Early years charity Thrive at Five is to extend its work to two new areas in Stoke-on-Trent.
Thrive at Five has worked in partnership with Stoke-on-Trent City Council since 2021, initially based in Bentilee and Abbey Hulton. Now Meir and Burslem families will benefit from extra support.
The charity employs local parent connectors to help local families find the support they need. It also provides a team of early years experts to work alongside the local authority, nurseries, schools, health visitors, midwives, family hubs, voluntary organisations and many others. Thrive at Five brings everybody together to collectively strengthen pregnancy and early years support and services for families.
In a recent survey, 74% of local parents/carers we spoke to said that parent connectors gave them helpful advice. And in an independent evaluation of the programme, one local senior leader said: “We’ve got to acknowledge, actually, that Thrive [at Five] have given us much more than just an organisation who’ve come in to do their thing; they’ve given us collaboration… People believe in the art of the possible because of Thrive [at Five], and that’s great. We don’t want to lose that ambition and that hope.”
Programme Director Karla Capstick said:
“Creating long-term change for local families takes time, so Thrive at Five has committed to ten years of support. It’s great news that we and our partners, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, have such a strong, shared vision for babies and children. I am delighted that the council and the wider partnership with health have extended and expanded investment in this work. Collaboration is key to our approach, and we look forward to building on our efforts so far to help more children and families thrive.”
Councillor Sarah Jane Colclough, cabinet member for children’s services at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “This is great news that will bring vital support to families in more areas of the city. We were the first local authority in the country to adopt the Thrive at Five model and we’ve seen the positive impact it’s having in Bentilee and Abbey Hulton.
“By expanding this programme into Meir and Burslem, we’re building on that success and making sure more parents and carers can access the help, advice and opportunities they need.
“Lasting change can only be achieved by working in partnership with organisations like Thrive at Five, whose community-led approach provides support within neighbourhoods, strengthening local networks and helping children and families thrive.”