Children North East and the Gateshead Family Hubs are excited to welcome Washington and Gateshead South MP Sharon Hodgson to see work to give babies in Gateshead the best start in life.
Sharon Hodgson MP has played an important role in increasing funding nationally for early years provision.
Sharon has been a champion of babies and young children for many years and played an important part in a parliamentary group that pushed for increased investment into early year’s provision and mental health support for babies and new parents. This led to the creation of the Family Hubs programme, which now funds provision across the country.
Protecting babies’ mental health through Little Minds in Mind
Little Minds in Mind is an innovative project, funded by Newcastle City Council as part of the Family Hub Start for Life Programme. The project supports new parents and their babies who are struggling to bond for any reason. It uses a model of parent-infant therapy alongside peer support groups for new parents to support them to form deeper connections with their babies.
Enhanced support for families in Gateshead through Family Hubs
Gateshead Council received additional funding from the Family Hubs programme to enhance its children’s centre provision to create a one-stop shop for parents with children up to the age of 19 to access services and advice, as well as running early years activities like Messy Play and Baby Massage sessions across the borough.
Training for Gateshead’s Practitioners focusing on Infant Mental Health
As part of its ongoing commitment to early years provision, Gateshead Council is funding Children North East to deliver specialised training to local staff. This training focuses on infant mental health, ensuring that practitioners across the borough are equipped to address the critical role early relationships play in a child’s emotional and mental wellbeing.
Comment from Sharon Hodgson
“It is lovely to visit Children North East’s Birtley Family Hub, to speak to the staff and families involved, and to see all the amazing work that is being done to give children across the North East a better start in life. It is so important to invest in our children. I am very happy to see all of the work that the Family Hubs programme and Gateshead Council are putting into this.”
Comment from Ben Curran, Parent-Infant Foundation
“It’s great to see this service funded through the national Start for Life programme. Pregnancy and the first two years of life is a key period of brain development. Babies depend on sensitive, responsive parenting to grow and develop healthily. But being a parent can be hugely demanding, and life can throw up all sorts of challenges. So when parents are overwhelmed and struggling, it’s crucial they can get help and support. It’s brilliant to hear how families are getting that support now from Little Minds in Mind – it’s a great investment in Gateshead’s babies.”
Comment from Rachel Leslie
“At Children North East, we are committed to supporting families through early intervention and ensuring that babies and parents have the tools they need to build strong emotional bonds. The Little Minds in Mind project is about providing vital support at a critical time in a child’s life, regardless of geographic location. We are proud to be working with both Gateshead and Newcastle, training staff, and strengthening our collective efforts to enhance the mental health and wellbeing of babies and their families.”
For additional information on the services, consider visiting the websites listed below:
Gateshead Family Hubs – Gateshead Council
Little Minds in Mind – Children North East
CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO OUR CROWDFUNDER
HELP US BECOME STRONGER SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DELIVER POWERFUL CITIZEN JOURNALISM!
