Time Out for Parents Courses
BOOKING FORM AVAILABLE BELOW
Welcome
Parenting is rewarding, but it can also feel challenging, confusing, and at times overwhelming. These courses offer a warm, supportive space for parents and carers to reflect, share experiences, and learn practical strategies to strengthen family relationships. Whether your child is a baby, toddler, primary school child, teenager, or has additional needs, you’ll gain tools to communicate, manage challenges, and build confidence in your parenting, while deepening your bond with your child.
How the Courses Work
- Six weekly sessions, each lasting two hours, with a short break
- Available in-person or online
- Includes a parent handbook to support learning
- Facilitated by a trained professional with teaching and counselling experience
- Sessions include discussion, videos, real-life scenarios, and reflection
- Opportunities to try strategies at home and share progress in a supportive group
Parents who attend often report feeling...
- More confident and hopeful in their parenting
- Better able to understand their child’s needs and behaviour
- Equipped to communicate and manage challenges
- More connected to their children and family life
- More intune with their co-parent and parenting styles
- More self-aware and less worried
Course 1: Time Out for Parents – The Early Years (0–5)
Build strong foundations for family life while supporting your baby or young child’s development through connection, play, and understanding
Course Overview...
This course helps parents of babies, toddlers, and preschoolers understand their children’s emotional and developmental needs. You’ll explore ways to build secure attachments, strengthen communication, encourage learning through play, and respond to challenging behaviour with confidence. Sharing experiences with other parents is a key part of the course, providing insight, encouragement, and practical ideas to try at home.
Session Topics...
- Expectations and Realities of Parenting – Exploring the joys and challenges of parenthood
- Children’s Needs – Understanding emotional and developmental needs
- Play and Listening – Supporting learning and connection
- Parenting Styles – Reflecting on approaches and their impact
- Discipline and Safety – Setting boundaries and responding to behaviour
- The Wider Family – Building belonging and strengthening family connections
Course 2: Time Out for Parents – The Primary Years (5–11)
Support your child’s growing independence, friendships, and confidence while strengthening family relationships
Course Overview...
Designed for parents of primary-aged children, this course helps you understand your child’s emotional development, temperament, and behaviour. You’ll learn practical strategies to strengthen communication, encourage positive behaviour, support friendships, and navigate both real-world and online experiences. Each session provides opportunities to try new approaches and reflect on what works for your family.
Session Topics:
- What Being a Parent Is Really Like – Reflecting on the realities, challenges, and rewards
- Children’s Needs – Understanding emotional and developmental needs
- Feelings and Listening – Helping children express feelings and feel heard
- Boundaries and Parenting Styles – Setting clear expectations while maintaining connection
- Keeping Safe – Supporting safe choices and healthy friendships
- Building Strong Families – Strengthening family connection and enjoying time together
Course 3: Time Out for Parents – Teenagers (10–19)
Stay connected with your teenager while learning practical strategies for communication, boundaries, and navigating the teenage years
Course Overview...
This course supports parents as they guide teenagers through emotional, social, and developmental changes. You’ll explore adolescent behaviour, communication, independence, and practical ways to approach challenging topics like social media, friendships, and risk-taking. Discussions with other parents help you gain perspective, reflect on strategies, and build confidence in supporting your teen.
Session Topics...
- Understanding Teenagers – Exploring development and pressures
- Emotional Resilience – Supporting independence and emotional needs
- Communication – Improving listening, talking, and understanding
- Parenting Styles and Boundaries – Maintaining connection while setting limits
- Big Issues – Approaching topics such as drugs, sex, and social media
- Big Issues, Strong Families – Strengthening relationships and creating positive memories
Course 4: Time Out for Parents – Children with Additional Needs (3–11)
A supportive space for parents to share experiences and explore practical approaches that meet your child’s unique needs
Course Overview...
This course is designed for parents of children with learning, developmental, or behavioural differences. It offers a supportive space to reflect on your parenting journey, share experiences, and explore practical strategies tailored to your child’s unique needs. You’ll learn how to nurture your child’s emotional wellbeing and confidence, understand and respond to their feelings and behaviours, set effective boundaries, and develop practical tools for managing everyday challenges. The course also covers working with schools, accessing support, and strengthening family relationships, helping you build a wider circle of care for your child and family.
Session Topics...
- The additional needs experience – Reflecting on parenting a child with additional needs
- Raising emotionally healthy children – Supporting confidence, emotional health, and development
- Understanding feelings – Listening and understanding behaviour
- Boundaries and battles – Routines, praise, consistency, and practical strategies
- A behaviour toolkit – Practical approaches to manage behaviour
- The wider circle of care – Working with schools, accessing support, and strengthening family relationships
Next Course available: Time Out for Parents – The Early Years (0–5)
Where: Online
When: Tuesday 5th May - Tuesday 9th June
Time: TBC (Evening) Please see survey link below
Complete the short survey to help choose the most suitable start time:
https://forms.office.com/r/9WxiBP4QsY
Cost: 90€ / £78
Places available: 12 - Reserve your place now by booking online and paying the
20€ / £17 deposit
"There was so much valuable content, ideas, and practical information, even around things I hadn't fully thought about or realised before. It was great to connect with other parents, share ideas, and have space to reflect on our parenting patterns. Taking time to notice and adjust our habits has been helpful in building the right, solid foundation with our children.
Lorna was engaging, kind, and motivating, creating a supportive atmosphere where everyone felt comfortable sharing and learning together. She encouraged discussion, reflection, and practical application, which made the learning feel real and achievable. Despite all of us being busy parents, no one missed a session during the full six weeks. That says a lot about how valuable the course was.
I would recommend this course to every family. It offers insights, practical tools, and a supportive community that is making all aspects of my parenting feel easier, calmer, and more connected.
~ Course Delegate