The Nurturing Programme

The Nurturing Programme is a well established programme offering 10 week courses for parents, and for children in schools.

The programme develops self-esteem, sound emotional health and the ability for each person to work as a team member and understand the feelings of others. The basis of the programme is guidance in raising children's self-esteem, strategies for managing behaviour and a programme of Circle Work, where feelings and issues are discussed and games are played.

The Nurturing Programme originated in the United States as a result of research undertaken at the Kempe Center, Denver, Colorado by psychologist Dr Stephen J. Bavolek, a pioneer in the prevention of child abuse and neglect and the development of family education (Bavolek, Kline and Mclaughlin, 1978). The Nurturing Programme is one of the most highly respected and successful parenting programmes in the USA.

Dr Bavolek's research showed that adolescents who had received neglectful or abusive parenting had similar scores in relation to their parenting attitude as parents who were known to be abusive.  There are were four high risk, detructive attitudes they had in common, which Dr Bavolek reversed to provide the 'Four Constructs' on which the Nurturing Programme is based:

The Nurturing Programme is known to be a high quality training package which makes a significant improvement to the emotional health and consequently the lives of children, their schools and their families. The actual training and parents programme is delivered in an enjoyable way, with consideration for all learning styles and abilities. 

The Programme benefits both adults and children by:

• promoting emotional literacy and emotional health
• raising self esteem
• developing communication and social skills
• teaching positive ways to resolve conflict
• providing effective strategies to encourage co-operative, responsible behaviour and managing challenging behaviour in children
• offering insights into the influence of feelings on behaviour
• encouraging adults to take time to look after themselves

The School and Family Nurturing Team is recognised by Family Links as trainers of the Nurturing Programme throughout the North East area. 

Family Links (www.familylinks.org.uk) is an Oxford-based charity established to encourage and teach nurturing and relationship skills.  It also promotes public awareness of the need for emotional education.

Please visit Family Links website to read about research and evaluations  for the nurturing programme.