Early Years Parenting Hub
Barnet Council has today (11 November) launched the Early Years Parenting Hub, an innovative early intervention service for parents and their children aged 0-5.
We know that most of a child’s development takes place in the first two years of life. From being new-borns totally dependent on their care givers they quickly become inquisitive independent thinkers, explorers of their world and forge strong foundations for child and adulthood. “The Best Start for Life: A Vision for the 1,001 Critical Days” report tells us that a child’s experiences from conception to five years is critical in shaping their adult lives. Therefore, investing in Early Intervention services is economically, socially and psychologically vital to a prosperous society.
Our Early Years Parenting Hub will provide support to families living across Barnet so that our youngest children have the opportunity to the best start in life, so that they can in a loving safe environment develop, learn and grow and have strong attachments that build their foundations for their future.
The Early Years Parenting Hub’s specialist multi-family interventions will include group and individual Mentalisation Based Treatment (MBT), video feedback and guidance, and parent-child attachment-based work. We are particularly mindful of the powerful message from the recent State of the Nation report (2021) commissioned by The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge:
“By playing our part to address parents’ feelings of insecurity and loneliness, build their confidence and knowledge and create networks of trusted support, then we will go a long way to building a happier, healthier society.”
Therefore, our vision is to bring parents and their children aged 0-5 together in the multi-family Hub to connect, share and learn from each other in a safe, family friendly space.
Deputy Mayor of Barnet, Cllr Saira Don, officially opened the Hub. The event included guest speaker Professor Tanya Byron, Consultant Clinical psychologist, writer, and child therapist famous for presenting on television shows such as ‘Little Angels’ and ‘The House of Tiny Tearaways’.
Tina McElligott, Family Services Director said: “I am very excited about the development of the Early Years Parenting Hub, our approach is informed by evidence that tells us intervening early in a child’s life, particularly the critical stages between the ages of nought and two, is essential to good, healthy child development and secure attachments. Our Early Years Parenting Hub will provide support to families living across Barnet and I look forward to seeing the positive difference the service will make in families lives”
The new Early Years Parenting is based at The Hyde Children’s Centre, Hyde Crescent, Barnet, NW9 7EY for more information contact Nicola.Labuschange@barnet.gov.uk