Sheffield charity awarded £20,000 to help young care leaver parents

Young care leaver mums and dads are to receive additional parenting support after Sheffield-based FACET secured a £20,000 National Lottery grant.

placeholder image — [object Object] | FACET

FACET (Fostered & Adopted Children’s Education & Therapies) will use the funding to run practical workshops across South Yorkshire, with activities including baby massage and Sing & Sign.

Saphire Took, chair of trustees, said the sessions were intended to strengthen parenting skills and help parents bond with their babies.

“These activities provide opportunities to develop their parenting skills and promote bonding with their babies. A total of 27% of birth mothers with babies placed for adoption are care leavers, so getting support in there early is essential to break the cycle," she said.

FACET also offers mentoring and individual neurodiversity triage assessments alongside its programme for young mums and dads.

The assessments identify needs involving executive function, described as mental skills, as well as sensory processing and communication.

Saphire added: “Thanks to funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, we can now support young mums and dads to develop their skills and support networks, and give practical strategies that make a real difference to their parenthood journey."