WIRRAL Council is being urged by a parenting programme to use its new government funding in young people’s mental health.
The council was awarded £1 million in funding in May, which is drawn from the government’s £12 million transformation fund to develop a family hub model by the Department for Education.
The hubs will give a range of services, from birth registry to early language development, and adolescent support.
When the funding was announced, Wirral Council’s Director of Children’s Services, Simone White, said: “Our aim is always to help families in Wirral achieve the best outcomes they possibly can and this will help them even more to be able to access the help they need when they need it.”
Triple P, a parenting programme which supports positive relationships between parents and their children, has pointed to the increase of mental health problems in young people over the last three years.
Matt Buttery, CEO of Triple P UK said: “Isolating lockdowns and dealing with the uncertainty of the pandemic have had a big impact on children’s social, emotional and academic development, and we’ve seen mental health problems in young people double.
“The new family hubs, including those developed in Wirral, will provide structured support for parents to help rebuild that emotional resilience and wellbeing.
“Parenting programmes will play a big part in that journey, and we are proud to be already working with Wirral Council to offer proven in-person and online support to parents looking for extra help.’
Research carried out by Triple P has revealed that a fear of being judged holds parents back from receiving extra support when they need it - whether it’s dealing with temper tantrums, anxiety or fussy eating.
Mr Buttery added: “The pandemic impacted families massively, and if we don't support parents now, many children will never catch up.
“It's really positive to see the government allocating funding to support families and for early years support.
“We are excited to continue working with Wirral Council to increase awareness and understanding of how vital parenting is.”
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