Service following the lives of Warwickshire’s children
Just as the Children’s Information Service (CIS) grows up into a family service, so have the children who were the original faces behind the campaign.
The photograph previously used to promote Warwickshire’s Children’s Information Service, was taken seven years ago when pupils Sam and Patréise were at nursery school in Wolston. At this time the service mainly provided information about childcare and pre-school education to parents and carers.
When Warwickshire County Council expanded the CIS to become the Family Information Service, now helping young people from 0-20 and their families by offering information on a wide range of family issues and services, they tracked down the original children who helped to publicise the facility.
Sam and Patréise, now aged 10, are fellow pupils at Wolston St.Margaret’s Primary School. They are both looking forward to the prospect of starting secondary school next year and the new Family Information Service (FIS) has certainly grown with them.
Patréise’s parents for instance, are looking for information about secondary school admissions and Sam has said that he would like to find out more about sport in his local area. Both requests are among the many areas that the FIS is able to help with alongside information about childcare, support services and benefits.
Elizabeth Featherstone, Head of Warwickshire County Council’s Family and Community Division said: “It is encouraging to see that our new service is just as relevant to Sam and Patréise’s families now as it was seven years ago. Our successful Children’s Information Service has now grown up and become a family service, to incorporate a much wider range of advice, information, help and support – everything the modern family needs. ”
The Family Information Service helpline number is 0845 090 8044 and the website is http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/fis