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Parentline NI - Your Guide to Parenting

Parentline NI - Your Guide to Parenting

Parentline NI

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To raise thriving children parents need better support. Parentline NI is here for all parents offering support, guidance or advice wherever you are on the parenting journey. We are a helpline for parents operated by Children in Northern Ireland. The Parentline podcasts will explore the ups and downs of parenting with honest and frank discussions to support parents to lay the strongest possible foundations for their children. Find out more information about Parentline NI at http://www.ci-ni.org.uk/parentline-ni

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Top 10 Parentline NI - Your Guide to Parenting Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Parentline NI - Your Guide to Parenting episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Parentline NI - Your Guide to Parenting for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Parentline NI - Your Guide to Parenting episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Parentline NI - Your Guide to Parenting - #9 - Parenting Children with Disabilities with Marian Bradley
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03/02/20 • 31 min

Parenting can be a challenge for us all, but when a child has disabilities, a further set of complex challenges are added to the parenting role. We sat down with our parent advocate Marian Bradley whose daughter Meabh has lived with severe disabilities from birth.
It was deeply moving to discuss the achievements and challenges of Marian's parenting journey. We got to ask her some questions that some people may be too afraid to ask. We really hope this rich conversation helps you on your journey as a parent.
Remember Parentline is here for you so please call 0808 8020 400 if you wish to discuss anything in this podcast.

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Lisa and Kerry chat about the impact of childhood trauma on the person we become, and in turn our own parenting styles. They discuss the vocabulary we need to talk about trauma and it's impact on our mental health. They also discuss self care, and how empathy and compassion can make such a positive difference to those carrying the weight of trauma. Lisa discusses how having those conversations about the legacy of trauma, don't always make things better, but that addressing things can lead to valuable learnings and realisations.
Lisa Cherry is an author, researcher and leading international trainer and consultant, specialising in assisting schools, services and systems to create change that supports working with the legacy of trauma. Lisa has been working in Education and Children’s Services for over 30 years and combines academic knowledge and research with professional skills and personal experience.
Conversations that Make a Difference, by Lisa Cherry
https://www.lisacherry.co.uk/
We hope you enjoy the conversation, share with friends and family and let us know what you think.
Remember Parentline are here on 0808 8020 400 to listen, offer support or guidance on any parenting issue.

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Parentline NI - Your Guide to Parenting - #25 - Approaching Challenges at School

#25 - Approaching Challenges at School

Parentline NI - Your Guide to Parenting

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09/17/21 • 49 min

In this episode we talk about back to school and all that brings.

For some children and their parents school life can bring with it a whole set of challenges.
Kerry chats with one of our Parent Support Workers, Kathy, talking all about some of the tricky issues faced at school including: anxiety, bullying, homework stress, communication with school.
Have a listen and let us know what you think!

Remember, the Parentline Team are here, on 0808 8020 400, to listen and offer support & guidance on any parenting issue.

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Parentline NI - Your Guide to Parenting - #2 Digital Declutter – How to keep your child safe online
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07/01/19 • 11 min

The internet has become a part of everyday life, and it’s hard for the younger generation to imagine a day without it. Used for the right reasons, having access to the online world has so many benefits for children. As well as playing games, children can increase their knowledge and also keep in touch with friends. However, there are risks parents should be aware of. Listen to Ciaran Traynor, Social Worker, offer tips to ensure younger members of your family develop good internet habits and stay safe online. You can call Parentline on 0808 8020 400 or chat online at www.ci-ni.org.uk
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Parentline NI - Your Guide to Parenting - #32 - The Changing Face of Family – Raising Kids in the 2020’s. PART 2: Lesley
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04/28/22 • 39 min

We continue our series exploring and listening to the diversity of family units across Northern Ireland.

Today Kerry chats to Lesley, a kinship carer. Listen in to hear all about what a kinship carer is, how Lesley came to be a kinship carer and her parenting experience in this role.
Remember Parentline are here on 0808 8020 400 to listen, offer support or guidance on any parenting issue.

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Parentline NI - Your Guide to Parenting - Supporting Neurodiverse Children Through Life’s Big Transitions
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04/30/25 • 43 min

In this deeply insightful episode of the Parentline podcast, host Kerry McLean is joined by Tanya Strowger, a mother of three and counsellor at Jigsaw Community Counselling Centre, and Rebecca McCullough from Eden Consultancy NI. Together, they explore what it’s like to support neurodiverse children—particularly autistic children—through life’s big transitions, including school changes, holidays, family events, and everyday routines.

Tanya shares the powerful story of her son Silas, his early signs of autism, the diagnostic journey, and how their family has adapted to meet his needs at home, in school, and out in the world. From sensory challenges and visual schedules to social scripting and emotional regulation, her lived experience offers empathy and practical guidance.

Rebecca adds her expertise in neuro-affirming practice, offering thoughtful, real-world strategies to make transitions smoother, support emotional wellbeing, and embrace the child’s unique way of experiencing the world. Whether it’s navigating the school day, Christmas traditions, or going on holiday, this episode is packed with compassion, insight, and useful takeaways for any parent or professional.

In this episode, we explore:

  • Recognising early signs of neurodivergence and making sense of a diagnosis
  • Why small changes (like Sports Day or a different teacher) can be just as hard as big life events
  • Using visual aids, timers, and exit strategies to reduce anxiety
  • Preparing for transitions: from holidays and school changes to daily routines
  • Helping neurodiverse children manage emotions, especially during moments of overwhelm
  • Letting go of expectations and embracing what brings your child real happiness

Memorable Moments:

“Ditch all expectation and tune in to the happiness of the child.” – Tanya
“You don’t know until you know. And when you know, you can do things differently.” – Rebecca

Resources Mentioned:

Need Parenting Support?
📞 Call Parentline NI on 0808 8020 400
A free, confidential service offering a listening ear and practical guidance.

Subscribe & Share
If you found this episode helpful, please consider subscribing to the podcast and sharing it with a friend, family member, or colleague.
🔗 https://www.buzzsprout.com/861409

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Parentline NI - Your Guide to Parenting - #42 - Autism Next Steps - Kerry and Rebecca chat autism pre and post diagnosis
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01/14/23 • 46 min

In this episode we were delighted to have Rebecca from Eden Consultancy back with us to chat more about autism. Kerry and Rebecca chat about next steps after diagnosis, as well as discussing stigmas and dated views. Rebecca gives some excellent tried and tested techniques as well as advice for parents and carers to try involving the whole family in using a consistent approach for their children. They also chat about normalising a diagnosis - it does not change your child and is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.
If you would like to talk one of our Parentline NI support officers please call 0808 8020 400. We are here to support you without judgement.
Useful links:
https://www.edenconsultancyni.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Edenconsultancyni
https://www.ci-ni.org.uk/parentline/
https://www.facebook.com/parentlineni

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Parentline NI - Your Guide to Parenting - #27 - Experiences of Christmas growing up in another faith

#27 - Experiences of Christmas growing up in another faith

Parentline NI - Your Guide to Parenting

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12/23/21 • 25 min

It’s that time of year again, Christmas! Twinkly lights, Santa trips, presents to wrap and cards to write! You might say, Christmas is all around!

So what might it be like to grow up in a largely Christian society like Northern Ireland as a person of another faith and exposed to all the Christmas hype?

In this episode Kerry chats to Bellal Yaqub, about his experiences as a Muslim at Christmas both as a child and now a parent. We hope you enjoy the conversation.

Remember Parentline are here on 0808 8020 400 to listen, offer support or guidance on any parenting issue.

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Parentline NI - Your Guide to Parenting - #4 -  Working Mums: How to Juggle the Work/Life Balance with Kerry McLean
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09/02/19 • 22 min

It’s never easy being a mum trying to juggle family life with work life. We chatted to broadcaster Kerry McLean about how mums can get closer to reaching an ideal work life balance.You can call Parentline on 0808 8020 400 or chat online at www.ci-ni.org.uk
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Parentline NI - Your Guide to Parenting - #38 - "How Do We Build Resilience In Ourselves And Our Children?" with Ed Sipler
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08/22/22 • 25 min

Ed Sipler, a Health Development Specialist in the South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust, talks to Kerry McLean about building resilience in ourselves and our children.
It's been a tough few years for us all, and with the current cost of living challenges, we have all had a lot to cope with and try to overcome.
Ed talks about resilience in this episode, and how it's more effective to build our own resilience first, before modelling it to our children. Ed talks about his own family, and his twin granddaughters, giving us an insight on the challenges we all face, and how to work through them using our own resilience and instilling it into our children and grandchildren.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
CYPSP - https://cypsp.hscni.net
Family Support Hubs - https://cypsp.hscni.net/family-support-hubs
Parentline - https://www.ci-ni.org.uk/parentline
Remember Parentline NI are here on 0808 8020 400 to listen, offer support or guidance on any area of parenting.
To avoid missing an episode of our podcast, click ‘follow’ wherever you get your podcasts.
Thanks for listening!!

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FAQ

How many episodes does Parentline NI - Your Guide to Parenting have?

Parentline NI - Your Guide to Parenting currently has 57 episodes available.

What topics does Parentline NI - Your Guide to Parenting cover?

The podcast is about Society & Culture, Parenting, Teen, Kids & Family, Baby, Podcasts, Relationships, Kids, Toddler and Children.

What is the most popular episode on Parentline NI - Your Guide to Parenting?

The episode title '#9 - Parenting Children with Disabilities with Marian Bradley' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Parentline NI - Your Guide to Parenting?

The average episode length on Parentline NI - Your Guide to Parenting is 35 minutes.

How often are episodes of Parentline NI - Your Guide to Parenting released?

Episodes of Parentline NI - Your Guide to Parenting are typically released every 29 days, 2 hours.

When was the first episode of Parentline NI - Your Guide to Parenting?

The first episode of Parentline NI - Your Guide to Parenting was released on May 29, 2019.

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