At the heart of the community

Baby and toddler groups provide families with a friendly and social place to offer children what may be their first experience of learning through play. These groups play an essential role in the communities they serve and provide parents with opportunities to find further support in their local area.

Groups offer a play rich environment in which young children can socialise with other children away from the familiarity of their home surroundings, while still having the security of having a family member attending with them. For parents and carers, baby and toddler groups offer a chance to meet new families and take an active part in their local community.

For families attending a baby and toddler group, it may be their first experience of being in a learning environment since they left school, college or university. This can be quite daunting is a barrier for many, especially for those who previously had a negative experience of education. This is why many groups have a buddy system in place to support new families.

Some parents and carers can feel isolated, especially if they do not have any extended family around for support, so the role of the baby and toddler group is a key link into the local community. Families can form friendships and share information about what other is available in the area.

Groups can play an invaluable part in directing and signposting families to other sources of advice, support and opportunities in the local community. This requires research into local points of contact, which can often change, so will need keeping up-to-date. You’ll need to establish effective working relationships with your local Family Hub. This information will be invaluable, both for the effective running of the group and for your families.

Attending a group focused on children’s learning is a good way to encourage families to become more actively engaged in their child’s learning. This may in turn help families considering taking up learning opportunities themselves. Some groups invite visitors to the session to talk to families about specific topics such as: health and wellbeing, supporting your children’s early communication or music and movement. Building on the safe, secure environment and established relationships the group leader can encourage parents and carers to attend training and support sessions. Often these are focused on areas relevant to their parenting roles such as first aid, healthy eating for toddlers or home safety.

Baby and toddler groups also offer families wider benefits such as volunteering experiences which can help them develop new skills that can be transferred into future job roles. Promoting these opportunities to help out, even with the smallest of tasks, can make a difference to the group and can create a sense of belonging within their community. Being part of a community group is often an important starting point for social connections that create and build valuable positive relationships that can last a lifetime, enabling a deeper sense of belonging.