Circles Network Family Empowerment

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Circles Network Family Empowerment

• Lisa Flood
• 15 October 2004

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Circles Network is

• a national voluntary organisation based in
  Warwickshire
• an educational provider, disseminating cutting
  edge innovations on inclusion
• renowned for building inclusive communities on
  the foundations of justice, advocacy, empowerment
  and relationships
• working with people of any age or ability who
  are isolated or at risk of isolation
• an organisation with ground breaking expertise
  in the development of circles of support and
  person centred planning
• determined to dream, dare and do

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UK Projects
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Family Empowerment Projects

• Sheffield Supported Parenting Project
• Parenting Matters
• Crowley House Families Project
• West Midlands
• South West
• South Wales

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What we offer..

• Direct support a family centred approach,
  advocacy
• Mothers group safe environment, peer support
• Assessment family centred, 40 hours

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Our approach

• Listen to parents
• Enable parents to develop effective parenting
  skills
• Focus on the well-being of the family as a whole
• Enable effective communication
• Support parents to identify and recognise their
  preferred learning style
• Work with an honest, sensitive and sympathetic
  person centred approach

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Our approach

• Use person centred planning
• Always focus on the safety and well-being of the
  child in the context of Child Protection
• Provide practical support in a way that makes
  sense to the family
• Help to clarify and address the concerns of
  professionals
• Promote the right of disabled people to family
  life
• Maintain relationships with disabled parents and
  use their views and opinions to inform our work

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What we find..

• Discriminatory attitudes and labelling
• Pre-judgement and assumptions that disabled
  people cannot be good parents
• A lack of belief by professionals that solutions
  can be found
• Support is only offered in a crisis
• Resistance to our involvement
• Professionals seeing impairments as the problem
  and not the lack of support
• Parents often tell us that professionals might
  listen to them but they do not actually hear what
  they say
• Parents feel afraid to ask for support

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What weve achieved..

• Increased numbers of families staying together
• Engagement of parents through the process
• Increased demand for our involvement from a
  variety of professionals and parents

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Developing our approach..

• Bedazzled There is no one way to be a parent
• Incredible tool which will enable more effective
  support of all parents.
• To be used by parents, social workers, community
  nurses and a whole range of professionals
• Based on direct experience of parents

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Contact details

• Sheffield Supported Parenting Project
• Contact Judith Gwynn
• 0845 4582958
• spp_circles_at_yahoo.co.uk
• www.circlesnetwork.org.uk