Parenthood can be extremely rewarding and enjoyable. It can also be demanding, frustrating and exhausting.

Parents have the important role of raising the next generation, yet most people begin their careers as parents with little preparation, often learning through trial and error. The challenge for all parents is to raise healthy, well-adjusted children in a loving, predictable environment.

In Shropshire we offer parenting workshops and groups which provide easy to implement, proven parenting solutions that can help and prevent future problems before they arise. It's about looking at what you're already doing well and building on that to make it even better.

Parenting groups run over ten weeks. They encourage parents and carers to identify the most important issues in their relationship with their child, and to reflect on why things sometimes go well and sometimes don't. It's then easier for the parent to identify how to work together with their child.

Although the parenting group is not intended as a therapy session, there's time for parents and carers to explore some of the emotional pressures they're under, some of which may relate to their child and some to the way they were parented themselves.

Parenting groups aim to:

• Promote understanding of children’s behaviour within the context of developmental issues
• Promote the development of parent/child relationship
• Increase confidence and self-esteem in both parents and children
• Give parents a strategy for repair when things go wrong
• Promote reflective, sensitive and effective parenting

Groups are aimed at parents of children and young people aged 0–18 years. Parents attend groups voluntarily. Groups are delivered by professionals across Shropshire actively working with and supporting families.

If you can’t make it to a group you can complete the free online Understanding Your Child course. The course covers a variety of topics including, how children develop, understanding and responding to a child’s feelings, being the parent your child needs, different parenting styles, having fun together, sleep and communication.

This course is free to mums, dads, grandparents or other family carers living in Shropshire.

To access the course visit https://inourplace.heiapply.com/online-learning/course/6

And type in the code SHRPSAPARNT

To find out about parenting groups in your area, please contact your local Children’s Centre if you have children under the age of five, or contact Shropshire Family Information Service for further information.

For general information about Understanding Your Child, please call the Family Information Service (FIS) on 01743 254400.

Take a look at what some of the parents who've attended this course have to say about it.