Family laughter, children gaming and foam party fun was aplenty as we celebrated the opening of our Family Hubs in Grimethorpe and Athersley last week.

Following a ribbon cutting ceremony at each opening by Cllrs Pauline McCarthy (North East Family Hub) and Cabinet Spokesperson for Childrens Services, Cllr Trevor Cave (North Family Hub), families were invited inside each hub to meet a wide range of expert family support services, who can offer guidance, help and support whenever they need it.

Each opening provided many fun-filled activities for families to take part in, including a gaming arcade area, cup design and badge making, singing and dancing, and an amazing finish to the entertainment – a foam sprayer!

The new Family Hub and Start for Life Hub openings are the next step in delivering our family and start for life services, providing support for families with children aged from 0 up to 19 years old (and up to 25 for young people with special education needs and disabilities).

Our range of expert family support professionals, including early help workers, health visitors, midwives, employment advisors and adult learning, mental health support services and lots of other partners will be on hand at the centres, so families can receive the right help at the right time.

Cabinet Spokesperson for Childrens Services, Cllr Trevor Cave, said: “It was brilliant to see so many families visit our Family Hubs opening days. There were many new and familiar faces that came along to see how they will benefit from the services on offer throughout the community.

“Our Family Hubs and Start for Life services are a one stop shop where families can access support and services from our amazing team of professionals when they need it the most.”

The Family Hubs and Start for Life project is a £3.4 million investment over 3 years to make sure families flourish in the Barnsley area. From birth right the way through to young adulthood, we're here for you through Family Hubs, which are easily accessible throughout the borough.

Further Family Hub centres will open in Wombwell and Penistone and Family Hubs in the Community pop ups will be announced on the Virtual Family Hub and on the Barnsley Family Hub Facebook page.

For further information, you can visit the Virtual Family Hub: https://www.barnsley.gov.uk/virtualfamilyhubs or Family Hubs Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BarnsleyFamilyHubs