How you can help your child

This page contains information for parents, carers, school and nursery staff and other professionals, including health visitors, on how best to help children develop a wide range of skills from the moment they are born.  Please follow the suggested links and advice before contacting our specialist services.

The Importance of Parents and Carers

It is widely recognised that parents and carers are the most important people in the development of children – you hold the key!  Take care of yourself – if you are fit and healthy you will be able to help your child more effectively.  If you need support in this, Swansea Bay University Health Board, NHS Choices and Change4Life offer lots of advice on promoting good mental health, living well and making healthy lifestyle choices.

There are also many helpful organisations such as the Care for the Family and Barnardo’s who can support you and help you build a strong and secure relationship with your child, whatever their age. 

Being a parent is one of the most important jobs there is - it is also one of the hardest - so don’t be afraid to seek help from these organisations.

Please take a few minutes to explore the NHS Birth to 5 Years Development Timeline. The timeline is a guide to the milestones in your child's development and is a useful tool for getting an idea when your child may develop skills and learn new things.

There are many simple things that parents can do to help their child develop important life skills.  Here are some of the areas that many parents and others seek advice about from our service: