Community and Family Studies

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Parenting and caring

Support for parents and carers

Exploring a range of support services

Parents and carers have access to many avenues for support. There are various areas in which support is needed. Support empowers parents and carers and allows them to better cope and make informed choices. There are many individuals, groups and organisations that are available and willing to offer support.

One of the limiting factors to accessing these supports and services is that parents and carers are required to contact them. This is not likely if parents and carers are not aware of their existence or the type of service or support they provide.

Student activity
Read the following scenario and complete the related tasks. Robin is a single parent of two children: Samantha, who is 8-weeks-old, and Rebecca, who is 3. Robin has only family close by for support, but Robin’s mother also needs constant care as she has Dementia. Robin is having problems settling and feeding Samantha and is feeling tired and depressed with the constant lack of sleep and the demands of a newborn baby, a three-year-old and an elderly parent with Dementia. Added to this pressure are the financial strains of having two children and being unemployed. Robin would like Rebecca to go to a child-care service of some sort, but is unsure of the options and whether or not child care is affordable. A range of support services are available to Robin as a parent and carer. Identify the types of support services available for parents and carers by clicking on the link and completing the activity online Use the table provided to research 3 of the support services which could provide support for Robin as a parent or carer or identify a support service of your own and outline the following information: name of the service target group and type of support provided how to gain access to the service cost involved with accessing the service source of funding for the service.

Student activity

Read the following scenario and complete the related tasks.

Robin is a single parent of two children: Samantha, who is 8-weeks-old, and Rebecca, who is 3. Robin has only family close by for support, but Robin’s mother also needs constant care as she has Dementia. Robin is having problems settling and feeding Samantha and is feeling tired and depressed with the constant lack of sleep and the demands of a newborn baby, a three-year-old and an elderly parent with Dementia. Added to this pressure are the financial strains of having two children and being unemployed. Robin would like Rebecca to go to a child-care service of some sort, but is unsure of the options and whether or not child care is affordable.

A range of support services are available to Robin as a parent and carer.
1. Identify the types of support services available for parents and carers by clicking on the link and completing the activity online
2. Use the table provided to research 3 of the support services which could provide support for Robin as a parent or carer or identify a support service of your own and outline the following information:
  - name of the service
  - target group and type of support provided
  - how to gain access to the service
  - cost involved with accessing the service
  - source of funding for the service.