Parenting Group Programmes
Information about all of the parenting programmes at the Wiltshire Family Hub
What’s on offer in the Wiltshire Family Hub?
Please see below for information about our group parenting programmes. Click the tab to find out more about each parenting programme and a link to find out more or request a place. If you have any questions about our group parenting programmes in Wiltshire, please contact us at wiltshireparenting@spurgeons.org or call 0800 970 4669.
Baby and Us
Baby and Us is a 9 week course for parents of babies under 9 months and are run by trained parent facilitators. The course content includes:
- understand your baby’s cues
- cope with challenges around feeding, sleep and crying
- interact positively with your baby
- manage parental stress.
Request a place here:
Being a Parent
Being a Parent is an 8 week programme for parents and carers of children aged from 2 to 11 years. You can learn how to better understand your children’s feelings, positive strategies to manage behaviour, effective parent-child communication and much more. These are fun, informative and interactive sessions which are all about giving you the skills to manage the sometimes stressful job of being a parent.
Request a place here:
Five to Thrive
You’ll learn about the five key building blocks of Respond, Engage, Relax, Play and Talk, which are the foundation of a healthy brain. The programme is drawn from research into the key processes of attachment and attunement that forge bonds between children and their carers.
Delivered through 6 sessions, with each of the five blocks receiving a focus to allow you to practice the principles through fun activities.
The programme helps to:
- Increase your confidence as a parent, giving you the knowledge and understanding of how RESPOND is essential for brain development.
- Support you understand that loving connections (ENGAGE) build strong connections in our brain.
- Stimulate awareness of why RELAX is important in order for the nervous system to re-balance and co-regulate.
- Increase your confidence and understanding of how PLAY and ‘playfulness’ (one of voice, body language, facial expression, repetition) all creates brain patterns for life.
- Show the importance of TALKing and listening to embed paths of neural networks for language. This is the key to thought.
Request a place here:
Pregnancy to Parenthood: Baby Steps
Baby Steps is a 9 week course to help prepare for parenthood.
Run by a health professional and family hub worker, this provides a weekly moment with others to think about your baby and the changes that will happen when they are born. There are 6 sessions (online) before baby is born and 3 sessions (in person) with baby afterwards, and all groups are friendly and relaxed.
We cover:
- what to expect at the birth and how to prepare
- practical tips for looking after your baby and yourself
- what your baby will need and how you will know what to do
- preparing for how your relationships might be affected
- how it might feel to be a new parent and what the birth partner role involves.
If you are interested in this programme then please speak to your midwife to pass your details to the Baby Steps team, who will contact you to tell you more. Places are limited and are given based on availability and individual circumstances.
If you would like to know more talk to your midwife or contact Meredith Russ, Baby Steps Lead for Wiltshire by email: HCRG.babysteps@nhs.net
Children with Additional Needs (3-12)
Time Out for Parents (TOFP) children with additional needs is a programme for parents/carers of children with additional/special needs. We run this in partnership with the Wiltshire Parent Carer Council.
It is facilitated by parents who have lived experience in partnership with professional colleagues; the focus is upon practical activities that help attendees build a ‘toolbox’ of tips and strategies to help them in their role as parent carers of children with additional needs.
The course explores many different aspects of parenting a child with additional needs. Sessions are designed to help parents/carers explore ideas and find out what works for themselves, not what is meant to work.
A diagnosis is not required and you do not need to know what may be causing your child to require different or extra support.
These courses are designed to help support parents/carers of children aged 3-12 with a variety of additional needs; they are not specifically focused on neurodiversity eg autism, ADHD etc, although aspects linked to neurdiversity may be touched upon at times during the course depending upon the conversations with the groups.
It is aimed at parents of any child with additional needs if:
- you are at the beginning of your journey parenting a child with additonal needs and are feeling isolated because of your child’s needs
- would like time to explore your feelings as a parent
- want to develop your confidence and/or understanding of why your child may be behaving in a certain way and how your child can be supported at home at school
- typical parenting methods are not working well for you
- want information about the wider support available for yourselves as parents or for your child.
Request a place here:
Time Out for Parents – Children with Additional Needs
If you are unsure whether this programme is for you please contact wiltshireparenting@spurgeons.org or 0800 704669 and ask for a member of the parenting team.
Some parents/carers may benefit from attending Time Out for Parents and then the Wiltshire Council Supporting My Neurodivergent Young Person (SMNYP) programme (see below). However, to allow time to reflect on the information from TOFP and put into practice, we would recommend you attend TOFP first and then wait for a period of at least three months before applying for SMNYP:
SMNYP has replaced SWAPP (support in Wiltshire for autism parenting programme).
It is an indepth programme for parents/carers of school/college aged neurodivergent children and young people. It is facilitated by professionals who have specialist knowledge and experience of autism, ADHD and other neurodiversities and may also have lived experience themselves as parents. The focus is upon practical strategies to support you and your child based upon current research, evidence based practice and professional experience.
The programme aims to support parents/carers, and one member of staff who knows the young person well in school/setting is also invited to attend. A diagnosis is not required. This is aimed at parents of a neurodivergent child or young person aged 5-19 if:
- your child is being supported using the Needs Led Profiling Tool or has been accepted on the Neurodevelopmental Pathway
- you have a child who is suspected to be neurodivergent, self identifies as neurodivergent, who has a diagnosis such as autism
- you want to develop a deeper understanding of your child and challenges related to inflexible thinking, differences in communication and social interaction, sensory needs and/or difficulty maintaining attention and focus or following the adult’s agenda
- you have some strategies that are working but would like to explore further what is causing your young person to respond in the way that they are doing and how to help them
- you would like more information about SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) and how your child can be supported in school as part of every school’s inclusive provision.
For more information and how to apply visit: Supporting My Neurodivergent Young Person (SMNYP).
If you are unsure whether this programme is for you please contact 01225 718095 and a member of the SEND Business Support Team will be able to support you.
Time Out for Parents – Dads
Five workshops focussing on the importance of dads and helping them build an even better relationship with their children.
Whether dads are parenting as a couple, a single parent or an away dad, this course aims to help all dad’s share their feelings and experiences and come up with solutions to any parenting problems based on what works for them.
We look at how dads can improve their understanding of how to meet a child’s needs, including learning and development. We will explore other key aspects including building self-esteem and positive communication, setting and maintaining boundaries, and managing behaviours which challenge.
There’s also time to think about how the role of the dad might change as their child grows and ways to build a healthy relationship with the wider family.
Request a place here:
Time Out for Parents – Early Years
The six sessions are designed to help you negotiate the early years with confidence and build strong family relationships for the future.
Sharing ideas with other parents and carers is a key element. Discussions are based around real-life scenarios. Each session includes space to plan any changes you want to make in your parenting and, from week two, an opportunity to discuss how that’s working.
The course begins by looking at what happens when we become a parent – the surprises, disappointments and joys. We consider how to develop children’s emotional security, and build the bond between parent and child through recognising their feelings, responding appropriately, listening well, and being positive in what we say.
Play is important for a child’s development, and we look at ways in which we can support and encourage their growth and learning. We also consider different parenting styles, what our own particular parenting style is, and how that affects our interactions with our child.
A vital topic is boundaries and why they matter. We look at how routines and giving limited choices help reduce battles. There’s a toolkit of strategies for handling difficult behaviour and we see how we can choose one that is right for our child.
As adults we have needs too, and so we think about how to meet those needs and also how we handle conflict within the family.
The final session focuses on ‘belonging’ – the importance to children of feeling part of their family – and we see how we can develop this through shared activities and creating family traditions.
Request a place here:
Time Out for Parents – Primary Years
For parents/carers with children from 5 to 11 years, we will look at how to support children as they find out how the world works, learn how to manage their feelings, and find out what they’re good at.
Sharing ideas with other parents and carers is an important part of the course, and discussions are started from real life situations. Each session includes space to plan any changes which parents/carers wish to make in their parenting and, from week two, they will have an opportunity to discuss how they are getting on with trying these at home.
This course helps parents/carers to support their child’s emotional wellbeing through understanding their temperament, meeting their needs and communicating well. We explore how our parenting approach influences family relationships and consider a toolkit of strategies to allow parents to decide what best suits their family situation. We discuss helping children make good choices and understand friendships both in the real and online worlds.
Finally, we look at how to deal well with conflict and the importance of enjoying family time together.
Request a place here:
Time Out for Parents – Teens
Help and advice on parenting in those teenage years to build strong relationships to enjoy family life.
Bringing parents/carers hope as they chart their way through the challenges of the teenage years and the changes in the parent-child relationship. The six sessions are designed to help parents/carers stay connected with their teenager through understanding the teenage world and by developing good communication skills.
Sharing ideas with other parents and carers is an important part of the course, there is engaging video content, and discussions are started from real life situations. Each session includes space to plan any changes which parent/carers wish to make in their parenting and, from week two, there are opportunities to discuss how these things are working at home.
The first three sessions look at laying good foundations in relationships with teenagers: understanding the pressures they face, connecting with them, meeting their emotional needs and improving how we communicate with them.
Then we come to some of the harder topics: how parenting style effects teenagers, negotiation, setting boundaries and dealing with some of the big issues like drugs, sex and the internet.
Finally, we look at building good family memories.
Request a place here:
Time Out for Parents – Teens with Additional Needs
This programme has been designed to support parents/carers with teenagers who have a disability or additional needs. There is help and advice on parenting in those teenage years to build strong relationships to enjoy family life, while also dealing with experiences relevant to parenting a teen with additional needs.
Bringing parents/carers hope as they chart their way through the challenges of the teenage years and the changes in the parent-child relationship. The six sessions are designed to help parents/carers stay connected with their teenager through understanding the teenage world and by developing good communication skills, while also coping with the additional challenges that come when parenting a teen with additional needs.
Request a place here:
Triple P Positive Parenting (Online)
Triple P is an online parenting programme for parents/carers of children aged 5 to 12 in primary. It doesn’t tell you how to be a parent, but is more like a toolbox of ideas where you choose the strategies you need and choose how you want to use them.
Triple P helps you:
- raise happy, confident children
- manage children’s behaviour so everyone in the family enjoys life more
- set rules and routines that everyone respects and follows
- encourage behaviour you like
- take care of yourself as a parent
- feel confident you’re doing the right thing.
Request a place here:
Triple P Positive Parenting (Online)
Related media:
Triple P website: https://www.triplep.uk.net/uken/home/
Triple P Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/triplepparenting/
There are times when parents/carers are looking for a parenting programme which has a particular focus upon relationship issues, such as when talking together always seems to end in an argument. We have two interactive courses which are focused upon this type of situation, one where parents/carers are still living together and one where parents/carers have separated.
Within My Reach
This five week course is for parents and carers of children of any age who are still livinig together within a single home, but where this relationship is becoming, or has become, increasingly stressful and where communicating with each other often ends in conflict. The course aims to empower individuals to understand their own emotional responses, as well as consider their partner’s emotional response and provide intervention around communicating with each other. The course is suitable for couples to attend together, and can also be beneficial for one person to complete separately.
The course will help you to:
- know yourself first
- understand healthy relationships, what they are and what they aren’t
- make your own decisions
- understand where conflict begins
- discover effective communication skills and strategies
- how to consider making the tough decisions
- explore looking into your future.
Request a place here:
Triple P Family Transitions (Face to Face or Virtual)
This course takes place over five weeks, with each session lasting 2 hours long. It addresses specific areas around separation and divorce and for parents/carers who need support around managing the transition of separation and divorce. Primarily the aim of this course is to help with skills and strategies to approach issues which might otherwise lead to arguments and conflict. This is available to both parents who are able to attend separate courses.
The course will help you to:
- manage divorce/separation and the impact on the family
- cope with the emotional demands of separation and the impact it has on parenting
- manage conflict and strategies to improve communication relating to the children
- balance the demands of work, family and play/fun.
Request a place here:
One Plus One - Digital Resources
The digital resources provided by OnePlusOne are designed to help parents reflect on conflict in their relationship with either current or ex-partners, as well as consider the impact on their children. The resources use videos and animations which incorporate evidence-based techniques to promote behaviour change and can help parents to argue in ways that are helpful rather than harmful.
There are three digital resources available:
Me, You and Baby Too (new and expectant parents)
- to help new and expectant parents adapt to the changes that parenthood can have on their relationship
- to raise awareness of the impact of stress and conflict on their baby
- to support parents to develop skills to manage conflict constructively.
Arguing Better (parents experiencing high levels of stress and couple conflict)
- to raise awareness of parental conflict and its impact on children
- to increase parents’ capacity to cope with stress together
- to support parents to develop skills to manage their conflict more constructively.
Getting it Right for Children (separated or separating parents)
- to raise parents’ awareness and understanding of how they are putting their child in the middle of their conflict
- to help parents to develop positive communication skills
- to support parents to co-operate and work out solutions together.
Parent resources should be accessed via: https://www.oneplusone.org.uk/parents. Parents/carers can register their own individual account and access supporting materials through their own login.
To access the practitioner area use: https://www.oneplusone.org.uk/practitioners/access.
Ask for Help
If you would like to find out more about our group parenting programmes, please get in touch with us using our ask for help form. Let us know if there is anything else we can do for you.



