PARENTS, carers and everybody who supports children in their early years will come together in a Redcar and Cleveland programme which helps to support the best start in life and a strong foundation for children to fulfil their potential.
Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has teamed up with Thrive at Five to work with the whole community in Dormanstown, Eston, Grangetown, Kirkleatham and South Bank to create a local approach that enables all local children to reach a good level of development by the end of their first year of primary school.
The innovative programme, which has been introduced successfully elsewhere in the country, will help children to develop stronger foundations for life and learning.
To kick off, Thrive at Five will be listening to parents, carers, teachers, health providers and other community representatives and groups working together to shape the best approach for local children.
A local team, supported by national Thrive at Five, partners and specialists will then support the community to deliver activities to benefit the development and wellbeing of children aged 0-5.
The programme in Redcar and Cleveland, which is being supported by the Woodsmith Foundation and Cleveland Unit for the Reduction of Violence (CURV), will be the second Thrive at Five initiative and will build on the successful work with parents, carers, children, local practitioners and the wider communities that is under way in parts of Stoke-on-Trent.
In the longer-term, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council plans to scale out this early year's support into other areas across the Borough including East Cleveland, drawing on its Family Hubs programme.
Cllr Luke Myer, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council’s Cabinet member for Children, said: “We are committed to doing everything possible to provide children with the opportunity to fulfil their potential and live a happy, healthy and successful life.
“The innovative work of Thrive at Five and the support of the Woodsmith Foundation is a hugely welcome addition to the work our staff do on a daily basis, and I’m looking forward to seeing the community join together to improve the life chances of children at such a young age.”
Aida Cable, Chief Executive Officer, Thrive at Five said: “All the research shows that reaching a good level of development at age 5 sets the foundations for children to thrive in life and learning. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, the Woodsmith Foundation and local parents, carers and communities are coming together around a shared commitment to the wellbeing, education, future and support of children that need it most.
“We are looking forward to talking, listening and working with the local community to shape an approach together that will deliver long-term benefits to the development of children in Redcar and Cleveland, from pregnancy to birth, from cradle to classroom.”
Ian Swales, Chairman of the Woodsmith Foundation, added: “The Woodsmith Foundation is committed to giving children in our area of benefit the best possible start in life, ensuring they have equal access to support and opportunities regardless of where they are born.
“We’re looking forward to working with Thrive at Five to learn together what will work on the ground in the local area and we are proud to be supporting this programme of work.”
John Holden, Head of CURV, said:
“CURV is committed to working with partners who seek to strengthen protective factors for children.
“CURV’s aim is to provide children with the best opportunity to learn and grow in a safe environment so they have the best chance of success in later life, and so we are excited to be a part of this programme”.