Being a parent can bring joy and happiness as well as challenges, at times.
Through parenting positively and building meaningful relationships, parents can raise healthy children, develop a more calm and peaceful household, with fewer arguments and conflicts.
The Early Years Support Team work with families with children aged 0 – 7 years and living in Torfaen to improve parenting confidence and skills, strengthen relationships and nurture wellbeing and resilience.
We currently offer the following programmes to support families:
Who is it for?
Are you an expectant mum, dad or partner excited about joining the world of parenthood? The Welcome to the World Ante Natal Group is suitable for expectant parents between 22 and 30 weeks into their pregnancy.
Practical information
Each session is for 2 hours and takes place over 8 weeks.
What are the benefits?
- Awareness of your emotion’s and how it benefits you and the baby.
- Build a connection with your baby before they are even born.
- Tune in to you baby’s ‘cues and signals’ and understand their needs.
- Creating that strong bond with your baby and setting them up for good future relationships.
- See the world through your babies' eyes and make it emotionally and physically safe.
- Meet other new mums and dads, share the journey, give each other support and make new friends.
- Trained facilitators and a midwife that will support you and answer your questions
Who is it for?
Are you a mum or dad with a baby aged 0-5 months that would like some support in creating the best environment for your baby to develop?
If the answer is “yes”, then we provide a space for you to get together with other mums, dads and your babies to have time to focus on being the best version of you. The younger your baby the better as it gives you more chance to practice these new skills.
Practical information
Each session is for 2 hours and takes place over 9 weeks.
What are the benefits?
- How focussing on your own emotional wellbeing supports you to be a better mum or dad.
- How you can build that bond with your baby, increase their security and set them up for positive relationships in their life.
- Understand how your babies brain works and how it will develop.
- Learn how to give your baby a massage that helps you and them relax and you feel more connected.
- Identify when and how to introduce solid foods into your baby’s diet with ideas of the foods you can try.
- Recognise the importance of play. How it can be fun, help your baby learn to talk enhance learning, stimulate their brain, and support the bond between you and your baby.
- Identify things you can do to increase the safety of your home.
- Meet other new mums and dads and be able to share your journey with them and make new friendships.
- Experience support from other mums and dads that are at the same stage of parenting as you.
Feedback
- “Really useful as a first time mum having the opportunity to talk and ask questions. It’s getting me thinking about the future and being prepared in advance for when my baby starts weaning and starting to crawl etc. Thank you!”
- “Really enjoyed the programme. I learned lots of new play ideas and found the weaning session and safety sessions really useful. I learned lots of things that I didn’t know. Thank you.”
Who is it for?
The Elklan ‘Let’s talk with your baby’ group is for mums and dads with a baby aged between 3-12 months who are looking to prepare baby for saying those first words and beyond.
Practical information
Each session is 1 hour 30 minutes and takes place over 8 sessions.
What are the benefits?
- Look at the healthiest ways to interact with your baby and preparing them to talk.
- Finding out how to improve the connection with your baby and set them up for life.
- We’ll show you how to create an environment that stimulates their senses by learning fun and interactive activities.
- Learn about eye contact, shared attention, exploring textures, singing and enjoying music, water play, turn taking, exploring and moving and baby massage.
- You can meet other new mums and dads and be able to share your journey with them and make new friendships.
- Experience support from other mums and dads that are at the same stage of parenting as you.
Feedback
- “Being around other mums and children has really helped us both, I go to other groups but they don’t really bother with us, in this group it is so friendly and welcoming and we talk about anything, everyone has been there for me during the difficult time with teething and him not sleeping. Parents have given me advice too in what I can use.”
Who is it for?
This group is suitable for mums and dads with babies between 3-12 months.
Practical information
- It’s a weekly drop in session.
- Each session is around 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- Sessions take place outdoors in all weathers so make sure you and baby wrap up appropriately.
What are the benefits?
- You can meet other new mums and dads and be able to share your journey with them and make new friendships.
- Have new ideas of to how to connect with language, sounds and touch in the earliest days that encourage your connection between you and baby.
- You can focus on developing your bond and how you respond and interact with your baby.
- Engage in fun play activities that stimulate your baby in a happy location.
- Experience green space and fresh air that feeds your mental health and gives you good vibes, helping to relieve stress and anxiety.
- Gentle exercise as you join us for a walk around the park.
- Experience support from other mums and dads that are experiencing baby life like you.
Feedback
- “Just wanted to thank you, it makes my week.”
Who is it for?
For mum’s and dad’s that want to learn more about the importance of play and building a relationship. It’s for families with children who are between 1-3 years to encourage their toddler’s language, social, and emotional development.
Practical information
Each session is 2 hours and takes place over 4 weeks.
What are the benefits?
- Improve Family relationships.
- Learn about play and it’s benefits to you and your children.
- How to support play and make everyday life more playful.
- Reflect on your enjoyable memories of play and how it made you feel.
- Explore the different types and patterns of play.
- Increased confidence of playing with your child and how you can use it to develop your relationship.
- Able to play with intention of knowing how it builds your baby’s brain.
- Know how to use cheap and free resources to create quality moments for play.
- You can meet other new mums and dads and be able to share your journey with them and make new friendships.
- Experience support from other mums and dads that are at the same stage of parenting as you.
Feedback
- “All good. Lots of different play ideas to take away. Nice to talk to other mums. You did a fab job.”
- “Very good. I can relate everything back to my child and understand his development.”
- “Really good, nice to see other faces.”
- “Felt confident to ask for advice. You both did an amazing job.”
Who is it for?
It’s for mum and dads with children that are between 12-24 months old. Offering strategies to respond sensitively to your child and discourage unwanted behaviour.
Practical information
- Each session is 2 hours and takes place over 12 weeks.
- A crèche is provided.
What are the benefits?
- Discover the importance of play.
- Help your child feel loved and secure.
- How your child being in charge of their play is important for their early language.
- Encourage social skills and emotional development.
- How routines can bring them consistency and safety.
- Find out about positive discipline and effective limit setting.
- You can meet other new mums and dads and be able to share your journey with them and make new friendships.
- Experience support from other mums and dads that are at the same stage of parenting as you.
Who is it for?
It’s for mums, dads and carers, with a child under 4. Offering ideas and strategies to deal with the challenges children can bring so that you can have a calmer, happier family life. It’s suitable for parents that are unable to commit to the full 11 week programme.
Practical information
- Each session is 2 hours and takes place over 4 weeks.
- A crèche is provided
What are the benefits?
- Understand children’s behaviour, listening and communication, praise and encouragement.
- Praise and guidance v’s criticism, child led play and positive moments.
- Boundaries and parenting styles, time to calm down, dealing with stress and conflict.
- Choices and consequences, behaviour to ignore, putting the puzzle together, looking after ourselves.
- You can meet other new mums and dads and be able to share your journey with them and make new friendships.
- Experience support from other mums and dads that are at the same stage of parenting as you
Who is it for?
A group for Mums and Dads with children between 4 months and 4 years. It gives you a new way of thinking about your child and identify their cues that tell us what they need from us that makes them feel loved and cared for.
Practical information
- Each session is 2 hours and takes place over 9 weeks.
- A crèche is provided.
What are the benefits?
- You can meet other new mums and dads and be able to share your journey with them and make new friendships.
- Helps you understand children’s behaviour as communication.
- Find the need that lies behind certain behaviour and how to respond in a kind, supportive way.
- Support your child to understand their feelings.
- You can provide your child with the building blocks for a healthy emotional future.
- Identify your ‘Shark Music’ which enables you to remain calm when behaviours are overwhelming.
- Know when to provide comfort and protection but to also give them space to explore to help develop their own character.
- Know how to repair the relationship when you and your child become upset.
- An increased bond with your child as you learn to understand them and what they need.
- Experience support from other mums and dads that are experiencing parenthood like you.
- It’s a safe and confidential space to talk without being judged.
- You will feel more confident and feel happier.
Feedback
- “I think the group would be helpful to all parents, regardless of their children’s ages or needs or their specific life experiences. I went into the group thinking that I already understood attachment and had a positive relationship with my children and therefore probably wouldn’t benefit from the course, and have been blown away by how much I have learnt and the fundamental change in perspective that it has given me."
Who is it for?
It’s for mums, dads and carers, with children under 11 years of age. To help parent/ carers understand and manage feelings and behaviour, while becoming more positive and nurturing in their relationships with their children and each other. The programme also provides effective strategies to encourage cooperative, responsible behaviour and manage challenging behaviour in children, to help us get the best out of family life.
Practical information
- Each session is 2 hours and take place over 11 weeks.
- A crèche is provided.
What are the benefits?
- Learn about why children behave like they do.
- Understand your own feelings and how it impacts on the way you parent.
- Understand your child’s feelings.
- Increases your positivity and nurturing skills.
- Recognise the feelings behind behaviours, both parents and children.
- Explore different approaches to positive discipline.
- The importance of looking after and nurturing ourselves.
- Find ways to develop co-operation and self discipline in children.
- Give your child a healthy start and have a happier home.
- You can meet other new mums and dads and be able to share your journey with them and make new friendships.
- Experience support from other mums and dads that are at the same stage of parenting as you.
Feedback
- “Enjoyable. I was able to speak to others on how I was feeling without being judged.”
- “Learnt new ideas and how important it is to look after yourself.”
- “I don’t normally like going out and struggle in groups. But the group was small in numbers, friendly and welcoming enjoyed the weekly topics learning new ideas such as praise, choices and consequences, family rules and time in. Each week we fed back on what we have tried at home.”
- “With my son’s disabilities I found it difficult leaving him with others but the crèche made me feel confident and reassured me he would be ok and have fun with the other children. This also gave me a break from my son which has helped in our relationship.”
Who is it for?
It’s for mum’s and dad’s and their children who require more intensive support or are unable to access groups.
Practical information
- For families with children between pre-birth and 4 years of age.
- The sessions are relaxed and focussed on your needs.
- Sessions can take place at home or an appropriate venue.
What are the benefits?
- Support can be individualised.
- Sessions can take place at home.
- You’ll have knowledge of other parenting support you can access.
- Reflect on your child’s behaviour and learn how to respond.
- Learn about Family Wellbeing, how you and your child interact and their development.
- An increased bond with your child as you learn to understand them and what they need.
- It’s a safe and confidential space to talk without being judged.
- You will feel more confident and feel happier being a mum and dad.
Feedback
- “I honestly don’t know what I’d do without your support. Been struggling massively recently and it’s massive help knowing there’s someone there to help me.
Who is it for?
The dad and me sessions welcome all dads/male carers and/or male family members, and their children. The equipment/activities are suitable for children 0-5 years.
Practical information
- Sessions are 1 hour and 30 minutes and run every first Saturday of the month.
- The sessions do not run in the school holidays.
- The sessions are free of charge.
What are the benefits?
- A safe, warm and welcoming environment for children and dads/male carers to come together to play.
- A group just for dads/male carers and/or male family members.
- Meet other dads/male carers alike.
- Encourage new play opportunities.
- Provide focus and somewhere to go.
- Recognise the importance of play to all children and families.
Feedback
- “Parent/Carer feedback: I take both of my children to the dad and me group. We attend every session. It is great for us because I work in the week. The staff are welcoming too.”
- “Parent/Carer feedback: My girl loves the sessions and I’ve met new mates here too. There is lots of things for the children to play with and gives us more ideas of what we can do.”
Who is it for?
The family sessions welcome all parents/carers, family members, childminders and their children. The equipment/activities are suitable for children 0-5 years.
Practical information
- The family sessions are 1 hour and 30 minutes and run weekly across various venues in Torfaen.
- The sessions do not run in the school holidays.
- All family sessions are free of charge.
What are the benefits?
- A safe, warm and welcoming environment for families and friends to come together to play.
- Encourage new play opportunities.
- Meet other families alike.
- Provide focus and somewhere to go.
- Recognise the importance of play to all children and families.
- Sessions take place all across the borough.
Feedback
- “Parent/Carer feedback: Brilliant group! My son loves playing with all the toys. Such lovely polite workers. My life is so busy I never stop but these groups give me time and opportunity to play.”
- “Parent/Carer Feedback: We love the Wednesday sessions. We would be stuck in the house alone in this terrible weather. It is great that it is free with the cost of living at the moment.”
- “Parent/Carer Feedback: I don’t know what I would do without Torfaen Play. The free provisions help my children and myself. My children access provisions all year round.”
- “Parent/Carer Feedback: I bring my grandson every week – we Love It. Both my grandson and I have made new friends. It’s a happy and friendly place to go.”
Who is it for?
A group for new and expecting Dads who want to learn more about fatherhood and be the best dad they can be. It gives you a new way of thinking about your child and how you can make changes in your life that benefit you, your partner and your children. It helps you to be the ‘Best Dad Ever’.
Practical information
- Each session is 2 hours and takes place over 10 weeks.
- The group takes place on an evening.
What are the benefits?
- You can meet other dads and be able to share your journey with them and make new friendships.
- Helps you understand children’s behaviour as communication.
- Learn First Aid Skills specifically for children.
- Realise you are not on your own and other dads are having similar experiences.
- Find Out about Other groups in Torfaen that you can access.
- Experience support from other dads that are experiencing parenthood just like you.
- It’s a safe and confidential space to talk without being judged.
- You will feel more confident and feel happier.
- Learn ways where you can contribute to your child’s development.
- Think about what kind of dad you want to be.
- Learn Positive Parenting Practices.
- Learn how your involvement can make your child happier.
Feedback
- “I’ve found the course really supportive, engaging, uplifting and informative. The St John’s ambulance support and information was great. I’ve found the sessions really great for me to speak with other people in similar situations, listen to other people and how they deal with things.”
- “The group has become a very safe space, and the amount I’ve learned from first aid to mental wellbeing, goal setting to nutrition has far exceeded my expectations. It has helped me better manage the early stages of fatherhood and make better choices for my wider family. On top of that it has also given me a focused two hours once a week where I can relax, learn something new and work on myself. All I can say is thank you, to Jacob, Gareth and the expert speakers you’ve had in. Its just added to the vital support network new fathers like me need.”
Who is it for?
This group is suitable for mums, dads and their children 1 -3 years old.
Practical information
- It is a weekly drop in session
- Each session is around 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Sessions take place in wooded areas outdoors in all weathers so make sure you and your toddler are appropriately dressed
What are the benefits?
- Forest School is child centred learning in the outdoor environment
- Children will learn to understand the ever-changing woodland around them
- Engage in fun play activities that will stimulate your child in a happy location
- Building on their confidence which enables them to explore their curiosity to investigate the world around them.
- Meet other mums and dads and make new friendships
- Experience green space vibes and fresh air that feeds your mental health and gives you good vibes, helping to relieve stress and anxiety
Documents
- Torfaen Early Years Family Support Programme (opens in new tab)pdf file[6.43MB]
Contact us now for more information or to sign up for any groups listed.