Parent Page

Bringing up children is possibly the greatest challenge in life. It takes a great deal of effort, determination and love to help a child in the best way they can. Sometimes parents may need a little of that help and advice themselves.

Below are some organisations which offer help and advice on parenting. Please feel free to browse these sites.

If you belong to, or know of, an organisation offering advice and help to parents in the Sunderland area please feel free to contact us and have your information added to this page.

Safe surfing for your kids

The following links point to official sources of government information. Lead departments or agencies are highlighted in italics.

ThinkUKnow Home Office
Guidance and practical steps for children and parents on using the internet safely.

Grid Club DfES, Becta
Aimed at helping 7-11 year-olds to use the internet safely, with 'top tips' safety advice and resources for parents and teachers.

Superhighway Safety DfES
Guidance for schools highlighting online safety issues.

Parenting

On Track
This is a project for children aged 4 to 12 and their families. They offer help and support to families and children who are experiencing difficulties such as:

On Track works with children aged 4 to 12 in North Washington (Springwell, Donwell, Usworth, Concord, Sulgrave, and Albany) and their families, who live or attend school in the area. Families can contact On Track direct or professionals can make referrals on a family’s behalf. For more information contact:

On Track, 34 Elliot Terrace, Concord, Washington, Tyne and Wear, NE37 3AE.
Telephone (0191) 219 3460
Fax (0191) 219 3461.
On Track produce a Regular newsletter and leaflet.

SunGate Parenting Programme
SunGate offers support to families whose children are offending or are at risk of developing offending behaviour, by running parents programme both for individuals and in groups. For more information contact:

SunGate, 11 John Street, Sunderland, SR1 1HT
Tel: 0191 565 4888, Fax: 0191 565 7004

Bridge Project
The Bridge Project was set up in 1985 to provide education and training for local women, which incorporated quality childcare to enable them to gain qualifications. Bridge aims to increase women’s self esteem, confidence and support their personal development to enable them to be independent and have control over their own lives and learning activities. A range of courses and activities are on offer including English and maths, confidence building, deaf awareness, introductory courses, arts and crafts, alternative therapies, childcare courses, computers, and lots more. For more information contact

Bridge Women’s Education Centre, Grasmere Terrace, Columbia, Washington, NE38 7LP,
Telephone: 0191 417 2445
or e-mail info@bridgeproject.org
or visit their website at www.bridgeproject.org

Wearside Women in Need (WWIN)
Problems at home? When you are too scared to leave and too scared to stay. There are people who can help you.

Safety Planning Information: It is difficult to plan in a crisis. If you are thinking about leaving, even for a short while, then you may need to take:

Sunderland Women’s Centre
The centre offers a range of courses and activities, with a crèche provided for pre-school children. For more information contact:

Sunderland Women’s Centre, 8 Green Terrace, Sunderland, SR1 3PZ,
Tel: 0191 567 7495
Fax: 0191 514 2050
e-mail: swc@btclick.com

Which school would be best for my child?

Finding a school can be annoying.But it is a great help if you get some help.So here is the report for schools.

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/reports/

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/Schools/ChoosingASchool/DG_10038420

But where is my school?

So, you found your school but where is it or you just moved and want to see the schools in your area? The programm I used could be made to look for anything in THE WORLD! I tried it.

First go on the internet, go to google type in 'Schools in Suderland' And clik on http://www.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&q=schools&near=Sunderland&sa=X&oi=local&ct=title (or you could click on this hyperclink go on)also known as the icon with a map.

Advice, information and support

SHARP (Shiny Advice and Resource Project)
SHARP is an independent community project providing welfare rights advice through drop-in sessions. They also run a drop-in specifically for young people. They have an Advice Centre and a Resource Centre. The centres are located at:

Advice Centre
14 Beatrice Terrace, Shiney Row, Houghton le Spring, Tyne and Wear, DH4 4QW
Tel: 0191 385 6687
Fax: 0191 385 8231
e-mail: shiney-resourcecentre@talk21.com

Resource Centre
41-42 The Harbour, Shiney Row, Houghton le Spring, Tyne and Wear, DH4 7DN
Tel: 0191 385 8905
Fax: 0191 385 8022
e-mail: shiney-resourcecentre@talk21.com

Being a single parent is even more difficult and challenging than being with a partner. That is why this little section is dedicated to single parent help/information site

Support and advice to single parents.This site also includes a work diary, dating site and chat.

Sunderland Support for Parents with Disabilities (SSPD)
SSPD is a voluntary organisation of disabled people or people with long-term health needs such as epilepsy, asthma, heart problems and many other illnesses who are parents or hope to become parents. Being a parent is never an easy job, but having extra worries about being unwell or how to cope with practical and emotional worries can affect your role as a parent. SSPD can offer support and understanding, information on existing services, parents group meetings, social outings and family activities and volunteering opportunities. For more information contact:

SSPD, Adult Care Services, Dock Street, Monkwearmouth, Sunderland, SR6 0EA Tel/ Fax: 0191 565 9922 (this line has an ansaphone out of office hours. If you leave a message someone will return your call as soon as possible.)

A help line is also available every Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 10am and 12noon on 0191 565 9944.

FAITH (Focusing on Autism In The Home)
FAITH is a local support group which has been set up to support families with children with Autism and to introduce them to home-based education programmes using different approaches. FAITH also arrange courses and training in Sunderland run by consultants from the USA.

For more information contact FAITH:
Tel: 0191 511 0235.
Email: focusingonautisminthehome@hotmail.com

Cerebra (for brain injured children and young people)
Cerebra is an organisation which campaigns around issues relating to children with brain injury, and supports parents in caring for them. Cerebra estimate that one in four babies born every year in the UK has some form of neurological problem, which can manifest itself as cerebral palsy, epilepsy, learning difficulties, attention deficit, behavioural and emotional problems or developmental delay. Parnet is Cerebra’s information, contact and support network for mums and dads, grandparents and other carers. Parnet will try and answer all your questions, have a postal lending library, produce a regular newsletter, and organise events. For more information contact

Cerebra, FREEPOST SWC3360, Carmarthen, SA31 1ZY
Freephone: 0800 32 81 159
Textphone: 01267 244220
www.cerebra.org.uk

Face2Face is a one-to-one befriending service for parents who have recently learned that their child has a disability. They offer you the chance to talk to another parent who understands what you are going through and can offer emotional and practical support. For more information visit their website at www.face2facenetwork.org.uk

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Shahidun Rahman - Where In The Spectrum Does He Belong?
This is an autobiographical account of a mother’s struggle to bring up a child with a learning disorder. It tells the story of Ibrahim Rahman and his struggle with Semantic Pragmatic Language Disorder, part of the autistic spectrum of disorders.

It highlights the lack of awareness of this condition within our society, but particularly within the Bangladeshi community where autism is not recognised.

Pennywell Neighbourhood Centre
This is a community based project in the heart of Pennywell and has loads of things going on for all members of the community. Facilities include courses and activities, childcare, cafe, youth activities, family support services, and young people’s mental health project. To find out more visit the website by clicking here http://www.pennywellneighbourhoodcentre.co.uk/.

The centre is located at:

Pennywell Neighbourhood Centre
Pennywell Shopping Centre, Portsmouth Road, Pennywell, Sunderland, SR4 9AS
Tel: 0191 5341477
Fax: 0191 5344143

Carers Emergency Contact Scheme
This was developed in partnership between Social Services and Sunderland Carers Centre. To join the scheme a parent carer needs to register their details. Once registered parent carers get a credit card sized card to keep with them. In the event of an emergency, where the carer is prevented from returning home, the card provides a 24 hour telephone contact point and a unique reference number. Calls are received by Social Services Community Care Alarm Service who will then take appropriate action by contacting a family member, a neighbours or if necessary carrying out a home visit. Registration with the service is free of charge to all carers of vulnerable people regardless of age For more information contact

Care Alarm Service on Tel: 0191 566 1720
Sunderland Carers Centre on Tel: 0191 567 3232.

24 hour racist incident reporting line: (tel) 0191 567 1123
This is a phone line staffed by the City of Sunderland Council. Do you know someone who has been the victim of a racist incident? Please help us to reduce racist crime in the City by letting us know. Remember we mean anything which is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person e.g. verbal/ physical abuse, damage to property, threatening behaviour, graffiti etc.

Useful web sites

Children with Disabilities
This is another Community of Interest site based in Sunderland. It offers an extensive amount of information for parents with a disabled child.

UKparents.co.uk
Everyday you can find something new at UK parents such as a special feature or article, your birth, pregnancy or parenting stories, recipes, poems, some news of interest...and together with our 'Join In' auto updated sections such as your tips, fun forum etc you can be sure that a daily visit to UK parents is well worth it! But don't worry if you miss anything, we archive everything in the Your Stage sections so you can always get your hands on it!
http://www.ukparents.co.uk

Raising Kids
This is a useful site full of information which parents may find of real use. Back to work, parent forums and useful links can be found at this site.

North of England Refugee Service (Sunderland Office)
Based close to the city centre, this local office can help parents from non UK countries. A range of services are on offer such as translations and interpreter facilities. www.sunderland.gov.uk/coi/refugee.

Health-e
An excellent web site covering all matters health related is based here in Sunderland. Health-E has been developed with Sunderland residents in mind, and is focused on helping people make positive changes to improve their health and lifestyle. http://www.hlchealthe.co.uk

Parents Page

Safe surfing for your kids

Parenting

Women

Other

Useful web sites