The Parent Centre marks 40 years of service

The Parent Centre in Wetton Road, Wynberg, celebrated its 40th anniversary with the launch of its upgraded building last Thursday, November 2.

The non-profit organisation’s aim is to make a difference through empowering parents by offering positive parenting courses.

CEO Kate Brydon said the celebration was a significant achievement for the organisation.

“Our new building provides us with beautiful facilities for us to offer parenting counselling to families and run training including Positive Parenting Skills Training, and Fatherhood training in a therapeutic space.”

Ms Brydon said The Parent Centre is preparing for their next chapter.

“There is an increasing need for the support of parents in South Africa, with the rise of community and gender-based violence, financial strain, poverty, and the additional pressures children face socially, and educationally, to achieve and fit in. We are now busy revising our programmes and content to ensure our training and counselling remains relevant and addresses these pressures for parents.”

Ms Brydon said they are putting together online resources and workshops for parents that can be accessed online and used at home to support them through various parenting issues. “Our vision is to be the go-to parenting organisation for support and training not just in the Western Cape but in South Africa and beyond.”

Venecia Barries, former CEO, said the years 2022 and 2023 were literally “earth shattering” years for the Parent Centre.

“This year started with the major renovations to our head office. There were many days where staff worked in a haze of dust and the building shaking as major demolition work was being done. But it has all been worth it. We now have a beautiful new building which provides the sanctuary for parents and caregivers, which they have been dreaming about for so long. The dream that former director Celeste van der Merwe had more than 20 years ago, finally became a beautiful reality,” said Ms Barries.

The Parent Centre was established 40 years ago as a project of the Cape Town Child Welfare Society.

“The centre was started as a primary prevention project to reduce the incidence of child abuse through the promotion of positive parenting and effective child management practices that would enhance the well-being and self-esteem of parents and children,” said Jonathan Hoffenberg, acting programme manager.

The project grew into a branch of the Cape Town Child Welfare Society and in 1997, it became an independent, registered non-profit organisation.

“For the last 40 years, The Parent Centre has been promoting positive parenting through different programmes and workshops. We collaborate with like-minded individuals and organisations to help parents raise resilient and well-balanced children,” said Mr Hoffenberg.

The Parent Centre’s major funder is the Department of Social Development. “TPC has a range of other funders and has a number of ways to generate income. We currently offer counselling to parents on behavioural issues and co-parenting. We have a sliding scale linked to the parents income and generate income through charging for counselling. We also have a range of workshops and talks that we charge for. As more and more NGOs look into social enterprise TPC is eager to run more for profit services,” said Mr Hoffenberg.

He said The Parent Centre has made an impact in the lives of many parents. “We have a focus on evidence-based programmes. TPC is resolute that regular performance monitoring, supervision and staff wellness are critical for effective service delivery and sustainability.”

Errol Juries, a parent, who attended the launch, said his life was greatly impacted by the parenting courses and it changed him as a father. “I contacted The Parent Centre in 2020. I then had the privilege of being a part of the first Parenting Course in 2021.

“We were still in the pandemic and this course was done over WhatsApp with facilitator Carmen de Vos.

“Carmen was vibrant and energetic and she made the course exciting but also made us think deep and hard about our parenting skills.

“The course ran for seven weeks, 23 participants registered and unfortunately some fell away as we were challenged to struggle with our inner self.

“It can be a painful experience realising your existing parenting is not helpful to your children’s development,” said Mr Juries.

He said the course started with an orientation session followed by 14 sessions with the last session being at the end of March 2021.

He said was taught to see his children with new eyes. “I now understand my children better from their point of view. I learned how to be patient and to do everything with love.”

Mr Juries said he is an introvert and it was difficult to express himself but through bonding with his two children he had experienced a transformation. “I remember fetching my son from school, and he told me he had volunteered to do a presentation at school. He told me a day before the Parent Centre launch, that he spoke very loud when he presented his speech.”

Mr Juries said he was inspired by his son and at the Parent Centre launch he spoke “very loudly.”

Mr Juries said he is open to growth and will continue taking parenting courses.

The Parent Centre history

On May 2 1983, the Cape Town Child Welfare Society established a project called Family Focus, which was the first parenting programme in South Africa, with a staff of four enthusiastic women who were parents and professionals: Hermien Wengrowe, Mireille Landman, Hilary Rosenthal, and Janet Bourhill.

Family Focus was located in Struben House, Eden Road, Claremont.

In 1988 Family Focus changed to The Parent Centre. In 1992 The Parent Centre opened an office in Athlone. In 1994, it opened an office in Khayelitsha.

In 2003, they moved from Struben House to 155 on Main Road Wynberg. In 2006, they moved to 123 Main Road, Wynberg. In 2006, they opened an office in Mitchell’s Plain.

In 2018, having secured funding from the Trifid Foundation, they moved to 22 Wetton Road, Wynberg, having bought the building.

In 2022 major renovations started and are completed in 2023, giving TPC its newly renovated head office.