Frequently Asked Questions
Q1) What are Family Hubs?
Family Hubs support families with children of all ages, from 0-19 or up to 25 for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). They bring services together to:
- improve access,
- improve the connections between families, professionals, services, and providers,
- and put relationships at the heart of family support.
The support offered includes:
- midwifery,
- health visiting,
- children’s centre services,
- more streamlined access to other services such as housing support.
Q2) Why are Family Hubs being introduced in Hounslow?
Hounslow is one of the 75 local authorities who have been selected to be part of the government’s national Family Hubs & Start for Life programme. The objective is to provide a joined up and enhanced service ensuring all parents and carers can access the support they need when they need it.
Through the programme, parents and carers should feel supported and empowered in caring for and nurturing their babies and children, ensuring they receive the best start in life. This in turn will improve health and education outcomes for babies and children and enable them to thrive in later life.
To achieve this, funding has been provided to:
- move to a Family Hub model.
- Improve the universal Start for Life offer
- transform the family support offer
The programme was launched in April 2022 and will end in March 2025.
Q3) Why are Family Hubs needed?
All families need support from time to time to help their babies and children thrive, whether that’s from friends, family, volunteers, or practitioners. Our ambition is for every family to receive the support they need, when they need it. All families should have access to the information and tools they need to care for and interact positively with their babies and children, and to look after their own wellbeing.
Families have told us that they sometimes experience difficulty interacting with the complex service landscape and have to ‘re-tell their story’ to different services and professionals. This is often particularly the case for disadvantaged and vulnerable families. However, there is often no single, non-stigmatising point of access for family services that helps families to navigate and receive the wide-ranging support they need.
Investing in supporting families to care for their babies, children and young people has an important role to play in reducing health and education disparities right from the start, and improving physical, emotional, cognitive and social outcomes longer term.
We believe Family Hubs can provide that support to families Hounslow.
Q4) Who can access Family Hubs?
All families who have children aged 0 to 19, or up to 25 for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) can access Family Hubs.
Q5) How many Family Hubs will there be in Hounslow and where will they be located?
We have launched three Family Hubs in the following locations:
Q6) How will Family Hubs be any different to Children’s Centres?
Children’s Centres focus on providing support to children aged 0-5 years and their parents. Family Hubs will provide support to families with children of all ages, which is 0-19 or up to 25 for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Family Hubs will continue to offer the services you can expect to receive at Children’s Centres, as well as more streamlined access to other services such as housing and SEND support.
We also hope families will use the hubs as a place to visit and spend time with other people from around the borough.
Q7) Will there still be Children’s Centres in Hounslow?
Children’s Centres will continue to operate in Hounslow alongside the three Family Hubs.
The full list of Children’s Centres is as follows:
- Bedfont Children’s Centre
- Crane Park Children’s Centre
- Cranford Children’s Centre
- Beavers Children’s Centre
- Midsummer Park Children’s Centre
- Chiswick Children’s Centre
- South Isleworth Children’s Centre
Q8) What is currently being offered in Family Hubs?
Services, interventions and sessions are being offered at the three Family Hubs. They are aimed towards families with children aged 0-5. There are plans underway to develop and increase the offer to cater to the needs of families with children aged 0-19 or up to 25 with SEND by March 2025.