'One stop shop' is proving key to family support

Kelly Kew, 29, said she has found the family support hubs a "lifeline"

A "one stop shop" that provides a range of family support in a city is playing a key role in improving the lives of children, a council said.

The Family Hub initiative, launched by Peterborough City Council a year ago, brings together 31 local organisations to support thousands of families and young people with special educational needs.

The council set up four hubs in 2023 with £3.2m of government funding, which will see the initiative continue into 2025.

It said footfall was on the increase and that staff had already held about 25,000 one-to-one support sessions.

Councillor Katy Cole, the city council's cabinet member for children’s services, said the initiative was playing a “key role” in improving outcomes for Peterborough children.

The Honey Pot café relies predominantly on volunteers and serves about 65 people on a Tuesday

The first anniversary was marked at Honey Hill Family Hub, in Chadburn, which also operates the Honey Pot community café and a food basket for people in need, funded by the children's charity, Barnardo’s.

Sherrie Bossett is a community participation manager for Barnardo’s and oversees the "thriving community café".

"It gets the community coming in and then allows us to speak to them about the support available for parents and older people and signpost them," she said.

"We are here for the community."

'So many friends'

Kelly Kew, 29, who lives in Paston, has been attending the Chadburn hub with her 21-month-old son.

“We really enjoy the groups," she said.

"We use the café sometimes and food hubs as well.

"It’s been really helpful. I would have really struggled without it in the last year or so. I know there are a lot of parents who feel that way.

"I have made so many friends. Without this I wouldn’t have any.

"Coming here has been good for him to play with as well and he has a nice group of friends now."

Jessica Pearson has been attending baby massage sessions with her four-month-old daughter for the past six weeks

Jessica Pearson, 28, who attends baby massage sessions, said: "The people who run the sessions are every open and give you an opportunity to talk about any issues and direct you to get any help.

"It has been nice to speak to other mums and share experiences."

Priscilla Jedley, 31, also said the centres held a "special place" in her heart.

She said: "I have benefitted from play sessions, done parenting courses here and had endless amount of support for my mental health.

"As a mum with limited funds I can’t always afford play groups.

"I don’t know if there’s a stigma that people from lower classes come to these sessions, but so many people benefit from these [hubs] - and it’s for everybody."

City councillor and cabinet member for adult social care, Shabina Asad Qayyum, in the white suit, said she was optimistic the service would continue