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for anyone viewing this rather old version of our website please note that we have now moved to :
OPFemail@gmail.com
and our new (slim-lined) website is at:
https://www.oxfordshireparentingforum.org/


 NEXT OPF SEMINAR: TALKING WITH CHILDREN ABOUT DEATH AND DYING
Led by Dr Helen Mackinnon, Director of SeeSaw, the Oxfordshire child bereavement charity, this seminar will be held at The Peeple Centre, Littlemore, on Wednesday 19th October. Visit our Seminars page for more details and to download a flyer.

FUTURE-PROOFING FATHERS WORK
We are delighted to announce the release of a report on fathers work in Oxfordshire by Martin Andrews. For more details, and to download a copy, please see our Resources page.
Posted 24th June 2016

News Archive
NEXT OPF SEMINAR:
Our next seminar is on 12th July, and offers support to parents and carers with children who have dyslexia. Led by a team of specialist staff from The Unicorn School, Abingdon. Please see our Seminars page for full details.
* Early bird discount! Book before 30th June and get 20% off! * 
Posted 24th June 2016

SEMINAR CANCELLED
Please note that we have regretfully had to cancel the KEEP seminar this Thursday, 17th March. We hope to reschedule this for a later date; details will be announced when available.
Posted 16th March 2016  

NEXT OPF SEMINAR: 
March 17th: The KEEP Programme – keeping foster carers trained and supported
Led by Clare Campling, Programme Coordinator for KEEP in Oxfordshire
See our seminars page for full details, including information on how to book your place.
Posted 7th March 2016

LATEST OPF SEMINARS ANNOUNCED!
We have two seminars coming up in the next couple of months, as follows:
February 24th How can we support parents and carers to empower their children to stay safe online?
Led by Jo Brown, Anti-Bullying Coordinator, Oxfordshire County Council
March 17th: The KEEP Programme – keeping foster carers trained and supported
Led by Clare Campling, Programme Coordinator for KEEP in Oxfordshire
See our seminars page for full details, including information on how to book your place.
Posted 26th January 2016

DECEMBER NEWSLETTER OUT NOW!
Our latest newsletter is now available, and includes:
Eight-page coverage of the Oxfordshire children’s centres crisis
Becoming a foster family
A success story from the Dinosaur School
OPF’s Seminar Programme for 2016/17
Download your copy now by visiting our Newsletters page.
Posted 8th September 2015

FATHERS' WORK SEMINAR
There are still places available on our forthcoming seminar, Can Working with Fathers Work for You? Full details can be found below. Click on our Practitioners page to access five case studies to be discussed at the seminar. 
Posted 3rd November 2015 

CAN WORKING WITH FATHERS WORK FOR YOU?
Wednesday 11th November, 12.30-4.30
The King's Centre, Osney Mead, Oxford OX2 0ES
This FREE seminar heralds the publication of our latest fathers' work report, Voices from the Field, and offers valuable opportunities for practitioners and those with strategic responsibility for supporting fathers and their families. We hope this seminar will be a milestone in developing a positive future for fathers' work in Oxfordshire. For full details, click here
Posted 20th October 2015

PUBLIC MEETINGS TO DISCUSS FUTURE OF OXFORDSHIRE'S CHILDREN'S CENTRES  
Have your say on the future of Oxfordshire's children's centres by attending one of the public consultation meetings. Venues, dates and times are as follows:
County Hall, Oxford - Tuesday 27th October
Town Hall, Banbury - Monday 2nd November
Regal Centre, Wallingford - Thursday 5th November.
All meetings run from 7pm to 8.30pm.
View the official poster here 
Posted 13th October 2015

DR SUSAN HAYWARD ON SAVING OXFORDSHIRE'S CHILDREN'S CENTRES
"It is a grave concern that a service which has been so widely praised for what it has achieved should be considered for closure. How, as a civilised country which is proud of its provision for children and young people, can we even be considering it?" So argues Dr Susan Hayward, in a passionate defence of Oxfordshire's children's centres. Read her full report here
Posted 13th October 2015

SAVE OXFORDSHIRE'S CHILDREN'S CENTRES - SIGN THE PETITION!
Oxfordshire's 44 children's centres are at risk of being closed and replaced with a greatly-reduced service, resulting in the loss of vital support for parents. A decision by Oxfordshire County Council is due next year, so there is still time to try and persuade them not to pursue this potentially devastating and short-sighted plan of action. You can help by signing the petition. To find out more, click here
Posted 7th October 2015

THE FIGHT TO SAVE OXFORDSHIRE'S CHILDREN'S CENTRES
Please spread the word far and wide. There will be no more children’s centres of the kind that we have been proud to help grow. Even the remaining six or eight will not have open-access sessions. Referred work in isolation from the communities where people live is doomed to failure. The proposals are savage and terribly short-sighted. There will be a heavy price to pay if parents in need cannot access support without being referred and labelled as vulnerable and at risk. Stigma will dog these referral-only children and family centres in just the way it used to dog Social Services family centres. It has taken the development of children’s centres to drag them into a world of integrated community support. Don’t let us go back to the dark ages of stigma and restricted access. 
Visit the Save Oxfordshire's Children's Centres website here
Most importantly, please consider signing the petition here http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-oxfordshire-s-children-s-centres-2
You can also help by spreading the word on social media. Just click on these links:
Chris Sewell
Originally posted 16th September 2015 – updated 24th September 2015

RESEARCHING DADS
Are you the dad of teenage children, or know someone who is? Professor Tina Miller, of Oxford Brookes University, is looking for dads to take part in a workshop (all expenses covered, plus a £20 voucher by way of thanks) and share their experiences on modern parenthood. More details here
Posted 16th September 2015

OPF SEMINAR CANCELLED
We are sorry to announce that we have had to cancel next week's seminar on child safety on the internet. We hope to rearrange this for another date. Details will be announced when available. We apologise for any disappointment and inconvenience.
Posted 10th September 2015

NEW OPF CHAIRMAN APPOINTED
After two years without a permanent chair, we are delighted to announce that we have appointed OPF newcomer Malcolm Fearn to this position. Malcolm has extensive experience in chairing and fundraising with other charities, including PACT, and we are confident that he will be an asset to OPF. We offer him a very warm welcome and look forward to working with him.
Posted 8th September 2015

SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER OUT NOW!
Our latest newsletter includes a report on our recent AGM, our response to the children's centres crisis in Oxfordshire, details of an exciting new project for grandparents, all our latest news and forthcoming parenting events and training courses across the county. Download your copy now by visiting our Newsletters page.
Posted 8th September 2015

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