Family centres support families to find solutions to the parenting and relationships challenges they face and to grow in confidence to manage future difficulties. The aim of the family centre is to help families build their own resilience and support network.
The family centre provides one-to-one family support where family circumstances are having a significant impact on the health, development or wellbeing of the child/ children. Families and practitioners working with families, for example, GPs, health visitors, schools, early years settings can request support for families who need targeted help.
Our Family Support Team are working across the whole Guildford Borough, providing support to families with children aged 0-11 years old.
Our team is here to offer support and guidance to help you get the best out of family life. We aim to work in partnership with families to empower each individual to reach their full potential.
We provide a variety of courses and targeted sessions providing support with parenting and children with special educational needs and disabilities.
We know that sometimes you need dedicated support that helps your family.
Our Family Support Workers will offer support in the family home as well as at local community venues or the centre itself, whichever best suits the needs of the family at that time.
This gives you the chance to tell us about the challenges you’re facing, and to let us help you find a way through. We do this in lots of ways – by encouraging you to get specialist help if you need it, and referring you to the right people so that you can take positive steps towards a happy, more secure family life.
Requests for support can be made through Surrey Children’s Single Point of Access (CSPA). The CSPA provides residents and people who work with children in Surrey with direct information, advice and guidance about where and how to find the appropriate support for children and families.
A Family Support Worker will meet you in your home or another venue convenient to you. They will listen and hear how you would like things to change from the way they are now. They will help you to identify your strengths and help you to think about how you might build on these to make your family stronger and your life better. They will listen to your concerns and worries and help you think about when they started and how they might be overcome in the future. This information will inform an Early Help Assessment to find out what support you need.
If the support you need requires a number of agencies to work together, your Family Support Worker will set up a meeting between you and staff from other agencies. You may have been working with some of these services in the past and new ones may also be invited. These people will form a team around the family (TAF) providing different expertise and resources so we can work together to meet your goals.
Your Family Support Worker will meet with you and other members of your family, including your children, regularly. Your worker will help you set goals for you and your family and create a unique action plan to help you along the way.
Our commitment is to work with your whole family, actively involving you all in the decisions that will affect your life.
We need to understand what’s important for you and your family, we would like you to agree to make a family action plan. It will set out where you are now, what you are aiming for and the support you will be offered to help you and your family.
Further information for new families working with our team:
One Minute Guide – Early Help Assessment
One Minute Guide – One minute guide – Team Around the Family
The Family Centre also offers parenting programmes and group activities about common issues, for example, strategies to help with family routines or keeping your children safe. It is a place for parents and carers to develop their own skills and meet other like-minded people. Our groups and classes range from a few hours to regular weekly sessions, and you can choose which ones are best for you.
Groups and courses cover topics including:
The Family Centre works closely with health partners to provide the following services:
All these services are free to the families within our areas. We create a warm, welcoming and comfortable space at our centre where families feel comfortable to spend time, ask questions and learn more about positive family life.
Guildford, Surrey GU1 1NR
Telephone: 01483 566589
admin@guildfordnscc.surrey.sch.uk
Guildford, Surrey GU1 4DU
Telephone: 01483 561652
info@guildfordnscc.surrey.sch.uk
Southway, Guildford GU2 8YD
Telephone: 01483 510570
receptionfc@guildfordnscc.surrey.sch.uk
