Posted on Friday 9th August 2024
Cllr Mark Sutton with families at the launch of the Newcastle Family Hub
More than 1,000 families attended the launch of the Staffordshire Family Hub network at a series of family fun day events held across the county.
Family hubs will bring together local services and advice for babies, children, and young people aged 0-18 years old, or up to 25 for those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and their families.
The launch events mark the opening of 13 Family Hubs. All eleven children’s centres, along with Families First at Basin Lane in Tamworth and Faraday Road in Stafford, are now family hubs.
Families enjoyed free activities such as giant connect four, face painting, clay modelling, darts, hook-a-duck, and much more!
One of the largest family-focused events took place at the newly branded Newcastle Family Hub, previously known as Newcastle-under-Lyme Children’s Centre. Over 25 partner organisations had stalls at the event, including representatives from Staffordshire Police, the NHS, arts organisations, and youth and education services.
Partners had the opportunity to speak to families and network with other professionals.
Mark Sutton, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People at Staffordshire County Council, addressed attendees and spoke about the council’s commitment to delivering the best opportunities for young people and families.
Mark said:
“Our family hubs make it easier for families and young people to access services and support. It was great to have so many community members and services coming together for the launch event to experience the partnership working first-hand.
“We are dedicated to growing this network to make sure that every family in Staffordshire has access to the right help, at the right time and in the right place. By bringing together a wide range of services under one roof, we are creating a supportive environment to help families thrive. This is all about building stronger communities and giving our children and young people the best start in life.”
The family hubs include Start for Life services for 0-2-year-olds. Support begins during pregnancy, and for those aged 18, continues up until their 19th birthday.
Further information is available on the Staffordshire Family Hub Network webpages.