ? they had completely different demands. Now, Broosk reads to me every night before bedtime ? we really enjoy sharing the story together and I read with Moatasam. ?He loved making a puppet of Elmo, a book we had at home. Our evenings are calm and relaxed now. I?ve learnt a lot and I wish I had more vouchers!?
Jo says...??It would be hugely beneficial if David Cameron can make these classes happen. I?m waiting for your call Mr Cameron, let me train up people who can help.?
Picture credit: Shutterstock
The above feature was
published in at home's
'Parenting with Jo Frost'
July 2012.
Click here for more
Jo Frost.
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Source: http://www.athomemagazine.co.uk/more-celeb/jo-frost/6240-would-parenting-classes-benefit-you
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