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Kent Extended Services Parents' Page

The Kent Children's Trust Strategy for Supporting Parents

The Extended Services team, under the Parenting Commissioner have been commissioned by the Kent Childrens Trust to produce, through extensive consultation with parents and partners, the Kent Children's Trust strategy for Supporting Parents. This strategy, a version for parents and the Kent Children's Trust parents' charter will be launched throughout October and November.

During 'Parents Week' (20 - 26 October 2008) each Local Children's Services Partnership (LCSP) will be launching the parents' version of the strategy and the Kent Children's Trust Parent's Charter in their area.

The strategy itself will be launched in conjunction with the official launch of the LCSPs in November. This new strategy will make sure that all services that work with children, families, parents and carers work in partnership to help parents be the best that they can and want to be. At the same time we want to make sure that all our services offer good quality support to parents when they need it and in places that parents can get to.

In this strategy, all the agencies in the Kent Children's Trust have committed to:

  • listening to and respecting parents
  • working harder to involve parents in decision making
  • being more aware of the role of mothers, fathers, carers and extended family
  • creating a workforce that is skilled in working with and supporting parents
  • finding better ways to get information to parents and support them
  • improving services for parents where needed and make sure that parents can access them
  • respecting that every family is different with different needs
  • making sure that we offer high-quality support and programmes for parents.

The Kent Children's Trust Charter for Parents

This has been developed in consultation with a range of parents and carers across Kent. This charter will describe parents' rights and what support and treatment they should expect from services in Kent. In addition it will also describe what parents see as their commitments to their children. Both the Parents Summary and Parents' Charter are now available to download online:

The Parents Summary

The Parents' Charter

To celebrate Parents Week and mark the launch, schools, children's centres and community organisations will be running activities and events for parents, carers, young people and the whole community. Please download the list of activities within Kent schools for further details.

For more information, please e-mail parentsvoice@kent.gov.uk or telephone 01622 694991.

Kent Extended Services: Schools at the Heart of the Community
"Extended Schools are at the heart of the delivery of Every Child Matters, improving outcomes and raising standards of achievement for children and young people."
DCSF Extended Schools: Building on Experience (2007)

Copyright Kent County Council 2009