Parents Working Away Workshops

Posted on: Mon 7 March 2011

In Western Australia many families have a member who works away - these predominantly include FIFO workers (fly in fly out) and the less recognised DIDO (drive in drive out) employees. Employment sectors can include the resources industry, defence personnel, transport, maritime, small business, corporate, sales and service industries to name a few. The differences between many of these types of work and their impact on families is the length of time, the predictability and frequency of the working parent being away from home.

Ngala has provided early parenting services to families throughout Western Australia since 1890 and more recently has recognised the unique opportunities and challenges for parenting a working away schedule provides.  There are many common concerns present for families with one parent who works away and at the heart is an aim to find solutions that is best for their family, given their particular type of employment. Ngala has undertaken research with families living in these circumstances and is currently developing resources for families to deal with the many challenges they face every day.

Stephen Gallagher, Ngala’s Pilbara Project Officer has found that “awareness and preparation are key pre-requisites for all types of planning and are particularly relevant for the planning for family life with one parent away. With this in mind, Ngala has launched a new Parenting workshop called ‘Parents Working Away’ aimed at parents who work away from home and their partners, and generously supported by Ngala’s Nurturing the Pilbara partner Woodside”.

The workshop explores the working away experience from the perspective of all family members. Topics discussed include staying connected, managing the patterns of absence and return and maintaining effective parenting. Practical advice is offered on how to help families make the most of their time together and remain connected during times apart.

Others topics include:

• Helping the parent working away stay emotionally connected and in tune with their partner & children whilst away, and also at home?
• How effectively do both partners function as a parenting team given the physical absence of one parent?
• How does the parent working away adjust back into functioning family life on their return?
• How does the family at home effectively manage and adapt the needs of their household in the patterns of absence and presence?

Parents Working Away Programme 

This workshop is $35 per couple and runs for 2.5 hours at various locations across Perth.

• 4th July @ Belmont (morning)
• 31st August @ Midvale (morning)
• 27th September @ Kwinana (morning)
• 26th October @ Heathridge (morning)

Parent Working Away Workshop

For further details and to book online:  http://www.ngala.com.au/course/Parenting-Workshops/Parents-Working-Away
Enquiries:  Bookings at Ngala
Telephone: 9368 9368
Email:  education.admin@ngala.com.au

Media Enquiries: 

Stephen Gallagher – Pilbara Project Officer (Ngala)
Telephone:  044 887 1128
Email:   sgallagher@ngala.com.au    

Paula Taylor – 32 Degrees South Communications
Telephone:  0404 264 474
Email:  paula@32dsg.com

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