Sure Start Wrexham

What is it?

This is a locally based programme funded by Cymorth since 2002 to meet the needs of children and families who live in disadvantaged areas across Wales. The aims of the service are to:

"To improve the health and well being of families and children before and from birth, so that children are ready to flourish when they start school"

"To give children who live in areas of disadvantage a better start in life".

This may be achieved by the following objectives which are:

Improving social and emotional development

  • Improving health
  • Improving children's ability to learn
  • Strengthening families and communities

Sure Start Beliefs

  • Investing in our children
  • Joined up thinking
  • Statutory and voluntary agencies working together can achieve more
  • Sure Start team is multidisciplinary and works to a shared ethos
  • Targeting help to those who wouldn't normally seek help and advice
  • Spreading out of good practice

Who is it For and Who Runs it?

Wrexham Sure Start is run in partnership with health services and the local authority. Sure Start also works in partnership with many other statutory and voluntary organizations. Sure Start is based in the Communities First Areas of Caia Park, Brynteg and Plas Madoc.This service may be extended to other areas dependent upon the needs of the family.

The Sure Start Team consists of 2 Sure Start Health Visitors, 1 Midwife, 4 Nursery Nurses, a Speech and Language Therapist and a Community Psychiatrist Nurse.

This multi-disciplinary team, have direct access to other professionals who are also funded through Cymorth.

Government Targets for Sure Start

  • To reduce the number of teenage pregnancies
  • To increase the proportion of children with normal levels of personal, social and emotional development for their age
  • To implement programmes to care and support mothers with post natal depression
  • To reduce the numbers of mothers who smoke in pregnancy
  • To reduce the proportion of 0-3 year children in living in households where no one is working

How we deliver services in Sure Start Areas

We contact every family living in each of the Communities First Areas when their baby is 6 - 8 weeks old. We offer a home visit so that they can meet one of our Nursery Nurses and find out more about Sure Start and its service.

Plas Madoc

We provide a baby massage group in Plas Madoc Integrated Children's Centre, Hampden Way, on Friday mornings on a rolling programme. We also provide a weekly drop-in session on Tuesday mornings at Plas Madoc House between 10 am - 11.30am. Here parents or carers with their babies can meet the Sure Start Workers whilst enjoying some quality time with their children. Our friendly team can offer information and advice on matters such as family health, child behaviour, childcare facilities and other local services. We also offer Breast Feeding support, and baby massage. These may be in the home or within the group setting.

Plas Madoc House, 53 Bodlyn, Plas Madoc, Wrexham, LL14 3HE.
Telephone Number: 01978-823706

Caia Park

The Sure Start Team run a baby Club at Queensway House on Tuesdays between 1.30 and 3.00pm for babies under one - and their parents of course!

This is a chance to meet other parents and make new friends in a relaxed, friendly setting. We can provide information, advice and support on all aspects of caring for a young baby and the impact this new arrival will have on the family. We also provide a weekly drop-in session on Friday mornings at Queensway House between 9.30 and 11.30 am for parents or carers with children under 4 years old.

Queensway House, Queensway, Caia Park, Wrexham, LL13 8YD.

Brynteg

Sure Start Staff run a Parent Support 'drop-in' held in the Brynteg Memorial Hall on Monday mornings between 9.30am and 11.30am, for parents or carers with children under 4 years. A Wednesday morning Baby Club is held for babies under 1 and their parents in the Community House between 9.30am and 11.00am. These sessions offer parents the opportunity to meet other parents and make new friends in a friendly, relaxed, informal setting.

In all of these groups and 'drop in' sessions, families have the opportunity to discuss any concerns or issues they may have about their children's health and developmental needs with qualified and experienced staff. Language and Play and Numbers and Play sessions are also offered at these weekly drop-ins on a rolling programme.

Community House, 17 Darby Road, Brynteg, Wrexham, LL11 6LW.
Brynteg Memorial Hall, Quarry Road, Brynteg, Wrexham, LL15 2AR.

A 'Caring for Kids' Course' for young people aged between 11 and 15 years, are provided in each of the Communities First Areas. These sessions include the following topics; personal health, healthy eating, substance misuse, contraception, personal safety, safety in the home and child development. The young people who attend these courses have the opportunity to look after a virtual reality doll, in their own home, in the hope that this experience raises their awareness of the responsibilities of parenting.

For more information or to speak to a member of the team please telephone:

SURE START : 01978-823706 or FLYING START: 01978-823716 and ask to speak to a member of the Sure Start Team.

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