feature: Graduating from the University of Life
28 May 2008
“I blame the parents!” It’s a common refrain when discussing children and young people and anti-social behaviour. But how many of us are perfect parents, with perfect strategies and children who always conform to our vision of the perfect child?
Haringey Council’s anti-social behaviour action team (ASBAT) is all too aware of the difficult challenges facing parents today. Prevention is better than cure, so the team has introduced parenting support workers for parents and carers of young people.
The first graduates of the parenting classes run by these workers and the youth offending service parenting worker received their certificates last month.
Cllr Nilgun Canver, cabinet member for enforcement and safer communities, says:
“These parents have been really committed and are our allies in dealing with anti-social behaviour. Well done to them all.
“Children with all the advantages in the world can be a handful, so imagine the strain of trying to bring up children facing multiple disadvantage.
“Many parents struggle with poverty, bad housing, domestic violence, drug or alcohol abuse, mental illness, or disability and they can simply feel crushed by the expectations of twenty first century children.
“We believe providing parenting support will prove a valuable tool in reducing anti-social behaviour in the borough.”
The service aims to equip parents with new skills to deal with challenging behaviour and divert the youngsters away from crime and anti-social acts.
The help on offer includes:
- looking at what causes difficult and challenging behaviour;
- parenting classes and individual help to encourage positive parenting;
- helping parents regain power in the household to discipline and set rules and boundaries;
- specialist agency help where needed, on drugs and alcohol, mental health issues and providers of recreational services;
- practical advice on dealing with debt, domestic violence and housing issues.
What the parents say
- “I found it helps you to look at yourself differently as well as your kids.”
- “The commitment and dedication of the staff was brilliant. The trainers spent a lot of time on everyone’s issues.”
- “The course gave us the chance to talk about all of the issues that we were facing, and get advice from other parents who were experiencing similar things as well as the trainers.”
For more information contact Carol Ricketts, senior parenting practitioner, on 020 8489 4660 or via email: carol.ricketts@haringey.gov.uk.
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