A NEW targeted parenting programme in Hillingdon, to protect young people from criminal exploitation, is now looking for volunteers to support parents of children who may be at risk.

Hillingdon Council was recently nominated for an award for its AXIS project, which identifies hard-to-reach children and promotes early intervention. 

It is working with a parenting organisation, Brilliant Parents, to recruit and train 15 ‘parent champions’ in West Drayton, Yiewsley, Hayes and Harlington.

This is possible through an award of £38,665 from the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime.

Dedicated parent champions will offer advice, guidance and support to families.

Nawaal Omar, 39, from West Drayton, signed up to be a parent champion.

She said: “It can be challenging sometimes to be a positive parent, but the training I’ve received so far has given me some useful strategies to help my family and my community.”

Voluntary parent champions will receive training and supervision and will need to commit to four hours per week over four months.

To find out more, visit www.brilliantparents.org

If you suspect a child or young person is at risk of child criminal exploitation, call police on 101 or Hillingdon’s Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub on 01895 556644. If a child is at immediate risk of harm or danger, call 999.