Community Work - Health and Social Care

The inclusion of the Family Centre as one of the founding partners in the Carlisle West Children's Centre was an important recognition of the work that the Centre staff had achieved in community engagement and programme delivery in the area since the work began in 1998. The contacts made through the programmes of the Family Centre have demonstrated an awareness of both the specific and felt needs of the community which has enabled an approach ‘from the bottom up’ in terms of the delivery of services relevant to those needs. This development has linked the work more closely in partnership with the statutory sector and other community organisations and ensures a joined-up approach to the programmes offered.

The main thrust of the work of the Family Centre continues to be supporting the regeneration of the community by the community for the community, and over recent years it is becoming recognised that this is now occurring. The programmes have always sought to ensure that all felt needs are met where practicable and that the programmes are as inclusive as they can be in terms of being open for anyone to attend.

There is great diversity in the community programmes provided, from parent and toddler provision to senior citizen groups, from luncheon clubs to healthy eating programmes, from family trips away to community bingo, from health provision to craft classes. The use of a Shadow Board as appointed by the community is a constant check on our work in its ability to provide the programmes deemed to be appropriate to and relevant to the community.

Particular success has been seen in the area of health related programmes where the Family Centre has facilitated the introduction and continuance of programmes in this community such as the midwife sessions, baby clinics, ante and post natal classes, breast-feeding classes, smoking cessation classes and the newly established well- being clinic for older residents.

Working in close partnership with Barnardo's, the Family Centre has developed a range of practical parenting provisions that builds upon the concept of Rainy Day Play, Triple P and shared parenting programmes which have been a significant success in the area and highlighted the need for a continuation of provision. The partnership brings the expertise of Barnardo's in this area of development plus our local community knowledge and contacts together to match the needs of people in the area.

In terms of legal and financial planning programmes, the Centre facilitates these through locating a Credit Union in the building, in Benefits Advice and Citizen’s Advice Bureau using the Centre for their regular drop in sessions.

These programmes, some delivered by Trust personnel, some facilitated, all work together to ensure a well rounded provision to the community enabling them to have full access to the extent of services that any community would have, regardless of their economic or social status. Through these, a former area of social exclusion can become an area of social inclusion, an important aspect in their regeneration.