Guidance and advice

Raising a child, whether you are a Mum, Dad or carer is one of the most rewarding and important jobs you can do. Supporting your child through life’s ups and downs brings amazing rewards as well as challenges.

Children enrich our lives in so many different ways. Every child is unique and there is no such thing as a ‘one size fits all’ style of parenting. Parents need to understand and respond to their child’s unique personality, strengths and needs.

Children are not born knowing what is acceptable and what is not acceptable behaviour. Young children don’t have the ability to link their feelings, thoughts and behaviour in the same way adults do. Children learn to manage their emotions and their behaviour as they develop. As they grow, they learn acceptable ways to respond to different situations.

Parents can best support this development by fostering a good relationship with their child and building on their child’s wish to please.

These pages have information, tips and ideas on guiding your child’s behaviour in a positive way and on a number of other important topics about being a parent.