North Berwick Area Support from the Start Group Report

Sandra King & Joyce McIntosh Joint Chair - North Berwick Group July 2014

Background

The North Berwick Area Support from the Start was established in May 2012 following a local event entitled ‘It takes a Community to Raise a Child’ which was jointly run by Local Community Planning and North Berwick Area Children & Youth Network. The event brought together many people with an interest in supporting children and young people.

The discussion focused on the positives, challenges and opportunities for early years work in the North Berwick cluster.

Individuals and groups were invited to the first meeting in May 2012 which attracted over 40 people who agreed to set priorities for the group and establish working groups to take initiatives forward. The group is co-chaired by Joyce McIntosh, retired Nursery Head and Sandra King, Community Development Officer. It was agreed to meet every 6-8 weeks and rotate the meetings across the cluster in local primary schools as well as the North Berwick Community Centre. The meetings have been attended by a core group of people who have enthusiastically worked to establish a number of new initiatives. This has included:

 A new bursary scheme (14 free places allocated to children for after school activities including – ballet, swimming, enjoy a ball, drama, pottery & gymnastics)  A new group “Healthy Minds, Happy Babies” for parents with post natal depression from North Berwick & Haddington.  Baby massage offered in Aberlady, Gullane & North Berwick  Raising Children with Confidence Course delivered at Law Primary School  First Aid Course to parents who attend the Confident parents, Confident Children Group.  Healthy Cooking for the Family group.  One-to-one Counselling sessions for parents to support mental health.  Informal recycling of clothes and baby equipment.

Challenges and Opportunities

The core group have been very productive and enthusiastic about taking new initiatives forward. The group have met eight times over the period and work has continued to progress.

There is good representation from playgroup, nursery, primary school, community centre and health centre staff. We have endeavoured to attract more people to attend the meetings especially those operating in the villages.

Meetings generally take place on a Monday evening from 6.30pm-8pm. There is no best time for meetings as most of the people attending have work commitments during the day and prefer to have the meeting just after work rather than go home and come back. The evening meeting isn’t ideal for parents due to childcare responsibilities.

It was agreed to rotate the meetings across the cluster and meetings took place at Aberlady, Dirleton, Athelstaneford, Gullane and Law Primary schools. The Headteacher in most of the

schools attended the meeting when it took place in their school but this didn’t attract any additional people. We will have to work harder to encourage more parents and strengthen links with PTA or Parent Council in the village schools. The recent Area Partnerships now have representation from Support from the Start which will build and improve links in the villages.

The partnership between the North Berwick Community centre Management Committee, Playgroup, Nursery, Primary Schools, Community Learning & Developments, Stepping Out Mental Health Project and the Health Visiting team has been very proactive. North Berwick Management Committee has secured £10,000 from the Children & Families Fund to ensure parenting support continues. Parents who attended the Baby Club took part in a fun run and raised funds to support the crèche for the Healthy Minds, Happy Babies group.

The North Berwick Children & Youth Network has supported ‘Support from the Start’ by managing funds for the bursary scheme.

Review & Action Planning

The group agreed to review their action plan in June 2014 using the Ketso© hands-on kit which helps people work together, share ideas, encourage dialogue on challenges and prepare an action plan.

Support from the Start Priorities:

 Healthy and happy families  Involve families in shaping services  Help children be ready to learn and achieve through play  Families have access to child care experiences  Good opportunities for play in the community  Families on low incomes can access opportunities  Children are safe in their community

What have we achieved?

The Group

EDI discussions leading to project work priorities (e.g. resilience)

Strong core group working well as a team Positive Links between groups Bringing people together

Support for Parents

Healthy Minds, Happy Babies (post natal depression group) Confident Parents, Confident Children Group Raising Children With Confidence Course delivered x 2 Cooking for the Family Course Crèche/ play provision for children One –to-one Counseling sessions Individual Support Recycling of play/nursery equipment/clothes Holiday activities – use of Snoezelen room over the summer for children with additional support needs

Support for Children

Crèche /play provision Music Therapy for children with additional support needs

Events

Fun for Free at NCT Family Fun Day in Lodger Grounds Wild Day Out organised by Confident Parents, Confident Children Group Vintage Twist fashion Show organised by Confident Parents, Confident Children Group

Bursary Scheme

Set up bursary scheme children attending regularly Started to refine ideas for a bursary scheme

Baby massage

Baby Massage (Aberlady, Gullane & North Berwick)

Wild Play

Wild Day Out Playing Out Project – sessions to encourage children to get outdoors Promoted the value of outdoor play to parents Explored local places for wild play Law Primary organised screening of Project Wildthing

New Resources

Talking Time Box – Nursery Project Wild thing- DVD PEEP Resources

Publicity

Bursary leaflets Information board in centre Bookmarks Under 5’s Leaflet Facebook Community Centre website

Training

PEEP facilitators training Raising Children with Confidence Facilitator – Law Primary Nature, Nurture course Solihull training for midwives Early Years Collaborative – Signed up for event but couldn’t attend

What were the issues or grey areas?

Not produced a Pathways Leaflet (other areas have produced this) Increase parent participation in meetings Storage of equipment Better links with STRIVE Evaluation, measuring outcomes Still to establish Dirleton Group for parents Engaging the villages Sustainability of all activities Contributing to play strategy project Early years Collaborative links Having enough people to take ideas forward Professionals having the time to support activities

What impact have we made?

Parents included - a sense of belonging Strengthened communities Addressing inequalities Increased confidence Happy, healthy bairns Marginalised families included Children more settled in nursery/playgroup

Stronger network of friends Stronger links with support services Increased parenting skills and knowledge Specific targeted help for families Children able to access classes and clubs who would otherwise have been unlikely to attend. Parents more confident in their parenting skills Parents having good attachments with their babies and children Parents supporting each other Increased awareness of Support from the Start in the wider community

What have you gained from being part of the group (impact on you and your group)?

Useful to receive minutes and emails even if you are unable to attend Community approach – networking Met wonderful people Rewarding to see others benefit Being part of something bigger Stronger network Good to see wider impact Ability to continue work I did prior to retirement Maintain interest in supporting families with young children Keep in touch with people Share skills and knowledge Able to contribute Sharing early years expertise Idea of Project Wildthing taken forward

What ideas do you have for future activities?

The Group

Set all the dates/venues for the year Report back to community ‘It takes a Community to Raise A Child’ 2 Engaging other villages to come to meeting – leaflet schools, parents People behind us – volunteers Recruit Support from the Start volunteers Representation on Community partnership

Support for Parents

PEEP group starting in August 2014 at NB Nursery Raising Children with Confidence evening course at Law Primary Sept 2014 Food hygiene course Baby massage Free cycle, East Lothian Healthy cookery sessions built into existing groups

Funding in place to support Confident Parents, Confident Children Group and Healthy Minds, Happy Babies group, individual support and counselling;

Publicity

Parent Pathway leaflet Community council news letter article on importance of outdoor play Update under 5’s leaflet Info through the parent/toddler groups Links to village playgroup Resource library – dvd’s etc TV in GP’s, Ante-natal clinic promote Support from the Start activities

Promoting Outdoor Play

Weekend play strategy ‘Go mad with dad’ Gorilla play Lodge trail – fairies and goblins Pop up play Back to basics play Write to Planning Dept about including naturally planted open play areas in new housing areas

Bursary Scheme

Bursary scheme a priority Attract funds for sustaining scheme

Ante Natal Work

Brain development (video from Raising Children with Confidence - build into ante- natal classes) Maternal nutrition

What are our main priorities?

Sustaining parenting support Promoting Outdoor Play Addressing inequalities Reporting back to the community – celebrating success!

“What have we started!”

North Berwick Area Support from the Start Group Priorities

1. Sustaining parenting support 2. Promoting Outdoor Play 3. Addressing inequalities 4. Reporting back to the community – celebrating success!

1. Sustaining parent support

7. Ante-natal 2 - Promoting work outdoor play

Support from the

6. Dirleton Start Baby/Toddler 3 - Addressing Group inequalities Key Inner circle – core group - meets 6-8 times per year Outer circle – task groups Cloud shape – groups forming around new ideas / actions 5. Befirending / 4. Reporting back to Circle shape – groups already mentoring the community. - formed / activity already celebrating success planned

No Action & Ideas Lead Officer / Outputs Outcome area Agency

1 Sustaining Parenting Support Sandra King Have positive parenting and Confident Parents, Confident Children Group Ann Richardson experience good attachments at an early stage

Involving Parents, Children and Communities & Building Community Capacity Healthy Minds, Happy babies Nicky Fox Ann Richardson

PEEP GROUP June Gibberd New PEEP group 7 weeks from Eilidh Ross 28 August-28 October Tracey Nursery Cunningham

Raising Children with confidence Raising Children with Confidence evening course at Law Primary Sept 2014 Baby Massage

Food hygiene course Free cycle, East Lothian Healthy cookery sessions built into existing groups Funding in place to support Confident Parents,

Confident Children Group and Healthy Minds, Happy Babies group, individual support and counselling;

2 Promoting Play Opportunities Holiday Activities Alice Kinloch Centre has been closed all Have a good opportunity for Creating opportunities for holiday activities for pre-5 Joyce McIntosh summer. Explore holiday play children with additional support needs Janice MacLeod activities for children with Are ready to learn and achieve Kirsty Wood additional support need building on work already progressed. Outdoor wild play

3. Addressing Inequalities

Recycling of Clothes/ Baby Equipment Tracey Informal recycling of clothes Involving Parents, Children and Cunningham and baby equipment, social Communities & Building Maureen Telford media effective to locate and Community Capacity distribute items. 5 families have benefited – nursery furniture, Are not living in poverty prams/buggy/child seats/clothing. Bursary Scheme June Gibberd Club/groups. Raise awareness Are not living in poverty Joyce McIntosh with groups of inclusion (offer

Alison Clark assisted places) Sandra King Encourage business sponsorship to support families access groups/services Referral process in place. 14 bursary places awarded.

Talks to Head teachers, Rotary Club to sustain scheme.

4. Reporting back to the community – celebrating success!

Information leaflets Sandra King Boards up in the Community Involving Parents, Children and Pauline McLaren Centre. Communities & Building SFTS East Lothian are working with the Council early years Maddie Welsh A school leaver based at the Community Capacity team to develop more parent friendly information Community Centre helped to develop the Community Centre website /FACEBOOK and exhibition boards which include a link to SftS website. Can access quality child care experiences Update under 5’s leaflet Local leaflets prepared in 2014 were updated and can be downloaded from web site

Parent Pathway leaflet Community council news letter article on importance of outdoor play Info through the parent/toddler groups

Links to village playgroup

Resource library – DVD’s etc TV in GP’s, Ante-natal clinic promote Support from the Start activities

It Takes a Community to Raise a Child – Healthy Happy Bairns Festival Event Core group Organise event to report back Involving Parents, Children and to the community on Communities & Building achievements Community Capacity Set all the dates/venues for the year Engaging other villages to come to meeting – leaflet schools, parents People behind us – volunteers Recruit Support from the Start volunteers Representation on Community partnership 5 Befriending/Mentoring (idea) Core Group Involving Parents, Children and Communities & Building Community Capacity

6. Dirleton Parents Group (idea) Ali Clark Parent from Dirleton offered to Have a good opportunity for Jill Kynoch help get a Toddler group up and play running from the School. This is to be taken forward with the Head teacher. 7. Ante-natal work Brain development (video from Raising Children with Confidence - build into ante- natal classes) Maternal nutrition