Sure Start Children’s Centres bring together childcare, early education, health and family support services for families with children under 5 years old.
Sure Start is the cornerstone of the Government’s drive to tackle child poverty and social exclusion working with parents-to-be, parents / carers and children to promote the physical, intellectual and social development of babies and young children so that they can flourish at home and when they get to school.
To date, Sure Start has been targeted at the most disadvantaged areas of the country, including the particular needs of rural and urban areas and “pockets” of deprivation.
From 2006, children’s centres will continue to be created in these areas but will also be developed outside the most disadvantaged areas so that more families can access Sure Start services.
Within the Wigan Borough there are currently 8 Children’s Centres delivering Sure Start services to children, families and communities. A further 10 Children’s Centres are planned for the future and work has begun on some sites.
Wigan’s Social Care and Inclusion Division provide a range of services to Children in Need. We aim to work in partnership with children / young people and their families along with other professions and agencies to enhance the quality of family life, prevent family breakdown and maximise the potential for independence and social inclusion.
Some of the services provided include:
0 - 11’s Children & Families Service provides a borough wide service for children in need aged from 0 to 11 years old and their families. There are 6 Children & Families Centres that offer individual packages of support ranging from formal parenting assessments to family work either in the home, centre or community to direct work with children. The service aims to work with parents/ carers to improve their parenting skills which ultimately improves the outcomes and life chances for children.
Family Support Team works with young people in need over the age of 11 years and their families. The aim of the team is to work in partnership with families to help them solve their problems and enable young people to be cared for within their own family unit.
The above services can be accessed via a referral to the Children’s Duty Team. An initial assessment will then be completed identifying the needs of the child/ren and family and if services are required and by which team.
Families Working Together Project provides family group meetings (F.G.M.’s) and conflict resolution/ solution focused meetings. F.G.M.’s are a decision making process which enables families to find solutions to their own problems within a professionally supportive framework.
Reducing conflict can help promote positive parenting between parents and / or extended family members when discussing their children’s future needs and welfare, especially following separation or divorce.
Right From The Start is a community based project which aims to encourage and work with families to join and engage with local community resources. Their emphasis is on ‘enjoying and achieving’, promoting family life and wellbeing and so preventing future involvement by statutory services.
