The Creating Connections programme ran between 2014 to 2016 as a programme of self-management and peer support for single parents in Wales.
Big Lottery Cymru invested £318,000 in the Mental Health Foundation and Gingerbread to develop this programme, where 206 single parents took part, and 21 self-management courses were run in Cardiff and Newport.
Research consistently shows that there is a higher prevalence of mental ill-health among single parents compared to couple parents. Single mothers have also been shown to have roughly three times the prevalence of depressive episodes compared with other groups.
In addition, our consultations had shown that many single parents experience social isolation, poverty, lack of confidence, stigma and a lack of opportunities for training and education. Poor parental mental health is also known to have a detrimental impact on the development of children.
250+
single parents and their families attended 12 activities and events.
21
single parents were recruited and trained as volunteers, including becoming Course Facilitators, Event Organisers and Peer Support Leaders.
1500+
single parents and their families benefitted from community activities and projects organised by their peers.
Parenting and mental health
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