One of the programme IDA UK delivers under its Training Services is the Strengthening Families, Strengthening Communities (STSC) – parent education programme.

The SFSC is designed to promote some of the protective factors associated with ‘good parenting’ such as:

• developing close and warm relationships between parents and children,
• using methods of discipline that support self-discipline in children;
• fostering self-esteem of children; developing strategies to deal with risky situations, and
• managing anger.

The methods SFSC uses in order to help achieve its aims include:

• providing parents with information to empower them
• developing anger management and positive discipline techniques,
• providing a cultural framework to validate the historical and family experiences of different ethnic groups, and
• helping parents to connect to community resources in order to decrease isolation.

SFSC is a programme of 13 consecutive workshops delivered once a week over 13 weeks. Each workshop is a three-hour session delivered by a pair of trained facilitators. The number of parents participating normally ranges between 8 and 15. The SFSC programme is now an accredited programme through the Open College Network and the Race Equality Foundation is currently reviewing this with OCN. The credits may be used by parents in returning to formal education or applying for jobs.