Promoting attachment, learning and well-being for parents of children aged 1 to 6 years.

The Parents Plus Early Years programme (PPEY) is a practical, solution-focused and evidence-based course that builds on parent strengths. It can be delivered over 6-12 sessions to groups of parents or to individual families.

The Early Years Programme can be delivered as a universal programme for parents of children aged 1 to 6 years including those with additional needs such as ADHD, Autism, and other developmental differences.

By attending our training to become a facilitator for the Early Years Programme, you will learn how to support parents to:

  • develop good attachments and relationships with their children 
  • understand and manage tantrums and meltdowns
  • build their children’s communication and learning
  • problem-solve challenges as they arise
  • reduce their own stress as parents
  • promote their children’s self-esteem and well-being
  • establish positive daily routines for their family

“We see the evidence.
The Parent Plus Early Years Programme has proven to be very successful for the parents we work with and is now a valuable and regular part of our multi-disciplinary team work.”

Kathleen O’Hara, Early Intervention

 

The Early Years Programme facilitator training is suitable for a range of professionals, including:

  • NHS and HSE Primary Care Teams such as Psychologists and Public Health Nurses
  • Family Resource Centres 
  • UK Family Hubs
  • UK family Support Workers
  • Family practitioners
  • Early Years Educators
  • Parenting Lead/Teams
  • Early Help Hub teams/coordinators
  • Family Hubs Teams/Managers
  • Family Liaison Officers
  • Parenting Support Team/ Team Managers
  • Teacher/Educator
  • Early Intervention coordinators
  • TUSLA Parenting Support Champions Project
  • Social Care Workers
  • Speech and Language Therapists
  • Occupational Therapists
  • TUSLA Child and Family Agency Child Protections Teams
  • Progressing Disability Teams
  • Preschool Teachers. 
  • Area Based Childhood Programme (ABC)
  • HSE Sláintecare Healthy Communities 
  • GP services
  • Children and Young People’s Services Committees
  • Family focused charities such as Barnardos, Focus Ireland
  • County Childcare Committees
  • Regional Parent support networks

 

The Early Years Programme facilitator training is practical and solution-focused and will provide you with the essential skills to achieve the best outcomes for the parents and families who attend your service.

In the training you will learn how to deliver the PPEY

*Via one off short workshops tailored to the needs of your parents
*As a six to twelve week group intervention, combining group and individual sessions
*As an individual programme delivered to parents in the home over a period of up to one year.

The training teaches skills on:

  • Using solution-focused video feedback with parents
  • Solution-focused group facilitation
  • Strengthening inter-agency and community partnerships

Special PPEY Core Delivery

Learn more about PPEY Core Delivery Format for individual families.

 

Facilitator Training
The next facilitator training for our Early Years programme will be delivered on 25th, 26th & 28th November, 2nd & 3rd December 2024 and will consist of five online workshops via Zoom. Participants are also invited to complete a short assignment between workshops. A summary of the training is provided below and a detailed breakdown can be accessed here.

Five modules

25th Nov9.15am-1:30pm
PPEY programme background, delivery formats, and content  
26th Nov9.15am-1:30pm
PPEY core delivery content and modules
28th Nov9.15am-1:30pm
Groupwork and Session Delivery Practice
2nd Dec9.15am-1:30pm
Individual family delivery ( parent goals, portfolio folder, video practice)
3rd Dec9.15am-1:30pm
One off workshops,, recruiting parents, group skills, quality protocol

Parents Plus offer a small number of part-sponsored places on the training when accessing finance is difficult.  

 

The Parents Plus facilitator trainings are open to qualified education, mental health and community professionals who work with families.

Our programmes are successfully delivered with impressive outcomes in a variety of Primary Care, School, Health, Disability and Mental Health settings.

  • Attendance at our facilitator training for this programme is compulsory prior to delivering it to families attending your service.
  • Parents Plus programmes must be co-facilitated, therefore, at least two facilitators need to be trained before a programme can be delivered to families in your agency. Facilitators who go on to complete our accreditation process are licensed to run the programme without a co-facilitator.

Please read our licensing guidelines here
prior to booking a place on our training.

 

Studies in preschool, mental health and early intervention settings have shown that families who complete the Parents Plus Early Years programme report: 

Increased child positive social behaviour

Increased school readiness

Reduced emotional problems

Decreased parental stress

Increased parental confidence

You can learn more about the impact of this programme, and all our other programmes here.

 
 

 

Research shows that families achieve the best outcomes when facilitators and their managers are supported pre and post-training to deliver programmes. We provide a comprehensive package of pre and post-training supports to our facilitators and managers in order to ensure a sustainable and effective delivery of the programmes within their agency.

Our supports include:

  • Implementation support to get groups off the ground, including planning workshops and coaching for managers.
  • Individual and group supervision sessions with an experienced Parents Plus Trainer.
  • Advanced training workshops on specific topics.
  • Extra resources to facilitate delivery, e.g. fliers, posters, certificates, practice articles, parenting articles, supplementary handouts.

 

 

  • Support to promote your Parents Plus courses in your community.
  • Advice and guidance on evaluating and monitoring outcomes in your agency to ensure your groups are effective.
  • Access to two individual supervision sessions free of charge in the first year post-training.
  • Sponsorship for further supervision is available on application.

You can read more details about our pre- and post-training supports here.

 

Certification 
On completing the facilitator training for the Parents Plus Early Years Programme, you will be licensed to co-deliver this programme under supervision in your agency, to groups and with individuals. You can read our full licensing guidelines here.

The Parents Plus Quality Protocol is the basis of becoming an Accredited Facilitator. We
recommend that facilitators continue to follow the Quality Protocol post-training and post accreditation to ensure fidelity to the principles.

Accreditation
For facilitators who want to take their practice to a higher level, Parents Plus also has an established accreditation process which supports you to refine your facilitation skills and professional practice and reach a high standard of delivery. Representing a major CPD achievement, accreditation allows you to deliver our programmes independently and to work towards becoming a Parents Plus supervisor. You can read more about our accreditation process in the resources section.

 

The Parents Plus Early Years Programme package includes a wide range of materials to ensure it’s effective delivery.

  • Access to video clips with 2.5 hours of footage of real family interactions, with comments from professionals and parents
  • A comprehensive facilitator’s manual with detailed guides to plan and structure each session, for all delivery formats
  • Parent Book – Bound parent book for six to nine session group course format, containing all the programme handouts and worksheets for participants
  • Parent Pack – Folder of handouts to be given one by one to parents for individual Core Delivery format
  • A copy of the book ‘Parenting Preschoolers and Young Children‘ by John Sharry, Grainne Hampson and Mary Fanning
  • Posters to highlight key programme concepts

*In running subsequent courses, trained facilitators can purchase additional parent books at cost price. Trained facilitators are also licensed to copy worksheets and handouts from the parent books, as an alternative.

 

Parent Plus provides onsite training to organisations and communities in Ireland and internationally.  This is a cost-effective way to train your team or to partner with other agencies to deliver evidence-based programmes in your area.

If you would like to arrange an onsite training for your organisation, please contact our Impact Lead, Vicki Byrne at Ivpxv@cneragfcyhf.vr

Change the future for families