Single parents wellbeing: an evaluation of five Wellbeing Workshops in South Wales created and facilitated by Single Parents Wellbeing for single parents

Author(s)

FISHER Jackie, BURCHETT Nicole

Publisher(s):

Mental Health Foundation

Publication year:

2019

An evaluation of five Wellbeing Workshops to address the impact of social isolation on the mental health and wellbeing of single parents for single parents in Wales. The workshops brought single parents together to discuss issues that impact on their mental health and wellbeing and aimed to equip them with skills to support mental health and wellbeing and provide a social network to provide peer-led support beyond the life of the workshops. The workshops were delivered by Single Parents Wellbeing (SPW), a Community Interest Company that uses a peer-led approach to involves single parents in the planning and delivery of activities. A total of 48 out of the 58 single parents attending the workshops participated in the evaluation. Evaluation methods involved the collection of wellbeing information using the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS), an online survey to collect participants’ views of the Wellbeing Workshops, and additional in-depth telephone interviews with participants. The qualitative findings from interviews cover single parents' feelings of isolation and loneliness, peer support, experience of stigma, difficulties with mental health and wellbeing, and experience of parenting alone. The evaluation found that the SPW was highly valued by the single parents that attended the Wellbeing Workshops. The Wellbeing Workshops also supported single parents to make positive changes in their lives that will improve mental health and wellbeing. The peer-led approach and combatting stigma underpins the way that the Wellbeing Workshops are delivered. (Edited publisher abstract)