Best Start Family Hub - The Meadows
Welcome to your local Family Hub in Penhill.
The Meadows is our first official Best Start Family Hub - a welcoming and accessible place where families with children and young people aged 0-19 (up to 25 for those with special educational needs and disabilities) can access information, advice, and support in one place.
The hub is currently being developed in partnership with local families, services, and community organisations. Our aim is to create a space that provides the right support, in the right place, at the right time.
What will be on offer?
- A range of services in one location
- Support shaped by local families and communities
- Ongoing development, with more services introduced over time
Some services are already available, while others are still being designed. We are working closely with parents, carers, children, and young people to shape what the hub offers - your feedback will play a key role in how services grow and improve.
Access to services
At this stage, the hub is not yet open for general drop-in access. You can currently access support through:
- Referral to specific services
- Direct access to selected services
As the hub develops, we aim to expand access and bring more services together in one place.
What is a Best Start Family Hub?
A Best Start Family Hub is a local, welcoming place where families can easily access early help and support from pregnancy through childhood and into the teenage years.
The hub brings together council services, health professionals, early years providers, voluntary organisations and community groups to offer:
Clear advice and guidance
Direct support
Information and access to universal services
Referrals to targeted support where needed
The hub forms part of the Government’s Best Start in Life ambition - a national commitment to improve child health and development and give every child the best possible start.
As we develop, where appropriate, services will be delivered on-site at the hub, with professionals working together to provide joined-up support for your family. Support will also be available through outreach and digital access, ensuring families can get help in ways that work for them.
Parents, carers, children and community organisations will play an important role in helping us shape and improve the hub over time.
Why Penhill?
The Meadows Site sits at the heart of the Penhill community and is well placed to serve local families and reduce barriers to access.
We are starting here to:
Improve early years outcomes in the local area
Strengthen community connections
Support babies to have the healthiest start in life
Help more children reach a good level of development
Learn from families about what works best
This will be a developing hub. We will listen, adapt and improve as we grow.
Your feedback will directly influence how the Meadows Best Start Family Hub develops and how future hubs are shaped across Swindon.