In September 2022 we started our journey towards transforming our current children’s centres into family hubs.
Family hubs will:
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Bring services together to improve access
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Improve the connections between families, professionals, services and providers
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Put relationships at the heart of family support
Our ambition is to ensure that local families can access the right support, at the right time, in the right place, with the right people.
We have spent time consulting and listening to the voices of our parents, young people and children as well as our own teams and that of partners.
This has helped us to understand how our centres are used and what other support or activities need to be available within our family hubs. Whether it be in person, outreach or digitally. We have captured this via a survey, focus groups and school assemblies.
We have worked closely with a number of local schools to develop some concepts for our future branding.
With these concepts, we will now be able to design our brand new logo. We are working with a local college who will support us to finalise the logo design.
Over the forthcoming months, you will start to see our children’ centres grow into family hubs. These will be a one-stop shop for a variety of services for children and families of all ages. Giving opportunities to meet people, learn new things and find support.
There will be three family hub localities (East, South and West) each hosting, 2 family centres, bringing warm and welcome spaces for families, children and young people from 0 to 19.
Best start for life
At the core of every family hub network is a great start for life for babies, from conception through to 2 years old.
Support is also available to families of children aged up to 19, or to children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) aged up to 25.
We offer a variety of play and development opportunities, childcare, health advice and guidance, family support and parenting advice. With a particular focus on the most disadvantaged families, children’s centres aim to work with families to reduce inequalities in child development and school readiness.
Services are regularly reviewed and developed in each area to meet the needs of local families.
Children’s centre services at the moment include:
- crèches to support parents attending courses and respite for family support
- antenatal and post-natal care, including midwifery sessions, health visitor advice, baby massage
- advice from a range of professionals such as Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB), health visitors, family support workers, SENDIASS
- stay and play sessions for parents/carers and their children
- outreach activities in Burtonwood, Birchwood and the Living Well Hub
The centres will soon be called Family Hubs - more information to follow soon.