Celebrating Steps Ahead families support service

Steps Ahead was set up to provide support, advice, and activities for families with children born during the height of the pandemic, aiming to reduce the impact of lockdown on babies and toddlers.

The project was funded by COMF (Covid Outbreak and Management Fund) and was intended to be active for a short period of time. We have achieved so much since the launch in April 2022, supporting over 2000 children and their families.

Families who use this service have been told the sessions in this project will be coming to an end on 31 March 2023. We appreciate the news will be disappointing for some people, and we have worked with our partners to produce an information booklet with details of other support groups and activities around Gloucestershire.

If you receive resident enquiries, please direct them to the dedicated email address StepsAhead@gloucestershire.gov.uk  The information booklet on alternative community support for children and families is available for download from the Steps Ahead webpage.

We hope you will join us in recognising the achievements our families have made during the Steps Ahead programme. The county council and our providers are pleased to have been able to run local groups and support so many children, parents, and carers.

A press release about this service can be found online here.

Lead officer contact – Wendy Gray, Head of Service - Early Help and Prevention Commissioning; Children and Families Commissioning Hub.