Where do we want to get to?
A set of key priorities has been identified based on the national evidence, local data and consultation with stakeholders about parenting support. The parenting support priorities and recommendations identified are:
1. Information and advice
- Ensure that universal services are available for all parents in addition to targeted programmes for more vulnerable groups – e.g. domestic abuse, mental health.
- Ensure good quality universal parenting support is developed and delivered where there are recognised gaps in provision.
- Develop and publicise information and materials related to parenting support across the community to raise awareness of parenting offers.
- Continue to ensure all staff are working with families to promote consistent positive messages about parenting support that is on offer with professionals being clear about referral processes.
- Strengthen parent voices inviting service users in the development of services and involve families in the decisions made about their support.
- Take a coordinated multi-agency approach to the planning and delivery of the Parenting Strategy in Coventry and embed the early help agenda within the parenting offer so issues are identified earlier.
2. Accessibility of parenting support
- Strengthen the availability of parenting support at times that suit parents' and carers' needs.
- Develop a comprehensive virtual offer in which families can access advice, support, information and help digitally, through virtual platforms. Ensuring that we maximise resources that can reduce digital exclusion and enable families to access virtual parenting offer.
- Ensure information is provided in a way that considers those families who are digitally excluded
- Ensure that the parenting offer is accessible to families from ethnic minority communities including the availability of resources and information.
- Ensure resources focus on meeting families’ needs at the earliest point.
3. Workforce development
- Complete a multi–agency skills audit of the current workforce regarding parenting skills.
- Work with partners to build training models which offer sustainability long term for parenting skills.
- Take a coordinated and integrated approach to service delivery which will be planned to support parents, carers, and families.
4. Reduce health inequalities
- Ensure that the system-wide parenting offer is delivered in a way that progressively provides more support across the social gradient and level of need.
- Explore the link between digital exclusion and health inequalities.
- Strengthen the intelligence that is shared between partners to help them make informed decisions about resources.
5. Targeted parenting support
- Provide Universal parenting support but also include provision specifically to support Special Education Needs and Disabilities, supporting newly arrived communities, Parents with children aged 0-2 and children from ethnic minority communities and where further vulnerable groups are identified.
- Improve support for families around mental health.
- Consult with young people to understand their views about parenting support.
- Consult with fathers and non-birthing partners to understand their needs to help inform further action planning and strengthen parenting support.
- Strengthen parenting education antenatally for families.
- Review the SEND needs assessment for Coventry and use this to further the action plan including the promotion of the local offer