Early help family hubs

There are five early help family hubs in Shropshire, based within the community.

These hubs are designated as children’s centres and are facilities for coordinating early help services, providing children, young people and their families with help and support in times of need. They bring together family support services, including early childhood services, targeted youth and parenting support, health and voluntary sector partners and our local schools.

What do the early help family hubs do?

  • Support families with children and young people aged 0-19 or up to 25 years of age with special educational needs and/or disabilities
  • Work with families as part of a team and deliver specialist interventions when needed in the family’s home, or in a local accessible venue agreed by the family
  • Link with local education, early years and childcare providers, health and voluntary sector partners and community groups
  • Provide information and advice services for parents and prospective parents
  • Provide an environment for services to work together and not in isolation

Each hub works across community clusters and with other local partners and the community to offer services for children and young people and their families. Together with the family and the community, people working in a family hub will assist in finding help from different services and provide information, advice and support.

Hubs offer a range of services, with some available to any family, child or young person in need (for example parenting clinics, Autism West Midlands drop-in sessions, sessions to support young people’s mental health and employment advice) and some services only available to those who have the greatest needs.

For families that need it, the hubs also provide targeted help and support to work through issues that may arise during a child or young person’s life, co-ordinated by one lead professional - the early help family support worker.

Hubs also provide a base for early help teams, but workers will visit families in their homes or in local community venues that are agreed by and convenient for the family.

Where is my local hub?

The five family hubs in Shropshire are located as follows...

  • Oswestry Library, Arthur Street, SY11 1JN
  • Market Drayton - Raven House, TF9 3AH
  • Shrewsbury - Sunflower House, Kendal Road, SY1 4ES
  • Ludlow - Helena Lane Community Centre, 20 Hamlet Rd, Ludlow SY8 2NP
  • Bridgnorth - Youth Centre, Innage Lane, WV16 4HS

A need for a sixth hub has been identified in Whitchurch. However there isn't currently a suitable building, so this area will be serviced via the Market Drayton hub in the interim.