Redgrave Children and Young People’s Centre: How it helps and supports local parents

“I can talk to them like they’re my family and that’s what it feels like. They really do care…If there’s a problem, someone will always sit down and help to talk me through it, whether it’s personal or something practical like finances. Redgrave Children’s Centre has been fantastic, and is the first place I turn to.” Josie Heasman is 21 and lives in with her son, Remaine, who is three.

Limbury Fields Children's & Community Centre The Children’s Centre team consists of Health Visitors, Midwives, Outreach Workers, Childminding Development Workers, Teachers and an admin team. The Centre works very closely with partners in the linked schools and nurseries and is very proud of its Our sites and Partners integrated working. Activities such as Stay and Play sessions, Adult Education, Parenting Programmes, holiday activities, JobCentre Plus and advice and support are delivered from Redgrave Children and Young People’s Centre…and from partner sites at:

BuTTeRfLIes NuRseRy GRasmeRe GILL BLOweRs 2 - 3 year old’s Butterflies Nursery is located on the site of NuRseRy sCHOOL NuRseRy sCHOOL Of special importance is our facility for 2-3 year olds. This facility offers 16 part time Redgrave Children and Young People’s Grasmere Nursery School is located in Gill Blowers Nursery School has places to vulnerable children. The unit offers Centre. Managed by the Pre-school Learning Way and caters for up to 156 two locations… creative play areas, numeracy and literacy Alliance since 2005, the nursery moved on children aged three to four years... providing mossdale in and learning, sensory stimuli and a library/music to the current site in June 2011. 15 hours of free childcare with wraparound Leabank, off waluds Bank Drive. area. There is also a beautifully designed ‘GOOD’ Ofsted inspection childcare available from 8am until 6pm (and The Leabank site is part of the Redgrave and interesting garden, with plenty of space also in school holidays). Registered by OFSTED to provide care and Children and Young People’s Centre, for outdoor activities. education for up to 65 children, of whom no Outside there is an extensive garden with and has achieved great success for its more than nine can be under two years old, sandpit, climbing frames and a large orchard children, receiving a ‘Good’ judgement with fIeLDs CeNTRe the nursery were last inspected by OFSTED in area with a Forest School Lodge to explore. ‘Outstanding features from Ofsted in 2010. Limbury Fields is located at Icknield Way, September 2009 and were given a ‘GOOD’ The nursery also employ a Specialist Teacher staff work closely with parents and and offers a range of services for families Ofsted inspection outcome. and Nursery Nurse to support children and the Children’s Centre including: The nursery has a Baby families with additional needs. We also offer The nursery runs a variety of groups that * Baby Massage Courses Room and 2-5 room a range of Children’s Centre services and promote child development and the Early * Breastfeeding Support activites in our spacious Family Room. As well as providing up to 15 hours of free Years Foundation Stage e.g. Messy Play, * Safe @ Home assessments Tadpoles Baby and Toddler unit care and education per week to three and Practical Play. The nursery is a ‘resourced * Healthy Start Vitamins four year olds, and eligible two year olds, the The Tadpoles Unit can offer full daycare for nursery’ which means that it has staff specially * Play and Stay Sessions nursery provides childcare from 8am to 6pm children from three months to three years of trained to meet the needs of children with * Healthy Eating Guidance and Advice. for children aged two to five years. age. Milk, nappies and home cooked meals special needs, and ongoing relationships with CHeyNes are all included. the special INfaNT sCHOOL needs professionals who are frequent Children’s Centre services are provided from visitors to the setting. the Bluebell Family Room at the Cheynes The 3-4s unit nursery Infant School site. Activities are run by the The nursery is a Local Authority maintained School Family Worker and Children’s Centre setting. There are places for 40, part time, staff and include Stay and Play sessions, three to five year olds in an indoor and adult education, Bump2Babe sessions and a outdoor learning environment. Child Health Clinic.

22 33 Our sites and Partners continued

suNDON sTaRs eDwIN LOBO uNIT Promote health, wellbeing and to help your child attain the highest PRe-sCHOOL The Edwin Lobo Unit provides a Community therapeutic handling possible quality of life through play and Educate parents and carers purposeful activities. Located on the site of Cheynes Infant School Paediatrics Medical Service. This is a Provide aids for standing and mobility Team Leader - Mandy Nash on Cranbrook Drive, the pre-school is in a Consultant Paediatrician led community 01582 708141 purpose built building which includes its own based service for children and young people Provide exercises for home and school with suspected disability, neuro-disability, and outdoor / garden area. Managed by the Liaise with parents, medical staff and • Children’ s Speech and Language Pre-school Learning Alliance, it is registered developmental delay. school Therapy to provide care and education for up to 34 The Consultant Paediatricians also provide Maximise your child’s functional The Pre-School Special Needs Speech children aged two to five years old. specialist medical opinion and advice for independence. & Language Therapy Team work with The pre-school was Ofsted inspected in statutory assessments. Referrals to this service Team Leader - Penny Jones children who have communication and February 2012 and received a ‘GOOD’ can be made by health and social care 01582 708164 feeding difficulties. The aims of their Ofsted inspection outcome. professionals. work are to: • Children’ s Community - Empower parents/education staff Breakfast and Out of school Clubs CHILDReN’s Occupational Therapy to encourage children’s speech, As well as daily pre-school sessions, Sundon THeRaPy seRvICes The Occupational Therapy team work language and communication Stars offers Breakfast and Afterschool Clubs with children who have a physical Children’s Therapy Services are based at the development. disability / coordination difficulties which are open to both pre-school children Centre and offer: - To implement alternative means of and children from Cheynes Infant School and which result in difficulties with functional communication eg signing. • Children’ s Community skills eg: the Junior School. Physiotherapy - To ensure children are feeding safely - Hand function (including handwriting and advise on ways of developing The Physiotherapy team work with and scissor skills) children in Luton and the South eating and drinking skills. - Play area. The Physiotherapy The service provides input to children team aims to: - Self care skills (eg using cutlery/cups, via nursery visits, individual advice, dressing, toileting) Evaluate your child’s abilities in relation to group input and home visits dependent their physical development - Requirement for specialised postural on the child’s needs. sitting Provide an individual physiotherapy They liaise with parents/carers, treatment plan - Access to school curriculum health and education professionals as They work in partnership with appropriate. parents/carers, education and health Team Leader – Amanda Armstrong professional colleagues. 01234 310278 They provide individual advice and, where appropriate, treatment; aiming

4 5 where are we?

WHITEFIELD PRIMARY SCH

WHITEHORSE VALE

LEA MANOR HIGH SCH GRASMERE NURSERY SCHOOL

GREAT WOOD STOCKHOLM WAY

LEA MANOR RECREATION CENTRE CHEYNES INFANT SCHOOL

FUTURES HOUSE HOLY CROSS CHURCH

REDGRAVE GARDENS

PURLEY CENTRE REDGRAVE CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S CENTRE

WAULUDS NORTHWELL DRIVE BANK DR

WAULUD PRIMARY SCH ICKNIELD WAY

BRAMINGHAM ROAD

LIMBURY FIELDS COMMUNITY CENTRE

LYGETUN DRIVE

GILL BLOWERS NURSERY

Redgrave Children and young People’s Centre is located in a bespoke building, sited in the grounds of Lea manor High school.

6 Turnover for our addresses 7 Kevan is making sure his granddaughter has where are we? a better future with support from Redgrave Children and young People’s Centre.

Redgrave Children and Young People’s Centre Redgrave Gardens, Luton, Bedfordshire LU3 3QN Tel: 01582 556661 Fax: 01582 515717

Cheynes Infant School and Sundon Stars Pre-School Cranbrook Drive, , Luton, Bedfordshire LU3 3EW Tel: 01582 617800 Fax: 01582 571647

Gill Blowers Nursery School Leabank, Wauluds Bank Drive, Luton, Bedfordshire LU3 3LW Tel: 01582 565797

Grasmere Nursery School Icknield Way, Luton, Kevan spencer lives in Luton with his representative. He has also volunteered at the Bedfordshire LU3 2BT granddaughter, Cathy-Jo, who is seven. Dad’s Club and is planning to enrol on future Tel: 01582 593426 Parenting courses courses if possible. “The Centre is definitely an

Limbury Fields Centre Centre Fax: 01582 593426 excellent facility for anyone with young children, Icknield Way, Luton, Kevan was given an early Nursery place at Gill and there’s something there for everyone,” he Bedfordshire LU3 2JR Blowers for Cathy-Jo and it was through this that believes. “They helped me with finding nursery he came into contact with the Centre and found Tel: 01582 595190 and school places for Cathy-Jo and there is out about the many courses available to parents always someone to talk to if you have a problem and carers. “I wasn’t in work and because I had or need advice, so I’m glad to be able to make the time it was a good opportunity for me to learn a contribution by offering my assistance if I something new and to get me out of the house,” can.” Kevan was recently presented with an he says. “I also wanted to make sure I was doing Edwin Lobo unit Adult Learning Award, reflecting his on-going everything I could for Cathy-Jo, and the various are based at the commitment to training and to his dedication to his parenting courses I’ve taken have been very granddaughter’s care. Redgrave site, useful.” offering Community “helped me to make a good life” something for everyone paediatrics medical “Redgrave Children and Young People’s Centre service and Apart from the parenting courses, Kevan has have really helped me to make a good life for children’s therapy passed Level 2 in Maths and English, taken Cathy-Jo and to make sure she has a better future a number of lorry driving lessons and sits services. than might otherwise have been the case.” on the Centre’s Advisory Board as a parent 8 9 what we offer

plus pregnant and aims to prepare expectant activities like baby massage, baby wrigglers, Child Behaviour Course parents for pregnancy, birth and early baby signing and more! sNaPs (special Needs and parenthood. Parental support) A successful course for parents of children Baby massage under six years, to help them establish Stay and Play group for parents to bring New B’s Cafe – simple strategies to promote behaviours and An enjoyable 5 week course for parents children with Physical or Learning Disabilities a Breastfeeding support Group encourage positive ones! and babies under six months old. You will and their siblings under 5 years old. A weekly drop-in session in a relaxed learn a relaxing massage technique(I.A.I.M) strengthening families environment where mothers can be to enhance: bonding, communication with messy Play (under 3’s) strengthening Communities (sfsC) supported with breastfeeding. Advice and baby and general wellbeing. It can also help Have fun and get messy with clay, paint, A course for parents with children aged useful tips are shared and also a chance with colic and to settle babies. noodles, mashed potato and much more! 3-18 years. It promotes positive family to meet other mums who are currently Please bring a change of clothes. signing Babies relationships, enhancing parent and child’s breastfeeding. A six week course delivered by Lyndsey from Proud young Parents self esteem, self-discipline and social skills Child Health Clinics through a variety of behaviour management Signing Babies for parents and their babies group for young parents aged 21 and methods. A drop in clinic run by the Health Visiting to teach them basic signs which enables them under and their children to meet other young Team. They offer advice and support on to communicate before they learn to talk. parents. Lunch is also provided. aBC (about Boys Course) your child’s development, feeding, starting to mini me’s (0-2 only) music & Dancing with Charlie This course is targeted at Mums with sons wean etc. They monitor the growth, health aged 2-5 years old. It provides an insight into and well being needs of children under five. Stay & Play group for parents with children Music fun for children and carers. Suitable boys development and how to support them under 2 only. Come and meet other parents for all ages (£2 per family per session). Childminders Drop In through their difficulties. and help your child take part in different If you are a childminder in the area come activities. Conversation Group along with the children, to one of our drop- stay & Play Supports adults who need confidence to in’s to meet other childminders. Share express themselves in everyday situations, good practice or experiences of OFSTED Our stay and play sessions are opportunities at school, at the doctors or just making new inspection and have a change of scenery. for parents/carers to come along and meet other people with young children. A variety friends. under 1’s Baby Group of activities will be set up for all ages which Bump 2 Babe A group for parents/carers of young babies. may include messy play, role play and lots These are free antenatal classes run by Relax and enjoy activities and a cup of tea. more. midwives, health visitors & the Children’s Hands on baby Centre team. Sessions are for two hours per week for five consecutive weeks. The A delightful group for parents with babies classes are for women who are 25 weeks under six months old. It offers a variety of 10 11 Laura loved Redgrave Children and young People’s Centre so much she moved home to be closer.

was worth the bother of having to get the bus to get there because it was so perfect; not just for me but for Lexi and Roxy, too. They have a little circle of friends who they look forward to seeing which is lovely, as before they had been quite shy. We all three are much more confident, and happier, because of the Centre.” Laura ferris and her husband Neil live in a hop, skip and jump to professional Luton with their two daughters. Lexi is advice three and Roxy, two. Laura was so impressed with the facilities and the a lonely life standard of care at the Nursery that, when they Living in temporary accommodation in an area had the chance to move house, she deliberately where she hardly knew anyone, and without chose one which was nearby. “We are now a car to help her get out and about, Laura felt a hop, skip and jump from the Nursery and I very isolated and alone all day with two young couldn’t be more pleased as it has become a children. Most of her friends lived some distance major part of my life. I’ve had brilliant advice from away and none had children of a similar age the staff.” and, although she has a large family they all a new direction for Laura work during the day, so she was very much left to manage alone. Laura is so impressed with the Centre and the Nursery that she has decided to investigate a huge and positive difference ways to train in Childcare and, hopefully, obtain When she heard about the Messy Play sessions a placement there. “They are so good with the at the Gill Blowers Nursery, part of Redgrave children and the care is of such high quality I Children and Young People’s Centre, she realised would love to work there,” she says. “I’ve been that this could be somewhere to entertain the told that they will help me with any courses I need children and for her to meet people, which she to take and I am so pleased that I have found was very keen to do. “It turned out to be entirely somewhere so wonderful for the children and for the right decision for me,” she says. “Before I me, and it’s all down to taking the girls to Messy discovered the Centre I had no social network Play once a week!” and now I have such a good group of friends, and that has made a huge difference to me. It fuRTHeR INfORmaTION For any information on these services contact: Redgrave Children and young People’s Centre Redgrave Children and Young People’s Centre Redgrave Gardens, Luton, LU3 3QN Tel: 01582 556661 Fax: 01582 515717