Supporting families in Stoke-on-Trent
Discovery: understanding the needs of local areas
In 2021 we launched our first pathfinder in partnership with Stoke-on-Trent City Council, focusing on two areas, Bentilee and Abbey Hulton, where around 2,500 children under five and their families were most in need of support.
Discovering the factors affecting child development
Our first step in understanding the needs of a local area we’re working in, is building up a picture of factors that are affecting child development and identifying opportunities for change. We can then create a plan to tackle these factors together with those that are supporting children in their early years. To do this in Stoke-on-Trent, we conducted interviews and listened to the experiences of local parents, carers, public and voluntary organisations.
What we learnt through Discovery
• In the seven schools in Abbey Hulton and Bentilee half of all children were arriving in reception not ready to start learning and progressing through school.
• More than half of parents and carers in Bentilee and Abbey Hulton reported that they never or rarely met other parents of babies and toddlers.
• More than half of parents and carers had concerns about their mental health.
• Professionals and parents described a fragmented, disconnected system that wasn’t providing the best possible support for parents and children from pregnancy to five.
Co-design & implement: Strengthening the early years support system
Our approach is to co-design activities with parents, carers and local partners that help to support hundreds of families, including pregnant mums. Alongside this, we’re also working to strengthen the practice of professionals who support these families.
Supporting and connecting parents, babies and toddlers
From birth, babies are welcomed into Parent Baby and Toddler groups run by partners in family hubs, community centres and schools. Parents and carers who were alone at home now have places to meet each other, bond and play purposefully with their babies and children (supported by PEEP trained practitioners) and get advice and support from Parent Connectors and expert practitioners.
“Every time I've been to playgroups I've always felt welcome and part of the group by Parent Connectors. They have always talked to me and my twins; being a deaf parent I can often feel isolated but they've always made sure me and my twins were involved in things and I've always felt I could talk to them about anything.”
Talking time to improve pre-school language and communication
Nursery teachers in six schools were trained in the Oxford Education ‘Talking Time’ programme to improve language development and communication skills of 187 children, before they started school.
Preparing children for the best start at school
Ready, Steady, Stoke was developed with local schools and parents to improve the transition into nursery and school for parents, children and teachers.
The programme runs through the summer to September and includes transition events, stay and plays and summer holiday sessions for children and families due to attend one of the schools in the area.
Partnering with university students to improve language and communication
In local schools, trained students from Staffordshire University and two coordinating staff are providing the extra capacity that teachers need to deliver the Nuffield Early Language Intervention to large numbers of children who need extra help.
Unlocking local parent power
We are continuing to involve parents and carers as volunteer parent champions and paid parent champions (called “Parent Connectors”) to provide peer support to parents and carers, creating better connections between them and the early years system.
Our Parent Connectors support parents in the community, from conception to reception, providing practical advice and signposting to services that a family might need. Parent Connectors play an important role in engaging with those families who are less likely to seek support.
Supporting maternal mental health
Thrive at Five has worked with partners to create free, safe and welcoming weekly sessions that bring together and support new and soon to be mums. Mums-2-B pMums-2-B provide an informal place for pregnant and new mothers to seek information from the professionals provided by the partners that organise the sessions such as; Mothers Mind, Staffordshire CDAS and the Breastfeeding Network.
“I don’t usually like going out and about with my son, but this group has made it easier. I appreciate being able to connect with the staff here, having a looked after child I’ve always been reassured that I can come to you for advice, help and support.”
Improve & embed: Working together to improve family support services
We partner with the Centre for Evidence and Implementation to evaluate our work in Abbey Hulton and Bentilee. Through monitoring and sharing these insights, we identify improvements with our local partners and the community of parents, carers and early years professionals.
Facilitating a thriving early years network in Stoke-on-Trent
By joining the dots and priorities between midwives, health visitors, family support workers, social care workers, nurseries, schools, community organisations, faith groups and more, we help strengthen the support network for families and children.
Hundreds of local professionals are working together, through our events with international experts and information sharing activities to strengthen practice and knowledge for the long-term.
Our Stoke-on-Trent Collaborators
Our work in Stoke-on-Trent is made possible by a number of local organisations working across health, social care, education, community and voluntary groups. They contribute practical community knowledge to our work and help build and strengthen trusted community relationships.
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Get in touch if you would like to support our work in Stoke-on-Trent.