Group Information and Guidelines

We are Parent Action. We are parents working together to build communities, provide practical and emotional support, and take action on the things that matter.

We want parents to have a place where they belong. From wanting support with your mental health, to making new friends, to taking action on poor housing, we’re here to help you thrive as a parent and as a person.

We listen to what matters to you and support you to work with others to make positive changes for your family and community. As a part of Citizens UK, we work with schools, universities, faith groups, charities and others in the community to bring about social change that benefits the wider communities we work in.

We run a weekly calendar of activities, hosted by our Parent Action staff team, where families can spend time together in a safe environment in Southwark and Tyneside. Please see our programme on our calendar.

Our groups offer the space to connect with other families and give babies/pre-schoolers a high-quality play experience. We also offer workshops around Parenting tips, Information/Advice, Wellbeing and space to share and learn from other parents.

Parents are at the heart of everything we do. We listen and value the perspective of parents while also making space for children and families to play, have fun, and meet friends old and new. We believe parents have a crucial role in raising our next generation. By supporting parents, we’re also supporting our children to grow up healthy and happy as part of a warm, welcoming community. We are supported by an amazing team of volunteers, many of whom are local parents themselves.

Our responsibility and commitment to you and your child(ren):

- to make sure that we stick to NSPCC recommended adult-child ratio guidelines when we are looking after the children

- that all volunteers are inducted and managed by Parent Action- that we will plan a different activity each week in the workshop time for children

- that we do what we can to help your child settle and enjoy the workshop time

- that if your child becomes upset or distressed the volunteers will come and get you

Your responsibility as a parent:

• To make the choice about whether you are happy to leave your child(ren) with our volunteers in the workshop. In doing so you accept that you still have full responsibility for your child(ren).
• To tell our volunteers anything that will help them settle your child(ren)
• If you decide to take your child into the mums workshop with you and their behaviour starts to really disrupt the group you may need to go back into the main room with them
• That you understand that we are not running a formal crèche.

It is important that you understand our group guidelines and how our unique ‘mums workshop time’ runs. We need you to understand and be informed about our responsibilities and your responsibilities so that MumSpace is meaningful, supportive and positive for you and is engaging, fun, safe and positive for your child(ren).

Please do not sign our registration/consent form until you are happy that you understand how our group works and what your responsibilities are. If you need help, have questions or don’t understand please ask a staff member or volunteer.

How we deal with issues/concerns:

Parents:

We are role models to our children so we ask that if you have a disagreement with a parent/volunteer to be very aware of this in the way you react. If anyone’s behaviour becomes inappropriate Parent Action staff will deal with this and may ask them to step out and as a last resort to leave.

Children:

As children learn how to play safely and nicely with others they don’t always get it right so we ask that you take responsibility and intervene appropriately with your child.

If you are concerned about the behaviour of another child or parent please speak to a member of the Parent Action team.

It is important that you understand our group guidelines and how our unique ‘mums workshop time’ runs. We need you to understand and be informed about our responsibilities and your responsibilities so that MumSpace is meaningful, supportive and positive for you and is engaging, fun, safe and positive for your child(ren).

Please do not sign our registration/consent form until you are happy that you understand how our group works and what your responsibilities are. If you need help, have questions or don’t understand please ask a staff member or volunteer.

Important Group Guidelines

• Please ask when you want tea and coffee from the kitchen but do not take your children inside the kitchens
• Please sit with your child in the circle at singing/story time and encourage your child to listen to the story and join in the singing with them!
• Please keep your mobile phones in your bag and do not make phone calls in the group. If you really need to take a call then ask someone to look after your child and go to the entrance area.
• Please do not take photos or videos of any other children in our group.
• Please change nappies in the toilet, not in the main group.
• We encourage a culture of helping each other out with our children.
• We encourage everyone to speak in English so that we have a common language of unity. If English is not your first language, don’t worry because we are a supportive group and can help each other!
• Many of us are from different cultures and backgrounds so please try to respect others’ parenting. If you are concerned about another parent speak to a member of our team.
• If your child has a temperature, is suffering from sickness or diarrhoea or is obviously unwell, please do not bring them until your doctor says they are well again or for 48 hours after the last episode of sickness or diarrhoea.

Mums Workshop Time

The mums workshop is a key part of MumSpace. It is an opportunity to learn practical skills, hear from experts (for example health visitors, speech and language specialists, employment advisors), learn from each other and improve our wellbeing together.

The workshops are sometimes held in an adjacent room to the main space where you have the choice to leave your child(ren) with our team of volunteers.

The volunteers will organise a different chidren’s activity each week.

All our volunteers have been through a safeguarding induction and all have a DBS Check. On occasion when we do not have enough volunteers, we will keep the workshop in the main room.

Safeguarding children and adults

At Parent Action we look after each other and take this duty very seriously. All staff and volunteers looking after children are safely vetted, trustworthy and are not subject to any offences, which may put the wellbeing of children/vulnerable adults at risk.

It is the responsibility of every adult to make every effort to prevent physical, sexual, emotional abuse or the neglect of children and young people and to report any actual or suspected abuse that comes to light to a member of staff, Safeguarding Lead or Deputy.

Whilst we respect the wishes of adults and children to keep private information private it is absolutely necessary to breach confidentiality where a child/vulnerable adult or the general public is deemed to be at risk.

If you have any concerns about a child or adult, please speak to our Safeguarding Lead Rose Peake 07821 447 526 or our Project Manager Josephine Namusisi-Riley at 07377 368 419.

Information Sharing

We have an Information Sharing Policy with our partners Camberwell Salvation Army, St Michael's and St Matthew’s where are groups are held. If there is an accident, safeguarding concern/report or serious incident it is likely that we may have to share this information with them. Please speak to a member of Parent Action staff if you want to see this Information Sharing policy in full detail.