A new local centre to provide specialist support for young disabled children and their families is being launched in Mid Sussex by West Sussex County Council.
The new Early Years Hub is based at the Sidney West Children and Family Centre in Leylands Road, Burgess Hill.
The new centre is part of a network of Early Years Hubs designed to help make it easier for West Sussex families with young disabled children to access advice, guidance and services at a convenient location.
The hubs are all based at Children and Family Centres across the county and have been developed with the input of parents. They work closely with Child Development Centres run by Health Trusts, and new specialist Health Visitors.
The hub offers a range of facilities either at the Sidney West centre or at other linked centres, such as parent and child group for parents of young disabled children, a sensory toy library and access to Early Support Coordinators.
West Sussex Cabinet Member for Children – Start of Life, Peter Evans, who will be attending the launch, said: “These new hubs will bring vital support services into the heart of communities where they are needed. They build on the excellent work our Children and Family Centres are already doing and I’m sure will be of huge benefit to many families.”
In addition, a Sensory Bus has been developed to take the provision out into the more rural areas of the county.
The project has been developed through a multi-agency team, which includes representatives from West Sussex County Council, Health and partner organisations, as well as parents from West Sussex Parents and Carers Forum.