Billingshurst Children and Family Centre has services for everyone

Billingshurst Children and Family Centre has services for everyone

Billingshurst Children and Family Centre celebrates it’s first Birthday on November 20th.

The Centre is in Station Road, in front of the new leisure centre. It has a social area with an internet café and play area, a training room where most of the session groups gather, and a meeting room. Wakoos Nursery is also located within the building, but is managed independently.

Billingshurst Children and Family Centre offer a range of easily accessible services to the surrounding villages, including Shipley, Coolham, Wisborough Green, Loxwood and Plaistow, offering information, advice and support.

The Children and Family Centre staff work with partner agencies to provide services for families with children aged 0 to 19 years old.

These services include:

Child and family health services, including antenatal and postnatal services, and speech and language support.
Family support and parental outreach services.
Links with schools and extended services, and the Children's Information Service.
Support for children and parents with special needs.
Links with Job Centre Plus and local training providers to support parents and carers considering training or employment.

Through consultation and support from the parents of Billingshurst and the wider community, a weekly programme of groups and activities runs at the Centre. It is constantly looking to improve services with and for families.

The wide range of activities includes:

Several drop-in play and craft sessions for parents with babies and pre-school children from ‘Messy Mondays’ and ‘Rhyme Time’ to ‘Fun Fridays.’

‘Mini Mayhem’ a child minder support group, is on alternate Tuesday mornings offering local child minders somewhere to meet in the village.

The popular session ‘Bumps and Babes’ runs on Tuesday afternoons, for pregnant mums and new parents. It has a varied programme including baby massage, treasure baskets and footprint keepsakes.

On the first Saturday of each month there is a ‘Family Brunch’ – a chance for families to come to the Centre for activities as well as enjoying a ‘Brunch’. At the same time ‘Active Fun’ also runs at the Billingshurst Leisure Centre. These sessions offer fun on the bouncy castle, parachute games and more!

The Toy Library is available twice a week and on during the Family Brunch, and includes a vast range of toys suited to pre-school children. A one-off £2 membership is charged, and thereafter all toys borrowed are free. This enables parents and grandparents to keep children’s interest with a constant rotation of quality toys which offer new and exciting challenges and help parents to support their children as “early learners.”

The Citizens’ Advice Bureau visits the Centre fortnightly and appointments can be made there. A thriving Baby Clinic run by local Health Visitors is held every Tuesday afternoon. Job Centre Plus comes once a month to give advice on job hunting and benefits.

There are now a growing and active group of volunteers, both in the Centre and the surrounding villages. They help to cover Reception, run groups and activities, deliver leaflets, and put on holiday activities.

Partnerships with local people, parents and grandparents, are key to building stronger communities, and the Centre has been overwhelmed at the local support.

Strong partnerships are also being developed with local schools, pre- schools and the leisure centre to raise awareness of our services, and to find ways to work together for the benefit of local families.

All sessions at the Centre are informal and cost £1 or £2 per family.

For further information call the Centre Team, on 01403 213594.