CCVAB parent workshop Al Coates MBE

Connect for Parents workshops – challenging behaviours in children (CCVAB)

Feeling alone as a parent when it comes to navigating your child’s violent, agressive, and challenging behaviour? We are currently planning a new series of fully-funded workshops to support parents, carers and professional colleagues hosted by Social Worker, Advanced Non Violent Resistance Practitioner, and Founder / co-host of The Adoption & Fostering Podcast, Al Coates MBE.

Workshops update – autumn 2025

We are currently trialling our CCVAB workshops in local schools. Future new CCVAB workshops for parents are in planning and we look forward to sharing these opportunities as they arise.

Parent workshop FAQs

Are Connect for Parents workshops really free?
Yes, they are, for the most part – with occasional exceptions which are priced at affordable rates and which you have no obligation to attend.

With funding from the National Lottery, we have established much needed and valued services in the community. We look forward to expanding further so that we can help more families over the next few years.

Is a Connect for Parents workshop right for me?
If you are a UK parent or carer who fits any of the criteria below, you are welcome to book onto a Connect for Parents workshop.

  • Parents who are struggling, emotionally or socially
  • Parents who want to help their family feel safer
  • Parents managing neurodiversity
  • Parents who are finding their children’s emotional behaviour a challenge
  • Parents facing challenges due to resettling, e.g. as a displaced / refugee family
  • Parents who feel that their stories are not being heard or understood
  • Participants are asked to complete an evaluation via link, to help us improve our services.
What to expect from a Connect for Parents workshop
These workshops are for parents and carers, not for group work with your children. Connect for Parents workshops are designed to help you learn more about how to support your children and feel better as parents, guardians, and caregivers.

Workshop topics

Each workshop is designed to be educational and informative. It will typically focus on one key topic and challenge, such as neurodivergence, or Challenging Childhood Violent and Aggressive Behaviours (CCVAB).

Workshop leaders

Connect for Parents workshops are facilitated by our qualified and experienced therapists. They have lived experience of the challenges you may be facing. In addition, they have all been trained in play therapies and Theraplay®, a relational support that uses play to build and strengthen relationships with your child.

What parents say about us…

“This session gave me a really good boost and I now know I’m not alone.”

“This week has been difficult – almost at the point of placement breakdown. This (workshop) has given me hope!”

“It is refreshing to meet people with the same sort of circumstances – parenting as a neurodivergent adult, having children with conflicting sensory needs, clash/triggering each other.”

“It was so helpful to know there is help out there and that other parents are in similar situations. I feel less alone when I start to think I’m struggling or drowning.”

“It has been good to think about support networks, and how that helps to reduce violent and aggressive behaviours, as well as increasing capacity to manage the situation.”

“A great opportunity to get together with other parents and care givers going through similar experiences, to hear how others are living lives like ours.”

“I never knew how much I needed this until I started, but knew I was burning out. I got so much out of it personally and lots to take away.”

“I have not just a greater understanding after this workshop but feeling that what we are living is real and not just our perception and that someone else gets it.”

Further support for parents

If you or someone you know is struggling with family relationships, Beacon Family Services can help. We provide a range of therapies and resources to support parents, children and families including our Connect For Kids Theraplay® group and parent workshops on a variety of topics, as well as access to peer support groups.

For further support, and to see our latest parent events and services, please visit the Families hub.

You can also explore our resources for instant support, including newsletters, online support groups, and much more. You can also read further insights and tips from qualified therapists and professionals on our blog.

FAMILIES
BLOG
RESOURCES

We work with organisations, professionals, schools, and charities.

We provide training to use our resources with families and in schools. We partner with professionals, commissioners and organisations to provide in person and online support for families, professional development and training and support and supervision.