Overview

Parent Village is a weekly, welcoming space for parents and carers with babies and young children. It brings families together at a time when many feel isolated, overwhelmed or unsure where to turn. Through gentle facilitation, trusted partnerships and peer connection, Parent Village supports confidence, wellbeing and community belonging during early parenthood.

This case study highlights different visitor journeys, the value of partner collaboration and key themes emerging from lived experiences and professional reflections.

Visitor Journeys

1.  

2. From Isolation to Belonging – June’s Journey (Parent Story)

When June* first came to Parent Village, her baby was just eight weeks old. She had recently moved to the area, had no family nearby and described her days as “long, quiet and overwhelming”.

She began attending Parent Village sessions weekly, at first sitting quietly and listening. Over time, she started chatting with other parents, asking questions and building confidence.

Within a few months, June told us that Parent Village had become the one place in her week where she felt safe, supported and understood. She made friends she now meets outside sessions, felt more confident as a parent and knew where to turn for help when things felt difficult.

“Parent Village helped me find my feet. It reminded me I wasn’t failing, I was just learning, like everyone else.”

*Name changed to protect privacy.

This journey reflects a common experience at Parent Village: parents arriving feeling unsure and leaving with connection, reassurance and a growing sense of capability.

2.  

3. First Steps Out of the House – New Parents Arriving Anxious

Partners and facilitators regularly support parents for whom attending Parent Village is their first outing since giving birth. In one session, two new mums arrived towards the end, having never met before. Both shared that this was the first time they had felt able to leave the house. There were tears, relief and visible anxiety.

With time, reassurance and space to talk without pressure or advice, the two parents found comfort in simply being heard. They connected over having babies of the same age and left knowing that some days are harder than others and that this is normal.

These moments demonstrate the importance of low-pressure environments where listening is valued just as much as information.

3.  

4. Building Confidence Through Peer Support

Many parents attend regularly, gradually shifting from quiet observers to active participants. Sessions often involve organic conversations between parents about sleep, feeding, teething, birth experiences and everyday challenges.

Parents share what has worked for them, offer reassurance and normalise each other’s experiences. Over time, this peer-to-peer support helps parents trust their instincts and feel less alone.

In many sessions, parents who had only met that morning continued talking after the session ended and went for coffee together, forming new friendships beyond Parent Village.

4.  

5. Inclusive Spaces for All Caregivers

Parent Village welcomes mums, dads, grandparents and carers. In one calm and constructive session, three new mums and two new dads joined. One father shared that he had been encouraged by his partner to attend as a way to build bonding time with his baby. He thoroughly enjoyed the session and later returned with his partner, who attended for the first time and planned to come again.

This highlights Parent Village’s role in supporting shared parenting, confidence in caregiving and inclusive family spaces.

Partner Collaboration in Action

Parent Village works closely with local partners who attend sessions on site, offering expertise, reassurance and trusted pathways to further support.

Reflection from Sarah, Home-Start

“A small group with mainly under 12 months today, lots of interactions with each other as mums, discussing birth plans, teeth, sleep. Giving advice with what they have found is working.

New mums from last week came back, sharing birth stories as very recent and needing to talk, with listening but also including other parents and their experiences.

I actually left with the mums still talking and going for coffee, some only meeting for the first time today. Such a highlight of what Parent Village is about.”

Sarah also reflected on the importance of listening rather than fixing:

“The parents just wanted to be listened to and not always needing advice. It’s important to remember that.”

This partnership demonstrates how Parent Village creates a bridge between informal peer support and professional services.

Referral Pathways and Early Intervention

Being able to access trusted support on site makes a significant difference. In one instance, a parent was referred directly into Home-Start, and Family Hub after sharing concerns during a session. The referral was followed up quickly and support put in place.

The parent later shared that without Parent Village and the presence of a trusted professional, she would not have known where to go or how to ask for help.

Similarly, parents who express concerns about mental health are gently signposted to appropriate services, with reassurance and follow-up rather than pressure.

Partner Organisations and Mutual Benefit

Parent Village collaborates with a wide range of local partners including: Home-Start, Boogie Mites, Yogi Littles, Baby Massage practitioners, Happy Calm Kind, Corn Exchange, Watermill Theatre, Family Hubs, Fitter Mother, Bodyset, Daisy First Aid and more.

These partnerships are mutually beneficial. Partners gain access to parents and children who are their core audience and are able to offer tasters of their sessions in a trusted environment. Families, in turn, discover what is available locally, learn about different classes and services and feel more confident accessing them.

For many families, Parent Village becomes the starting point for wider engagement with their community.

Key Themes and Impact

Across all journeys and reflections, several themes consistently emerge:

• – Confidence building: Parents grow in confidence through reassurance, shared experiences and gentle encouragement
• – Friendship and community: Relationships formed often continue beyond sessions, reducing isolation
• – Listening and validation: Being heard is as valuable as receiving advice
• – Accessible support: On-site partners enable early intervention and clear referral pathways
• – Inclusive parenting: Sessions welcome all caregivers and support shared parenting roles
•  

Conclusion

Parent Village is more than a weekly session. It is a safe entry point into community life for families, a place where confidence is built slowly, friendships form naturally and support feels accessible rather than intimidating.

Through strong partnerships and a focus on listening, Parent Village helps parents realise they are not alone and that learning to parent does not have to happen in isolation.