About Us
Our Aims
Tower Hamlets Parents Centre (THPC) is a registered Charity (number 1059773) and Company Limited by Guarantee (number 03246084), founded in 1996. Our Aims are encompassed in the following statement:
“The Centre is a focus for education, training, advice and support for parents, guardians and/or carers of children in Tower Hamlets. It provides a range of services and activities for parents/families in order to enable them to gain new knowledge, Skills and confidence to increase involvement and participation in their children's education and to fulfil their roles as parents functioning as a successful ‘family’ unit. It provides support for parents/families in accessing services and organises programmes of activities encouraging inclusion, participation and connection in order to build stronger communities.”
Need For Our Work
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According to the 2010 Index of Multiple Deprivation, Tower Hamlets has numerous Wards in the top 15% most deprived nationally.
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It has an unemployment rate of 5.1%, which is much higher than the UK rate of 3.6% (October 2022).
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It has the highest Child Poverty rate in London of 27% and the highest rate of Poverty for older people (44%) in the country.
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Skills levels in the Borough are very low; 15.6% of inhabitants have no qualifications which is the fifth lowest figure in London (April 2014).
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Our service users make up a large proportion of children, parents and families with disadvantaged Bangladeshi, Somalian, Pakistani and other ethnic minority backgrounds.
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The Borough is growing rapidly which means that many families have been placed in poor Social Housing with high levels of overcrowding (37%).
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Many people have been disproportionately affected by the Covid-19 Pandemic, which led to a high number of Deaths and long-term Illnesses.
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The Tower Hamlets JSNA shows that Healthy Life Expectancy for males, the Borough is 8 years below the National Average. Healthy Life Expectancy for females is 7.5 years below the national average. Overall Life Expectancy is also lower than the National average.
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Over 21% of 4-5 year olds are Obese (the 8th highest in the country).
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Many first generation parents often had little Education in their own countries, thus, they have severe lack of Literacy and Numeracy.
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Over 25% of 10 year olds are obese (the 9th highest in the country).
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Many first generation parents often had little education in their own countries, thus, they have severe lack of literacy and numeracy.
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Differences in Lifestyle and lack of knowledge can lead to Health problems with rates of Cardio-Vascular problems, Cancer and Diabetes being particularly high.
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Women can be isolated and vulnerable to Domestic Physical and Mental Abuse by their partners or extended family members.
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There are a growing number of young people from these Communities who drop out of Education affected by Drugs, getting involved in Crimes, Gang-Fighting and Knife Crimes.
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The Exclusion Rate and Truancy Levels are high amongst the children in ethnic minority and disadvantaged Communities in the Borough.
We exist to help our clients improve their knowledge, skills and health and thus make a difference to the overall community.
Governance
Tower Hamlets Parents Centre is governed by a Board of Trustees, who are also Directors of the Limited Company. Key responsibilities include setting Organisation Strategy, Financial Management, Business Planning, Making Key Decisions and Monitoring the work of Staff.
The Trustees are:
| Mr G Mortuza, Chair: | Local parent, ex-Councillor |
| Mr M Ray: | Retired Teacher |
| Mrs F Ahmad, Secretary: | Women Groups’ representative |
| Mr S Khan | Local Parent, Governor, User |
| Mr M Islam: | User Representative |
| Mr S Ahmad, Treasurer: | Local Teacher |
Staff Team
Day to day work is carried out by the staff team under the management of the Director.
Our staff are:
| Dr M A Hannan: | Director |
| Reshma Akhter: | Early Intervention Officer |
| Masuma Akhter: | Outreach Officer (elderly women) |
| Nasima Begum: | Study Support Tutor |
| Nasima Begum: | ESOL Tutor (Entry Level 1, 2 &3) |
| Shipna Kahnom | Admin Assistant |