COMMUNITY
BRINGING UP CHILDREN is no Easy Task
Here Vera Azuike from Parent Channel describes one advice service that is just a click away. P
arentchannel.tv is a new website that gives give free, on-demand advice to parents and carers of 5-19 year olds,
providing realistic and practical advice in a fast, easy and new format. The online resource has been tailor-made for parents and provides quality, short video clips packed with useful, down-to-earth guidance from parents, experts and children.
The service offers over a hundred online films, with new footage being added all the time. Topics are extremely wide-ranging, from the everyday issues of family life, discipline, homework, peer pressure and growing-up to the more hard-hitting issues of bullying, gangs, sex, stress, depression and drugs.
Parentchannel.tv has been designed and built by a consortium of experts: Parenting UK, Capablue and Tomorrow’s Child. Those from the voluntary and private sectors have come together to develop the online video information service for parents. The service is funded by the Department for Education.
The resource has so far proved to be hugely beneficial. It is recognised that families of those in the Forces have the same issues as other parents but also have some more specific issues like temporary separation on a regular basis. Parentchannel are keen to hear suggestions of more particular issues faced by those in the Services so that these too can be addressed.
The videos may form a stepping stone for parents to more formal parenting courses or provide a top-up on particular topics. They are also being used by those families who
do not wish to engage more formally with public service provision but want to know a little more about some issues. Sometimes it just helps to know that what a parent is experiencing with their child or teenager is not uncommon.
The bite-size, user friendly advice films feature case studies, top tips and helpful suggestions in 3-4 minute packages so parents can get straightforward, impartial guidance from real people at the click of a button. The content is easy to access from any computer and is divided into three categories – learning, behaviour and wellbeing. The topics are also address by age group, 5-9 years; 9-14 years and 14-19 years.
Every video signposts to more in-depth information and support websites and helplines. Parents can share the films with each other or embed them on their own web pages or social networking sites. The editor’s blog keeps parents up-to-date with commentary on the news and views
of families. A weekly online poll tracks the views and opinions of the visiting parents on the hot topics of the moment, from what children should learn at school to parenting best practice and know-how. A site feedback mechanism is also available.
Each of the videos has parents, children and professional experts providing realistic advice in a fast easy format. The short video clips are packed with useful, down- to-earth impartial guidance.
A (small!) sample of the topics addressed:
Kids who don’t listen; Making connections at secondary school; Truth, fibs and lies; I hate parents evening; Teens who don’t talk; Attention seeking; Big families; I’m a single parent now; Private fostering; Maths at home; Older parents; Always ill; Considering careers; Disabled siblings; Too much technology; Home alone; Choosing to be a vegetarian; Switching schools; Smelly bedrooms; Mind the generation gap; The morning rush; Young love; My child always says ‘No’; What to expect; Sulking; Am I too strict?; School gate culture; Chores and choices; Tribal teens; Homework overload; Costing me a fortune; My teen watches porn; Separation anxiety.
To find out more go to:
www.Parentchannel.tv ‘Suggest a topic’ can be found on the Editor’s Blog.
www.raf-ff.org.uk Envoy Autumn 2011 41
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