Presentations from the DCSF Regional Parenting Conferences: Joined-Up Support Services for Parents and Families

The Families Unit in the DCSF organised three regional conferences - North, Midlands and South - in October 2007 for Parenting Commissioners, Extended Schools Remodelling Advisers, Children Centre Contacts, Government Office Parenting Leads and other key stakeholders.

The aims of the conferences were:

• To strengthen the use of evidence-based parenting interventions through extended schools and children's centres by ensuring that the commissioning and delivery of parenting support services is more strategically in line with other Local Authority family and children's support services
• To demonstrate and share good practice of evidence-based parenting interventions through interactive seminars led by Local Authorities and key stakeholders so that all Local Authorities can improve the parenting support services in their area

The objectives of the conferences were:

• To enable the Parenting Commissioners to look at further developing their commissioning and planning skills
• To emphasise the need to support development of children's centres and extended schools in their area to enable effective commissioning and delivery of parenting support services in partnership with other service providers
• To draw on Local Authority examples of good practice, drawing in key stakeholders such as the third sector to promote effective partnership working and strategic joint commissioning
• To promote the exchange of good practice

As promised, all of the presentations have been made available for use in your local areas.