Case Studies
I am honoured to be trusted by these awesome parents to co-create a respectful relationship. They have been empowered to make changes in themselves that has naturally influenced their children – our future. They have transformed their whole family dynamic which trickles out into their community. A mega thank you to one and all for allowing me to be a part of your phenomenal lives. Be inspired…
If you haven't already heard it, click on the arrow below to hear some Parent Champions chatting about their experiences.
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Mum of children aged 13, 9 and 4
On top of the World
I heard about the Parent Champions course through work. After a few weeks I sat down and gave it some thought as maybe it could help me with one of my children. I decided to start on the course on a professional level, not really wanting to let on that I had a troublesome child! Read more.
Mum of children 7 and 5
Make a difference to other parents
Before I started the course, I was a person that seemed to get angry and frustrated over the smallest of things, I felt I was overloaded with work and kids and finding it really hard to juggle everything and consequently letting myself and the people around me down, which resulted in arguments. Read more.
Before I started the course, I was a person that seemed to get angry and frustrated over the smallest of things, I felt I was overloaded with work and kids and finding it really hard to juggle everything and consequently letting myself and the people around me down, which resulted in arguments. Read more.
Mum of a 2 year old
A Parent Champion
When I started Parent Champions, I was a very negative person, if anything was going right I would always think it was going to go wrong. But not now I always look at the positives because if I have it in my mind that everything is going to go wrong then it more likely will. Read more.
Mum of children 18 and 8
Mum of children 14, 7, 5 and 1
Change the world
Before the course when my eldest daughter (14 years old) approached me I might appear to be listening but not take on board what she was saying. I was also taking on the responsibility of everyone in the family which was giving me loads of stress and I never knew if I was coming or going. Read more.
Mum of children 5, 2 and 1
A Great Mum
I was in a really bad place with my three children, I’m a single Mum and they were all under five at the time and every day was a struggle. My partner was dependent on prescribed medication and he also liked a drink and that wasn’t a good mix. His behaviour was erratic and I never knew what he was going to do next. I was in fear for my children. Read more.
Mum of children 9, 4 and 1
My children and I deserve better
Before I started the Parent Champion course I was at my wits end with my life and my children. I had no relationship with my eldest daughter except shouting at one another. I felt a failure as a mother and the life and relationships I wanted was far away and I could not reach them. I had no idea how I could change things to get that life and those relationships I wanted desperately. Read more.
When I started Parent Champions, I was a very negative person, if anything was going right I would always think it was going to go wrong. But not now I always look at the positives because if I have it in my mind that everything is going to go wrong then it more likely will. Read more.
Mum of children 18 and 8
Well worth the effort
After the first couple of weeks I realised I was very much there as a parent and not in a professional capacity. Although I have found the course has given me a great deal of confidence when dealing with parents at work. I have embraced Alan’s techniques to the best of my ability and found that they have made a considerable difference to my outlook of how I think about things generally and more specifically how I communicate with children, particularly my own. Read more.Mum of children 14, 7, 5 and 1
Change the world
Before the course when my eldest daughter (14 years old) approached me I might appear to be listening but not take on board what she was saying. I was also taking on the responsibility of everyone in the family which was giving me loads of stress and I never knew if I was coming or going. Read more.
Mum of children 5, 2 and 1
A Great Mum
I was in a really bad place with my three children, I’m a single Mum and they were all under five at the time and every day was a struggle. My partner was dependent on prescribed medication and he also liked a drink and that wasn’t a good mix. His behaviour was erratic and I never knew what he was going to do next. I was in fear for my children. Read more.
Mum of children 9, 4 and 1
My children and I deserve better
Before I started the Parent Champion course I was at my wits end with my life and my children. I had no relationship with my eldest daughter except shouting at one another. I felt a failure as a mother and the life and relationships I wanted was far away and I could not reach them. I had no idea how I could change things to get that life and those relationships I wanted desperately. Read more.
Some additional outcomes
Everyone who attended has taken away the main outcomes - that parents listen, value and respect their children and themselves – changing the whole family dynamic and breaking a cycle of reactive behaviours. Other outcomes have been:
- Social Services are signposting the Family Coaching Café as a first point of contact and where there is not a legal process in progress, also for parents of older children as there is no provision for them
- A carer with a 10 year old who had been a real handful at school for the last 2 years changed his behaviour dramatically and got the best school report he had ever had
- A parent with a 14 year old diagnosed with Asperger’s had not spent any quality time with her for years and now they have regular quality time with the daughter being give incremental responsibility
- A single parent with 2 children decided to decorate her property
- A young single Mum signed up for some basic skills training and another parent for a sociology and combined sciences course
- One parent has put an advertisement on KMFM radio for the Family Coaching Café
- Three teachers have told parents their children have been better behaved since they have been participating in the programme
- We are working with a school to reinforce their emotional literacy curriculum with the parents
- We have established the Family Coaching Café as a weekly drop in with structured learning
- The Family Coaching Café has attracted 9 new parents, three of whom have signed up for the second course. On average there have been three Parent Champions who have contributed to each session
- Two Parent Champions are regularly facilitating the Family Coaching Café sessions
- Several Parent Champions meet regularly for coffee mornings
- One Parent Champion is co-facilitating the next ‘Empowering Families’ course
- We have been encouraged by The Centre for Excellence and Outcomes in Children and Young People’s Services (C4EO) the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) to submit details of this programme as an "excellent example of effective local practice".
- One Parent Champion has started a Parent Champions Facebook Group
- Four Parent Champions got together and recorded their experiences, see the link at the top of the page
- Bligh Children's Centre are funding the extension of the Family Coaching Cafe until the Summer.
And click here to see an independent evaluation of our unique approach.
In answer to the question "What do I want to be" one child wrote, "I would like to be myself. I tried to be other things, but I always failed."
Anon
Parents themselves are changing the culture of parenting in their community. This will, in turn, change the fabric of our society from the inside out. It starts with the family – and in the family.
