Working with Parents: Kitchen Table Talks – Sandwell YOS (2019)

Summary:

Sandwell YOS work in partnership with the First Class Foundation to run monthly meetings for parents whose children attend the YOS.

Description:

Sandwell YOS had been struggling to know how to best engage with some parents, who were mistrustful of the YOS and felt forgotten, and judged. To aid in considering a way of engaging parents, the YOS spoke to a variety of parents who expressed a sense of isolation and described struggling with their child’s behaviour but not knowing what to do about this.

To support parents, Sandwell YOS partnered up with the First Class Foundation to run a roundtable event to facilitate communication between the YOS, parents, children and other key partners, which lead to ‘Kitchen Table Talks‘ being set up for YOS parents. The concept behind the talks is a safe and relaxed space where parents are able to worth through the isolation and stress via shared experience with other parents who are going through the same things.

The parents that attend are supported to share their personal experience and learning with each other and ask for information from professionals around the Youth Justice System, if required.

Parents are encouraged to engage in group discussions around set topics, aimed at supporting them with their children and some of the more difficult and challenging elements of their behaviour. In addition, the talks have started to bridge the gap between the YOS and the parents so that they have felt included, listened to and heard. This has meant that Sandwell YOS has had the opportunity to consider and amend practice and the systems within the YOS to best suit the needs of the parents and their children. This has also meant that a feedback loop has been established between the YOS and parents and vice versa.

Through the kitchen table talks, Sandwell YOS and the First Class Foundation have co-created with parents a video that can be shared and used with other parents concerning some of the signs to look for in children involved in criminal activity.

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