Transforming family life with Francine and Lesley
There are two of us, Lesley (left) and Francine (right) and between us we have a wealth of experience in working with families and as parents we are experts by experience. Our involvement in education and, counselling including time working with children at high risk of exclusion from school, and with additional needs, has enabled us to develop evidence-based, supportive, and therapeutic parenting programmes, accredited with the CANparent quality mark – the only quality mark that covers the work of all providers of universal parenting classes. We work hard to create a safe, judgement free environment to enable family diversity to be acknowledged and validated.
A bit about us
Lesley and Francine, research, develop and personally deliver all Families in Focus courses. We are compassionate, respectful qualified facilitators and pride ourselves on sharing our knowledge with clarity, sensitivity and energy, mixed with an infectious sense of fun.
We have delivered over 800 courses since 2007 with outstanding feedback from parents.
We are qualified in PTLL’s (Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector) Level 4, have Level 4 City and Guilds Working with Parents, and are qualified sleep therapists.
We each have over 30 years of personal and professional experience in the world of SEND.
The story so far…
| 2006 | Francine, Lesley and Jane Petrie had an idea… |
| 2007 | Families in Focus became a Community Interest Company. Courses were researched, developed and delivered to the first parents |
| 2009 | Our Working for Parents Level 4 training programme was delivered across Hertfordshire.
Jane left to pursue a new path. |
| 2011 | We developed and researched Parenting with Empathy |
| 2012 | Dr Amanda Gummer, Founder of the Good Play Guide joined as the third director |
| 2013 | Families in Focus was named as Hertfordshire County Council, Children’s Services preferred provider for parenting courses |
| 2014 | Lottery funding was secured for us to run Parent Network support groups for parent carers by parent carers for three years |
| 2016 | Children in Need 3 years funding for Siblings First programme delivered to over 350 parents and siblings of a brother/sister with SEND |
| 2017 | We gained our Sleep Trainers qualification with The Sleep Charity We held a PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) conference with over 150 delegates |
| 2018 | An additional 5 years funding from The National Lottery to extend our Parent Network project including training parents as facilitators |
| 2019 | We ran a second PDA conference We added anxiety and suicide training to our services |
| 2020 | Due to the COVID19 pandemic, we moved all of our services online so that we could continue to support parents in a safe environment. FiF Arms, our weekly SEND social launched via ZoomParent Network will expand to include Early Years, Teens and Let’s Put the Kettle on groups each month |
| 2021 | Researched and developed the Understanding and Supporting Children’s Anxiety course. Added additional research to our evidence based Handling anger of children with Autism and ADHD course |
| 2022 | Undertook additional training with The Sleep Charity to enable us to train our team on sleep issues. Added additional research to our evidence based The complete guide to parenting children with SEND course |
| 2023 | We produced a research paper on: Moving in-person family support services online during Covid 19. A review of parenting support provision from Families in Focus and the implications for best practice in a post-pandemic world. |
| 2024 | Completed the Parent Network project funded by The Lottery since 2014
Starting September 2024: Parenting with Empathy project funded by the National Lottery Community Fund for parents of primary aged children living in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire |
As a mother of a son with Autism and complex needs, I am passionate about bringing parents together and creating a safe space, enabling parents to help their families flourish.
Francine
As a parent I realised life can be a bit like a rollercoaster – the highs and the lows and never knowing quite what’s around the next corner! By bringing all of my personal parenting experience and professional knowledge together to develop our courses, I intend to work in the best way I can to offer parents tools to inspire and encourage all family members to reach their full potential.
Lesley
