Newsletter
Children’s Services at Birmingham Settlement offers a range of activities for families that will support their wellbeing and development. Through Children’s Services we aim to enhance opportunities for children to achieve their potential as well as assist and guide parents to ensure they can make informed choices. We run a Children’s Centre and Little Settlers Day Nursery in addition to activities for older children. Some of the areas where families can get involved include:
Little Settlers Day Nursery
Birmingham Settlement offers a community nursery at the Centre for Aston Family. It is available for children from 2–4 years and provides safe and secure facilities which are conducive to high quality preschool learning. Nursery activities actively promote parental involvement to ensure that their child receives an optimum standard of care.
Family Support
As a designated Children’s Centre, the Centre for the Aston Family, provides families with a variety of information and guidance concerning their child from advice on handling tantrums to money advice and housing support. The Children’s Services team also work with other organisations to deliver a multi-agency service to families, ensuring that their needs are constantly being met.
New birth visits
Within three months of a child’s birth, a member of the Children’s Centre staff visits families at home. This is an opportunity for new parents to learn about the services offered by the Children’s Centre and to raise any issues that may be concerning them. New birth visits also enable families to register with the Children’s Centre, so they can be kept up to date with the latest activities.
Home visits
Family Support Workers visit parents registered at the Centre, providing them with support on a range of parental issues, helping them to be more confident and promoting positive parenting. This covers all aspects of childcare such as routines, healthy eating, potty training and any other matters parents may need assistance with.
Stay and Play sessions
Hosted by Children’s Centre staff, Stay and Play is an opportunity for parents to play with their children in a safe, stimulating environment, whilst also enabling them to meet other parents and build new support networks. Each week has a different focus or topic and involves messy play, construction, games and singing time.
Holiday Club
In summer 2012 Birmingham Settlement successfully launched a Holiday Club for children aged three to eleven to gain access to out of school social and educational activities during their break from school. This included learning cooking skills, arts and crafts, computer skills and group games and puzzles.
Father engagement
We provide specialist support and advice to fathers in all areas of parenthood, including developing their parenting skills, dealing with financial issues including child support, and advocating on behalf of fathers.
Training
We offer a range of short courses to parents that include Preparing for Work, Introduction to IT, Handling Children’s Behaviour and Numeracy. These courses help to build confidence and alleviate feelings of isolation, particularly by lone and new parents. Courses are free of charge and accompanied by complimentary crèche facilities.
Please click here for further information about some of the activities currently delivered by our Children’s Centre.
If you would like to know more about our Children’s Services, please contact the Centre for the Aston Family on 0121 250 0777 or email info@bsettlement.org.uk.