Children's Centres

Children’s centres are the main base for the delivery of Better Start services for babies and children aged from 0-4 and their families in Lambeth. Our Family Hub network of children’s centres offers a wide range of activities, help and support for young children and their families.

These include health services like:
* ante-natal and post-natal care
* baby clinics
* groups to support breastfeeding and infant feeding
* support around children’s diet and nutrition.

Speech and language therapists can support and guide you on children’s early communication and language skills, and some centres provide additional specialist support for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Centres also offer stay and play sessions and activities for babies, toddlers and young children to attend with parents and carers (grandparents or an immediate family member caring for the child/children) and some centres provide childcare, including free early learning for 2 year olds.

There are lots of services for parents and carers too, including:
* family learning courses
* parenting support groups
* ESOL classes
* support around training and employment.

You can get information about accessing benefits or dealing with housing difficulties from a skilled advisor, and the centre’s Better Start workers can give you additional help and support about a wide range of topics including parenting and child development, finding childcare, and signposting to other services that may be able to support you or your child. They will aim to provide this support as soon as you need it so that by the time your child is 5 years old they are happy, healthy and ready for school.

Some services are delivered on a face-to-face basis, and others may be delivered virtually or by phone. You will need to book a place in a group before attending.

Some children’s centres provide sessions for paid professional carers such as childminders, nannies, and au pairs. Please check with your local children’s centre for more information.