Sunderland's Family Hubs

SEND Local Offer

Sunderland

Family Hubs aim to ensure that local families can access the right support, at the right time, in the right place, with the right people.  Family Hubs:<ul><li>Bring services together to improve access to services</li><li>Improve the connections between families, professionals, services and providers</li><li>Put relationships at the heart of family support</li></ul>At the core of every Family Hub network is a great Start for Life for babies, from conception through to 2 years old. Support is also available to families of children aged up to 19, or to children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) aged up to 25. The support and services offered by the Family Hubs range from classes and support groups to advice on topics like relationships and health services and you can even register the birth of your baby. For further accessibility information please visit the family hubs website link below. Our 5 Family Hubs are:<ul><li>Rainbow Family Hub Washington, NE37 3AE, 0191 561 3995</li><li>Thorney Close Family Hub, SR3 4JQ, 0191 561 4127</li><li>Bunnyhill Family Hub, SR5 4BW, 0191 561 8126</li><li>Coalfield Family Hub Hetton, DH5 9NE, 0191 561 6625</li><li>Winnibell l Family Hub Hendon, SR1 2HS, 0191 561 2850</li></ul>All accessibility information can be found on our Family Hubs website.

Family hubs, Together for Children, Sunderland City Council and NHS logos

Maternity Services at Sunderland Royal Hospital

Support for parents becoming a parent whether that's through birth, adoption or foster caring can be exciting, challenging and sometimes overwhelming. Support is available to parents across Sunderland, either through fun activities where you can brush up on your parenting skills or through parenting programmes and support groups that offer that extra support when you need it. Visit the Family Hub social media pages for more information.

Becoming a parent

Online course -Me, You and Baby Too is for new and expectant parents.

image of two parents each holding young children

Maternal mental health - South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust

Antenatal Advice - South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Trust

Growing Healthy Sunderland

If you've decided you're ready to start a family, or are already pregnant, good health before and during pregnancy is vital. Here are some tips that will support you to have a healthy pregnancy: Being active and fit during pregnancy can help you experience fewer problems throughout your pregnancy, birth and beyond. By keeping up your normal daily physical activity or exercise(sport, running, yoga, dancing, or even walking to the shops and back) for as long as you feel comfortable, you are less likely to have issues in later pregnancy. Exercise will also help you cope with labour and reduce any negative impacts pregnancy may have had on your body after the birth. There are a number of exercise classes and groups that can support your fitness throughout your pregnancy, including aquanatal, seated exercise classes and online fitness groups. Making sure you get the right vitamins and minerals by eating a healthy, varied diet will help, but it can also be difficult to get the recommended amount from food alone. When you are pregnant, you will need to take a folic acid supplement. You'll need 400 micrograms every day until the end of your first trimester (12 weeks).The Department of Health also advises you to consider taking a daily vitamin D supplement, particularly in the winter months (from October to the end of March) when we don't get vitamin D from sunlight. You can also ask your doctor, midwife or pharmacist about supplements. Your doctor may be able to prescribe them for you.<ul><li>Find out more about vitamins and supplements in pregnancy on the Start4Life (vitamins and supplements) website.</li><li>If you're on income-related benefits, or you are under 18, you can get free vitamins while you're pregnant from the Healthy Start Scheme.</li></ul>Consider the following while trying to get pregnant - as they can impact fertility, your baby's health and your risk of pregnancy related complications:<ul><li>Reducing alcohol consumption</li><li>Giving up smoking</li><li>Contraception, family spacing and sexual health</li></ul><div><hr /></div>ScreeningYou'll have a number of antenatal appointments during your pregnancy, and you'll see a midwife or sometimes an obstetrician (doctor specialising in pregnancy). Some antenatal screening tests include:<ul><li>Screening for sickle cell and thalassaemia</li><li>Screening for infectious diseases</li><li>Anomaly scan</li><li>Screening for Down's, Edwards' and Patau's syndromes</li></ul>See the NHS - your antenatal appointments page for more information.<div><hr /></div>VaccinationFrom 20 weeks, you will be offered the whooping cough vaccination. The best time to have this vaccine is from 16 weeks up to 32 weeks pregnant. But if for any reason you miss the vaccine, you can still have it up until you go into labour. This maximizes the protection to the baby in the early weeks after birth.See the NHS - your antenatal appointments page for more information.Pregnant women are offered the flu vaccine at any point during the pregnancy (seasonal) which will protect both mother and baby.

Preparing for pregnancy and birth

Your antenatal care is all of the help and support we give you before you baby is born.

Information around bonding with your baby bump, pregnancy wellbeing, labour and more.

Pregnancy: From finding out your due date, early pregnancy signs and symptoms, to getting ready for labour and birth – this is your complete pregnancy guide.

pregnant woman sitting on a sofa with a dog

Sunderland Sexual Health Service is delivered by South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation. d offer a range of services.

Looking to quit smoking? Look no further than Sunderland’s stop smoking service! Our friendly team is here to help you start your quit story today.

All children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) should have the right support and opportunities, at the right time, so that they can become resilient, happy and independent adults and lead fulfilling lives.

SEND offer and support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities

Breathing Space is an innovative whole family project that provides valuable space, time and support for young people with additional needs and their parents and carers.

Supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities age 0-25.

Lumi Nova - Fun digital therapy for childhood anxiety

Rainbow guide - Sunderland's guide to SEND support by Parents Carers for parents Carers

The Disabled Children Register (DCR) is a list of children and young people in Sunderland who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Creating opportunities to inspire disabled children and young people

underland Talking Therapies (formally Sunderland Psychological Wellbeing Service) provide a range of treatments for people with common mental health problems.

Sunderland's Family Hubs

Related Information & Guidance