Rural Needs Initiative

Annual Review 2009-10

The Corner House Children‘s Centre George Lane Car Park, Marlborough, SN8 4BY

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Rural Needs Initiative seeks creative solutions

to improve the lives of families within their community Mission Statement

“I’ve never had friends in this area

until I came to the centre and now

my son has some too’’

The staff here are very

helpful and kind

Brillia

nt... R

uby lo

ved

it, so

did Daddy!

It was wonderful ...

We have never seen our

daughter interact in the ways

that she did in the sensory room.

“I look forward to the group

every week and will be sad when

my son is too old to come’’

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Contents

Feedback 2 Contents 3 Management Committee & Staff 4 Aims & Objectives 6 Strategic Focus 2009-2010 7 Chair Person‘s Introduction 8 Financial Overview 10 Overview 12 Looking Ahead 15 Parent Consultation 16 Areas of Work 18 Volunteers & Parents Speak Out 26 3000th Children‘s Centre Celebration 27 Learning Together - Cook 4 Life 28 What does a Family Support Worker Do? 29 Acknowledgements 30

‘Making A Difference’

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Management Committee and Staff

Trustees 2009–10

Helen Hodsdon (Chair of Trustees) Rosemary Davies Jane Scott Sue Napper Jo Wittels

Independent Examiner David Owen & Co Devizes, Wiltshire

Staff

Betty Dobson Strategic Manager Sue Deedigan Children‘s Centre Co-ordinator, Marlborough Carolyn Melvin Children‘s Centre Co-ordinator, Tidworth Sue Birch Outreach Services Co-ordinator Gill Murray Admininistrative Co-ordinator Sue Evans Centre Information Assistant Gillian Scott Centre Information Assistant Sharon Selkridge Family Support Worker Ramona McIlkenny Family Support Worker Kathryn Kuzera Session Leader & Resource Assistant Early Years Workers: Sue Benson Amanda Sollis Jacky Bowyer Louise Cookson Nicola Perryman Gabby Lovell

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Legal Status Rural Needs Initiative is a company limited by guarantee (reg no 4019682) and a registered charity (reg no 1082480). The objects as stated in the Memorandum of Association are ―the provision of facilities for the benefit of families in rural areas in the interests of social welfare with the object of improving their conditions of life‖. The charity operates in Wiltshire.

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Purpose Rural Needs Initiative (RNI) works with children from birth to five, their families and carers. Working in a safe and accessible environment and in partnership with others, RNI seeks creative solutions to improve the lives of families within their community.

Aims

Listen to and support families and children enabling them to identify their own needs and empowering them to build solutions to some of the challenges they face

Identify and reach out to families at risk of exclusion and promote services

Build parents confidence, self esteem and promote their knowledge of child development

Increase opportunities for families with children under five to learn together through play

Assist in the sustainability of community groups for the benefit of families with young children

Improve families‘ access to the information and services they need and increase access to learning opportunities and enhance employment potential

Work in partnership with other organisations in order to effectively meet the needs of families

Develop RNI as an effective, financially sound, well governed organisation providing high quality services

Aims and Objectives

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1. To identify the needs of our communities through listening to parents and communities to develop a clear focus for

priorities within the organisation 2. To work with organisations across rural Wiltshire to learn

together about effective ways of delivering services 3. To participate in forums and working groups to contribute to

developing local and national strategies: through these identify appropriate roles for RNI 4. To continue to review RNI strategy to maintain and develop

it as a viable organisation

Strategic Focus 2009—2010

The Sensory Room at Windmill Hill Sure Start Children‘s Centre, Tidworth

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―Making a difference.. today and tomorrow‖ The RNI Trustees recognise that if families are to benefit from our services the most essential ingredients are the staff and Trustee teams. Their high quality skills and knowledge are vital to making a positive difference through developing empowering and supportive relationships with those they work with. During April 2009 to 2010 our teams have continued to grow and develop. This included welcoming Family Support Workers and Centre Information Assistants, so enabling us to reach out to more families. The Trustees‘ team warmly welcomed Jo Wittels while Ann Bernard moved on to pastures new. It has also been a pleasure to see parent volunteers enriching the staff team and for some this has led to training and work opportunities. All team members were encouraged to take up relevant training and development opportunities. Over the past year they have accessed a range of learning experiences including courses such as Safeguarding, Creative and Critical Thinking, Letters and Sounds, and supervision skills for family support staff, plus baby massage instructor‘s course, training in administration and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations‘ National Leadership Programme. Higher level Qualifications, such as the Early Years Foundation degree and the National Professional Qualification in Integrated Centre Leadership were also achieved. Well done all! Additional support was offered through Wiltshire‘s Children‘s Centres central team through quarterly reviews and the Annual Conversation, providing opportunities to review and discuss opportunities for development. The outcome of a team that is keen to learn and extend is to develop high quality and innovative services. In our case, planned, interventions are approached more effectively, including our priority areas such as ‗Confident Chatterbox‘ and infant attachment, outreach in Ludgershall and Marlborough East and developing sensory play provision. It is important to maintain this positive momentum and build on these foundations to reach out to the most vulnerable families in our communities.

Chair Person‘s Introduction

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Chair Person‘s Introduction cont...

We are fortunate that our services are supported by effective information and administration systems across the organisation. The Trustees also play a vital role in ensuring the work of RNI is ―making a difference‖ by ensuring prudent governance. The organisation is fortunate to have had, and to continue to have committed Trustees rich in relevant experiences. Many thanks to them for the ongoing stewardship, time and expertise they offer the charity. Part way through the year we learned that funding would no longer be available to offer family learning courses. This has led to the organisation reviewing whether a similar service might be delivered. In fact, we continue to develop strategies to assure qual-ity while supporting cost effectiveness across all our activities, out-reach and information, including developing our web based material. Looking forward, the Trustees are aware that spending cuts are on the horizon, and at local level, Children‘s Centre services have been put out to tender. The Trustees remain committed to supporting young children and their families, and have taken the decision to bid to continue to run such services. At the time of writ-ing, the outcome of this process is still unknown. Helen Hodsdon (Chair of Trustees)

Parents and babies

enjoy the

Sensory Room at

Windmill Hill

Sure Start

Children’s Centre

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Financial Overview

Financial Review Our income this year was £330,761, an increase of £110,000 from the previous year. Once again, our main source of income was the money received from Wiltshire Council to run the two Children‘s Centres. This accounted for over 90% of our total income, an even higher percentage than the previous year (80%). Of the remainder, £10,000 was received from Bright Horizons to be used specifically for training. We opened the year with a deficit of £5,690 and during the year spent £325,275, meaning we carried forward a deficit of £200 into the next financial year. It is the aim of the charity that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use, should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and six month‘s expenditure. The Directors/Trustees consider that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the charity‘s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised. However, historically it has not been possible to accumulate funds so this remains an aim. The charity‘s current activities are almost entirely involved with running the two Children‘s Centres. The Trustees consider that there is minimal risk to these services or to staffing levels as the services will continue even if RNI is no longer the provider. There is a requirement to spend all the year‘s money allocated to Children‘s Centre Services by the year end. The accounts have been independently examined by David Owen & Co. Copies of the full version of the ―Trustee Report and Unaudited Accounts‖ can be obtained from Rural Needs Initiative. Jane Scott Company Secretary

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Income

WCC -Children‘s Centres 299,470

WCC – Children‘s Centres – additional funding for specific items 6,918

WCC -family learning 3,000

Income for Courses 5,030

Bright Horizons - for Training 10,000

Donations 1,374

Income from activities 3,218

Other 1,752

Total income 330,761

Expenditure

Staff costs - salaries 205,438

Staff costs - other including training & travel 19,293

Office expenses including IT 25,282

Equipment 11,364

Contracted out work—tutors 8,839

Publicity/information 6,865

Miscellaneous/refreshments/hall hire 6,384

Children's equipment and consumables for activities/playpacks 7,508

Transport Fund 1,186

Safety Equipment 1,501

Governance costs (a) 12,107

Premises & van costs 19,509

Total expenditure 325,275

Closing Balance -205 (a) Accountancy, book keeping, payroll, HR support, insurance

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―Making a difference‖ During the year Rural Needs Initiative (RNI) has continued to identify and develop service provision in order to make a difference to children under five and their families.

―Outcomes matter most‖, ―are we making a difference‖ , ―can we evidence impact‖ now inform what we do; in other words we are both developing provision in response to need and identifying a range of tools to collect evidence. Based on feedback, services are then modified.

Delivering Sure Start Children‘s Centre services continues to be the main focus of RNI‘s work; however, the core services ―fit‖ with the overall aims and objectives of the organisation. The significant change over the year has been the increased use of local statistics to monitor progress in reaching families who may not have previously used our services. Neighbourhood statistics enable staff to prioritise where we should be delivering services; for example, where there is a greater risk of social and geographical isolation or where there is a high percentage of children growing up in workless households. Whilst Sure Start Children‘s Centres offer universal provision, it is imperative that RNI offers equity of access.

Alongside the statistics, staff are aware of the challenges in delivering services. This is an area with a high level of military dependants alongside a rural area with a dispersed population, which is relatively affluent but has pockets of deprivation. Identifying different methods of helping families to access our services is a key priority. Our communication strategy ranges from a regular spot on the local radio through to standing outside local shops to inform families of the services offered by the Children‘s Centres. The organisation continues to review the role of technology to support service provision; the web site has been reviewed to fully reflect our service in a user friendly format. Strong partnerships with other agencies are vital to the service we provide.

Overview

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Overview

Over the past year we have built on existing links to offer an integrated approach to supporting children and families. Partnerships can be a challenge: as professionals we are used to working in particular ways, we each have our own reporting and referral mechanisms and we may feel threatened by new ways of working. The local forums and, towards the end of the year, the advent of advisory boards provide an opportunity to share and develop practice.

Where we have identified a priority area RNI has developed a ―round table‖ approach bringing together partners and stakeholders who have a specific interest in a particular area and can support the development of a particular project. This method has provided the stimulus for a number of projects including ―Confident Chatterbox‖, the group for young parents (Growing Together) and the Community Room at Castle Primary School at Ludgershall. In addition, professionals have had a chance to network, finding out about providers who may be of assistance to support the development of their own services.

Transition to parenthood brings both joy and worry. Through the Children‘s Centres, staff have created ―pathways‖ to support new parents at this crucial stage in their lives. Research indicates that opportunities for bonding between parent and baby will affect longer term outcomes for the baby including enhanced well-being. Working with health professionals, parents can access baby massage courses, information on child health and ―Baby Babble‖. Not only do parents learn how they can support their child‘s early development, there is also the opportunity to benefit from other parents‘ ideas and experiences.

The Children‘s Centres offer a venue to providers to meet their clients: Healthy Minds, Community 4 and RF Wiltshire are just some of the organisations who have been able to use the buildings.

Family support workers engage with families through referrals, offering home visits and where appropriate more intensive support to encourage participation in group activities.

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The Centre Information Assistants are the first point of contact for a parent whether by phone or calling in to the Children‘s Centre. Their role includes giving information on activities and services within the local community as well as at the Children‘s Centre, signposting to organisations, but perhaps most important of all making sure families feel welcome. As you will see from the Review, the Children‘s Centres offer a range of activities to meet the needs of children and their families within the local community. As with any organisation there are the conflicting demands of resources and the capacity to deliver. This is particularly so when considering the needs of a large rural area with a scattered villages and a large military base; however, people living either community can experience the isolation that comes with living away from family and friends. The birth of a baby and managing young children are very demanding. Rural Needs Initiative continues to identify projects that can support such families beyond the direct remit of the Children‘s Centre core offer. It continues to offer playpacks and has also been commissioned to provide them for other Children‘s Centres. It is taking a lead and working with other Children‘s Centres to deliver the Safe at Home scheme – a government initiative to support families with safety equipment targeted at the most vulnerable families. Although RNI has been running a similar scheme, this new project provides for all families to receive information on home safety; families receiving equip-ment will benefit from having items such as gates fitted by the Fire and Rescue Service. We look forward to the future and tackling new challenges on the way. Our commitment continues to be to make a difference to the children and families within our communities. Betty Dobson Strategic Manager

Overview cont...

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Looking Ahead

During the coming year, Rural Needs Initiative will continue to review and develop Children‘s Centre services. Priorities include: use of data and the parents‘ consultation to improve outcomes particularly for children and families who do not access Centre services to:

Identify the needs of the community Identify measures Identify monitoring and evaluation processes that

are fit for purpose recognising ways in which to meet families and the ages of the children

Raise the profile of the Centre services to all families Universal Targeted Groups

Review provision in the following areas and develop as appropriate:

returning to learning and employment safeguarding Infant attachment Language skills Young Parents Ludgershall

In addition Rural Needs Initiative will: Work with other Children Centres to identify potential projects and seek funding where appropriate Further develop the safety equipment scheme Review policies and procedures ensuring they are relevant and robust Raise awareness of its services through building on its marketing and publicity strategy Build on its existing links to enhance its multi-

agency partnerships to ensure children and families benefit from services provision

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Parent Consultation

The Annual Parent Consultation 2010

The Corner House Children‘s Centre Marlborough How much has the Sure Start Children‘s Centre made a difference to you and/or your family? 80% said ‗a lot‘ or ‗some‘ 9% said ‗none at all‘

Are you aware that we offer information and signposting on other services? Health - 60% ‗aware‘ Return to learning/work - 66% ‗aware‘ Childcare - 73% ‗aware‘ Parenting Support - 84% ‗aware‘

Some Parents‘ Suggestions Activities at different times/days Awareness and information on sessions An information pack on the services you offer

which could go out to toddler groups/pre schools More choice of activities at half term and during

the summer holidays

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Parent Consultation

Windmill Hill Children‘s Centre Tidworth How much has the Sure Start Children‘s Centre made a difference to you and/or your family? 98% said ‗a lot‘ or ‗some‘ 2% said ‗none at all‘

Are you aware that we offer information and signposting on other services? Health - 72% ‗aware‘ Return to learning/work - 61% ‗aware‘ Childcare - 53% ‗aware‘ Parenting Support - 87% ‗aware‘

Some Parents‘ Suggestions Continue with activities involving older children in

the holidays Get the information out more More sessions in Ludgershall More sessions after 3pm

These have provided the basis for service provision during the year.

The effectiveness will be reviewed at the next consultation

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Confident Chatterbox

Confident Chatterbox began in September 2009 at The Corner House Children‘s Centre in Marlborough and The Windmill Hill Children‘s Centre in Tidworth. It has gone from strength to strength. Taking the statistic from the ―I CAN‖ report in 2006 that more than 50% of children were entering school with language and communication issues, and concerns from nursery staff in Tidworth of the speech and language development of children at a local level, we started a three year project to make a difference to the families in our community areas.

We aim to raise awareness with parents and carers on the importance of Speech and Language development in their children, as it is fundamental to all areas of learning, and crucial to their ability in achieving the best possible outcomes in life. We are also very aware of the value of early intervention in giving children the best possible start. We have achieved this in 2009/10 in various ways, such as:

Providing communication rich activities and sessions, some of which are particularly targeted to speech and language development, such as Baby Babble, as well as ensuring that all our activities and sessions consider the opportunities for communication and language development in their planning, and feedback is recorded to inform further development.

Raising awareness with parents and carers through particular training sessions, such as Katrice Horsley‘s Storytelling Workshop.

Areas of Work

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Raising awareness with parents and carers by holding special fun events such as ‗Once Upon a Time‘ in Marlborough Town Hall and ‗Chatter Matters‘ In Tidworth.

Targeting specific people such as fathers and their role in helping their child to become a ―Confident Chatterbox‖ by holding special events such as ―Whatever Next‖.

Providing training for our own staff and other professionals by holding events such as Katrice Horsley‘s Storytelling Workshop for professionals.

Letters and Sounds training run by Wiltshire Council also took place at the Corner House, and was attended by many pre-schools and nurseries in the community area as well as senior County Council staff.

Providing our own in-house staff training using ―Every Child A Talker‖ and ―Inclusion Development‖ Materials. Drawing on the expertise of our Advisory Teachers to visit sessions and feedback to staff on Practitioner communication skills and creating a communication rich environment

Developing our own ‗Confident Chatterbox‘ programme that has successfully run so far in Pewsey, as well as

running 6 Play and Language taster sessions on behalf of Family Learning.

Next year we intend to carry on developing this project as parents, carers, children and staff have all given us an encouraging amount of positive feedback. We hope to build on this year‘s success by continuing to provide language rich sessions and activities and by holding further Family Fun Days that have a ‗Confident Chatterbox‘ focus, as well as by using further training materials such as, ―Letters and Sounds‖ in our own in-house training.

Sue Deedigan Children‘s Centre Co-ordinator

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Its easy to be healthy inside and out by following the hints and tips from two of our favourite sessions. By joining us for Morning Munchies and Walk & Talk on Wednesdays you can find out how your family can have fun and be healthy. Morning Munchies provides parents with an opportunity to learn about healthy breakfast choices. Our sumptuous selection of ideas include crumpets, fruit and juices. Advice and information on affordable food options are given at every session. No hungry tummies here as children are encouraged to help prepare their breakfast and learn how to use cutlery. Social skills are also developed and encouraged. Joining ‗Walk and Talk‘ provides opportunities to enjoy a variety of walks around Marlborough and a chance to enjoy local surroundings. Handout ‗I Spy‘ sheets encourage awareness and conversation making this both an enjoyable, healthy and educational time for you and your child. Parents are able to share ideas and hopefully be encouraged towards a more active family lifestyle. Join us for a healthy experience inside and out!

Amanda Sollis and Jacky Bowyer

Areas of Work

Healthy Lifestyles

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A Flying Start

Areas of Work

We are here to support our families from the very beginning as they start

the fantastic journey of becoming parents.

Our first meeting might be at one of the Baby Clinics in Marlborough,

Ramsbury, Burbage or Great Bedwyn. We often visit these sessions to

tell parents about what happens at their local Sure Start Children‘s

Centre and to let them know how we can provide advice and support.

Based at the Corner House Marlborough we have two regular weekly

sessions for parents and babies to come to.

Baby Babble

This is split into two sessions; one for the age group 0-6 months (Juniors)

and 6-12months (Seniors).

Baby Babble is all about those first communication skills babies learn –

cooing, copying, babbling. As they become more aware and grow it is a

great place for their first social interactions.

Baby & Me

This is for birth - 18 months . We have a variety of

visiting professionals who will provide parents with

help around dental health, fire safety and first aid, to

mention a few. We also regularly have the

community nursery nurse at sessions to answer any baby re-

lated questions. This is also a great place to meet up with other parents

and babies to share hints and tips.

Plus a fabulous new course run by us…..Baby Massage

This is a 5 week bookable course and is an amazing way to get to know

and bond with your baby. Classes are small and relaxed and provide so

many benefits for both baby and parent.

Nicola Perryman

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Working in Tidworth has its own challenges, as the Garrison increases in size; with many new families arriving daily the Children‘s Centre has become a life line for many people. Operational tours begin and families are once again separated leaving one parent left at home to be ‗mum and dad‘. We offer a variety of different sessions, where families can get support and advice if needed. A listening ear is always available. In some sessions we have introduced a ‗Buddy System‘ by introducing new parents to families who have been attending the Children‘s Centre for some time. This has worked very successfully, with both parties having a lot in common to start with, and over time friendships evolve. For me, I know I have made a difference when parents and children come up to me at the end of the activity and say ―Thank you, we have had a lovely time‖, that‘s when I know the little things we do are making a big impression on families‘ lives. One parent said “I don’t know what I would have done for 6 months

when my husband was away if the Children’s Centre wasn’t here,

you have been my saviour”.

Kathryn Kuzera

Areas of Work

Working in and around Tidworth

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Areas of Work

Working in and around Tidworth

Sue, Louise & ‗Baby & Me‘ I support parents and their babies at the Baby and Me session on a Wednesday morning. I really enjoy working with children and have worked with families in Tidworth for many years. A lot of parents are really pleased to have someone to chat things over with or even hold the baby so that they can have a chance to have a coffee break. A rare luxury with a young child!! Louise Cookson works with me and we both get to know our families really well. The children enjoy the singing part at the end of each session nearly as much as I do! I also enjoy creative play and getting messy but that's another story. I‘m told I have a relaxed calm manner which is really useful when I provide crèche cover during one of our short courses such as Creative Space. Both the parents and children need to have confidence in me, and my experience and training count. Sue Benson

Zouch Group Friends The group is based in the Zouch Primary School premises in the Zany Zebras mobile. This makes it easy for parents to pop in after dropping off older children at class. We have a good parent group-practitioner relationship and provide lots of support and encouragement. This has worked to such an extent that three parents now feel confident enough to become group volunteers providing additional support. We pride ourselves on providing a friendly and welcoming environment and in turn welcome feedback. Everyone is in-volved in deciding what we do and how to develop the group which is guided by our families‘ needs. Suitable for children from birth to five years the Zouch Group promotes social skills and general development. See you soon. Gabby Lovell

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Baby Babble This popular session has increased to a class size of about 15 babies a week. It‘s lovely to see the interaction with newborns and slightly older babies, 6months +. It is a very sociable session for parents and babies. We have a mixture of sensory room play and experience, and singing. It can also help babies with:

Learning from the influence of others Developing a close attachment for parent and baby Establishing a routine Making sounds with their own voices Listening to familiar sounds, songs or finger play Communication in a number of ways, including gurgling, babbling and squealing

Baby Massage I delivered my first baby massage course to 7 babies and parents. There was a wonderful feeling of calm. This, together with the rhythmic touching, created a memorable experience both for the babies and parents. We all gained much enjoyment and satisfaction from the whole course. Baby Massage can help with:

Interaction, using senses, promotion of bonding, one to one quality time

Relaxation, increased flexibility, improved sleep patterns, reduction of stress hormones

Stimulation, language development, improved learning ability

Relief of wind and colic, growing pains, constipation, Muscular tension

Carolyn Melvin

Baby Sessions Are Growing....

Areas of Work

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The Playpacks are great for new ideas for

us to try as a family

The Playpacks are a brilliant resource with

easy activities to do

A special time for parent and child

together

Have fun with playpacks

Areas of Work

Playpacks are themed cloth bags, containing a variety of books, toys and activities designed for carers and children to share together. The contents of a playpack are based on a theme, usually the title of a book; additional resources relate to the book and include a puzzle, soft toy and a game. The playpack is also a ―vehicle‖ for providing information for adults; there is a folder with a range of leaflets relating to aspects of family life such as child safety, children‘s information service and parenting. Costing only £2 each to borrow they can be changed as often as you like. Playpacks can be collected from our Children‘s Centres in Marlborough and Tidworth or from one of our regular visits to villages in the area.

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Proud to be involved I have been involved with Creation Station, run by the Corner House

Children‘s Centre in Marlborough for about 18 months now, but have been acting as a volunteer for about 6 months. The session provides parents with children under 5, access to a different creative project each week. It gives parents the chance to try different things and teaches them not to be afraid of the messy bits! As a volunteer, I feel proud of Creation Station and the atmosphere we create. We have a mixed group of ages and backgrounds attending, often having a very large group. It‘s a really friendly session and I hope one that welcomes everyone. Amanda and I have recently started formally planning the sessions with each half term being themed to provide the children with a longer term project. This allows us to plan the materials needed and link the activity we do to other sessions run by the Children's Centre or activities within the town. Personally I love being involved – especially in the planning side. It‘s a really rewarding job and is lovely to see the children dive into the various things we come up with! Lorraine Perry

Settling In I first moved into the area last July. As this was my first Army posting I was nervous about moving and leaving behind family and friends. I started attending the Baby and Me session and made a close friend who told me about The Zouch Group. This was ideal for me as it is held at the school which my older daughter attends. Since joining the group I have noticed that my daughter has become sociable, and that she has made lots of friends. Her language skills and imagination have grown as she watches the older children play. As for myself , I have made a great group of friends, who I also meet up with outside the group to chat and exchange advice. Sian Hopkins

A Volunteer and Parent Speak Out

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On 13th May Betty Dobson from Marlborough and Tidworth Children's Centres and Jackie Tuckett, Childcare Partnership Manager from Job-Centre Plus, attended a reception at 10 Downing Street. The reception was hosted by Gordon Brown, to celebrate the opening of the 3,000th Children's Centre and to thank the Children's Centre workforce and partner organisations for the work being done to improve the lives of young children. Beverly Hughes the then Children's Minister and Ed Balls from DCSF were also present and were very complimentary of the work being achieved. We very much felt that they had visited many Children's Centres and had a real feel for the passion that staff have about this important agenda. The Prime Minister spoke of his vision that Children's Centres will be as much a part of young children's lives as schools are for older children. He spoke of the important work being done and also about what still needs to be done in the future. ‘Now we have still a lot to do. We have made changes in maternity benefits, maternity care, child tax credit, nursery education, but the biggest change of all has been what you have achieved in the Sure Start Children’s Centres. And I go round the country, and I think the Children’s Centre in every area is now as much an important part of the fabric of the community as the hospital or the church, or the primary and secondary school in your area – absolutely central to the life of the community. And I have met mothers whose life has been completely transformed by the fact they can meet other mothers and talk to them about their problems at the Children’s Centre. I have seen children whose potential could never have been developed, had you not helped these children, and to see the effect on the families is something that is amazing.’

The whole reception was inspirational. We were also allowed to look around some of 10 Downing Street; the highlight was being allowed to peek into the cabinet room to see where all major policy decisions are made by the Government. Jackie Tuckett. Childcare Partnership Manager.

3000th Children‘s Centre Celebration

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Learning Together

Cook4Life As part of the national Change4Life initiative, we were offered the opportunity to train two practitioners to deliver the Cook4Life course – four sessions of two hours. The aim of the course is to introduce parents to simple, cheap, healthy recipes that they can cook at home for their family. Kath Kuzera and Sue Birch took up this training, using the £300 attached grant to purchase basic cooking equipment, with which to deliver the course. A portable hob and two Cook4Life aprons have since been donated, making course delivery easier.

The training included running a pilot course, and feeding the evaluations back to Cook4Life.

The plan is to run courses across Marlborough and Tidworth community areas, targeting small groups of parents and encouraging them to engage in a healthier lifestyle, hopefully having an impact on childhood obesity locally. Sue Birch

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A Family Support Worker is someone who helps families with a range of solutions depending on the family‘s needs. She works with parents to teach them how to educate their children through play, helping families to develop physical and emotional caring skills and to support them through difficult times. This all entails the commitment of the parents to achieve goals. Support can be in the form of visits to the home, support within play sessions the family accesses and/or telephone calls.

What issues might families have? Issues could be: being lonely just moved to a new area just had a new baby feel that they can‘t cook feel they can‘t cope with their children concerns over speech and language development concerns about their children‘s behaviour concerns about healthy eating, weaning and child development gaining control of the family budget.

What can a family expect? Depending on the problem a family is experiencing, the Family Support Worker would come and visit their home and make an assessment. On grounds of this assessment she would make a plan with the family on how best to help them. The Family Support Worker would support for usually 6 weeks and then reassess the progress made and decide if more sessions were needed. Not all sessions need to be in the family‘s home. The Support

Worker might think it more suitable for the carer to come to the

centre for 1:1 sessions or to a group that would cater for their

needs. Ramona McIlkenny

What does a Family Support Worker do?

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Army Welfare Service

Ashdown Family Centre, Tidworth (NSPCC)

Bookstart

Bright Horizons

Community 4

Devizes Community Children‘s Centre

Extended Services Co-ordinators

Families Information Service - ask

Healthy Minds

Health Promotion - Oral Health

Health Visiting Teams

Job Centre Plus

North Wessex Training

Pewsey Children‘s Centre

RF Wiltshire

TDT (Tidworth Development Trust) until August 2009

TEMPO until August 2009

Voluntary Action Kennet

Wiltshire Library Service

Wiltshire Scrapstore

Wiltshire Wildlife Trust

Organisations & Agencies we have worked with over the year

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Rural Needs Initiative would like to thank the following

for their financial support during the year:

LEADER+ (Sustain the Plain) until June 2009

Sarsen Housing (Community Development Fund)

Wiltshire Council (Primary Funder)

Wiltshire Council Family Learning

In addition, Rural Needs Initiative would like to thank

the following for their support:

Ashdown Family Centre, Tidworth

Castle Primary School, Tidworth

Charities Information Bureau

Clarendon Junior School, Tidworth

Marlborough Lodge of Loyalty No.1533

PHaros Marketing (Web site)

Voluntary Action Kennet

St Mary‘s Infant School, Marlborough

Zouch Primary School ,Tidworth

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Rural Needs Initiative

The Corner House Children‘s Centre

George Lane Car Park

Marlborough SN8 4BY

Tel/Fax: 01672 513010

e-mail: info@ruralneedsinitiative.org.uk

www.ruralneedsinitiative.org.uk

Registered Charity Number 1082480 Company Limited by Guarantee

Reg. Number 4019682

November 2010