The Staffordshire County Council-run family hub, based on Waterloo Street in Burton, works in partnership with numerous county and local organisations and plays a vital role in supporting children and families across the borough.

The hub provides a wide range of initiatives and services to help give children the very best start in life. This includes early years activities and practical help for families, such as support and guidance on parenting, infant feeding, housing and debt, childcare entitlements and more.

During the summer holidays, the hub delivered numerous events and activities attracting around 2,000 families. Highlights included a family play day with free family fun activities and a chance to access important services. A back-to-school activity also allowed children to design their own pencil case ahead of the new school term, along with providing a free lunch and a chance for families hear about other local services.

One parent who attended the hub’s Natter & Nature group said: “We’ve had some amazing sessions with the Natter & Nature group. Activities like The Hungry Caterpillar, colour wheel, painting pinecones and many more have been brilliant. The group is not only great for my daughter, but it has also helped my mental health, talking and interacting with other mums.”

Nicholas Lakin, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People at Staffordshire County Council, said: “Investing in families and making sure they get the support they need from birth through to adulthood remains a priority for the county council.

“Our family hubs provide a huge range of help and support for children and families along with access to lots of activities and other important local services.

“Research shows that the first thousand days of a child’s life are the most important, which makes the work our family hubs do to help parents and carers give their children the best possible start in life all the more vital.”

Families in East Staffordshire are also invited to join an exciting new ‘Grow it, Cook it’ project during September and October. This includes hands-on fun activities on growing different produce and cooking healthy meals.

Family hubs are located across Staffordshire and bring together different services in a one-stop shop to make it easier for families to get the help they need. Further information on the hubs is available on the Staffordshire Family Hubs webpage.