Parenting classes attract all

By Katherine Sellgren
BBC News education reporter

Many parents feel they need support in raising a family

Overworked parents struggling with out-of-control children, disaffected with education and society generally.

This can be the stereotype of the sorts of people attending parenting classes.

But the reality is often very different.

Many of those who make the commitment to a weekly class are responsible parents just looking for any tips that will help them do an even better job.

At Rush Croft School in Chingford, north east London, around 80 parents have "graduated" from a parenting class over the past five years.

Bringing up a child is the most important thing you have to do Paulette, mother

Their commitment is high: the course runs for 13 weeks and is three hours long on a Wednesday evening.

"It's not to say my son is giving me any bother," says Paulette, one of those on this term's course.

"I'm here to see what I can learn, how I can do things differently to bring out the best in him.

"Bringing up a child is the most important thing you have to do, I think it's a very serious role."

Father of an eight-year-old boy, Kobina, is also keen to improve his skills.

"As a parent you need all the help you can get. I do think it's going to get more difficult.

"It's good to build up the tool chest - any tips I can get!"

Stigma

But while these parents are far from neglecting their parental duties, Paulette acknowledges there can be a stigma attached to attending a parenting class.

"I haven't told many people I'm doing it because people tend to assume you've got issues," she says.

"I think it's a shame there aren't more people here - and fathers too."

The course run at Rush Croft - Strengthening families, strengthening communities - was devised in the United States.

It covers a range of issues from developing a child's ability to empathise with others to how to pass on a sense of cultural heritage within ethnic minority families.

Problem issues, such as abuse, depression and aggressive behaviour, are also tackled.

'Something for everyone'

With funding from the Race Equality Unit, teachers Rita Joseph and Coralie Isaac trained to be facilitators on the course.

"I feel I can deliver this course anywhere to anyone, there's something in it for everyone," said Ms Isaac.

Rita Joseph co-runs the course at Rush Croft

"We tend to think of parenting classes being about having a problem, but we see it as being aware and planning ahead."

She says many books and articles offer advice for the parents of babies and toddlers, but support thereafter is often scarce.

While the basic aim of the course is to improve relationships between parents and their offspring, professionals working with children have also signed up.

"We've had a deputy head, education welfare officers and special needs co-ordinators come along," says Ms Isaac, who also teaches modern languages at the school.

Reaching out

Head teacher at Rush Croft, Patricia Cutler, says the classes have helped families in need of extra support.

She cites one family where the children were on the verge of being excluded from the school, when the parents committed to attending the course.

Thereafter, the children's behaviour improved noticeably and they were able to finish their education at the school.

But the classes are also aimed at the wider local community in Chingford.

"It's very altruistic, because it's not just targeted at our parents," says Ms Cutler.

"It's more to do with reaching out into the community and helping engage parents in how they can best support their children."

When they complete the course, parents take part in a "graduation" ceremony, with the whole family invited to come along and celebrate their achievement.