A PARTNERSHIP project at Breightmet is aiming to give valuable help and support to parents and young children. Parents Network Support Groups are a partnership project between NCH Action for Children, Bolton Social Services and Bolton and Wigan Health Authority. The main aim of the groups is to reach parents of children at primary schools and give them the opportunity to work with other parents on issues which affect their everyday lives.

Wendy is a volunteer worker in one of the groups. As a mother of five, she felt there was little the group could actually offer someone like her.

"But talking to other parents, knowing you haven't got the naughtiest child in Britain really does give you a boost and builds up your confidence," she said.

By exchanging views, experiences and offering practical help and support to each other parents are encouraged to grow within the project and encourage others to join.

The groups are sited in places most accessible to parents, local primary schools on the Breightmet estate and within the Ashness Grove support centre.

Margaret Gillen is the co-ordinator of the Parent Network Support Groups and already she is hoping to extend the work of the groups beyond the Breightmet boundary.

"It was recognised quite early on that there was a gap in provision particularly for parents of primary age children, and we hope that just by being here, not acting as judge and jury we can give practical help and support to parents who, quite understandably can feel isolated at times," explained Margaret.

Links with other agencies is an integral part of the work of the groups and organisers hope that even if they do not have the information parents are seeking they can at least point them in the right direction.

"It is parents themselves who set the agenda, the discussions are based around issues which they raise. The sessions aren't prescriptive, there's no set agenda, rather we rely on parents to set the pace," added Margaret.

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