Peterborough Family Hubs scheme celebrates one year anniversary

Peterborough City Council marked the first anniversary of its pioneering Family Hubs scheme earlier this week.

Council staff and civic leaders joined staff and families at Honeyhill Centre in Chadburn, Paston on Tuesday, October 8 to highlight the experiences of those who have made use of the initiative over the past 12 months.

Councillor Katy Cole, Peterborough City Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said she was “extremely proud” of the Family Hubs scheme.”

“It has achieved a great deal in a relatively short space of time,” she observed.

The Family Hubs scheme is based around enabling families to access help and support for themselves and their children from pregnancy and birth through to adulthood. It does this through a variety of activities, including ante-natal care and education, parenting and family support, access to financial advice and learning through play sessions.

“The initiative is playing a key role in our main aim of improving outcomes for children across Peterborough.” Councillor Cole said.

The hub was opened last year when Peterborough was awarded £3.2m in funding to initially develop three hubs across the city. Due to the scheme’s success, a fourth hub has now been opened at East Children’s Centre in Durham Road.

Many Peterborough families have received essential support thanks to the efforts of staff members at Family Hubs.

For example, the uptake of Healthy Start vouchers leaped from 25.6 per cent in 2022 to 77 per cent in 2024 as a result of Family Hubs staff checking families’ eligibility and helping them sign up. This enabled many more families in need to buy vitamins, milk, fruit and other healthy food.

The council said 31 organisations currently deliver support through its Family Hubs, and that 434 professionals and volunteers have accessed training (via the in-house workforce development programme) that has helped them support their families more effectively.

Councillor Cole said she wanted to offer a “big thank you” to everyone involved in the project.

“By working together,” she noted, “we have created a fantastic service which has already had a positive effect on many people’s lives.”

For more information about Family Hubs visit www.peterborough.gov.uk/children-and-families/family-hubs