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| East Lothian Parenting Strategy Group |
GETTING BEHIND PARENTS
EAST LOTHIAN PARENTING STRATEGY LAUNCHED BY PARTNERSHIP
East Lothian Parenting Strategy Group today (Friday 7 November 2008) launched their shared vision for supporting good parenting in the county. The group’s members are drawn from health, health promotion, East Lothian Council Children’s Services Social Work Teams, East Lothian Council Early Years and Childcare Team, Children 1st and Aberlour’s National Parenting Project. The East Lothian Parenting Strategy sets out how agencies in the county will work together to support parents and develop parenting skills, which will in turn contribute to meeting key Scottish Government and East Lothian Council objectives, for example:
- A reduction in youth crime and antisocial behaviour
- An increase in educational attainment
- Better outcomes for children at risk of abuse and neglect
- A reduction in the number of children being excluded from school
- Improved mental health and well being for children and parents
- Improvements in family functioning and relationships.
Provost Sheena Richardson, who opened the launch event at Port Seton Community Centre today, says:
‘Much is being done to improve the lives of children and families in Scotland, particularly those who experience some form of disadvantage. There is, however, much that still remains to be done.
‘Families need support throughout the life cycle and not just when difficulties occur. This may range from offering information and advice through to support for more complex or serious difficulties. Parenting support needs to be available not only for parents of children in the early years, but throughout primary school and for parents of teenagers. The challenges of effective parenting change as children develop, particularly throughout the teenage years, are often the most difficult. The Strategy looks at how agencies in East Lothian, working in partnership, can put these supports in place together and provide parents and children with a seamless service.’
The East Lothian Parenting Strategy Group has already singled out several key areas for action. They are already identifying all the resources available to support and develop parenting in the county, and making sure that planning and delivery of services is achieved in a joined-up way. The Group is looking at training needs and resources to make sure that more workers in all agencies in the county are able to provide good quality support to troubled parents. The Group is keen to emphasise that working in partnership will help agencies to pool skills and resources to make sure that children and families receive cost-effective, joined-up services. One of the most important issues for the Group is making sure that parents are fully involved in developing provision.
The East Lothian Parenting Strategy is available on the East Lothian Council web site www.eastlothian.gov.uk
For more information, email children&families@eastlothian.gov.uk
ENDS
Issued by Jane Ogden-Smith, Public Information Officer, Education and Children’s Services on Friday 7 November 2008. Phone: 01620 827199/07990 540 738/e-mail: jogden-smith@eastlothian.gov.uk
Notes to editors
East Lothian Council’s Children’s Services already has a parenting development worker who supports parents in a range of ways, including:
A parenting blog is now under construction on Edubuzz too – www.edubuzz.org
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