Parenting

Parenting support in Southwark

Find out about available support if you're a parent in Southwark.

Parenting support programmes in Southwark

Our Family Early Help Team (FEH) works with parents/carers, our children and family centre and school communities, colleagues from children’s services, health and other key partners to provide the best possible parenting support at times of need to help keep families strong.

Parenting groups in the borough

All information regarding times, dates and venues can be found on the parenting programme schedule (PDF, 646kb).

Father’s Group

The Father’s Group is an eight-week virtual programme that allows men to discuss their parenting difficulties/strengths in a safe space. It runs on a Friday from 10am to 12 noon. The programme allows any man with caring responsibility for a child to discuss their parenting difficulties/strengths in a safe, confidential and encouraging space.  

The course includes information on:

  • the impact of adult conflict on children
  • boundary setting
  • managing difficult behaviours
  • fathers and the law and more 

The group:

  • gives the men a better understanding of the work Social Care does and how to have a strong working relationship with Children’s Services
  • includes information on positive parenting, the impact of conflict on children, boundary setting, managing difficult behaviours, Fathers and the law and more
  • can get free access to the services of a lawyer during the programme

The group is based on:

  • parenting techniques surrounding the power of positive parenting
  • the importance of a positive male role model in children’s lives
  • the need to include males in all planning for children where possible

Strengthening Families, Strengthening Communities (SFSC), Parenting Programme

Strengthening Families, Strengthening Communities (SFSC) is an inclusive eight-week evidence-based online parenting programme. It's designed to promote protective factors, which are associated with good parenting and better outcomes for children. SFSC helps parents with children aged up to 18 years to think about how their actions and experiences may influence their parenting style. SFSC helps parents to gain a better understanding of child development, use of positive discipline techniques, promote children’s social skills and self-discipline.  

Empowering Parents Empowering Communities (EPEC) - Being a Parent, Parenting Programme

This course is delivered by Parent Facilitators, all of whom have personally attended the EPEC Parenting Programme before becoming trained facilitators. EPEC is an eight-week evidenced based online course for parents of 2 to 11 year olds devised by the South London and Maudsley Centre of Parent and Child Support. This programme is based on the best of the current theoretical and practical knowledge and provides an alternative model to practitioner-led parenting interventions. It focuses on:

  • what it means to be a parent
  • the positives and challenges faced
  • the importance of parents having time for themselves
  • supporting child parent attachment in a non-threatening way

The program encourages parents to consider behaviour that inadvertently encourages unwanted child behaviours. Parents learn strategies for discouraging unwanted behaviours and promoting positive behaviours in children and improved communication and family interactions.

Empowering Parents Empowering Communities (EPEC) - Being a Parent Together

This programme incorporates the key components of the EPEC original Parenting Programme with an integrated focus on parental conflict. This eight-week online course encourages parents to look at their relationship, how well they work together, and to consider the impact of conflict on themselves and their children. The programme improves communication and relationships within the family and promotes positive family outcomes. The couples that come to this programme do not necessarily have to be living together in the same household but need to want to work together for the best outcomes for their children. Please note, that this parenting programme requires the commitment of both parents and they both need to attend each week.   

Contact us for parenting support

Contact us for more information about any of the parenting information or if you want to discuss a referral to get this support. You can call 020 7525 1922 Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm or leave a voicemail out of hours. You can also email:

Page last updated: 23 January 2024

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