National Family Hub & Start for Life Programme

The Start for Life programme in Doncaster offers support for all families in those early days and beyond. The first 1,001 days – from conception right through to two years old – are fundamental to a child’s development and the Start for Life offer supports families in these stages to ensure our little ones and those raising them have the best start – to be happy, healthy, safe and thriving.

Our Family Hubs

Our Family Hubs have been at the heart of our offer for families since 2017. These hubs, 12 across the borough, allow families to access a host of groups, services, and support locally. This can be anything from midwife appointments and baby groups, through to adult and community learning opportunities and parenting classes; the offer is aimed to support all families with children aged 0-19 and 25 for those with SEND. Our Family Hubs are nationally recognised as examples of best practice and something that we are very proud.

The Family Hubs are a collaborative hub working with key partners in Doncaster, including City of Doncaster Council, Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust, and also work with other key local organisations and community groups.

Within our Family Hubs, you might find:

Fun and engaging activities and groups for families with children aged 0-5
Regular events and peer group support networks for parents, guardians and caregivers
Access to key antenatal and postnatal appointments with Midwifery and Health Visiting services
Access to early years facilities and spaces including sensory rooms and outdoor learning spaces
Support and guidance around infant feeding including breastfeeding-friendly spaces, loaning of pumps and feeding peer support groups
Wider support for family issues through our partner services including housing and financial support, welfare and parent relationship support and much more

We want our Family Hubs to be the place to go within our communities for all families in Doncaster, to find their network, have access to wonderful and engaging groups and support, and be the safe place for those who need a little extra help in their parenting journey.

To find out more about the Family Hubs and their services, or become a member of your local Family Hub, click HERE

Central Government have become increasingly focused on this approach and, in April 2022, announced the national Family Hub & Start for Life Programme, heavily based on our work in Doncaster, to fund increased capacity and innovation. Doncaster was one of 75 areas chosen and we have taken great strides to build on our strong foundations.

The Start for Life Programme

The Start for Life Programme is all about ensuring parents and families have access to the right services locally to enable them to flourish, be that a wide range of groups and classes for families and their little ones to join in with, support and opportunities to engage with a child’s learning and development, a network to support parental mental health and much more. Much of this support and our services are delivered through our local Family Hubs, based in the heart of our communities, and brings Doncaster’s key partners together to ensure services are delivered jointly.

The goal and aspiration of the programme is to empower parents and families to be the best they can be, supported by each other from within their communities, and strengthened by our key services and partners. The programme is for any family, parent, guardian or caregiver who is supporting the growth of babies and children in Doncaster.

Our mission is to give children and families the best start in life, and support and empower families to overcome challenges to be happy, healthy, & resilient.

Some of the key focuses for the programme are:

Infant-feeding - We are here to help with any advice or practical support you may need with feeding and weaning your baby

Early language and the home learning environment - Our aim is to make sure your children learn, grow, and thrive and you have opportunities to provide that for your little ones.

Parent-Infant relationships and peri-natal mental health - Those first weeks and months can as tough as they are joyful and we are keen to make sure that all parents are supported through the highs and lows and that at the end, you have secure attachments with your baby and good mental wellbeing

Parenting support - Being a parent can often feel like the hardest job in the world, and the only one with no training! We are here to help bring parents together and help you navigate the journey from pregnancy to teenagers. We offer everything from play sessions and youth groups through to peer support and classes and our door is always open if you need a little extra support. Find out more about the support available HERE

How can I get involved?

Our mission is to continue to develop our Start for Life Programme and Family Hub offer according to what Doncaster families need and we would welcome all feedback in helping us shape our offer. You can get involved by joining our parent carers panels.