The Bright Beginnings project works with vulnerable young parents under 25 who are pregnant or have a child under 2, offering support focused on improving both parental and infant health. The project derived from the Family Nurse Partnership (FNP) in Southampton, with the idea of providing similar support to parents who would not typically meet the FNP criteria. Designed to give parents a trusted, knowledgeable adult, No Limits assign one to one support to parents, either through a paid youth worker or a volunteer, a ‘befriender’.
Acting as a ‘community grandparent’, befrienders give parenting guidance and advice, help to navigate community services and resources as well as being a consistent presence in a parent’s life. This enables parents to look after both their own physical and emotional health and that of their child. Befrienders may guide parents through various processes and paperwork they need to go through as new parents, for example immunisations for their child. With the addition of paid youth workers to the model as a result of a large number of referrals, No Limits can now provide more regular and proactive support to parents, especially around safeguarding.
In addition, Bright Beginnings now offers a training course, Gro Brain, for parents who are pregnant or have a child under 1, aiming to help develop emotionally healthy infants. Most referrals come from within No Limits, but parents can also be referred by children’s services or health visitors. The intention is to extend the project to young parents who are isolated and do not have family support to assist with the development of parenting skills.
https://nolimitshelp.org.uk/get-help/family-care/bright-beginnings