Government Minister Praises Sheffield Family Hub for New Parents

The government has commended a family hub in Sheffield that provides assistance to new parents and their children. Located in Walkley, the Primrose Family Hub offers complimentary activities, groups, and advisory sessions for both expectant and recent parents. Cabinet Office minister Georgia Gould toured the facility, stating her intention to draw lessons from its operations to inform national initiatives aimed at assisting more disadvantaged families. Karen Dawson, a new mother, commented that parenthood can be isolating, but found the guidance and assistance provided by the hub to be “incredibly helpful”. Ms. Dawson, who has consistently attended the hub since her baby boy’s birth in August, noted that it provides an environment for social interaction and allows her son to engage with various toys. She stated, “Being a new mum can be quite lonely at times,” adding, “I’m a single parent by choice, so I don’t have a partner to help me. My friends rally round and I’m getting out and about but having these events during the day is incredibly helpful.” The centre also provides individual sessions with specialist workers. Ms. Dawson remarked, “The breastfeeding support work is brilliant and when it comes to things like sleep regressions, it’s nice to just share the pain with other parents, because it’s something we all go through.” Georgina Battey, who visited the hub with her 10-month-old baby, described the experience of new parenthood as “really challenging but wonderful.” She emphasized, “It’s really important to meet with other mums while you are in those early stages, just to see that you are not alone and other people are going through difficult things as well.” Ms. Battey further characterized family hubs as a “fantastic place” to access such support. Minister Gould, who toured the hub on Wednesday, expressed that she was “blown away” by the available services. She commented, “Many people are using these fabulous services but I think there are more who just don’t know about them,” adding, “The work going on here is really important so we need to get behind projects like this.” Gould, herself a mother to a 14-month-old baby, indicated that the government could “learn” from the services provided in Sheffield. She stated, “It can be quite isolating being a new mum, there is so much to learn all at once but family hubs can help.” Manager Catherine Ellison stated that the Primrose Family Hub organizes various activities, including baby groups, toddler groups, speech and language support, and baby massage. Midwives and health visitors also conduct appointments at this location. Ms. Ellison explained, “We try to work with the whole family and would welcome people to use us as a front door to find out what support is available to them.”