Family Support & Early Years +

Our family support programme aims to improve the life chances for children and young people through a range of supports for parents and their children and those who work with them.

This programme seeks to maintain support pathways from birth through to 6 based on specific targeted interventions at key transition points; home/playgroup/nursery/school concentrating on health and educational outcomes and specialist support around speech and language and behaviours. Emphasis will be on engaging with parents and the wider family and the role of parents as first educators.

Our Family Support / Early Years team includes

Family Support/Early Years Coordinator who will manage a multi-disciplinary team delivering support services directly to children and families in a range of home, community and school settings.

Early Years Development Worker who will provide a professional support service to Early Years settings including parents and toddlers groups, daycare, playgroups, crèches. Working with settings to implement high quality standards and best practice in the provision of early years care and education.

This includes a range of exciting initiatives, developmental support and training opportunities such as Peer Massage in Primary Schools, Highscope Training, Motivational Interviewing and development of transition resources.

Antenatal/postnatal support workers providing practical advice and emotional support and information on a one to one basis. They can offer support with:

• preconception
• preparation for birth
• support and information through baby blues
• feeding and weaning
• child development
• developing routines

Family Support Workers providing emotional and practical support to families and their children living within the Greater Shankill area in home, school and community settings on a needs referral basis.

The focus of their work will be on transitions between home and early years education settings and the role of the parents as first educators.

Speech and Language Assistants who will work in early years settings to increase parental involvement in their child's speech, language and communication development. Encouraging and supporting parents to access speech and learning appointments and working alongside parents within the family home to promote a language rich environment that fosters speech and language development.

Behavioural Support Staff provide workshops and training to parent groups based in early years settings to increase the awareness of behaviour management strategies. The behavioural support staff will also provide individual practical support to families, enabling parents to implement strategies to address challenging behaviours, fostering positive behaviour and enhancing parent-child relationships.

Accessing Family Support Services

To access any of our services please contact Una Gilmore at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or get in touch by phone, or call in.