Parent Matters
National Parent-led organisation
Parent Network Scotland (PNS) is a National parent-led organisation based in Glasgow but working across many local authorities in Scotland. PNS was originally part of Parent Line Plus in London, which was founded in 1986. Parent Network Scotland became independent in 1999 and developed a Scotland-wide network of facilitators.
Majority Funded
Majority funded by the Scottish Government, Big Lottery, Robertson Trust, Glasgow City Council, and the Corra Foundation, PNS is also supported by a range of contracts from the voluntary and statutory sector. The organisation now has a staff team based in Glasgow with trainees and Family Hub Coordinators based in several local authorities.
Parents matter because children matter...
PNS believes in peer to peer support, and that parents themselves have the solutions to many of the challenges they face, with the support and encouragement of trained parent facilitators, and of other parents. PNS believe that parents matter because children matter.
Keeping Families together
PNS came about when a group of parents realised they needed to create a supportive strengths-based learning experience for themselves, which would increase family resilience and keep their families together. PNS also supports trained practitioners in health and social care to better understand the challenges faced by vulnerable families, and how to deliver with maximum impact especially for families with children likely to end up in the care system. The aim is always to keep families together wherever possible and appropriate.
'Attachment theory' never heard of it...
“Other professionals came to my house and used language and concepts that were unfamiliar to me. What was a development milestone and why was missing it a problem? And, 'attachment theory' never heard of it. So, a group of us got together to learn more about how to be better parents, how to give our kids the best chance in life possible. That’s all any parent wants. We needed to educate ourselves. Many of us had really bad experiences as children. We knew all about pain and suffering, about neglect and abuse ..." (To read more scroll down to our journeys)
Parent Academy
"2021 sees the launch of the Parent Academy which is another step to celebrating families, communities, parenting, learning, nurture and most of all LOVE !"
Jackie Tolland, CEO, Parent Network Scotland