Sssssh! Supernanny Jessica Chivers' harmony lessons in Westbourne Park

Published: 5 March 2010
by JAMIE WELHAM

JOANNE Cash, the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Westminster North, dropped in on a parenting skills class she set up in Westbourne Park this week, writes Jamie Welham.

Under the guidance of “supernanny” Jessica Chivers, around a dozen mothers of children at St Stephen’s School are coming to the end of a 10-week course to help them banish temper tantrums and screaming matches for good.

Parents shared experiences of household flare-ups, and were given advice on techniques to manage confrontation and create a more harmonious atmosphere at home.

Ms Cash hopes the programme, which is free and modelled on schemes popular in the US, will be taken up permanently when the trial comes to an end.

“There’s nothing new about parenting classes,” she said, “but this is unique because it is grounded in science. Evidence from America shows that behaviour and results in the classroom improve with the sessions but also it helps build relations between parents and within the community.

“A lot of these parents don’t speak fluent English, and the classes help with that, as well as getting people involved with the school who may have otherwise stayed away.”

Ms Cash said she would encourage education bosses at Westminster Council to look into rolling out the scheme across the borough should she win the hotly contested seat at the impending general election.