Empowering communities through partnerships
Parents Plus is deeply committed to engaging and supporting parents through culturally relevant, strengths based resources. Through our work with Tusla Traveller Project, operating across 17 areas nationwide, we developed the Parents Plus Early Years (PPEY) Parent Pack and Traveller-specific videos, enhancing programme engagement through empowering and culturally relevant content. The programme is delivered in local areas by trained Family Link Workers, many of whom come from within the Traveller community themselves, and who are further supported through mentoring and training.
The PPEY programme, which comprises fourteen individual topics, was praised at the launch for its flexibility, where the delivery format can be in a group setting or individually delivered to parents in their homes.
To enhance the accessibility and relatability of the PPEY programme for Traveller families, four powerful new videos were created by the Donegal Traveller Project, Tulsa and Parents Plus. These videos offer a deep and authentic insight into the lived experiences of Traveller parents, as well as the strength and resilience that exist within Traveller families.
The videos include:
The online launch of these videos in October 2025 was well attended by a broad mix of stakeholders — Traveller parents, Family Link Workers, service managers, and representatives from Tusla and Parents Plus. The enthusiasm and engagement at the event reflected the strong commitment to supporting Traveller children and families through culturally sensitive and inclusive approaches.
These new videos serve several important purposes:
At its Core, Parents Plus champions a strengths-based approach, aiming to empower parents in their roles and create supportive environments for young children to thrive. These Traveller-specific videos not only align with that mission, but they elevate it—by ensuring Traveller parents are seen, heard, and supported in a meaningful way. This marks a significant step forward in inclusive practice, community-led delivery, and building trust within the Traveller community.
Wendy Taylor, Parents Plus Trainer and TUSLA Traveller Project Lead
As I move into my third year as Mentor for the Parents Plus Early Years (PPEY) Traveller Project, I continue to feel both honoured and deeply grateful to be part of such a meaningful and evolving initiative. With over 30 years’ experience working with children and families—primarily those with complex needs and from diverse and minority backgrounds—this role brings together my professional journey as a family support practitioner, qualified teacher, mentor, trainer and facilitator in a way that feels both purposeful and deeply rewarding. The PPEY Traveller Project focuses on early intervention supports for parents of children aged 0–6 years, recognising the critical importance of the early years for positive outcomes for children and families. Funded by Tusla, Family Link Workers (FLWs), deliver a range of supports including the PPEY programme. Many FLWs are members of the Traveller community themselves, which is a significant strength in supporting trust-building and meaningful engagement with families. The project has grown considerably, from six areas in phase one, to eleven in phase two, with a further six areas added last year, bringing the total to seventeen areas. Parents and FLWs compliment the user friendly PPEY Parent Pack, which focuses on clear, self-explanatory illustrations, which helps reduce literacy concerns. A particularly positive development in 2025 was the introduction of Traveller-specific videos to further complement the programme. Developed collaboratively by the Donegal Traveller Project, Parents Plus and Tusla, these resources provide authentic, strengths-based insight into Traveller parents’ lived experiences. The videos include parent testimonials, professional perspectives, and examples of programme facilitation by Traveller FLWs. They have proven to be an invaluable asset for both training and programme delivery. Feedback reflects that parents find the parent packs, videos and group discussions engaging, enjoyable and accessible. Challenges commonly raised include trust issues with Tusla-funded programmes, and the reality that family crises often take priority over programme engagement. Levels of engagement can vary across projects. 42 Parents Plus Annual Report 2025A PPEY training is scheduled for April 2026 for newly recruited FLWs. Monthly Community of Practice sessions are also provided to support ongoing professional development. Given the demanding nature of the role and the high turnover of FLWs, this ongoing support remains crucial. Despite the challenges, the opportunities are significant. The feedback from parents is powerful. The strengths-based approach leaves parents feeling more confident and empowered, better able to build positive relationships with their children, and more aware of the importance of parental self-care. I feel privileged by the level of trust shown to me by FLWs as they share both their achievements and challenges. Progress may sometimes be slow, but it is real and meaningful. Supporting this project continues to affirm my belief in the power of strengths-based, culturally sensitive practice to positively impact some of the most vulnerable parents and children.