Children’s Centre scoops star award
Riversley Park Children’s Centre in Nuneaton has been commended by the Government for developing partnership working with local health services.
The centre on Clinic Drive has won Integrated Children’s Team of the Year in the 4Children National Children’s Star Awards. Staff from the centre attended the glamorous awards ceremony at Lloyds of London last month where they were presented with a plaque and a certificate by TV and radio star Neil Fox.
To win the award the centre evidenced how it works positively with local families by; showing a willingness to explore flexible ways of working, providing options for service delivery offering choice about how and where care and advice is accessed, and offering a consistent welcoming attitude to centre users. The Department for Children Schools and Families’ judging panel praised these qualities.
Judges were particularly impressed with Riversley Park’s Cot Gossip sessions, which demonstrate effective links between Warwickshire health services and the centre.
Sessions are for pregnant women and their partners, and parents with a baby up to the age of 15 months. The informal weekly drop-in service is an opportunity for parents to meet regularly and to seek advice from professionals about any issues relating to child development, a baby weighing service is also available.
Cot Gossip provides a focus of relevant issues to parents of young children, and health representatives regularly offer talks around topics such as speech and language, attachment, weaning, baby massages and immunisation. Parents and carers also have access to a comprehensive resource library compiled to reflect cultural diversity within the local area.
Councillor Izzi Seccombe, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People and Families, said: “This is well deserved recognition for Riversley Park. The Cot Gossip sessions offer support and advice to many parents at a time when they can be feeling exhausted, lacking in confidence and worried about providing the best care for their child.
"The high level of partnership working to deliver sessions, as well as the peer support on hand, can be invaluable to help them through this challenging period.”