Childcare Survey for parents
We are currently collecting the views from parents via a parental childcare survey, to help us understand the childcare needs of local parents to inform our childcare market management strategy and meet the requirements for Local Authorities to support the delivery of the new free childcare and early years entitlements being rolled out from 2024.
Many staff working in Family Hub partner agencies will be parents living or working in Merton so please do share widely across your staff forums and with any parents that you may be working with.
The parent childcare survey closes on 15 January 2024.
Visit the Childcare Choices website for help paying for childcare.
Speak Up and Shape It - Merton's Family Voices update
This month we are updating you on the latest insights obtained from our online Merton’s Family Voices meeting in October.
We started with updates to the Family Hub and the Start for Life Offer. Parents and carers were then showed how their insights and experiences of Family Services, both in pregnancy and in their child’s journey from 0-2 years of age, would be used to inform Family Services delivery.
We learnt:
- More information is needed on the importance of family hubs and why they are being set up.
- To make sure the health messaging across family hub services, hospital and community is consistent.
- There is a need for more mental health support, and information on how and where to access this.
- Cost of living help and information on where to access essential baby equipment/items free of charge is necessary.
- We need better information sharing of family services/activities, including stay and play groups
- Dad and baby/toddler playgroups and Dad’s support groups are needed.
- More information on infant feeding, including immediately following the birth, is important.
Many thanks to everyone who took part in this event and shared their insights with us! If you are, or know of, a parent or carer who is pregnant or is a parent or carer of a baby or child under the age of 2, it is not too late to join Merton’s Family Voices (0-2), You can do so by clicking the button below.
Thank you for your continued support. I would also like to wish you a Happy and Restful Christmas Period, and look forward to updating you again on Merton’s Family Voices in the New Year.
Beatrice Marett, Family Hub Participation and Engagement Manager
Merton Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
Early Years Service in Merton: CAMHS is a non-diagnostic therapeutic service offering early intervention and preventative work to children under 5 years old and their families/ carers. Referrals will be considered for children registered with a GP in Merton.
We offer support including assessment, consultation and individual intervention when the concerns have an impact on the child’s development, quality of life, strain on the child/family’s life (e.g. anxiety, prolonged period of emotional outburst, not displaying the expected attachment with others etc). Please note that we do not offer medication, diagnoses or diagnostic assessment (e.g., ASD or ADHD assessment).
Please do not hesitate to contact us for pre-referral consultation to discuss if a case is suitable for our service. This can be done via phone and email.
Winter Holidays Support Line
Off The Record is offering telephone support line this Christmas, which will be open to all children and young people from 23 December to 1 January.
Please see the flyer below for publicity to share with young people and families.
Merton Job Fair
Morden Library Job Fair is on Thursday 25 January, 10am to 2pm – with a free creche available.
Merton Libraries, in partnership with the DWP and Family Hubs will be hosting a series of job fairs across Merton Libraries in 2024. There will be employers from across the borough from the retail, care, hospitality, leisure and sports sectors as well as many others such as Merton Council with live vacancies to recruit to. Employment workshops to develop and improve application and CV writing and interview techniques will also be taking place. Industry professionals will be giving talks with Q&A sessions throughout the day. Attendance to the jobs fair and workshops must be booked in advance. For more information and booking please visit Merton Libraries events page.
Welcome to Wiktoria!
Hi everyone! My name is Wiktoria, and I have recently joined the Family Hub team under the Early Careers Programme, a three-year program for aspiring young leaders of the future. As part of this programme, I will be undertaking 6 six-month placements across various areas of the council, whilst at the same time completing a professional qualification. Before this, I completed a Law and Criminology Degree at the University of Sheffield and prior to joining Merton I have trained as a Detective with the Metropolitan Police. Working for the Police has provided me with enormous experience in community engagement as well as multi-agency working, which I really value and enjoy.
Working on the Family Hub transformation programme within the Children, Lifelong learning and Families department is my very first placement and I am really looking forward to being involved in the Family Hub here in Merton. I will be working closely alongside my colleagues Carolyn, Beatrice and Charles to coordinate and support some of the incredible work which is already underway to develop Family Hubs. During my first two weeks at Merton, I have been working to better understand the purpose of Family Hubs and how the range of supporting services that are currently available for families can be made a lot more accessible, leading to better connections and relationships. Over the next couple of weeks, I will be preparing for the Partner Engagement Event in January 2024.
I highly appreciate everyone being extremely welcoming and I look forward to making valuable connections with individuals and organisations. Please do get in touch if your organisation is interested in the feedback and/or development of Family Hubs in Merton.
Thank you and I look forward to meeting you all! Wiktoria.
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