Mersey Reporter - Merseybites News

A brand new approach to supporting families in Liverpool is being launched on:- Wednesday, 19 July 2023, when the 1st of 5 Family Hub networks opens.

Clubmoor and Ellergreen Children’s Centre supported by surrounding children’s centres (listed below) will provide services from pregnancy, to families with babies and children and young people up till the age of 19 (or up to 25 for young people with special educational needs and disabilities).

It means that a family will only have to explain what they need help with once, rather than having to tell many different people, and professionals will work together more effectively to help residents overcome any difficulties they may be facing. The aim is to make services easier to navigate and more joined-up, ensuring families receive the right service at the right time.

Liverpool City Council’s Lead Member for Family Hubs, Councillor Angela Coleman, said:- “The launch of Liverpool’s 1st Family Hub is great news for families. Our new network is designed to offer wrap- round support for parents, carers and young people, giving them easy access to health professionals who will be able to support them with any issues they are facing. Our Children’s Centres already do an incredible job helping young families, and they are well established and trusted places to visit. The Family Hubs will build on their success, providing additional services that are easy to access. Our Family Hubs offer a new, more joined-up approach. We are really keen to hear feedback on their work which we can apply as we roll the network out around the city between now and March 2025.”

Hubs will help families to access a range of help, including support for their physical and mental health, housing and debt advice, youth services, domestic abuse support, as well as services run by the community and voluntary sector. In addition, there will be an enhanced digital offer of online services. Families will be able to access a range of information about infant feeding, parenting support, schools, learning and a variety of public health services for 0-19 year olds, all hosted on Liverpool’s Family Information and SEND Directory.

At the heart of each Family Hub will be services that help give babies a great start to life, supporting parents through parenting classes, midwifery, health visiting, infant feeding advice and perinatal mental health support.

The opening at Clubmoor and Ellergreen Children’s Centre, Utting Avenue East, L11 1DQ which is taking place from:- 12pm to 3pm, will see a range of partners coming together to showcase the range of services they provide. There will also be activities for children including:- story time, inflatables, a soft play bus and healthy food sessions.

Over £4 million has been secured from the Government for the Family Hub initiative, which will see a range of different organisations coming together in one place offering health, education and community provision.

Dianne Brown, Chief Nurse at Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust:- “Giving babies and families the best start is essential. These Family Hubs will help to give local families access to a range of maternity related services and support including midwifery health visiting, infant feeding advice and perinatal mental health support. We look forward to working closely with our partners at Liverpool City Council to help provide these valuable services to local people and residents.”

The 1st Family Hub network will cover the following wards:- Norris Green, Clubmoor East, Clubmoor West, Fazakerley North, Fazakerley West, Fazakerley East, Croxteth, Croxteth Country Park, West Derby Muirhead, West Derby Deysbrook, West Derby Leyfield, Sandfield Park, Knotty Ash and Dovecot Park, Old Swan East, Old Swan West, Stoneycroft, Tuebrook Breckside Park and Tuebrook Larkhill.

Carol Jones, Mersey Care’s Children, Young People and Families Service Manager for Liverpool, said:- “The Family Hub network will bring services together into a ‘one stop shop’ to make it much easier for access to support for children, young people and their families. The hubs will also improve the collaborative joint working between families, professionals, and multiple providers and place nurturing relationships at the heart of family support. “

Tuebrook, West Derby and Yew Tree Children’s Centre and Fazakerley, Croxteth, Stoneycroft and Knotty Ash Children’s Centres will be key connector sites within the Family Hub network.

Children’s Centres across the City will continue to offer services and families can access them in the usual way.

Events in the Liverpool City Region:-