SPECS Family Support Project

About SPECS

Our SPECS (Supporting Parents and Early Childhood Services) project provides supports for families from pregnancy right through to school age.  The service is free and aims to ensure children get the best start in life by providing a range of programmes that have been shown to achieve positive results for parents and children, such as:

Family Support: In response to a growing need from parents with anxious children, SPECS are running a new programme called SPACE (Supporting Parents for Anxious Childhood Emotions).

Preparing For Life:  family mentors work alongside parents from pregnancy right up to when your child starts school.  A mentor can visit you in your home and give you information on child development and parenting, with the aim of improving school readiness.  

Parents Plus (1-6-year-olds):  a parent support programme with practical steps to help you work through any stresses or difficulties you may be having with your child.  

Strengthening Families:  helps parents and children to communicate and get on better; enhances children’s life skills, including communicating, resisting peer pressure, recognising their feelings and solving problems.

Roots of Empathy:  in-school programme that helps children develop positive behaviour and social skills and reduces incidences of bullying.  We also offer support to early years services to help them ensure the highest standards and practices are in place when working with young children.

PEEP: new parenting and baby group-based programme.

To find out more call the SPECS team on 01-211 6481 or email specs@brayareapartnership.ie.  http://www.specsbray.com/

SPECS was set up by a consortium of community groups and agencies in Bray, led by Bray Area Partnership. The project is funded under the Government’s Area Based Childhood (ABC) Programme, with co-funding from the Dept. of Children and Youth Affairs and Atlantic Philanthropies.  The ABC Programme invests in evidence-based early interventions that have been shown to improve the long-term outcomes for children and families living in less advantaged communities.