Firbank Children's Centre

 Firbank Road, Lancaster, LA1 3HL.  Telephone 01524 845319

 Firbank Children's Centre

Situated next door to Ridge Community Primary School in Lancaster, Firbank Children’s Centre offers a wide range of exciting groups, courses and activities for families with young children.  With an emphasis on play and child development and building strong family relationships, some popular sessions include Mini Movers, Family Craft and Messy Play. 

We also work with lots of other professionals and agencies to offer family support, midwife services, confidential counselling, and help to stop smoking and a wide range of interesting and informative courses for adults.

Everything is free and all visitors are made to feel very welcome. For more information telephone 01524 845319

About us 

If you want to meet other Mums and Dads and families, want to enjoy playing and learning with your children or could just do with a little extra support, then Firbank Children’s Centre is for you. There are groups and activities every day and we welcome you to come and join in.  We try to make our children’s centre feel really comfortable – like a second home.

You can just pop in and find lots of friendly faces here, but if you feel nervous about coming, then call us before and we can arrange for someone to meet you and stay with you in the group for your first visit.

We are very fortunate to work closely alongside Rising Stars Nursery and are therefore able to offer high quality crèche places for some sessions and activities. Where these are available they do need to be booked in advance as there are a limited number of places. 

Some of our most popular activities are listed below. For an up-to-date timetable, call in or telephone us on 01524 845319.

All our groups are FREE

Monday

Midwife drop in 11 – 12 am at Firbank No appointment needed just turn up.

Bump to Birth and Beyond - 5 week course with Sandra Lively, Health Visitor and children's centre staff – no need to book

Rhyme and Sign at Bowerham Trinity Reformed Church Hall – sing familiar songs and rhymes, learn new songs to sing and sign with your baby. Suitable for babies from 4 to 12 months. 1pm-2pm.

Baby Massage at Bowerham Trinity Reformed Church Hall (next to video shop) Time: 2pm-3pm
Bring a towel with you.

Mini Movers at Hala  10 – 11 am – musical movement and fun for parents and toddlers

Tuesday

9am–11.30am Child Health clinic Stay and Play at Firbank with health visitor and midwife drop in. This is an open session for anyone to drop in to see the Health Visitor or midwife, or just come and play.
 

Childminder drop-in at Firbank  9.30am-11.30am
Cost: FREE

Stay and play and support for childminders (every two weeks)

Glitter & Glue at Firbank 1pm-2.30pm
Cost: FREE

Dalton Square Midwife Clinic at Firbank 1.30 – 4pm – appointments must be booked

Young Mums and Dads at Ridge Community Centre – drop in for fun, advice and information for parents age 23 and under. Call Ruth for more information 01524845319

Wednesday

Child Health Clinic and Stay and Play at Hala St Paul's Centre. 2pm-3.30pm with health visitor. This is an open session for anyone to drop in to see the Health Visitor or just come and play. Baby massage at Hala – learn to massage your baby 1.15pm-2pm.  Followed by the Child Health Clinic.

Inbetweenies at Firbank – Stay and Play for children up to 5 years 9am-11.30am

Rhyme and Sign 1.30pm-2.30pm

Learn a selection of rhymes and signs to learn with your child. Suitable for babies from 4-12 months. 

Thursday

Early Days drop-in at Firbank 9 -11.30am

For parents bumps and babies from birth until they are mobile.

Breastfeeding support always available.

Inbetweenies at Firbank – Stay and Play for children up to 5 years 9am-11.30am
 

Baby massage with Crèche for older siblings. 

Baby Massage at 10am and 10.30am (two sessions) 

Other things we do

Football Training at Firbank with Morecambe Football Club– 4th & 18th September 2010 plus 2nd October from 10.30am-11.30am– Phone James for more information – 3 – 6 year olds. 

FA coaching – Phone James 01524 845319 or Lee 0152464132 for more information

Chelsea Rawcliffe Cup – Football tournament for Dads and family men. Come along and enjoy a game of football, join in the competition and get fit at the same time. Play activities available for young children (children must be supervised at all times)

Speakeasy course starting 30th September at 7pm at Firbank Children's Centre. Phone 01524 845319 for more details or to book a place.

Empowering Parents course starts 6th September. Mondays and Fridays from 9.30am-11.30am. The course involves learning to improve your skills in working with others, Equality & Diversity, CV's, Assertive Communication, Interview skills etc You can also gain a qualification in safeguarding & First Aid. Please join us for  coffee morning on 23rd August at 10am. 

For more details or to book please phone Ruth or James on 01524 845319

Lending Library – toys and books to borrow, take home and enjoy

Family Support – we have a team of very experienced family support workers who are always available to chat about small worries or to offer more in depth support. Contact Sarah or James on 01524 845319 or speak confidentially to any member of staff.

Children's Centre Teacher – we also offer support for you on any aspect of children's learning and development. Phone Liz or Julie on 01524 845319 or speak to any member of the team.

Volunteering – we have a full volunteering programme with support to go on and achieve NVQ's or gain employment. Contact Ruth or speak to any member of the team.

Breastfeeding support – we actively promote breastfeeding  as the best way of feeding your baby. You are welcome and supported to breastfeed at any time in the centre in a place where you feel most comfortable. Ask any member of the team if you would like somewhere private to feed. 

Having problems breastfeeding? Phone Kat for breastfeeding support.

Please remember to supervise your children at all times whilst in the centre or playing in our garden. We ask that your child comes to groups in appropriate clothing – including sun hat and cream when necessary – they are likely to want to play outside and will definitely get messy!

Firbank Golden Rules

We have a set of Golden Rules at Firbank which we ask you to sign up to when you register. The rules have been developed by the community and are to make sure everyone coming to the centre including children, families, visitors and staff feel welcome and that their thoughts and feelings are listened to and valued. We welcome feedback at all times and do want to know what you think. 

Please remember our

Golden Rules

You are always responsible for the care, supervision and safety of your children.

Your views are always welcome. Please tell us

Please help tidy up.

Everyone is welcome and treated with respect.

Help is always available, just ask.

If you or your child are unwell please rest at home.

Copies of our full policies are available.

Please ask if you would like to know more.

Meet the Team

Sarah Hargreaves – Centre Manager

 Hello, my name is Sarah Hargreaves. I have been centre manager at Firbank since September 2007. I was previously a Health Visitor and worked in Lancaster and Preston prior to my secondment to Riverbank Children’s Centre in Preston. Working at Riverbank with young children and their families at the outset of children’s centre development inspired me to leave the NHS and come to Firbank. The best part of my job has been working alongside the children and families, finding out what would help families’ access to groups, activities and services whilst working alongside many different organisations to achieve this. We have worked hard to build our fantastic team and as well as all the hard work we also have lots of fun. Pop in to the centre to join in and take a look in our photo album – you will see lots of fun being had and be made to feel very welcome! 

Julie Lawrence – Outreach Worker

 Formerly employed as a learning mentor in Ridge Primary and now working as a Family and Community Link Worker

Sam Farnworth - Outreach Worker

 I moved from Manchester to Lancaster four years ago to go to university, where I qualified as a Social Worker in July 2008. I started at Firbank in June 2008 as an Outreach Worker and I love working with the families here and meeting new people. My favourite groups at Firbank are my very messy Messy and Outdoor Play sessions. I provide family support in family's homes and am newly trained to deliver the Family Links parenting programme. This is a really exciting new course for all families who want to get best out of family life. The course focuses on nurturing yourself and your family and promoting healthy self esteem. Give me a call for further information. 

Kat Barton – Outreach Worker and Special Needs Co-ordinator

 I have two children; Skye aged 6 and Jorja, 3. I thoroughly enjoyed attending children’s centres with them and so wanted to work in one myself.  I started at Lune Park Children’s Centre in August 2007, running crèches and working in the nursery supporting children with additional needs and then in April 2008, I moved to Firbank Children’s Centre. I run the Little Treasures group and also provide outreach family support in people's homes. I have a particular interest in additional needs and support the Bright Sparks groups. 

Gayle Clement – Administration Assistant

 I work on the reception at Firbank Children’s Centre every afternoon.  In my spare time, I make birthday cards for everyone here and also for friends, family and anyone that wants me to (just ask!). I have recently taken a number of NVQ's through work which has really helped me in my role. The same NVQ's are available for volunteers too so let us know if you are interested.

James Meeks, Extended Services Coordinator

Hi, my name is James Meeks. I have been in post since August 2009 as Extended Services Coordinator.  My previous role for Scope was managing a team of outreach workers providing support for children and young people living with additional needs and have recently graduated from University of Cumbria. My role with Firbank entails; leading the family outreach team, coordinating and strengthening links with a range of community and private settings, improving engagement with Dad's and Family men and a whole host of different challenges.  My first task was to set up a forum for district Children Centres to share good practice and offer advice and guidance when working Dad's and Family men. This is going really well and we have interest from not only professionals who wish to improve their work with Dad's and Family men but also from Dad's themselves who really want to shape the way our service runs and how we can improve and grow as a dad friendly organisation. We are in the process of organising a football team and training. If you would like to take part or get involved or if you have any questions, advice or would just like a chat feel free to call or give me a ring.

Dawn Corlett, Outreach support worker

I gained my NVQ 3 child care and education qualification while working as a nursery nurse at a private nursery in Morecambe in 2004; I worked there for 4 years and loved every minute and only left to have my daughter. I have three children Troy aged 19, Adam 16 and Meg 4 and we live with my husband in Morecambe. After taking a few years off to spend some quality time with Meg, I started working as a teaching assistant in various schools in and around Morecambe and Lancaster and really enjoyed my time at Ridge Primary school, and this is how I met the outreach team. I covered for staff holidays in July 2009 and really enjoyed this supporting role as an outreach support worker. Lucky for me I was offered a part-time post running the groups alongside Petra. I now see it as my role to carry on Julie’s good work and become the new glitter queen of Firbank Children’s Centre! I look forward to seeing you soon.  

Liz Tattersall – Early Years Teacher

Ruth Westmoreland, Outreach Worker

Pauline Bargh, Administrative Officer, Business and Finance

Firbank Road, Lancaster, LA1 3HL.  Telephone 01524 845319