Family hubs offer vital support in child’s first 1001 days

Last week, I joined the Central Family Hub for their morning sessions and parent forum alongside Brunswick ward councillors Laura Marshall and Matt Thomas.

Located in central, south and north shore, Blackpool Council’s Family Hubs offer an incredible support network for local families, offering everything from parenting support to financial advice and activity sessions for babies, children and families. Family Hubs aims to give children the best start in life, providing services that support parents to be, children, and families in the first 1,001 days of a child's life, from conception to two years old.

During the parent forum, I heard about the positive experiences of local families across Blackpool using the three Blackpool hubs, including Caroline's story of when she first attended the services. The group is always striving to develop by listening to users of the service about how it can improve, such as by introducing a new buddy system to support and build the confidence of new parents attending the sessions.  

With the hub's open-door policy, parents and families can drop in any time to speak to a member of the team.

The new Autumn timetable for sessions and activities has just launched, which you can find on their website: www.blackpool.gov.uk/FamilyHubs.

As a new parent using the service, I've seen firsthand the incredible support and sense of community these hubs provide. Thank you to the staff and volunteers at Family Hubs, I will see you again soon with Cillian!