The Sure Start Project
Sure Start aims to improve the health, education and well being of families and children before and from birth up to 4 years of age so that children flourish at home and when they go to school. Sure Start projects are based in neighbourhoods where a high proportion of children are living in poverty. However, if a family is identified as being in need and does not live in one of these areas, they too can access services by getting their Health Visitor or any other professional that works with them to make a referral to the project. Parents can refer themselves too.
The Monmouthshire project covers the Community First Area in Abergavenny (based in The Acorn Centre), the Bulwark Area of Chepstow (based in Thornwell Primary) and the West End and Dewstow Wards in Caldicot (based in Cae Mawr Clinic and West End Primary).
Sure Start employs qualified Nursery Nurse who can offer advice on parenting, nutrition, toileting, sleep management, behaviour, breastfeeding, home safety etc., either in group sessions or at home.
We now have a mobile crèche facility which can support a variety of courses/programmes taking place around Monmouthshire such as parenting programmes and courses run by the Genesis Project. The crèche ensures children to have access to quality play opportunities.
We have a Toy Library based in The Acorn Centre in Abergavenny. This is available to families with a child 0-4 years of age.
We offer opportunities for parents and children to learn and play together by running of parent and toddler groups, Language and Play Groups and baby groups in all of our areas.
Our Home Safety Scheme aims to educate parents to become more aware of the possible risks to their child’s safety in their home and how they can reduce these risks. The project provides information and advice and safety awareness sessions for all parents who access the service, and home safety assessments and reduced cost equipment for those most in need.
We also support the Chatty Chimps Programme that runs in Monmouth, Abergavenny, Caldicot and Chepstow. The programme supports children that have speech and language delays and focuses on developing their confidence to improve their speech and language through physical activity, rhymes and songs etc.
We aim to promote learning amongst our parents by providing home-based tuition in basic skills, personal study programs and small group learning sessions in the Communities First area of Abergavenny. In our other areas, we link with other organisations to provide similar programmes and courses in the community such as cookery skills, Nutrition, Welsh and First Aid.
We also run Parenting programmes in Abergavenny, Monmouth, Caldicot and Chepstow in conjunction with Flying Start. The Incredible Years Infant/Toddler Parenting Programme is delivered in a 12 week programme in all areas and is suitable for parents with pre-school children. We also support the programmes by offering childcare.
If you would like further information please contact us at
The Acorn Centre,
Deri View Primary School,
Abergavenny
Tel: 01873 735020
Useful Links:
Other adult learning/training opportunities:
Adult Education - http://www.monmouthshire.gov.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?categoryID=widgetCategoryID&documentID=353
Coleg Gwent – www.coleggwent.ac.uk
WEA - http://www.swales.wea.org.uk/Courses.html
Support for access to training, education and employment
Genesis 2 - http://www.monmouthshire.gov.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?categoryID=widgetCategoryID&documentID=736
Home Safety – www.capt.org.uk