0–1 year olds
Community midwives
After the arrival of your baby, a community midwife will visit you and your baby at home to provide and plan your postnatal care. Your midwife will check you and your baby and help you with the transition into parenthood. You may also be visited by one of our Maternity Support Workers who carry out checks on your newborn, such as weighing and the Newborn Blood Spot Test. She will also help you with any feeding support, bathing tips or parenting skills you may require in your first few days home.
You will likely be discharged from maternity care around two weeks after your baby’s birth. This will usually be done at one of our ‘hubs’. Your local health visitor will take over the care of you and your baby after you have been discharged.
Health visiting teams
Ages & Stages Developmental Review
This important developmental review is carried out when your child is 9 months old. The review is arranged by invitation and may be offered at a local Children’s Centre, at home or in an Early Years setting. You will also be a sent a questionnaire to complete, this allows you to try out some of the activities’ covered by the questionnaire with your child at home, where they are comfortable and in familiar surroundings. Please can you bring the completed questionnaire and your child’s Red book with you to the appointment?
For more information click here or contact Reading Health Visiting Duty advice line 0118 931 2111, Monday – Friday 09.00 – 16.30 or click here to email your parenting queries.
Berkshire Healthcare (online resource for families)
Bumps and Babes Group
Watch your baby thrive and learn in a safe play environment. This group is for parents who are expecting or have children up to 1 year old and also expectant parents. New parents support and advice is offered in an informal and welcoming setting in partnership with the health visiting team.
Click here for our Facebook page where the most up to date programme is available or please contact us at readingchildrencentres@brighterfuturesforchildren.org where we will be happy to answer any queries you may have.
How can I find childcare?
There are several different types of childcare options (settings) in Reading that may suit your family’s needs.
You can find information about these here.
What is the Early Years Foundation Stage?
The Early Years Foundation Stage is the standards for learning development and care of children from birth to 5 years. Ofsted registered childminders, pre-schools, nurseries and reception classes must follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).
You may find it helpful to read the following documents:
UK Government Overview
Action for Children Parents Guide
What are the prime areas of learning and why are they important?
Prime areas are the building blocks for all other learning. They are fundamental, work together, and move through to support development in all other areas. The three prime areas of learning are:
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Communication and Language
- Physical Development
Wellbeing groups and “mums in mind”
There are opportunities through our Children’s Centres for mums who are experiencing low mood or anxiety or lack confidence around parenting to have a break and come to a safe, confidential, non-judgemental group. We have trained staff on hand to support your children while you as a mum access some vital support from either a community mental health professional or a volunteer who has first-hand experience.
Click here for our Facebook page where the most up to date programme is available or please contact us at readingchildrencentres@BrighterFuturesforChildren.org where we will be happy to answer any queries you may have.
Well-being support
Family support – parents and carers are the most important people in a child’s life but family life can be challenging and difficult at times. Every family is different and has different needs and requirements so it’s important that parents and carers can find the best help they need at the time they need it. The Reading Services Guide has information and links to services that offer help and support to parents. These include local or national services.
Or please contact us at readingchildrencentres@brighterfuturesforchildren.org where we will be happy to answer any queries you may have.
Parenting workshops
Children’s centres provide various workshops, which are run for small groups of parents together including:
- Breastfeeding
- Weaning
- Potty training
- Home safety advice
- Sleep
- Child behaviour and routines
- Ditch the dummy
- Healthy eating
- Mental health support
- SEND support
Click here to view our Facebook page where the most up to date program is available or please contact us at readingchildrencentres@BrighterFuturesforChildren.org where we will be happy to answer any queries you may have.
