Free courses for parents and carers of children aged 2 - 12 years
We all need a little support at times when it comes to looking after children, and across Central Bedfordshire, there are free courses for parents and carers of children aged 2 to 12 to help.
The Parenting Puzzle programme helps to build strategies to reduce the stress of parenting and prepare your children for school. It’s also a great place to meet other parents and carers in your area.
Parenting Puzzle is being run throughout the year at your local children’s centre with two courses available to residents of Central Bedfordshire.
Courses available
Four-week Parenting Puzzle workshop
All sessions are free of charge. Those who book on to the course are welcome to attend alone or come with a partner, relative or friend.
The two-hour sessions, which run over four weeks, cover a broad range of topics such as:
- the emotional well-being of parents, carers, and their children
- understanding behaviour, listening skills, communication, praise, and encouragement
- praise and guidance vs. criticism, child-led play, and positive moments
- boundaries, parenting styles, time to calm down, dealing with stress and conflict
- choices, consequences, behaviour to ignore, putting the puzzle together and looking after yourself
Ten-week Parenting Puzzle Nurturing Programme
This free programme delves into parenting in more detail, the two-hour per week sessions, running over 10 weeks, focus on:
- empowering parents and carers to build positive relationships with their children
- understanding why children behave as they do
- recognising the feelings behind behaviours (yours and your child’s)
- exploring different approaches to discipline
- finding ways to develop co-operation and self-discipline in children
- learning the importance of looking after yourself
Book your place
Sessions are held at local venues or children’s centres across Central Bedfordshire. Enquiries and bookings should be made directly with each centre through email or telephone.
Four-week course bookings
The four-week course will be held at the following locations.
Dunstable
Starting on 4 November, running on Tuesday mornings from 9:30am to 11:30am at Dunstable Children’s Centre.
Email: dunstablechildrenscentres@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 300 8104 or 0300 300 8106
Sandy and Biggleswade
Starting on 24 September, running on Wednesday evenings from 6pm to 8pm at Sandy Children’s Centre.
Email: sandy.childrenscentre@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 300 8114 or 0300 300 8134
Houghton Regis
Starting on 12 November, running on Wednesday mornings from 9:30am to 11:30am at Tithe Farm site.
Email: houghtonregis.childrencentre@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 300 8115 or 0300 300 8129
Shefford and Stotfold
Starting on 30 September, running on Tuesday evenings from 7pm to 9pm at Shefford Children’s Centre.
Email: shefford.childrencentre@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 300 8112
Ten-week course bookings
The ten-week course will be held at the following locations.
Flitwick
Starting on 17 September, running on Wednesday afternoons from 1pm to 3pm at Shillington School.
Email: flitwick.childrencentre@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 300 8111
Leighton Buzzard
Starting on 25 September, running on Thursday mornings from 9:15am to 11:15am at Beaudesert Lower School.
Email: lbcc@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 300 8880