Parent Week 2026 at Sanctuary – It Takes a Village

Loneliness in parenting is surprisingly common, with around 82% of parents experiencing feelings of loneliness, according to research.

For Parent Week 2026, our Parent Network encouraged parents and carers to connect and share experiences.

With the title ‘It takes a village’, the week saw the network create space to talk openly about loneliness in parenting and caring, and build meaningful connections.

Psychotherapist and counsellor Anna Williamson, a TV, radio and podcast broadcaster, and bestselling author, hosted an honest and insightful webinar, ‘It takes a village: Finding yours’.

Colleagues shared blogs about their own experiences, from the loneliness of life with newborns to empty nest syndrome.

We launched Parent Pockets – putting together parents at similar stages in small communities to support one another. They will now organise their own meet-ups, either in person or online, to create their own ‘village’.

And the Parent Network teamed up with our Care volunteering team, for Tea & Tales sessions. These saw parents and children go into our care homes for an hour of connection, conversation and community. It’s something we’re looking to grow over the coming months.

It takes a village to raise children, and we’re committed to ensuring that our colleagues who are parents or carers have the support and community they need in the workplace, so they can thrive.