The Parents Plus Parenting When Separated Programme Training for Professionals
Supporting parents who are preparing for, going through or have gone through a separation or divorce.
The Parents Plus Parenting when Separated programme is a practical, solution-focused and evidence-based course that builds on parent strengths. It can be delivered over six sessions, to groups of parents or to individual parents.
The Parenting When Separated Programme is suitable for fathers and mothers as well as residential and non-residential parents.
By attending
our training to become a facilitator for this programme, you will learn how to support parents to:
- co-parent effectively, to ensure their children cope and thrive
- manage stress and to personally cope post-separation
- reach out for support to reduce isolation
- create practical arrangements for children that minimise stress and conflict
- improve communication with their children and with their children’s other parent
- help their children cope and thrive post-separation
- maintain warm and connected relationships with their children
- deal with the challenges of lone parenting or being a ‘live away’ parent
“Parents Plus are amazing to work with and supportive from training to mobilisation and evaluation. We have built a good relationship with them, which has been essential for supporting the roll-out of Parenting When Separated in Hertfordshire. This supportive relationship with commissioners allows for successful implementation of the training that is outcome-focused.”
Development and Commissioning Officer, Hertfordshire Council, Nicola Wilder
Who is this training for
The Parenting when Separated Programme facilitator training is suitable for a range of professionals, including:
- Family Resource Centres
- Family practitioners
- UK Family Hubs Teams/Managers
- Family Liaison Officers
- Parenting Support Team/ Team Managers
- Area Based Childhood Programme (ABC)
- Regional Parent support networks
- Children and Young People’s Services Committees
- TUSLA Parenting Support Champions Project
- TUSLA Child and Family Agency Child Protection Teams
- Access Support Workers
- Relationship support charities such as RELATE
What you will Learn
Our Parenting When Separated facilitator training is practical and solution-focused and will provide you with the essential skills and learning to achieve the best outcomes for the parents and families who attend your service. The training focuses on:
- Developing an in-depth understanding of this programme
delivering the programme via face-to-face and online sessions to groups and individual families - Providing opportunities to observe and practise the skills to become a solution-focused facilitator
- Building on parents strengths as a basis for ongoing change
- Strengthening inter-agency and community partnerships
Introduction Workshop
We deliver regular free online introduction sessions where you can learn more about this programme. Keep an eye on our website for details of our next introduction session.
Facilitator Training
The next facilitator training for our Parenting When Separated programme starts on 5th December 2024 and consists of three online workshops, delivered via Zoom. Participants are also invited to complete a short assignment between workshops. The training schedule is below and further details are available here!
| 5th Dec | 9.15am-1.30pm Goals, Background, Evidence-base, Course Content |
| 6th Dec | 9.15am-1.30pm Groupwork and Session Delivery Practice |
| 13th Dec | 9.15am-1.30pm Individual Sessions, Getting Groups Started, Dealing with Challenges |
Parents Plus offer a small number of part-sponsored places on the training when accessing finance is difficult.
Who can Become a Facilitator?
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.
Impact of the Parenting When Separated Programme
In a large study of primary care, mental health and community settings families who completed our Parenting When Separated programme reported:
- Reduction in inter-parental conflict
- Decrease in child behaviour problems
- Decrease in parental adjustment problems
- Increase in parental satisfaction
- Increase in goal attainment for parents and children
You can learn more about the impact of this programme, and all our other programmes here.
Our Support Package
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 and Accreditation
Certification
On completing the facilitator training for the Parenting When Separated 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.
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.
Programme Materials
Our Parenting When Separated programme package includes a range of materials to ensure it’s effective delivery.
- A comprehensive facilitator’s manual, with detailed guides to plan and deliver each session, including how to structure group discussion and exercises
- Two colourful parent books, containing all the programme handouts and worksheets for participants*
- A copy of the book ‘Parenting when Separated ‘ by John Sharry
- 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.
Onsite Training
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
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