We are due to receive around £3million government funding to enhance services for children and families.
Medway will receive a share of £300million from the government’s Family Hubs and Start for Life programme, which aims to provide support for children and their families from conception up to age 19, or 25 for young people with special education needs and disabilities.
There are already four Family Hubs across Medway and this additional funding will be used to improve the range of support and services on offer.
The government’s Start for Life programme aims for Family Hubs to become ‘one stop shops’ where residents can access wide-ranging support and guidance – from maternity and health visiting services to infant feeding, parenting groups and mental health support. In addition to face-to-face services, information and support will become easier to access online.
We also want residents to have their say in how services are developed and help identify what services are needed where. As part of this, a parent and carer panel will be set up to work in partnership with us to ensure services continue to meet the needs of local families.
We look forward to working with partners and residents
Cllr David Brake, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder covering Public Health, said: “I am really pleased and proud that Medway has received this government funding, to offer even more services to families at our dedicated hubs. We look forward to working with partners and residents to ensure families in Medway continue to get the right support at the right time.”
Committed to giving Medway's children the best start in life
Cllr Josie Iles, Medway Council’s Lead Member for Children’s Services, said: “It is really important that we continue to do everything we can to support Medway’s families. Our teams already deliver an impressive range of services, and this funding will allow us to build on this even further. We are committed to giving Medway’s children the best start in life, which supports our aims to make Medway even more child-friendly.”
Family hubs bring services together
Children, Families and Wellbeing Minister, Claire Coutinho said: “Having children can be really tough as well as bringing so much joy. All families, from time to time, will need a helping hand. Family hubs bring services together helping parents, carers, children and young people to access the support they need more easily. Parenting advice ranges from support with breastfeeding and mental health to guidance on how to give children a head start on their learning.”
Find out more about Medway’s Family Hubs.