Family Hubs in action
Coventry Family Hubs provide families with the support they need to love and care for their children from conception, throughout the early years, and into the start of adulthood. This enables parents to establish a firm foundation for their children, so that they can reach their full potential in life.
Coventry has been ambitious in its vision of providing a seamless, integrated offer for all families to access, delivered through a Family Hub network, whilst tailoring the support and help to families’ particular needs.
The eight Family Hub buildings are vibrant, welcoming spaces where children, young people, and families can access essential advice, engage in enriching activities, and build strong community connections. They are also designated as safe spaces for young people.
The Family Hubs bring together key services to ensure families receive the right help at the right time, fostering stronger, healthier relationships.
Comprehensive support for families
Family Hubs provide a range of free services designed to meet diverse family needs, including:
- Family Support: Tailored guidance, including parenting advice and relationship counselling, working with whole families using relational and restorative approaches.
- Activities for Children and Families: Stay and play sessions, Baby and Me groups, school readiness programmes, cooking classes, youth programmes and safe spaces for young people.
- Health and wellbeing: Health clinics, financial advice, employment support, and warm spaces and outdoor experiences.
- Support to families with children with special and additional needs: Free use of four of the sensory rooms, access to a sensory resource library and many inclusive sessions and activities.
Bringing services to local communities
Staff regularly attend events such as the Godiva Festival and Vaisakhi Sports Day to connect families to vital services and have hosted large events such as the “Youth Take Over” where the team met over 250 young people in one Family Hub alone!
The Family Hub team works extensively within local communities, ensuring support is accessible through schools, social supermarkets, and local community centres.
A parent shared, “It was really good that these services came together on the same day,” highlighting the advantage of the connected offer.
Ensuring inclusion and accessibility
Key strategies to reach all families include:
- Language Support: Use of interpreters, Language Line Services and digital technology to translate information into over 140 languages.
- Digital Accessibility: An online portal, free wi-fi and data banks enable access for all.
- Community Volunteers: Parent Champions help families from diverse communities to access and engage in the offer