Rosalind Portman

Rosalind Portman innovatively set up the Family Links' Nurturing Programme in 1997, working through schools to develop relationship skills and improve children's behaviour and achievements in the classroom. Uniquely, it offers parallel parenting education for their families. In only 7 years, the programme has reached approximately 65,000 children, trained more than 6,250 school staff and 1,200 parent group leaders and is active in 255 schools.

Rosalind's aim was to transform life for children both in the family and within the school by taking the Nurturing Programme, successfully established in the USA for 35 years, and adapting it for the UK. She identified two gaps: the lack of parenting training and the need to link the personal, emotional development of children with parallel support for parents.

Family Links, from a local beginning with Oxford schools and parents, now has a national agenda and a cascade method of training. The structured and repeated 10-week programmes are for all children and tailored to match the National Curriculum. They are designed to help prevent bullying, antisocial behaviour, child abuse, truancy and juvenile crime. The approach from the school to invite every parent to join a 10-week group - is inclusive, innovative and remains unique.

From the start Rosalind has raised the funds, starting with £113 (present running costs £310,000), and worked full time on a voluntary basis, running parent groups, training teachers and school staff and dealing with administration. Her work has helped many children break patterns of bad behaviour and enabled parents to be more involved with their children. Many parents and inter-agency professionals claim life is transformed by the Nurturing Programme.

Rosalind broke her back in 1986 - for 2 years could not walk without aids and was in extreme pain throughout the 1990s. It makes her achievements all the more remarkable.

"She has consistently demonstrated her vision for the well-being of families through the Nurturing Programme. She has been a pillar of wisdom and support both to the organisation as a whole and to individuals within it. Her tireless efforts at networking, fund-raising, and her guiding role have contributed enormously to Family Links' success."

Candida Hunt, Family Links

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