Services
CAMHS Parent Support Team
About this service
Our aim is to help you to build on your strengths as a parent and help you to feel confident in solving problems and building your child’s self-esteem.
All our courses are delivered by experienced facilitators who are skilled in encouraging discussion around the many experiences that parents and their children can face, particularly around neurodiversity, anxiety and learning disability. We discuss finding ways to give our children the connections they need from us as well as finding support and hearing from others with lived experience.
If you have been invited to Parent Support Group, but are unsure of what to expect, please take a moment to read some testimonials.
Referrals
We accept referrals from practitioners working with young people and their families. If after reading the group information you think it might be beneficial to attend, please ask a professional, i.e. your school SENCO, School Nurse, Family Support Worker or GP to make the referral for you. Once received we will be in touch to discuss the most helpful group for you. Professionals can make a referral using this form.
Our group sessions
Groups are offered term time only, virtually (MS TEAMS) and face to face, with morning and evenings available. All groups start at 10am or 6pm. Please see individual group information to find out how long sessions are.
The schedule of groups varies by term, more detailed information will be available when a group is offered.
- All groups consist of 8 group sessions and a pre and post one to one session with facilitator and parents.
- Maximum of 15 parents per group.
- Courses are free and parents/carers are encouraged to commit to the full programme and share their own experiences to gain the most benefit.
- Before you start the course, you will be invited to meet with your course facilitator to identify your aims for attending. At the end of the course, there will be a follow-up session for you to reflect on your aims and to go through what has been useful about the course.
For parents, we try to:
- Accommodate reasonable adjustments for parents to be able to attend.
- Enable a safe environment for parents on similar journeys to talk freely and share their experiences and solutions.
- Provide strategies and ideas to build on what is already going well, or areas for growth.
- Support diverse learning styles by offering information through a variety of formats, including small and large group discussions, visual aids, parent handbooks, video clips, and presentation slides.
Parents Plus – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Children’s Programme
For parents whose child is waiting for a diagnosis of ADHD or has received one, and who are of primary school age. 8 group sessions lasting 2 hrs each. A pre and post individual session of approximately 30 minutes.
Course sessions overview
Each week, we focus on three topics:
- Supporting families
- Supporting children
- Parent self-care
People who have attended the course say: “I can now stay calm, and this improves communication between me and my child. I’m realising I’m being understood by other parents when I thought I was being judged.”
“I didn’t realise ADHD had so many aspects to it, and that sometimes it’s ‘can’t’ not ‘won’t’ with my son. I’ve learn to react differently with him and change my expectations.”
Parents Plus – SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disability) Programme
For parents of children with Special Educational Needs and/or Learning Disability aged 3 to 16 years. Delivered by CAMHS Learning Disability nurses and community colleagues in special schools across Gloucestershire. 8 group sessions lasting two hours. A pre and post individual session will also take place, lasting 30 minutes.
Each week we focus on three topics:
- Supporting families
- Supporting children
- Supporting parents
Other parents who have attended the course say: “The OT session was invaluable. I know why my son feels like he does.”
“The course leaders were compassionate and honestly know what we are going through.”
Parenting through Partnership
A neuroaffirming approach to stress and anxiety. For parents of children experiencing stress and anxiety who are of primary school age.
This is a new, unique programme. It has started from a need to support parents of all anxious children, irrespective of their neurotype.
Neurotype is a person’s unique brain wiring that affects how they think, feel, and interact with the world. Examples include neurotypical, autistic, ADHD, and dyslexic neurotypes.
There are 8 group sessions lasting 2.5 hours each. A pre and post individual session will also take place, lasting 30 minutes.
Others who have completed the course say: “One of the biggest things is that I felt listened to and felt supported. I now know it is not in my head. That I am not dreaming. I was doubtful at the start of the course and now feel completely different. I couldn’t have imagined the support from parents and facilitators in this kind of group. It feels like I can do parenting again!”
“I am human. In looking after myself, it will make me the mum he needs.”
“I’m seeing anxiety in a completely new light, and through this understanding I understand my daughter more than ever.”
Your experience
Resources
- onyourmindglos.nhs.uk is a mental health support finder supported by the NHS
- Let’s Talk Well works with Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust to offer counselling, support and advice for young people aged 9-21 and their families
- familylives.org.uk is a national organisation to support parents and carers
- gloucestershire.gov.uk/fis is the Gloucestershire Family Information Service
- youngminds.org.uk is a national charity providing support for young people’s mental health and wellbeing
- Gloucestershire Parent Carer Forum is a voice for those with lived experience of being a Parent Carer (This means parents and/or carers of children with any disability, SEN, condition, impairment or additional need). We can create a bridge to the providers of statutory services to help build better services for all families of disabled children in Gloucestershire.
- Gloucestershire Carers Hub our experienced, friendly and local team are here for you to ensure you have the support, information and time to think about you.
- National Autistic Society our online community is a place for autistic people and their families to meet like-minded people and share their experiences.
Contact us
Address:
9am-5pm Monday to Friday
Telephone:
0300 421 4444
