Portsmouth is one of 75 areas benefitting from £300 million investment from the government up to 2025 for Family Hubs to improve access to support, advice and services for local families. The Isle of Wight and Southampton have also been awarded funding.
Family Hubs are for families with babies, children and young people from birth until they reach the age of 19 (or up to 25 for young people with special educational needs and disabilities).
Portsmouth’s Family Hubs are delivered through a formal partnership between Portsmouth City Council and Solent NHS Trust. There are Family Hubs in Buckland, Somerstown, Milton, Hilsea and Paulsgrove. The funding will see an expansion of the support available in these existing hubs with additional services also provided in community venues and online.
The hubs will become a ‘one stop shop’ to access a range of help including support for physical and mental health, housing and debt advice, youth services, domestic abuse support, as well as services run by charities.
At the heart of Family Hubs will be services to give babies a great start for life and help parents to build strong relationships with their babies by providing things like parenting classes, midwifery, health visiting, infant feeding advice and perinatal mental health support.
Family Hubs will also bring together wider wraparound services that can make a huge difference to people who need extra support – such as advice on getting into work, relationship building and stop smoking services.
Multiple organisations will be brought together within the Family Hubs, so families only have to explain what they need help with once, rather than having to tell many different people.
Cllr Suzy Horton, Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education at Portsmouth City Council, said:
“All families may face challenges or need to turn somewhere for help at times and with this funding we can ensure this help is easier to access. Our Family Hubs already do brilliant work supporting families and I’m delighted that the expansion will see such a wide range of help available for parents, carers and children in the heart of their communities”
Claire Robinson, Clinical Director of Child and Family Services at Solent NHS Trust, added:
“We really welcome this funding as we know family hubs, sitting in the heart of our communities, are highly valued by those accessing them to get the support they need, when they need it. This financial investment will strengthen and widen that support offer, giving people the most comprehensive help so that children, parents and carers can achieve the best possible health and life outcomes.”
For details of Portsmouth’s current Family Hubs, visit: www.portsmouth.gov.uk/family-hubs