The Incredible Years (IY) training series consists of a series of interlocking, comprehensive and developmentally based programmes designed for parents, teachers and children. The programmes aim to promote the social,emotional and academic competence of children, prevent and treat behaviour problems and to promote positive relationships between parents, children and schools. The IY Parent’s Programmes are the core component of the Incredible Years Training series. In Co. Clare, the Incredible Years School Age Parent Programme (For parents with children aged 6-12 years) is offered to parent’s whose children attend schools where Incredible Years Teacher Classroom Management Training (IY TCM) has already commenced, as a priority. The programme is part of the “IY package ” delivered to identified school’s in Co Clare. The IY School Age Parent’s Programme is also open to parents outside of these IY trained primary schools.
Clarecare also delivers the Incredible Years Preschool Parent’s Programme to parents of preschool aged children (aged 3-6 years).Parents who have children attending Preschool services where staff have trained in the IY Classroom Dina programme are offered this parent’s programme as a priority, but it is also open to parents outside of these preschools.
The IY Parenting programmes focus on parent’s strengths, building on parent’s skills, confidence and the parent- child relationship.These programmes are delivered by professionals from Clarecare’s Family Support Team over 12-14 weekly sessions. Snacks are provided for participants each week.
IY School Age Parent programme participants are also offered the option of a “booster” IY parent group session some months after completing the 12 week programme, as a once off refresher session to support parents. Parents have reported finding these “booster” sessions of great benefit in terms of reviewing skills and tips.
The IY Parenting programmes are well researched and provide parent’s with practical ideas, demonstrating new skills using video clips which parents can use at home. Parents learn about emotional regulation and can help their children grow and learn both socially and emotionally. Parents have reported benefiting greatly from the techniques illustrated and from the support offered by the group.
Let’s look at these IY Parent Programmes in more detail:
The Incredible Years (IY) Parent’s Programmes
The Incredible Years Parent’s programmes focus on areas where parents/carers are doing well with their children already, building on these foundations, and demonstrating new skills, & techniques from the programmes that parents/carers can use at home on a regular basis to enhance their children’s social, emotion and academic competence.
In both the IY School Age (for parents/carers of children aged 6-12 years) and Preschool Age (for parents/carers of children age 3-6 years) Parent’s Programmes participants learn about emotional regulation for children, and how to help their children grow and develop socially. Both programmes are delivered by experienced professionals from Clarecare’s Family Support Team. The IY School Age Parent’s programme is delivered over 12 weeks for 2.5 hours per week. It is open to Mums, Dads and others who are caring for children. As this is a school based programme, it is open to parents/carers who have a child/children attending a school where IY Teacher Classroom Management (IY TCM) training has been undertaken by school staff, as a priority. It is also then open to parents outside of these IY trained primary schools.
The IY Preschool Parent’s programme is delivered over 12-14 weeks, for 2.5 hours per week and is open to Mums, Dads and others who are caring for preschool aged children. The programme prioritises parents who have children attending preschool facilities who have been trained in IY Classroom Dina in Co. Clare, as there are a limited number of places. However, it is also open to parents who have preschool aged children outside of these preschool facilities.
Primary School’s and Preschools who have participated in the IY TCM and IY Classroom Dina training advertise the IY Parent’s Programmes within their school/preschool communities.
Each parenting group can accommodate a maximum number of 16 participants. Participants in these programmes come from a variety of family settings and ethnic backgrounds.
These IY Parenting Programmes involve group led discussions about everyday challenges and concerns that parents/carers may have. Video examples depicting real life scenarios between parents/carers and children are used to introduce new ideas to participants. Key techniques from the IY pyramid of parenting tools offer practical suggestions and tips about managing children’s behaviour and building on the parent/carer child relationship in order to strengthen children’s social, behavioural, academic and emotional competencies. Group discussions, guided by facilitators, give parents/carers an opportunity to share their experiences.
Participants who have completed this programme have reported finding tips from other parents/carers and group facilitators to be of great benefit.
Participants also enjoy:
- Themed goodie bags related to topics being covered in the programme
- Weekly handouts
- Meeting other parents/carers
- Tea/Coffee and snacks each week
- Availability of assistance towards childcare if needed
- Availability of The Incredible Years Parent’s book by Dr. Carolyn Webster-Stratton from local libraries or to purchase
The IY School Age Parenting programme explores the following topics:
- Parental Attention & Special Time
- Social, Emotion & Persistence Coaching
- Praise, Encouragement and Tangible Rewards
- Rules, Responsibilities, Routines and Limit Setting
- Handling Misbehaviour
Further details on the above in relation to the IY School Age Parent’s programme are available to download if you click on the following link:IY School Age Parent’s Programme Information
The IY Preschool Parent’s programme explores the following topics:
- Child Directed Play
- Academic & Persistence Coaching
- Social & Emotion Coaching
- Effective Praise & Encouragement
- Incentives/Rewards
- Rules, Responsibilities & Routines
- Effective Limit Setting
- Handling Misbehaviour
- Problem Solving & Self-Regulation
Further details on the above in relation to the IY Preschool Parent’s programme, are available to download if you click on the following link: The IY Preschool Parents Programme Information
Getting Started: Facilitators arrange to meet parents/carers who have secured a place on the IY Parenting programmes individually, before the programme begins. At this stage, participants are asked to fill in some forms with facilitators, if they are happy to do so. All information shared is entirely confidential, non- identifying, and is used for research and evaluation purposes only. Parents/Carers can chose not to complete forms but still fully participate in the programmes. A coffee morning is also held for the group as an introduction to the programmes, and to help participants feel relaxed and welcome.
Video Taping: In order to attain accreditation from the IY committee in Seattle USA, group facilitators need to tape themselves in action in each session. The camera is on the facilitators only and the material is viewed to examine facilitators skills and maintain high standards of delivery.
Quotes from Previous Participants
IY School Age Parent’s Programme
” My child understood & really responded to things like praise, play & good attention”
“I am very happy & positive in what I have now achieved”
“I learned so many tools to help with parenting. Hearing from all the other parents with similar situations was invaluable to me”
IY Preschool Parent’s Programme
“I enjoyed the whole experience & find it useful in my everyday life”
“My child changed from the first class,using child directed play, and this made a huge difference to play & behaviour”
“East to understand different techniques and to put into practice. Great parents attending & great tutors”
For more information on the IY Parent’s programmes contact: ebrennan@clarecare.ie . Eve Brennan, IY Development Worker,Clarecare, 4 Dooneen Pk. Toler St., Kilrush. Phone: 065 905 2817.
To view the Incredible Years website click on the following link; http://www.incredibleyears.com