Parenting Skills Support

I would like to request the following information from your council.

1. Please put ‘yes’ in the table below if the local authority offers any of the programmes listed. Many of these programmes have numerous different subprogrammes, please put ‘yes’ if the authority uses any of these.

2. Does the local authority provide any e-learning style parenting skills programmes?

E-learning style parenting programmes are provided to prospective parents, grandparents, carers, and guardians, in the Devon County Council area.

3. If the local authority does provide any e-learning style parenting skills programmes, what are they called?

The national evidence-based Solihull Online Parenting Approach is provided in the Devon County Council area, with some of the individual courses available in different languages. The programme is also available in the neighbouring South West Peninsula local authorities of Plymouth, Torbay and Cornwall via one single access code. The current offer includes:

1. Understanding pregnancy, labour, birth and your baby
2. Understanding pregnancy, labour, birth and your baby for women couples
3. Understanding the impact of the pandemic on your child
4. Understanding the impact of the pandemic on your teenager
5. Understanding your baby
6. Understanding your brain (for teenagers only)
7. Understanding your child with addition needs
8. Understanding your child’s feelings (a taster course)
9. Understanding your child’s mental health and wellbeing
10. Understanding your child from toddler to teenager
11. Understanding our feelings (for teenagers only)
12. Understanding your own trauma
13. Understanding your preterm or sick baby in hospital
14. Understanding your preterm or sick baby now you’re home
15. Understanding your relationships
16. Understanding your teenager’s brain

4. How much did the local authority spend on e-learning style parenting courses – including commissioning and licensing costs – in the last fiscal year for which finances are available? Not including courses delivered by Zoom/Microsoft Teams or staffing costs.

Devon County Council agreed a two-year extension to the Solihull Online Parenting Approach licensing agreement (June 2023).  The license agreement is across the Peninsula area, covering Devon, Plymouth, Torbay and Cornwall. This covers the periods including, Year 1 which is jointly funded by NHS Devon (1 June 2023 to 31 May 2024), and Year 2 (1 June 2024 to 31 May 2025). The total cost of the licensing agreement for the two year period is £14,543, with an annual license cost of £7,271.

5. If an external body delivers parenting skills training on behalf of the local authority, what is their spend on e-learning style parenting courses?

This is not applicable to the Solihull Online Parenting Approach agreement.

6. How many parents accessed e-learning parenting skills courses and online parenting skills programmes in the last year for which data is available? Not including those supported via Zoom or Teams. Even if parents didn’t complete courses, please do include their initial uptake as attendance.

7. Does the local authority collect any feedback on the e-learning style courses delivered?

All course learners are invited to feedback on the individual course that has been undertaken and mechanism is available within the Solihull Online Parenting Approach programme to capture this. Some of data is available at individual local authority level and other aspects are presented for the whole of the South West Peninsula local authorities of Plymouth, Torbay and Cornwall.