Plans to reshape support for families take another step forward
The county council has appointed Gloucestershire Gateway Trust to run seven children and family centres in Gloucester and two centres in the Forest of Dean. These include the welcome return of the Beacon Children and Family Centre in Kingsway. The new four year contract will begin on 1 April 2025.
The award is part of a wider £35 million investment into the council’s network of children and family centres in communities across the county, which will play a key role in the introduction of the family hub model to Gloucestershire, to ensure families have access to the right support, at the right time, in the right place.
Gloucestershire Gateway Trust is a locally based charity that works to develop welcoming communities with motivated and connected people where every child and every family is valued. The trust has created a wide partnership bringing together a range of community groups and schools. They will work closely with Family Action and Aspire Foundation Trust who were appointed by the county council earlier this year to run its centres in Stroud and Cotswold, and Cheltenham and Tewkesbury respectively, to deliver these important services.
As part of the council’s vision for family hubs, each centre will act as a one-stop shop, offering a wide range of family support services in one location, or signposting to other services as needed. The centres will co-ordinate and facilitate family support activity locally, making it easier for families to find out about the services and support available where they live.
These new arrangements offer opportunities for council services to co-locate with health partners and work more closely with local community and voluntary services in the locality making it easier for families to access support when they need it.
The children and family centres will become part of a wider network of physical and virtual family support points across the county. Families can find out more by visiting Children & Family Centres - First steps to Family Hubs | Gloucestershire County Council
Cllr Stephen Davies, cabinet member for children’s safeguarding and early years at Gloucestershire County Council said: “We are committed to reducing inequalities and making sure that families receive the right support, in the right place, at the right time, to give all children the best start in life.
“I am delighted that we have appointed Gloucestershire Gateway Trust who together with Family Action and Aspire Foundation Trust, will help us realise our vision for family hubs across the county.
“We are looking forward to working with multi agency partners, the voluntary sector, and the local communities in Gloucester and the Forest of Dean to identify a wide range of support, and use local strengths to make sure our family help offer meets the needs of local families with children of all ages.”
Mark Gale, Chief Executive of Gloucestershire Gateway Trust said: “We are very excited to work with the county council to bring these important facilities and services much closer to local communities and to ensure families and children have much more influence over them.”