Parent Know How - working together, supporting families
Parent Know How aims to make sure that parents can get the help they need, when they need it, whether through existing telephone helplines or through a new generation of services, delivered online and via mobile phones.
Last year the Department for Children, Schools and Families launched the Children's Plan, with the central purpose of making this country the best place in the world for children and young people to grow up. Parent Know How is an integral part of that vision.
We want to make sure that everyone in a parenting role - mothers, fathers, carers and other adults with parental responsibility - has the opportunity to access support through the challenges of raising a family, improving the health and happiness of children and young people.
Parent Know How is made up of four strands:
- Telephone helplines - a proven, popular way to deliver support to parents
- The Innovation Fund - using emerging technology such as web and social media, SMS and instant messaging to reach parents in new ways.
- Print media - delivering support and information to parents through syndicated content in newspapers and magazines.
- Online information - local and national parenting services on Directgov and through local Family Information Services.
There are 18 services provided by the first two - telephone helplines and the Innovaiton Fund.
Through Parent Know How, we are continuing to support existing telephone helplines, and enabling them to expand their capacity so that more parents can get through for help and advice.
The Innovation Fund services are being launched from March to September 2008 and comprise a range of exciting new channels to reach parents with information and support.