Support for Parents & Carers including Parent Information workshops/courses

This page provides information and resources for parents and carers including information on local organisations, local workshops and courses available in Worcestershire

Supporting your child with additional needs can impact on the health and wellbeing of parents and carers, if you are feeling that things are becoming overwhelming, please contact your GP to discuss support options available for you.

Local support:

Worcestershire’s Parent Carer Forum uses parental voice to influence change through events, discussion groups and working groups. They gather the views of local families and work with the council, educational settings, health providers and other agencies to highlight where local services are working well, or challenge when changes or improvements need to be made.

Training for parents and carers | Worcestershire County Council has information on free local training courses for parents of SEND children & young people (in person and online training).

Family Learning comes under the umbrella of Adult Learning Worcestershire and is a time for parents and carers to learn. Learning is often carried out within your child’s school setting or within local community areas and online and can involve learning with your child.

Parenting workshops and groups | Starting Well

The Starting Well Partnership offers an exciting array of parenting groups and workshops. All sessions are free to attend and run by trained staff and volunteers from the Starting Well Partnership.

The Starting Well Partnership Family Hubs provide a range of information, parenting groups and courses based around the specific needs of the communities they serve. As well as being a base for some of the core Starting Well teams, they host a range of activities and services, including midwife appointments, toddler groups, and baby weighing clinics.

For further information about this service you can visit their website: Starting Well Partnership Family Hubs | Starting Well

Virtual Family Hub | Worcestershire County Council

Family Hub is a place where children, young people and their families can go when in need of help and support. Raising a family, being a parent or carer, or navigating life as a young person can be a challenge, so Family Hubs is making sure that there is support and help for you across Worcestershire.

Looking after someone (Carer support) offfers support if you look after someone or are a carer, they can provide you with guidance and support.

Worcestershire Association of Carers (WAC) are a charity who provide a range of information, advice and support to carers. They support all carers, not just parent carers, and part of what they offer are training and information sessions, which may be of interest.

The Solihull Approach onlin parenting courses are a series of NICE approved resources for parents and carers who want to learn more about sensitive and effective parenting and building a positive relationship with their child. This includes a specific course for parents of children with additional needs.

SENDIASS training | Worcestershire County Council

Free training to children, young people and parents/ carers to increase knowledge of SEND law.

SENDIASS support A - Z | Worcestershire County Council

SENDIASS have tried to list all of the national and local support for SEND for young people, parents, carers and professionals.

Herefordshire and Worcestershire Special Educational Needs Disabilities (SEND) Information Advice and Support service (SENDIASS) provides impartial information advice and support on all matters relating to children and young people with SEND.

It’s a statutory service, which means it must be provided by law. Every local authority in England has this type of service and what they provide is shaped by chapter 2 of the SEND Code of Practice and the National Minimum Standards for IAS Services.

This service is free, accessible, confidential, impartial and provided at arm’s length from the Local Authority.

SENDIASS aims to represent the views of parents, carers, children and young people to feedback to the Local Authority to help shape local policy and practice.

SEND Local Offer | Worcestershire County Council

Provides more information about support that your child could receive in relation to your child’s educational needs, together with other local services and support.

Inclusion support information for parents and carers

Information for parent and carers | Worcestershire County Council