Programme At Petersfield Primary And Infant School To Assist Parents

The Petersfield Primary and Infant School in Westmoreland is seeking to make an impact with its recently launched Parents’ Support Programme (PSP).

This programme, which began in February, targets the parents of three-year-old students who are a part of the school’s infant department by assisting them to navigate the challenges that come with parenthood.

In an interview with JIS News, Principal of the institution, Susan Rattray-Hammond, explained that the programme was conceptualised to “engage the parents, equip them with skills for [ensuring] the development of the students, including how to engage them at home, [and] their early stimulation. We also do some literacy and numeracy with them; that way they can work with the children at home”.

The programme is being delivered in two parts – Child Development and Stimulation Training, and Literacy and Numeracy Training. Parents have the option of participating in one or both parts.

The project consists of 35 sessions in each part and is being led by internal and external facilitators. Child Development and Stimulation Training, and Literacy and Numeracy Training are held on Monday and Tuesday afternoons, respectively.

Topics discussed during the sessions include ‘Celebrating Love on a budget: Happy parents = Happy children’, ‘COVID-19 Still a Keep’, ‘The Family that Reads Together Learns Together: Exploring Family-Friendly Reading Materials’, and ‘Getting in Exam mode: Family Support Matters!’.

Parents who complete at least 35 sessions, inclusive of the orientation and graduation sessions, will be awarded a certificate.

The programme, which is slated to last for five months, is set to conclude on Monday, June 27.