Surge in demand for parenting courses as families struggle with discipline

MORE and more Irish families are turning to parenting courses and outside expertise in a bid to get all the help they can when raising children.

Reports suggest that parenting courses have become increasingly popular in recent years, such as those run by the Health Services Executive and by welfare organisations like the ISPCC.

Demand for professional nannies, meanwhile, has skyrocketed.

This follows news that a survey carried out by rollercoaster.ie, Ireland’s website for parents, found that almost one-in-five parents are unhappy with how they discipline their children, while more than 60% said that discipline causes strife between couples.

Many parents surveyed stated that more assistance should be available to parents, particularly when it comes to suggesting alternatives to slapping.

The ISPCC, which supports a legislative ban on all corporal punishment, now have waiting lists for their “Progressive Parenting” course, after a huge rise in demand in recent years.

Courses are run throughout the country on a regular basis and, according to regional manager Tess Noonan, parents are extremely eager to find out more.

“We have a huge waiting list at the moment,” she said in relation to Cork city and county.

At least six such courses are currently run each year in the Cork region.

Eight sessions are held during each programme, for two hours each, while pre-course and post-course contact is also offered.

One-to-one help is also provided by the ISPCC through its parent mentoring initiative, in which volunteers are trained to mentor a parent.

Ms Noonan welcomed the results of this week’s survey, which also found that 90% of parents feel slapping children isn’t a good long-term option.

For more information on the ISPCC’s courses, contact 021-4509588 or 01-6794944.

A nationwide recruitment agency for nannies, meanwhile, said demand for childminders was “out of control”.

“There’s a huge amount of families looking for qualified, professional, serious candidates to mind their children at home,” managing director of Nanny Solutions, Carol Flynn, told the Irish Examiner.