The Parenting Support Initiative (PSI) is a three year grants programme which provides funding to projects which support parents in their parenting role. PSI mainly focuses on parents with children who are between 0 and 3 years of age although some projects also support parents in the ante-natal stage. The Initiative is a collaborative partnership between the Katharine Howard Foundation (KHF) and the Community Foundation of Ireland (CFI).
Background
PSI was launched in September 2013 and over 200 applications were received. 16 core projects were chosen to receive funding. Due to the high response rate and the quality of applications, a further 43 projects were awarded one-off small grants in 2014.
The 16 core funded projects are listed below:
- Ballinasloe Social Services, Galway - Incredible Years Parenting Programmes and the Hanen programme
- Barnardos, Dublin - ‘Flying Start’ programme and Parents Plus
- Bedford Row, Limerick - Parenting support programme for women prisoners and ex-prisoners
- Bessborough Centre, Cork - Baby Together Group
- Canal Communities Partnership, Dublin - Parent Child Home Programme (PCHP)
- Chatterbox, Cavan and Monaghan - ELKLAN Speech and Language Project
- Cork City Partnership - Incredible Years Parent and Baby Programme
- Downstrands FRC, Donegal - Child and Parent Programmes
- Kerry Children and Young People’s Services Committee - Language and Play Programmes and Parent and Toddler Groups
- Lifestart, Donegal - Train the Trainers ‘Spirals’ Parenting Programme for practitioners
- Longford Community Resource Ltd - Filial Play Therapy
- Monaghan Integrated Development Ltd - Early Years Parents Plus Programme
- National Association of Building Co-operatives Society Ltd (NABCO), Dublin - parenting support programmes including Parents Plus Programme
- Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre, Dublin - Parent Child Home Programme (PCHP)
- Southside Partnership, Dun Laoghaire - Integrated Early Intervention and Family Support Initiative
- Tolka Area Partnership, Dublin - Parenting ante-natal and postnatal support programme
The Katharine Howard Foundation website (www.khf.ie/what-we-do/parenting-support-initiatives) provides more information on the Parenting Support Initiative and a map showing the 16 core funded projects and the 43 one-off grant recipients. Click here to download an information leaflet developed by KHF on the Initiative.
Kerry CYPSC
Kerry CYPSC received funding as one of the 16 core projects for the delivery of Language and Play Programmes to Family Resource Centres and Parent and Toddler Groups. The Language and Play Programme promotes the building of strong, healthy parent / child relationships through fun activities.
The programme is run over the course of 6 weeks and highlights the importance of talking, story telling, nursery rhymes and song in language development and relationship building. The programme also supports parents to include language and play opportunities in every day routines.
Click here to visit the Kerry CYPSC 'Local Resources' page where more information on the Language and Play Programme can be found.