Hello, my name is Laura and I am a qualified Secondary School teacher. I graduated in 2008 via a PGCE at Keele University. I also have an English Literature degree and more recently completed a master’s degree in Law. 

Having previously worked within education, my focus had always been around the safeguarding of children. However, working with PEGS has finally given me the invaluable opportunity to look at safeguarding from the perspective of the parent and through a much wider lens – considering the safety of the family as a whole.

Previously, I have had the privilege to manage a wide range of teachers and school staff as both a middle and senior leader. Furthermore, I had the chance to create and roll out a number of different initiatives at a variety of schools. Now, through PEGS, I am utilising and building upon these transferrable skills by helping to create and shape the new volunteer programme which will enable PEGS to further increase the support that we can currently offer to parents and carers who have been impacted by CPA (Child-to-Parent Abuse). 

As a training facilitator, I also deliver a wide variety of training on Child-to-Parent Abuse to a diverse array of professionals. PEGS is helping to raise awareness of CPA and so far we have helped to upskill over 3000 professionals to ensure more parents are receiving the support that they so vitally need.

Here is what a day as a Volunteer Programme Lead and Training Facilitator looks like at PEGS:

A Training Day:

8.00am – Today we are delivering training in Hereford City Centre to a group professionals from the council. We caught the train from Shrewsbury at 8.00am and then we walked from the train station to the location. 

9.30 am– Having arrived at the location for training, we met with our contact and started to setup. We made sure that our slides and audio were working and then organised any handouts ready for today’s delegates. We even had a little time to go and get a very quick coffee from a lovely little café downstairs.

9.45 am – Our 15 delegates started to arrive. We greeted them and handed around a register for them to complete. 

10am – We promptly started our 3 hour training session in ‘Understanding Child-to-Parent Abuse. Everyone introduced themselves and then we started to deliver the session which is very interactive and full of discussion, quizzes and group work. We always provide trigger warnings as the content is very heavy and we are aware that some of the professionals may also have personal experience of CPA. Very often we will receive disclosures from the professionals that we work with – as national research has estimated that at least 1 in 10 families are currently affected by CPA within the UK.

11.30am – A quick comfort break for us and the delegates. When delivering in person, there will always be two members of the PEGS’ team – wellbeing and safety of the team is always paramount. During these breaks, it is nice to speak to some of the delegates and see how the training is being received. Often, delegates may have questions which are linked to some of the families that they are supporting.

11.45am – After a short break, we quickly resume training.

1.00pm – Training ends.

1.30pm – Travel back.

3.00pm – Send out thank you emails and handouts for delegates

A Non-Training Day:

9am – log on 

9.30am – pop-in

10am – deliver free info session

11am – meeting to discuss volunteer policy

12pm – supervision

Lunch

1.30pm-4.30pm: PD Training

4-5pm – emails.

Like most jobs within a busy service, there is no 'typical day'. I have done my best to record some of my working day, to help highlight just how complex and varied some of these tasks can be. Every professional that I work with has their own unique experiences and perspectives, and it is my job to draw out their strengths and motivations to help them to use the skills that they already have and to develop their understanding of CPA so that they can respond more effectively towards families who are seeking support.

Within my first year at PEGS, I have already had the chance to attend Parliament, to travel across the country and to help organise PEGS’ first in-person conference on CPA Awareness Day. I really cannot wait to see what further opportunities may arise and to continue upon this incredible journey of making ‘real positive’ change.