Online help for parents facing the challenges of early parenthood.
Parents in Plymouth, Surrey Heath and Cumbria can get expert online help on issues such as introducing solids, starting school, and encouraging a good night’s sleep as Barnardo’s is running a series of online courses and workshops.
Families with young children in selected areas across the UK can sign up to any number of free virtual sessions, run by Barnardo’s experts, to offer practical help and supportive advice on the tricky issues which parents commonly face in the first 1001 days of their child’s life. The interactive sessions will provide the opportunity to ask Barnardo’s experts any questions, swap tips with other parents and find solutions to common parenting dilemmas.
The informal sessions will be available to join from a phone, tablet, or computer with the choice to have your camera on or off. The sessions provide a supportive environment should a parent need to take a break to pacify their baby or entertain a demanding toddler. Sessions will run at varying times, including evenings and weekends, to ensure parents with other commitments, such as working hours, can attend too.
Sarah Trubody, Barnardo’s Programme Manager, said: “Parenting, especially in the early stages, is not easy. Parents and carers face a lot of challenges to progress their newborn baby through the stages which naturally follow. Sleeping, eating, toilet training and getting them ready to start school are milestones which, whilst tricky, can be enjoyed and navigated well with a little help.
“At Barnardo’s, we hope the help and support these sessions will provide, alongside the additional sources of help we offer both on and offline, will educate and encourage parents so that they can approach these pivotal stages with confidence in their own abilities. We hope lots of parents come and join us - we’re ready and willing to support your parenting journey.”
The sessions are part of a pilot scheme Barnardo’s is running in three areas to offer easily accessible help and support for parents with young children. It is hoped the online workshops will also run in other parts of the country in the future.
Below is the current programme of 2024 events and sign up on the Virtual Family Space website here. New courses and more dates will run in the coming months so do check back here for updates. You must be living in one of the three areas to access booking information.
Understanding your Baby, which looks at feeding, feelings, behaviour and brain development:
Cumbria – 22 February
Starting Solids, which includes food safety and allergies:
Cumbria – 20 February or 16 March
Plymouth – 3 February or 12 March
Surrey Heath – 6 February or 28 February
Potty Training:
Cumbria – 7 February
Plymouth – 5 March
Surrey Heath – 27 February
Sleep, which includes details on sleeping safely and establishing a routine:
Cumbria – 28 February or 20 March
Plymouth –28 February or 20 March
Surrey Heath – 19 March
Five to Thrive which covers brain development, responding to your baby and the importance of touch and sensory play:
Surrey Heath – 6 March
Oral health:
Cumbria – 21 February or 26 March
Plymouth – 27 February or 27 March
Surrey Heath – 20 February or 26 March
Understanding your baby’s sleep:
Plymouth, Surrey Heath, and Cumbria – 30 January
Building a foundation of love with your baby:
Plymouth, Surrey Heath, and Cumbria – 5 February
Videos on school readiness, which includes an optional Q&A session on request, are available on demand on the Virtual Family Space website too.
Barnardo’s also has a comprehensive website – Family Space – which offers tips and advice for all age groups up to 19 years. This is also in addition to the help and support on offer at Barnardo’s family hubs and family centres throughout the UK which offer in-person advice, a place to meet and socialise with other parents and their children as well as mental health support.