The scheme, which is being funded by the Daycare Trust through a grant from the Department for Education, aims to highlight models of good practice in children's centres which have been particularly successful in supporting child-caring grandparents, by awarding them 'hub status'.
The children's centres chosen as hubs of good practice by the Grandparents' Association are:
- Elmhurst Sure Start Children's Centre, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
- Paulsgrove Children's Centre, Portsmouth
- Seacroft Children's Centre, Leeds
- Coram Fields Children's Centre in London is in the process of being designated as the fourth.
The project is just one of a number of pieces of work being undertaken by the Daycare Trust to understand the needs of grandparents who provide childcare, and develop services and information to support them.
Encouraging settings to reach out to grandparents and fathers was also the theme of the Daycare Trust's National Childcare Week (2-9 July 2012).
Paulsgrove Children's Centre in Portsmouth has been running a weekly grandparent and toddler group for the past three years.
Launched by a grandparent who provides care for her grandchild, the two-hour Friday morning group has steadily grown through word of mouth. Around ten grandparents, including one grandfather and a great grandmother, now attend the session with approximately 16 grandchildren. Every week, the children's centre organises activities for the children and their grandparents to do, ranging from arts and crafts to library visits and a teddy bears' picnic.
Rosie Trout, Paulsgrove Children's Centre child and family support practitioner, said, 'Grandparents from all over the area come to the centre for the grandparent and toddler group.
'The grandchildren get to socialise with other children and grandparents can meet with like-minded people and discuss any problems or concerns they have.'
Staff at the centre also offer support to grandparents, including child development and school enrolment.
The Grandparents' Association plans to award hub status to more children's centres in the future, with the aim of having a hub or a cluster of hubs in every area.
More information
Grandparents' Association, Helpline 0845 4349585