A new initiative to offer parents and caregivers a physical space to meet and talk about what is important to them, and to access advice from other parents, is being launched in West Glamorgan, Wales.
The Parent Café has been set up by the Parent Advocacy Network (PAN), which also recently put together a parent support group to amplify the voices of families in child protection cases in Wales.
PAN is holding a launch event for the Parent Café and parents interested in attending are welcome.
The registration form for the launch says:
“Parent Café is an exciting initiative and resource for parents in West Glamorgan. Groups are hosted by parents in the community who are trained and accredited with support from a professional. The launch provides an in-person opportunity to experience the benefits for this way of working where parents and carers talk about what is important to them. The Cafés are designed for anyone in a parenting or caregiving role.”
PAN have also produced a brochure about the launch which offers more information about the Parent Café too. One brochure is written in English and the other is written in Welsh. Both are added below.
If you’d like more information about the event, you can contact Fiona at f.macleod@npt.gov.uk, or email any of the other contacts on the brochure.
The launch is taking place on Thursday 19th May, 2022 at the Waterfront Museum in Swansea, from 10am to 12.30pm and lunch is included.
Parents and carers who would like to attend can register for the launch using PAN’s registration form.
Researching Reform 
This is in essence a fantastic idea, however, as with all these sorts of endevours there is the inevitable inclusion of social workers surreptitiously joining to either spy on those disclosing ‘too much’ to be used against the individual. There must be some avenue to have a group that is able to vet those who join to feel secure to talk openly in a safe space.
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Thanks Taken, are you happy for me to pass this feedback on so the social workers involved can be invited to address this issue?
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Please do as this is an ongoing problem. Happy to discuss.
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I’m not sure that professionals will be at the meet-ups themselves, the reference to professionals attending is for the launch, but I will check with the organisers.
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Agree with you Taken ..
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Sounds like a good idea. hopefully it catches on and spreads around the country.
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I am with Taken on this .. Sadly Social Workers are now suspect indeed and some of us have long experience of this … If I am honest I always wonder about Social Service or Care systems picking off the most vociferous carers and giving them status and/or favours which can split the voice of Carers off from their base … I’ve seen it happen in Birmingham years ago .. Beware the system for it is divisive and riven with politics and players ..
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