Parenting: the hardest job in the world! We all want what’s best for our children, but we don’t always know what that is or how to make it happen. You are not alone; we are here to help!
We provide courses for all stages of the parenting journey to help you learn about your child’s development, give you practical tools, and support you to build a strong relationship with your child.
Scroll down to find out which courses are available now or coming soon!
Parents can think they’ve messed up their relationship with their child and there’s no hope, but by the end of the [FMY] course they look and sound more confident. They say, ‘I can do this now, I’ve got the tools, I know I can make this work’. [The FMY courses] are something I really, really believe in – they make such a difference to a family and to a child’s future.
Upcoming Courses
We run our courses half-termly. To find out more about our other courses, see the dropdown menu above. If you don’t see the course that you are looking for below, please do send us an email.
A Mind of Their Own – Supporting Children’s Wellbeing
5 Sessions
Starts Wednesday 14th January 2026 | 7 -9pm |Huntington Methodist Church, Strensall Rd, York YO32 9SH
This video and discussion-based course addresses the emotional challenges our children face when navigating the complex world of the 21st century.
Tackling subjects like body confidence, self-esteem, anxiety, handling strong emotions and belonging, this course will help equip parents and carers to support their child in developing resilience and a positive mindset. It also gives time out to support parental wellbeing!
Handling Anger in the Family
5 Sessions (Free childcare available)
Starts Wednesday 14th January 2026 | 12.45 -2.45pm |Yearsley Grove Primary School, Huntington, York YO31 9BX
(In partnership with York Family Learning)
Anger can be a real taboo issue in parenting conversations. We want to change this at Family Matters York! Anger is a natural emotion, but a lot of us don’t know where it comes from or what to do with it – and this can have a real, negative impact on family life.
This course seeks to help parents understand their own anger, give tools to help their children understand theirs too, and offer some strategies to support parents & their children to handle anger in a positive way.
Time Out For Parents – Children with Additional Needs
5 Sessions
Starts Friday 16th January 2026 | 10am -12 noon |The Gateway Centre, Front St, Acomb, York YO24 3BZ
If you’re a parent of a child with additional needs, you’ll know that a lot of traditional parenting advice just doesn’t ‘cut it’ in your family; potentially leaving you feeling isolated and frustrated. The best thing about this course is the chance to meet with other parents in a similar position to yours, to share ideas and be encouraged that you’re not alone. We will cover topics like helping your child reach their potential, boosting self-esteem, coping with feelings & the reality of the impacts of your child’s additional needs on your whole family.
Other courses & events
These are the other courses & events that we will be running soon. Click on each one to find out more & register your interest.
Parenting in the Early years
Parenting in the Primary years
Parenting in the Teenage years
Handling Anger in the Family
Parenting children
with Additional Needs
Time Out for Dads
Left to their Own Devices
Parenting Event
A Mind of their Own
Parenting Event & Short Course
What to expect from a parenting course
Most of our courses run for 4-5 weeks and you’ll meet at the same time and place each week with a group of parents.
Each session will be hosted by two trained facilitators, who will be ready to greet you as you arrive and available to answer questions throughout the course.
The sessions comprise a mix of evidence-based content delivered by the facilitators with group discussions and activities. You will be encouraged to contribute to the sessions, but only as much as you feel comfortable.