Who are the Supporting Families Team?
We are a small team based within the Education Early Years’ Service. Our role is to support all families who have children from birth to Primary 7 with any parenting queries, tips, or strategies.
What do we do?
The Supporting Families Team provide advice and support that is tailored to the individual needs of the family.
The support can be delivered in a community setting, online or telephone call. Strategies and advice are evidenced, researched based, and designed to support and build your confidence as a parent/carer, promoting positive and secure relationships with children.
Further information on this page include:
One to One Support
Group support
Seasons for Growth
Family Learning for children (0 to 5 years)
Family Learning
Solihull Online Resource for parents and carers
One to One Support
Bespoke one to one support using knowledge and skills from the evidenced based programmes.
Group support.
Families that access our service can feel quite isolated and this is when group support can be beneficial. To have peer support from other parents with children or similar ages and challenges.
A member of the team will guide you to the most appropriate.
Quotes from parents
“Very aluable and great to have someone on the outside look in and give practical and useable advice and empathise with the issues “
“Felt well supported throughout. Felt as a parent I was listened to gave reassurance. Follow up phone calls to check progress helped too.”
Quotes from other agencies
“Thank you so much for support. Amazing support for the children and parent”
“Excellent support and advice”
Group Support
- Triple P Programme and Fear Less Programme
To find out more about our groups please Email parenting@eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Please only include the following information in your email: Parent/Carers name, contact number, age of child and postcode.
Quotes from parents attended a Group.
“Good programme. It is good to meet other parents in similar situations. Advise given was good, knowledgeable, and helpful.”
“Very happy I have done this. I wish I had done it sooner. Thank you for support “
“I would not have been able to attend the group if it was face to face due to childcare, so online has been great.”
“The peer support was extremely helpful in addressing some of my own issues, and helping me gain perspective, and reassuring me that I am not alone in navigating this challenging time of parenting.”
Seasons for Growth
Seasons for Growth is an educational programme that uses the imagery of the seasons to illustrate the cyclical nature of grief. It aims to strengthen the wellbeing of children who may be dealing with major life changes including death, separation, and other significant losses by exploring the impact of change and loss on everyday life and learning new ways to respond to these changes. This programme supports children from 6 years upwards within the school setting in school hours.
- Children and Young People’s group
- Please enquire if your school delivers this programme.
- Parents Group
- Leaflet (attached)
If interested in the Parent Season's group please email parenting@eastdunbarton.gov.uk. - Please only include the following information in your email
- Parent/Carers name, contact number, age of child and postcode.
Quotes from children that attended the group.
“I can express my feeling You make choices to be happy or sad.”
“Things can feel different, and things can change.”
Quotes from the parents whose child attended the group.
“She may talk about things in the group, chat that she may not want to tell me (mum) which I am happy for her to do as we all need someone to talk too. It reinforced that it is okay to be upset but that there are things we can do to feel better.”
“I feel that the little group has helped overcome upsetting set back in her life. she is happy, outgoing child and I just want her to stay like that.”
I think that the Seasons for Growth program would benefit the majority of children in the school as all/most children go through some sort of change in their life.
Family Learning for children (0 to 5 years)
Little Explorers Nurture Day (LEND)
A family day for parents of children under five operates from Hillhead and Auchinairn Community Centre. The day will provide a supportive and nurturing fun play-based activities for children aged 0-5 for families within the local community.
A range of partners who deliver services during LEND days, are on hand to offer tips and support on a wide range of subjects all free of charge.
Some examples detailed below:
- Health Visiting – First Steps (invite only)
- Library Services – Book bug – (storytelling, rhymes, and songs)
- Education – Count me in - (understating early numeracy and counting)
- Supporting Families – Parenting tips
- Voluntary – Toddler Group
- Pop up events with other partners
The Little Explorers’ Nurture Day (LEND) takes place in Auchinairn and Hillhead Community Centres on a weekly basis:
- Hillhead – Thursdays
- Auchinairn – Tuesdays
Family Learning
East Dunbartonshire Council acknowledge the key role and positive contributions parent/carers and families make to their children’s learning. Family Learning supports parental participation and engagement in your child’s learning at home, school and in their communities. Supporting parents and families to be supported to be equal partners in their child’s learning is crucial in raising attainment.
Benefits in participating in Family Learning:
- Learning new skills
- Increased confidence
- Improved communication
- Changes to behaviours
- Positive relationships with community and families.
for more information on the supports and Family Learning opportunities please contact your child’s Early Years Centre or school directly.
Solihull Online Resource for parents and carers
We are delighted to share the news that the Scottish Government has announced, that all families in Scotland will have free access to the full Solihull Online resource for parents and carers. This initiative is being delivered in partnership with NES who ERC work in partnership with, Psychology of Parenting Programme.
This Solihull Online is a universal resource for parents and carers from the antenatal period to 19 years. It offers a series of modules containing interactive activities, quizzes, and video clips. The online resource focusses on developing nurturing and supportive relationships between children and their carers. It aims to help parents understand their child’s behaviour in the context of their child’s development and the parent-child relationship.
The following courses are available free for parents/carers in Scotland:
- Understanding pregnancy, labour, birth, and your baby
- Understanding your baby
- Understanding your child
- Understanding your teenager's brain
To access these courses for free view the NHS Course Library webpage(opens in a new link), families need to use the access code TARTAN.