Solihull Council and Colebridge Trust are joining forces to launch a pilot Family Hub at the Evergreen Space, Kingshurst (by Yorkswood Primary School) on Monday 16 October to support local families, children and young people.
Solihull’s Family Hubs are part of a wider approach to focusing on prevention and early intervention, acting sooner to support families before issues escalate. They bring services under one roof, creating a one-stop-shop for families in the area, reducing travel time and making sure they get the help and support they need. It will allow staff from different organisations and teams to work together more effectively.
The Hub will provide joined-up services and activities for families, incorporating start for life services (such as NHS maternity and Health Visiting services), youth activities, family support, parenting programmes, social and peer support sessions, lifestyle, mental health and Special Educational Needs and Disability support.
Three further Family Hubs will open in spring next year, in Chelmsley Wood, Elmdon, and Smith’s Wood. They will be complemented by improved outreach services in Meriden, Shirley and Solihull. The sites will be run with the NHS and local charities. The Family Hubs have been made possible by £1m of funding from the Department for Education.
Councillor Tony Dicicco, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health said:
“It’s great to see the first of our Family Hubs ready to go. It’s looking really good and I’m sure it will be a welcoming space for families who need to access the wide variety of support and services on offer here. The staff are raring to go at the new site, and I’m confident that this Hub, along with the three to open in 2024, will improve how accessible these vital services are to our residents.
“It is vital that we continue to innovate like this to provide the best possible service for the best possible value and I’m excited to see the impact these new Family Hubs will have across Solihull. Colebridge Trust has an excellent record of delivering services for residents in this part of the borough, so I’m pleased that they’ll be working with us to ensure that this new project delivers its full potential.”
Chet Parmar, CEO of Colebridge Trust said:
"We’re delighted to be working with the Council to deliver a community-led Family Hub in Kingshurst. We would also like to thank Yorkswood Primary School, whose governors and staff have been committed to developing a wider community offer. Evergreen (formerly known as Capitol House) is an excellent opportunity to highlight how the health and wellbeing of young people and their families can be improved through collaboration, empowerment and enablement.
“The local community is vital to the development of the Hub and we are grateful for their continued involvement in the development of activities here. We would encourage local families to get in touch with the team and find out more about what's on offer by emailing evergreen@colebridge.org".