Service users’ experiences of The Foundation for Ribble Valley Families

Healthwatch Lancashire looks at the experiences of parents who received emotional health and wellbeing support from The Foundation for Ribble Valley Families. The service provides counselling and group sessions for vulnerable parents, with the aim of improving their mental health and preventing wider family difficulties. It is delivered through a children’s centre and includes free childcare to support attendance. 

Healthwatch Lancashire carried out the project on behalf of East Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Group to evaluate the impact of the service. Eight parents who had taken part in the programme were interviewed about accessibility and the effects on their health and wellbeing. 

Overall, the service was found to be highly accessible. Most participants reported that it was easy to find out about and attend the sessions, often through referrals or contact with the children’s centre. Travel was generally manageable, and the availability of a crèche was a key factor in enabling parents to attend. The setting within a familiar nursery environment helped people feel safe and comfortable, and most participants rated accessibility as excellent. 

The report found very positive impacts on participants’ health and wellbeing. All service users said they enjoyed the sessions and felt their mental health had improved. They reported feeling less isolated, more able to cope with everyday pressures, and more optimistic about life. The social aspect of the sessions was especially important, helping participants build friendships and support networks. 

Many participants also noted improvements in their family relationships. They described becoming calmer and better able to manage parenting challenges, which led to happier and more settled children. Some also reported benefits to wider family relationships and modest improvements in physical health. 

Although the feedback was overwhelmingly positive, some participants suggested that the programme could be longer or include more opportunities for informal social contact after sessions. Despite this, all participants rated the overall impact of the service as excellent and said they would recommend it to others. 

In conclusion, the report shows that The Foundation for Ribble Valley Families provides accessible and highly valued support that has a significant positive impact on the emotional wellbeing of parents and their families.