Parent Programs

If you think a program below could be of benefit to you, please contact the HCOS Community Services Support Team:

Phone during our office hours, Monday to Thursday, 9am to 5pm.
Outside those times, you are welcome to leave a message and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
You can also send us an email, or use our form here.

Black Box Parenting

This program is for parents and carers who have experienced domestic and family violence. It’s designed for biological parents and kinship carers, but foster carers with their own history of family violence may also find it helpful.

Over five group sessions we look at how trauma and attachment disruption can affect your present interactions. We focus on the effects of your experiences, rather than asking you to share the details of your own traumatic events. We also discuss how, as a parent, you can both support the healing of your children and manage your own recovery.

For parents/carers of children aged 0–17 years.
They attend without their children.
5 fortnightly group sessions, with individual phone calls and play coaching in the alternate weeks.

1-2-3 Magic® & Emotion Coaching

This course to equips you with the tips and skills to manage your children’s difficult behaviour – and also teaches strategies on encouraging good behaviour and strengthening your parent/child relationship.

1-2-3 is based on two underlying perspectives on parenting:

Children can be taught to respond more flexibly when they are frustrated or upset
Parents and carers can learn easy-to-use skills to apply at particular parenting moments.

For parents/carers of children aged 0–8 years.
They attend without their children.
3 weekly sessions.

Circle of Security® Parenting™

At times, all parents can feel lost or confused about what our children might need from us. Imagine what it would feel like if you could make sense of what your child was really asking of you.

This early intervention program utilises decades of research about how secure parent-child relationships can be supported and strengthened. In a relaxed, comfortable and safe learning environment, our trained and accredited facilitators work with parents and caregivers to help them to:

Understand their child’s emotional world by learning to read emotional needs
Support their child’s ability to successfully manage emotions
Enhance the development of their child’s self esteem
Honour their innate wisdom and desire for their child to be secure.

For parents/carers of children aged 0–8 years.
They attend without their children.
10 weekly sessions are comprised of group discussion, handouts and some video presentation.

Wrapped in Angels

Rediscover the meaning and connections in your life by creating your very own angel blanket to take away with you. You can sew symbols of family, friends, pets, places and events onto the fabric, so you’ll be wrapping yourself in a colourful, tangible representation of love, protection, warmth and safety. Minimal sewing skills required!

It’s for parents, caregivers and children who’ve experienced the trauma of domestic and other violence, in a relaxed, comfortable and safe environment.

Sessions are run by an HCOS Accredited Wrapped in Angels Facilitator.

For families with children aged 5–18 years.
Parents/carers attend with their children.
10 weekly sessions of 1.5 hours, during school term only.
Courses can be arranged at suitable times and days.

Who helps the HCOS Parent Programs happen?

HCOS Community Services are funded by the NSW Department of Communities & Justice.