A place for you and your child to get support

Sure Start children’s centres are places where families with children under 5 years old can get services. Whether you are a mum, dad, grandparent, carer or childminder you are welcome to come to the children’s centre and join the groups and activities or get support.

All families in Devon with a child under five have access to children’s centre services. This makes it easier for you and your family to get the support you need during the early years of your child’s life, and get information and help from a range of different professionals.

Some children’s centres have childcare as part of their services and others are able to give you up-to-date information about childcare available in your area.

Children’s centres work with schools and other services to make sure that you continue to get help and support as your child grows. Every centre will have different services depending on what is needed in your local area and will provide services from different locations in your community.

Some of the services that could be available are:

• full day care and good quality early learning
• child and family health services, such as ante-natal and post-natal care, ‘bumps to babies’ groups, weaning advice, healthy eating courses, smoking cessation and teenage pregnancy support groups
• play activity sessions such as ‘stay and play’ and ‘growing together’ groups
• outreach staff who will bring services and support out to families and communities
• support for childminders for example through childminding network groups
• support and information for families with additional needs, such as ‘Step by Step’, and stay and play with portage
• links to Jobcentre Plus to help parents and carers find work or training, including public access computers and drop-in advice sessions
• information and advice on local childcare, activities and support services such as holiday activities and family fun days
• support for your family and parenting advice.

Your local children's centre - find out more

Information in other languages

Devon has produced two DVDs about children's centre services which you can view by using the links below:

DVD 1 - general introduction to children's centres

DVD 2 - Devon Sure Start Children's Centres

• parenting programmes
• Jobcentre Plus services at the centre
• support for children with additional needs
• antenatal support
• support for young parents
• home visiting.

Or you can borrow the DVDs from your local children’s centre

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