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Sunshine Family Hub - Stowmarket

Family Hub Logo

A Family Hub is somewhere families, parents, carers, young people can get support.

Our Family Hub model includes:

  • Buildings - these are local support centres for all families, young people, parents and carers to access.  They are a place to get help, information, advice, guidance, and support that might otherwise be too hard to find.
  • Outreach - Family Hubs will deliver health and family support services in the community, bringing services to families in their community.
  • Services and Support - which all families can access.  Staff working in our Family Hubs will work hard to ensure families receiving the right support, at the right time, to help them thrive.
  • A place to meet a variety of Practitioners to get a wide range of advice and support.  Staff working in our Family Hubs will work in partnership with families and other community providers to ensure the right services are available for families to access.

On here you will find the timetables of the 0-5 activities and services available.  We are working with the community and families to develop our 5-19 offer.  Until then, information, advice, and guidance is available for all families at any family hub across Suffolk.

For more information please see our Health Visiting webpage or our School Nursing webpage.

Who to contact

Name
Zoe Cowlin
Position
Manager
Telephone
01449 724665 OR Suffolk Family Information Service on 0345 60 800 33
Email
sunshine@suffolk.gov.uk
Website
https://www.suffolk.gov.uk/children-families-and-learning/family-hubs/health-and-childrens-centre-contact-details/
Social Media
 Find us on Facebook

Additional contact

Where to go

Name
Sunshine Family Hub - Stowmarket
Address
Stowmarket Community Centre
Hillside
Stowmarket
Suffolk
Postcode
IP14 2BD
View IP14 2BD on a map
Area served
Mid Suffolk, Stowmarket
Venue Email
sunshine@suffolk.gov.uk
Parking available
Yes
Parking details
Ample parking is available in the Community Centre car park

Days & Times

Hub Open: Tuesday 9.00am-5.00pm (closed 12.15-12.45), Wednesday & Thursday 9.00am-12.00, Friday 9.00am-5.00pm (closed 12.15-12.45)

Other details

Cost Details
Our services are free, however there may be a small cost towards some activities for equipment, food or drink.
Age Groups
Pre-school, Adults
Accessibility
Adapted Toilet

Accreditation details

Family Hubs are places where children under 5 years old and their families can receive seamless integrated services and information, and where they can access help from multi-disciplinary teams of professionals.


Notes

Sunshine Family Hub 0-19 years (25 years SEND) We provide the following Services:  Child and family health services. Support for children and parents with special needs. Family support and parental outreach services.

Ofsted
View the latest Ofsted Inspection Report

Support for people with disabilities

Experience of including people with special educational needs and disabilities

How do Stowmarket Family Hubs cater for children and families with special educational needs and/or disability?

Family Hubs are for families with children under five. In Suffolk we have combined our Children’s Centres and our Health Visiting Teams, as we believe this will provide you with the best care and support. The Hub teams are made up of Health Visitors, Staff Nurses, Healthy Child Practitioners and Health & Children's Centre Advisors. 

We are committed to promoting and providing high quality learning and play opportunities. We believe in valuing and respecting each individual in a welcoming, accessible and inclusive environment. The hub has an equal opportunity policy which is reviewed annually. We offer a range of universal and targeted support and services which are designed to meet the needs of all users. 

Where possible, all of our group activities are planned to meet individual children’s needs. We work within the Early Years Foundation Stage framework, and will aim to capture evidence of your child’s progress as she/he attends the centre. Play sessions will offer activities which can be adapted to meet individual’s needs. All of our toys are suitable for children aged 0 to 5 years and we have a range of specialist resources, including sensory equipment. 

We offer a range of parenting courses and groups to help support parents in managing their children’s needs and possible challenging behaviours. Please see our timetable for a full list of groups. For more information, please do not hesitate to contact us. 

How will staff support my child's needs? 

Staff are available during our activities and can offer help and support as required. One-to-one support is available for families in the home and we will work in partnership with you and other agencies in helping you to meet your child’s and your family’s needs. Your child is at the heart of our service, and should you require additional help, we will work with you to help identify any areas of concern, ensuring your child’s wishes and feelings are at the centre of the support. 

We are trained to use the Common Assessment Framework to ensure that we are able to undertake a thorough assessment of your child’s needs, recognising and building on his / her strengths.

Information, advice and guidance is available and we can help to signpost you to other relevant local services and support as required. These can include: 

  • The Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) which provides information, advice and support to young people and children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) or disabilities aged 0-25 and their parents, about education, health and social care. 
  • Suffolk Early Learning Together Service 
  • Speech and Language Therapists 
  • Behavioural Support Services 
  • Specialist Services 

When it is time for your child to start attending nursery or school, we can support you in the transition period as we know that this can be both a challenging and an emotional time. 

What arrangements are in place to ensure that Stowmarket Family Hubs are accessible for children and families with special educational needs and/or disability?

Our Family Hubs are fully accessible from all entrances and exits. 

Our outdoor play areas have ramped access and consist of some concreted areas, softer outdoor flooring and grass. Within the centres we have accessible toilets with baby change facilities. All of the rooms have a mixture of vinyl non slip flooring and / or carpeted areas. 

The furniture within our three hubs is entirely moveable and adaptable allowing us the flexibility of creating and moving spaces if required. All resources and equipment are displayed at child-height, and are fully accessible, allowing children to make independent choices about their play.

What training or experience do the staff supporting children and young people with SEND have?

Family Hubs offering services are inclusive settings with staff who are experienced and trained in early years care and education.

Staff training includes: 

  • ECAT – Every Child a Talker
  • Autism Awareness and supporting families
  • WelComm – staff are trained to undertake WelComm (Speech & Language) assessments and support parents in helping their child’s language development
  • Elklan – training to support staff working with children with speech, language and communication needs
  • Makaton
  • Relationships build brains
  • EYFS
  • Build and maintain relationships
  • Characteristics of effective learning
  • Children, trauma and violence
  • Boundaries
  • Helping parents who misuse substances
  • Solihull
  • Incredible years 0-5
  • Incredible Babies
  • Triple P
  • Infant Massage
  • Ages and Stages assessments
  • Schedule of Growing Skills Assessments 

Staff can also refer to community paediatricians, speech and language therapists, audiologists, physiotherapists and the early years team.

 

Contact
Debbie Frost
Telephone
01449 724665
Email
sunshine@suffolk.gov.uk

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