A big slice of cake and some messy play with a group of toddlers is a great way to spend a Friday afternoon, and the team at Larchwood Family Hub in Pilgrims Hatch, Brentwood, did not disappoint when I visited recently.
The Family Hub, run by HCRG Care Group and Barnardo’s for the Essex Child and Family Wellbeing Service, supports children, young people aged from 0 to 19 and their families. I last visited the Hub in 2021, and since then there has been significant progress made in expanding services and strengthening the impact on the local community.
There are Family Hubs like this across Essex, and they enable children, young people and their families to access a variety of activities which bring together health and social care and make a real difference to families, some of whom may be struggling with health issues, poor living conditions, financial problems or just the strain of having small children and limited sleep.
It’s clear the team at the Larchwood Family Hub love their work, and revel in engaging with children and their families throughout the year. I managed to have a chat with some of the parents who were letting their children run free in some carefully planned ‘messy play’ in which paint, shaving foam and hand painting is a key feature.
Having this Hub in Brentwood is a great resource, and a central place for parents to go if they have any concerns about their children’s health and well-being for advice and assistance. Having seen how much the hub has developed in the last four years, I look forward to seeing how it grows in the next four to help more families across Brentwood.
