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Woking Borough Council is the new lead provider for the borough’s Family Centres, which support vulnerable families with children aged 0 to 11 years old requiring specialist support.
Woking Borough Council’s service brings together local resources, such as services provided by the voluntary, community and faith sectors and health providers, to ensure that families needing help are supported in a joined up approach.
The new Family Centres, operating from two main venues in Goldsworth Park and Sheerwater, will offer specialist support services to vulnerable families on-site and via an established outreach service; a one-to-one personal service which supports families in their own homes and at existing Centres for the Community, including The Vyne in Knaphill, Moorcroft in Westfield, and St Marys in Byfleet.
Family Centres and satellite community venues will also act as locations for families to access support from other universal services, such as health visiting, midwifery, citizen's advice and support with housing and employment.
Cllr Colin Kemp, Woking Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Family Support Programme, said: “Family Centres do not exist in isolation. They are part of a local integrated service and a wide range of partners which builds family resilience, improving the life chances of the borough’s most vulnerable children.
“Working together with everyone who supports children, young people and their families, Family Centres promote the upbringing of children within their birth families ensuring that children can thrive, whilst remaining safely at home. This is achieved by meeting additional needs of families and offering the right help at the right time to prevent needs escalating and reducing the need for specialist services.
“Using the Family Support Team’s experience, we know families benefit from support that is embedded locally. This new holistic local service, managed by Woking Borough Council, will reduce duplication and allow for timely and preventative intervention that can support meaningful change for families.
“Retaining the existing staff is also an integral part of maintaining these valuable services. Combined with our knowledge of Woking communities, we are confident of delivering a quality service which meets the needs of Woking’s unique demographic.”
Previously this service was operated by many different providers. Following a public consultation in early 2019, Surrey County Council re-modelled the service to create ‘Family Centres’, which deliver these functions under one provider and ensures a continuity of service.
For more information about Woking’s Family Centres, please email familycentres@woking.gov.uk