What is a Children's Centre?

East Riding Children’s Centres are friendly, welcoming community spaces that offer a range of activities and services for children and their families to give every child the best start in life. We know that being a parent is a tough job, so we offer the right help at the right time, without judgement so that our families feel confident, safe, healthy and happy.

Who are Children's Centres for?

East Riding Children’s Centres are here for the whole family; from the moment you know you are expecting a baby, and until your child is 9. Children’s Centres offer a range of activities and services for children and their families, to give every child the best start in life. We welcome everyone who cares for children, so our centres are open to parents, grandparents, foster carers and childminders.

How can Children's Centres help?

Children’s Centres have experienced, qualified and friendly staff who provide support to families in different ways. We offer tailored support through our family support work, which can be done one to one in the family home or during sessions at one of our Children’s Centres.

We can help with:

• Support during pregnancy
• Becoming a new parent and how to care for your newborn
  
• Safe sleep advice
  
• Breastfeeding support and advice
  
• Toilet training
  
• Child development including speech and language
  
• Managing children's behaviour
  
• Healthy eating and keeping active
  
• Emotional health and wellbeing of you and/or your child
  
• Family routines, including bedtime routines.
  

Sessions and activities:

• Antenatal parent education
  
• Child health clinics
  
• Infant massage
  
• Feeding information and advice
  
• Early play and learning sessions
  
• Family links nurturing programme
  
• Home learning opportunities including Bookstart and bags of support
  
• Talk time – supporting your child’s communication/language development
  
• Sensory room
  
• Take and make

Advice and support is also given around:

• Help to access funded childcare places
  
• Benefits
  
• Family finances and budgeting
  
• Housing
  
• Form-filling and attending appointments
  
• Signposting to adult education
  
• Support to return to work
  
• Where to go for specialist advice and support e.g. speech and language specialist and mental health and wellbeing.