The Parenting Centre was set up in 2003 as a charity and as a private company limited by guarantee. It has operated since then, delivering parenting courses mainly in the southeast of England and London, but also internationally. The Parenting Centre has since spread its geographical reach to the north west of England and online. The Parenting Centre continues to act as a virtual college, awarding credits through the Open College Network.
As well as spreading geographically, The Parenting Centre decided in 2022 to broaden its scope, recognising the isolation experienced by parents and more generally in society. The Parenting Centre draws parents and communities together through its training, workshops and presence in local communities, thus reducing isolation, improving mental health and encouraging participation in community.
Who we are:
Catherine Kearney: Cathy is The Parenting Centre’s Senior Manager and an author of the Parenting Toolkit course for parents, carers and professionals. She provides reflective supervision for those working with families or using the Parenting Toolkit material on a professional basis. Cathy works more broadly as a Community Development Worker and as a consultant to others working in a similar field who want to improve their approach, reflect on what they’re doing or seek supervisory support. Cathy has been delivering parenting courses for over 20 years and has worked in a variety of settings including mental health, offender management, the public and third sector. She has over 15 years’ experience of training adults who work with families and working with staff or volunteer teams. She has two Masters degrees in Children & Families work and Social Policy. Cathy is an Internal Verifier for Open College Network. She has recently developed The Community Toolkit which is a training tool for those wanting to see positive change in society.
Charlotte Wilson: Charlotte is The Parenting Centre’s Training Manager and one of its founding members. She has a wealth of experience working with families. She has delivered parenting courses and worked with families on an individual basis whilst a Children’s Centre Manager. Charlotte has been working as a Specialist Trainer on a peer led parenting programme for over ten years. She is an Internal Verifier for Open College Network and developed the Parenting Centre’s bespoke learning units.
Daniel Gallagher: Daniel has lived and worked in London all his life. He initially worked in youth unemployment and then in the voluntary sector with young offenders and young homeless. He qualified as a Social Worker in 1990 at the University of North London and worked in Childrens Services for 30 years. This was primarily working with Children In Need, Children In Care, Safeguarding and in the Legal System. He has a special interest in young people with special and complex needs. He qualified as a Practice Teacher for Social Work Students in 1997 at Bromley College. He also has a Postgraduate Diploma in Children’s Social Care from the Royal Holloway University in 2005. For the last 6 years he has returned to the voluntary sector working with people with vision impairment helping them to maintain independent lives. He is also a Volunteer Independent Visitor for Children in Care with the Thomas Coram Foundation.
Noelene Gallagher: Noelene qualified as a Nursery Nurse in 1983. She has been the manager of two family centres, one in Dublin, where she hails from and one in Peckham, South East London. She has loads of experience working in the community; she has been a youth club leader, a Brownie leader, delivered parenting courses, community craft workshops and run toddler groups. She spent a year as a learning support worker to a child with complex special needs and has been a mentor to several young adults. She is currently part of a team that is running a community drop in café. She has a heart for people and a desire to see them maximise their potential. Noelene is The Parenting Centre’s Chair of Trustees.
Jamaal Scott: Jamaal is a passionate IT telephony expert with over five years of experience under his belt. Beyond his tech career, Jamaal is deeply dedicated to holistic health and mental well-being. As a qualified breathwork instructor, he loves helping people find balance and peace in their busy lives.
Jamaal is also a community enthusiast, always looking for ways to make a positive impact. Whether he’s solving tech problems or guiding breathwork sessions, Jamaal’s warmth and genuine care for others make him a beloved figure in any circle. He’s committed to improving lives, one breath at a time.
Jezima Zahir: Jezima has a wealth of experience working with parents as well as children. Jezima has 3 sons and began delivering parenting courses when they were at primary school. As well as running and supervising parenting courses, Jezima assesses learners as part of the OCN certification and accreditation process. She tutors children independently which gives Jezima further credibility when looking at learning outcomes for The Parenting Centre courses! Jezima is The Parenting Centre’s Treasurer.
Registered charity number 1099742
Registered company number 04499012
The Parenting Centre 