Caring for Yourself as a Parent: Breaking Patterns & Finding Balance
Care Visions Family Talk

In the rush to care for our children, do we often forget to care for ourselves?

Join Family Talk for an inspiring and insightful online event with Public health Doctor Linda de Caestecker as she talks to family therapist and author Caroline Penney. This talk will share why self-care isn’t selfish and how taking care of yourself helps your children thrive too. 

Date: Mon, Mar 24 | 19:00

Join us for Care Visions Family Talk with Public health Doctor, Linda de Caestecker as she talks to family therapist and author Caroline Penney, who understands the challenges of parenting first-hand.

In her book The Parenting Toolkit, she shares why self-care isn’t selfish and how taking care of yourself helps your children thrive too. She’ll also explore how the way we were parented shapes the way we raise our own children—sometimes in ways we don’t even realise. By understanding these patterns, we can break free from unhelpful cycles and parent with more confidence, connection, and kindness.

This is a safe and supportive space to reflect, learn, and walk away with practical tools to help you navigate parenting with more ease and balance.

About our featured guest:

Caroline Penney - is a renowned parenting expert and systemic family therapist. Coming from a family with a strong background in mental health, she is the great-granddaughter of Sigmund Freud and great-niece of Anna Freud.

Her journey in parenting education began in 1985 when she attended her first parenting course. She played a pioneering role in the field, working at the grassroots level by leading various parenting groups and later developing numerous tailored parenting courses to meet children's specific needs.

Before becoming a family therapist, Caroline worked as both a nurse and a teacher. She also led the Empowering Parents, Empowering Communities project at South London and Maudsley Hospital, where she trained parents to run parenting groups, ensuring that high-quality parenting education reached a wider audience.

With over 30 years of experience, Caroline has developed courses supporting parents at different stages of their children's development, including Baby and Us, Being A Parent, and Understanding Teenagers. Her work has extended beyond the UK to countries such as Australia, Nigeria, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.

More infomation on Caroline and her work is available via her website: Caroline Penney - Parenting specialist and family therapist.

Author or The Parenting Toolkit

Author or The Parenting Toolkit

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About our host:

Dr. Linda de Caestecker - is a seasoned public health expert with over 30 years of experience, including her role as Director of Public Health for Greater Glasgow and Clyde—one of the UK's most challenging areas in terms of health inequalities. With a clinical background in obstetrics and gynaecology, she continues to advise the Scottish Government on health policy and serves as a Board member for both Community Justice Scotland and Glasgow City Mission, where she contributes to vital work in social justice and public health reform. 

This event is part of our ‘Care Visions Family Talks’, a one-hour online interview where we profile our guest’s work, followed by an audience Q&A. Here we aim to extend our rich heritage in children’s care by sharing insights and expertise usually reserved for professionals with a broader audience, including parents and families.

This event will be held on Zoom. Register for free to be included in updates and be provided with access information.

Since 1998, Care Visions has been committed to creating nurturing, homely environments for children and young people. Through our residential and fostering services, we provide the care and support they need to grow, thrive, and feel safe. Our work is built on the values of compassion integrity respect, and safety guiding everything we do.

Over the years, we’ve learned so much—by listening to young people and their families, and by working with leading experts in child development and well-being. Now, we want to share that knowledge with you. We know every parent is doing their best, but let’s face it: parenting can be tough at times, no matter who you are. That’s where we come in. Sometimes, a few helpful tips or a bit of advice from someone who's been there can make all the difference. 

Care Visions Family Talk is a series of online events, hosted by Dr.Linda De Caestecker and Scott Kyle  and it's open to all parents and caregivers. Each session will feature guest experts in parenting and child development, offering practical insights and strategies to support your journey as a parent. Every session will be followed by a Q&A or open discussion, where you’ll have the opportunity to ask questions, share your experiences, or simply listen.

We welcome every parent or caregiver to join us, and while we’re committed to keeping things relaxed and welcoming, we do ask everyone to follow a few simple guidelines:  

  • No judgment, no shame: This is a safe space for everyone.  
  • Keep it clear: We’ll make sure the conversation is accessible to all. If there’s any jargon, we’ll explain it. 
  • Curiosity is key-: There’s no such thing as a silly question—ask anything! 
  • Join in as much or as little as you like: Whether you want to participate or just listen, that’s entirely up to you. 

During each session, you’re free to ask questions or share comments using Zoom’s chat feature. Our hosts will weave your questions and thoughts into the discussion, or if you prefer, you can raise your hand to ask your question directly.