The parental role begins immediately at the birth of a child and involves caring for the child, protecting, teaching it and providing guidance. The aim of good parenting is that the child becomes healthy, well adjusted, happy and has skills that benefit it in the future.  Parental skills are however neither inherent nor do they come automatically; it takes time to acquire the necessary knowledge, proficiency and skill.

The Health Care Center (Heilsugæslan) offers the course Uppeldi sem virkar – færni til framtíðar (parenting that works – skills for the future) which is specifically developed for parents in Iceland. It is suitable for young children’s parents, up to 6 years old. The course is based on accredited studies and well-researched methods.   


Physical activity and outdoors activities

Parents’ interest makes all the difference with regards to how our children are doing. It does not have to be complicated, just asking them about how they did today and showing interest in their hobbies and interests makes a big difference. 

Lilja Alfreðsdóttir

One way to participate in parental activities is to volunteer as a class representative. Another way is to attend and actively participate in the events that take place in the school. This way the communication between parents becomes greater and better.

Collaboration between parents, teachers and pupils

Sigríður Björk Einarsdóttir

Guðmundur participates in parental activities to show interest and to show that he cares. To him, this is also a matter of equality. It is far too common for fathers not to make themselves available for parental activities.

Guðmundur Magnús Daðason

Helga participates in the parental stroll even if her teenager is at home. This way she becomes acquainted with the environment teenagers are growing up in, knows better what happens in the neighbourhood and gets to know other parents.

Helga Davíðsdóttir

Practical information about parenting in Iceland

Educational facebook page for parents in Iceland

Suðurlandsbraut 50, bláu húsin Skeifunni

Call the Parents’ phone number for counselling and support 24 hours.

The Parents’ House is a comprehensive resource which provides counselling for parents and children, for example:

Parenting- and psychological counselling for risk behaviour and behavioural problems.

Art therapy for children, teenagers and their parents. 

The Parents’ House also does counselling for diverse problems regarding children, adolescents and the family as a whole. To mention a few:

Courses for parents who want to be strengthened in their parenting.  

The Parents’ House receives everyone who come to them. It is very important for the development and wellbeing of children and adolescents to respond to a problem as quickly as possible.

Counsellors speak Icelandic, English, Swedish and Danish. You can have sign language interpretation and language interpretation in collaboration with social services or child protection services if needed. There is no access for wheelchairs at the office.

You can send an email at foreldrahus@foreldrahus.is to receive counselling or make an appointment with a counsellor. You can also call every weekday from 9 am to 4 pm to get advice through the phone number 511 6160. The Parents number 581 1799 is an emergency phone for parents open 24 hours.

Support and empowerment for parents in difficult times

Íslenska, English, dansk, svenska. Language- and sign language interpretation is under the auspices of the referral party.

The Parents’ House (Foreldrahús) provides children, teenagers and parents with counselling regarding teenage alcohol- and drug use, risk behaviour and behavioural problems, among other things. Their phone number 581 1799 is open 24 hours. 

At the core, Vopnabúrið is a gym and leisure centre that helps children and teenagers to gain a better balance within the school, home and social life. With an array of counseling and support interviews, spokesman service, leisure, exercise, and feedback to authorities. 

The work is fundamentally a sociological, behavioral science, empowerment, problem-solving, and networking platform where a guide to self-help is most important. Co-operation with the person and giving the person autonomy is vital, where they can take their own decisions to affect their own lives. 

Vopnabúrið is a gym and a leisure center that provides counseling and support to children and teenagers in need.

Góðgerðarsamtökin B.A.C.A. eru hópur bifhjólafólks sem styrkir börn í því að vera ekki hrædd í þeim heimi sem þau lifa. B.A.C.A. hefur náð árangri í að styðja við börn þannig að þau finna styrk og getu til að takast á við lífið eftir að hafa lifað við ofbeldi. Samtökin vilja senda skýr skilaboð til allra viðkomandi að þetta barn er hluti af þeirra samtökum og að þau séu reiðubúin að veita andlegan og líkamlegan stuðning með aðkomu sinni og nærveru.

Þegar hjálparbeiðni berst frá forsjáraðila fer barnatengiliður af stað, setur sig í samband við viðeigandi aðila og undirbýr aðkomu B.A.C.A. Ítarleg kynning á starfsháttum samtakanna á sér stað fyrir fjölskyldu, en barnið hefur svo alltaf að lokum að öllu leyti valið um aðkomu B.A.C.A.

Barnið fær að velja sér „roadname“ og „patcha“ sem fara á vesti barnsins, sem það fær afhent í inntökuathöfn. Barnið fær tvo tengiliði sem það getur haft samband við hvenær sem er sólahringsins og eru alltaf til staðar.  

Til að falla að skilyrðum B.A.C.A. þurfa mál að hafa verið tilkynnt til lögreglu eða barnaverndar. Unnið er með vitund og samþykki forsjáraðila barnsins og allra annarra sem koma að málinu, svo sem barnavernd, lögreglu, skóla og fagaðila. Hjálparsími B.A.C.A. 780 2131 er opinn allan sólarhringinn. Samtökin vinna mest á höfuðborgarsvæðinu en taka einnig að sér mál frá svæðinu Borgarnesi til Hvolsvallar.

Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) eru samtök sem starfa í þeim tilgangi að veita börnum sem hafa orðið fyrir ofbeldi öruggara umhverfi. 

It is good to discuss with children which behaviour is alright and which is not. Here is material to show children at the age of 4 to 9 years old about bullying and abuse.

Raising a child is one of the most important and demanding challenges that parents deal with in life. People are not necessarily born with this talent nor does it come easy, rather it takes time to acquire the needed knowledge. 

Parental education

Parenting

Course in parenting

Wellbeing of preschoolers

Parent's interest

Collaboration between parents, teachers and pupils

Fathers in parental activities

The Parent stroll

Do you want to know more?

Available support

Parents' house

Vopnabúrið

Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA)

Education for the youngest children