Sunderland children's hub 'relieves pressure' on parents
Parents living on maternity pay say a centre providing free support and activities for children will relieve the pressure on "struggling mams". The family hub, which offers services including health advice, breastfeeding drop-in sessions and children's play, has opened in Sunderland's Thorney Close.It is the fifth to open in the city, with the staff employed by Together for Children which runs children's services for Sunderland City Council. Danielle Moore, mother of ten-month-old Ozzy, said it was invaluable as many new parents could not afford to meet the costs of entertaining children.
Ms Moore said: "You feel stuck inside seeing the same four walls every single day, it's something different."At other places there are things you have to pay for and sometimes having to entertain your child at these places could become a struggle."
Leah Morrison is receiving maternity pay after giving birth to nine-month-old Niall and said it was important to have somewhere to get support without having to pay. "It's really good to see other mams in the same boat, taking about teething, weaning and everything that goes on with being with a new parent," she said."Maternity wage can dip down quickly so knowing there is something free we can come to every single week is amazing."
Jamie Scott, interim head of family hubs for Together for Children, said it was a "universal offer" and open to "any family in the city, whether parent or carers" of any gender.She said: "[Before this] families would engage with services independently, so they might come to a family centre to engage in activities and then a clinic to see a midwife, whereas now we have everything under one [roof] and we can really support their needs without the need to go to multiple venues."
In January 2025, the Labour government said £22.4m of funding would be made available for the expansion of family hubs across the country. The scheme was initially rolled out under the Conservative government.Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
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We lived in Bisley, Gloucestershire, in the Slad Valley, and it was pretty rural. Stroud was our nearest town and about 15 minutes away. I was fortunate that my younger sister, Natasha, drove me around as well as my parents and occasional boyfriend. Before I had even left for Argentina on my gap year in 2000, I had completed around 80 hours of driving lessons in two years with five different instructors. All the lessons would follow a pattern: the first would go more or less okay, but then, inevitably, the instructor would have to grab the wheel when I did something dangerous and unexpected. It took its toll on me… and them. As a result, the instructors didn't last long and always looked a bit pale at the end of our hour. My parents, who were so kind and kept booking me lessons, would listen patiently as the various instructors explained what I had done wrong, such as going round the roundabout the wrong way. 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One started shouting when I did something unexpected and the other kept banging on about his love life and the women who fancied him. I dubbed him George Clooney as he did look a bit like him. That year, in 2014, I attempted five different tests. My second and third tests were in Bury St Edmunds and my fourth, fifth and sixth tests were in Colchester. Yes, I failed five tests in one year. It was all a bit much given that I was pregnant, so I was quite pleased when my fourth child, Celestia, made an early appearance. She, like me, was clearly bored of it all too. Gear change After the newborn haze was over I dragged myself back to the wheel, this time in Clacton-on-Sea with new instructor Sue. I wished I had met Sue in the beginning. She was so encouraging. Thanks to her upbeat personality and all the conversations we shared over her past career as a foster parent (as well as the lack of roundabouts in Clacton), my confidence was restored. 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My advice to anyone in the same boat is simple: don't settle for a driving instructor who doesn't make you feel comfortable and don't let anyone write you off as someone who shouldn't ever drive. If I can do it, so can you. Yesterday I braved two motorways with a moaning teenager in the back. Believe in yourself – and don't give up.
