Young Inspector Family Hub reports

Short Breaks Young Inspectors report on Isle of Wight Family Hubs

The Young Inspectors attended the Family Hubs. They recorded opinions and feedback on a questionnaire. They did this by participating, observing, and stating their views. Their parents and carers helped with this.

The findings will be used as a reflective tool. This will help the Family Hubs to be more inclusive and disability friendly. The voice of children and young people is considered in the development of the Family Hubs. Here are their findings.

Newport Family Hub

It has been rebranded and updated. There are additional resources and equipment to provide an increasing offer. The offer includes information, advice and support for families.

The support is from conception until age 19 years or 25 for young people with special education needs and disabilities.

Where: Furrlongs, Newport, Isle of Wight PO30 2AX

Opening times: Monday to Friday 8.30 am to 4.30 pm

Parking: There is no parking at the Hub. On street parking is available in the nearby residential streets. There is a good bus service to the area and nearby town which is a short stroll away.

Report summary from the Young Inspectors on Newport Family Hub

4 out of 7 of the young people said they understood the safety advice they were given and the other 3 did not feel they were given any advice but they all said that they felt safe in the building. One inspector said that the outside area was safe because it had a fence around it so no one could get in or out except through the reception.

All the young people said that the staff were friendly. One young person said “they are very friendly and helpful and provided us with a lot of information about what they do”
Accessibility 5 out of 7 of the young people said the building was very accessible. One person said the doors looked big so thought a wheelchair would fit in and the other person said it was pretty accessible but may need to navigate around furniture and equipment to get around the building.

5 out of the 7 young people would like to come back and said they enjoyed themselves and would recommend it to their friends. The other 2 said that their friends may not enjoy it or could be sure they would feel comfortable here. “It was OK, not much for people in age group (12-18yrs) as aimed at younger ages”. They said the walls were plain and needed colours on them to brighten up the space. One young inspector was disappointed not to see any Easter decorations up to make it look happier and more colourful for the Easter holidays.

Young Inspectors suggestions for Newport Family Hub

Young inspectors would like to see

  • age-appropriate games for older children like Exploding Kittens, Cluedo and Monopoly
  • outside equipment like tennis and football being offered - basketball hoop, outside beanbags, giant Jenga blocks
  • times available to come in the evening for parents to attend that work in the day
  • a quiet place for those who struggle with noise with dimmed lights
  • colourful walls that are bright
  • board games – Connect 4, Dino Dentist
  • creative activities like making slime
  • fidget toys for children to use
  • a game console for older children

Report summary for parents and carers

A need for more things for teenagers to do and get information. The resources and facilities for this age group was missing. A space for parents to help themselves to refreshments like tea or coffee, resources and a designated space for teenagers was expressed by all the parents/carers.
Only one of the parents/carers had never been to this venue before. They all felt it was a clean, tidy and welcoming. A couple of parents said that the walls were bare and needed to have more posters on them to show what was going on inside to raise awareness and a lot more colour as the walls were quite dull. They said the space inside was airy and spacious.

The building is wheelchair friendly and is on ground level making is accessible for both wheelchair users and parents/carers with prams. The building was described by the parents as being accessible on different levels. One parent said that the entrance may feel too cramped if too many people were coming in and out at the same time and that this may be overwhelming for some people. Another parent was also concerned about the space if there were lots of pushchairs in the building. One parent said that it was not made clear where to park or if disabled parking was available.

Parents/carers were not aware of all the sessions that were on offer in the building. A couple of them knew where to access this information or said they could find out on the internet. One parent is a local resident and was surprised how many activities and groups were held there. They felt there needed to be more advertising locally and having open days like this for families to come and get a taste of what they do. There needs to be greater awareness in the schools, advertising in the job centres, libraries, and Council buildings. One of the parents suggested having separate advertising posters for children and adults to get the message across that this was a place for them to come too. A parent said that they needed to increase social media presence as Facebook only has 3k followers, Instagram 657 with more advertising and exposure.
5 out of 5 parents/carers would recommend the Family Hub but that it needed to have more facilities for older children. They would like to see the building open in the evenings and at weekends for working families and school aged children. One parent said that their husband works nights and having a local place like this to bring the children out of the house in the daytime for a couple of hours would be so beneficial for them. They would like to see more local spaces available for families on a budget to access fun things to do in the school holidays. A couple of the parents would like to see themed events taking place at the Hub for families to attend like movie, games, gaming and baking events. All the parents would like to see more groups available for SEN families. including drop ins, support sessions and cookery groups.

Parent and carer suggestions for Newport Family Hub

  • they would like more outside activities like a couple of space hoppers, a swing ball and for this space to feel less exposed
  • outside plants/planters
  • life skills sessions for teenagers like first aid and budgeting
  • clothes swap shops for all the families to access
  • a quiet zone as it’s hard to hear people in a noisy environment and a place to talk in private
  • more SEN groups including drop ins, support sessions and cookery classes and an opportunity for them to meet other families and have access to additional advice/support if needed
  • a Nintendo Switch which can be used by all ages in lots of different ways and a laptop for older children to use
  • sensory toys for older children
  • they all said they would like to see more activities for teenagers – older colouring books, board games and one parents suggested a quiet area with GCSE books and a laptop for studying after school if they didn’t have a suitable space/resource at home
  • parents would like to see more local advertising – posters in libraries, job centres and council buildings and that they think there needs to be an open day or regular events to show the community what is inside for all families to access

Ryde Family Hub

It has been rebranded and updated. There are additional resources and equipment to provide an increasing offer. The offer includes information, advice and support for families.

The support is from conception until age 19 years or 25 for young people with special education needs and disabilities.

Where:  Ryde Family Hub, George Street, Ryde PO33 2JF

Opening times: Monday to Friday 8.30 am to 4.30 pm

There is a regular bus and train service to Ryde from across the Island. There is no parking at the Hub. The local Co-op offers free parking for an hour and is payable for a longer stay. There is free on street parking spaces nearby subject to availability.

Report summary from the Young Inspectors on Ryde Family Hub

sure, but one inspector said there were good safety signs around the building to explain what they needed to do. 2 of the inspectors reported that they felt safe in the building and the other 3 said they felt very safe as there was just one door access into the building with a receptionist outside.

5 out of 5 young people said that the staff were friendly and welcoming. One young person said they were very helpful and supportive in a first aid situation which had been dealt with in a kind and caring manner.
All the young people had concerns about the accessibility of the building for a wheelchair user. They were concerned that there were lots of stairs. There was a lift and disabled toilet facilities, but the lift was slow and small.
3 out of the 5 young people would like to come back and said they enjoyed it and one other young person said they would have enjoyed it if they were younger. 3 of the would recommend it to their friends but the other 2 felt their friends were too old to come and would not find it fun so wouldn’t recommend it to their friends. They all found the building inviting and nice to look at but felt it needed more colours and patterns on the walls inside.

Young Inspectors suggestions for Ryde Family Hub

The Young Inspectors would like to see

  • more older games like Top Trumps and Monopoly
  • sensory toys for older children, fidget toys and plush toys for comfort
  • a room with noise cancelling and a quiet area

Report summary for parents and carers

All the parents/carers had been to this venue before with their children as babies. They felt it was a light and airy space inside, although one parent felt that the reception was small, but the other rooms were spacious. There is no allocated parking for the centre although, there is a carpark adjacent which is free for the first hour and then is payable. There is on street parking nearby, but spaces are not guaranteed

All the parents said that it was very good for the under 5’s in terms of resources and activities but that that there needed to be more available for older children and teenagers to encourage them to want to spend time here. They said that the garden needed to be inviting and there needed to have stuff to do out there.
The building is not wheelchair friendly and is on several levels restricting accessibility for both wheelchair users and parents/carers with prams. The parents felt the accessibility of the building was limited for wheelchair users. Those in wheelchairs and those unable to manage stairs were restricted to the ground floor due to fire safety and would be a barrier for those parents accessing activities and groups in the upper floors. There are no allocated disabled parking bays which they felt may restrict families who need this from accessing this Hub.
Parents/carers were aware of what happened in the building and where to find out the information
All of the parents/carers would recommend the Family Hub, but one parent said they would only recommend it to parents with a child under 5 years. They felt that their family was too old to use the building and facilities on offer. All the parents/carers said that there was nothing available for older children to access and it was not appealing for this age group. They would like to see SEN groups with advice and support and an afterschool SEN club. They all said that they would like more sessions available at the weekend so that working parents could come to them. They all said that after school groups and sessions in school holidays would help families and provide affordable activities for them to be able to access.

Parent and carer suggestions for Ryde Family Hub

  • they would like to see a dedicated space made available for older children
  • they would like to see more resources for older children and a console that they use to play together
  • parents would like to see more advertising out in the community especially in the schools and GP surgeries
  • they felt there needed to be a greater social media presence
  • more events like this so that families felt welcome to come inside and see for themselves what happens in the building and what they can access

Sandown Family Hub

The Sandown Family Hub is located at Fairway in the former Sandown Family Centre building in the south ward of Sandown. 

It has been rebranded and updated. There are additional resources and equipment to provide an increasing offer. The offer includes information, advice and support for families.

The support is from conception until age 19 years or 25 for young people with special education needs and disabilities.

Where: The Fairway, Sandown PO36 9EQ

Opening times: Monday to Friday 8.30 am to 4.30 pm

It has a bus and train route from neighbouring towns and villages with a regular service and the site has free parking spaces for families that travel by car including an allocated disabled parking space.

Report summary from the Young Inspectors on Sandown Family Hub

4 out of the 6 young people said they were not given safety advice, but they all said that they felt safe in the building. One inspector said that the outside area was safe because it had a fence around it so no one could get in or out except through the reception.

6 out of 6 young people said that the staff were friendly and kind. One young person said, “They made me feel comfortable and I had good chats with them”.
6 out of 6 young people felt that the building was accessible for a wheelchair as it was all on ground level and had safe flooring inside with space to get around easily.
4 out of the 6 young people would like to come back and said they would recommend it to their friends. The other 2 said that their friends would not find it fun or felt it was more of a place to go to with family. They all found the building inviting and nice to look at but felt it needed more colour inside as it was quite plain on the walls.

Young Inspectors suggestions for Sandown Family Hub

They would like to see

  • more outside equipment - basketball hoop, outside beanbags, giant Jenga blocks
  • more inside equipment - Lego, projector, and whiteboard games
  • a dark sensory tent area to be alone and have a quiet space to go too.
  • electronic games, a computer and gaming console
  • mature books for all ages
  • board games – Monopoly, hungry hippos, Yes/no game and Connect 4
  • fidget toys for children to use when they feel stressed

Report summary for parents and carers

4 of the 6 of the parents/carers had never been to this venue before. They felt it was a welcoming and good space, although one parent felt that it was too busy inside. They all said the centre was colourful and liked the outdoor area in particular. They said that the building was clean and airy inside and bright outside and they particularly liked the colours and the Family Hub logo.
A need for more resources and a designated space for teenagers was expressed by all the parents/carers. They felt that there was very little for this age group and that this could make them not feel as welcome in the environment. They also felt there was a need to have a quiet area that a child could go to if they needed too
A parent suggested lanyard system that a child can choose to wear which expresses their dislike of touch, certain smells, or other sensory issues. The lanyard is collected from the reception and highlights their individual needs. The building is wheelchair friendly and is on ground level making is accessible for both wheelchair users and parents/carers with prams. A couple of parents/carers said they would have liked the outdoor area to have more cover so that the space could be used in all weathers. 2 of the 6 parents/carers said that the disabled space markings needed to be repainted as they were not very clearly identified. One of them noted a car was parked in the bay and was not displaying a disabled badge and felt it might be beneficial to add another space as this site has added value of having allocated parking and would most likely be the venue that disabled families would choose to access.
Parents/carers were aware of what happened in the building from the signage and accessing the website but felt that further adverting need to be targeted. There needed to be better promotion in schools to children especially around activities in the holidays. They felt that more advertising was needed across social media and that it would be useful to have individual pages for each hub to push activities in the local area.

5 of the 6 parents/carers would recommend the Family Hub, but one parent felt that their family and friends were too old for the space and facilities on offer. All the parents/carers said that there was nothing available for older children to access and it was not appealing for this age group. They would like to see SEN support sessions with drop ins from other related SEND providers. They felt it would be a good resource for families at weekends and during school holidays to drop into and could provide much needed free/affordable activities for children to do during school holidays.

Parent and carer suggestions for Sandown Family Hub

  • they would like to see cooking/baking activities, life skills such as first aid and budgeting and clothes swap days for families to come along too
  • they would like to see resources and a space in the Family Hub that makes teenagers feel welcome
  • a parent suggested a netball or basketball hoop outside so that it can be used in all weathers
  • they felt it was important to have a quiet area for children and young people to access when they needed too
  • after school drop ins, youth style club for teenagers and a safe space for SEND children to chill out after school would be welcomed
  • they all said they would like to see more board games and sensory toys for older children
  • they could possibly be some older books - maybe revision books and adult colouring and posters and information related to teenage issues and information around the centre to make them feel that this was a space for older children too
  • one parent said that it would be nice to have sanitary products available in the toilets and possibly emergency food bags to take away if needed

Response to feedback from the Family Hub

Claire Steen, the Children’s Service Manager for IOW Family Hubs and Centres, said:

"Thank you to the young inspectors and their parents/carers for taking the time out of your holiday to come and review our facilities and provide this feedback. We have already taken on board comments about use of colour, information and posters and how the environment needs to appeal to teenagers more and have already added different posters and art work, adjusted layout of rooms and will be adding some coloured paint and looking at what resources we can have available for the older children.
We will do an audit of games, activities and books for older children that are at the different sites to see if they are accessible and in the right places. We will make sure fidget toys are available at all sites for when children are waiting or in sessions. We now have additional storage so it is more possible to locate the resources across the sites. We will ask the teenagers/young people that use services currently about what else we can do to make the environment work better for them and if there are any specific games/resources that they would also be keen to see.
We will be making sure other providers are aware of the opportunity to use the centre for delivery of services particularly relating to SEND and can then work with those providers to ensure the environment and the resources are appropriate. We would like to see Short Break activities offered from the centres. We have meetings planned to start these conversations.
We are planning to advertise opportunities for families/young people to drop in and find out about what is available for them and we will advertise via schools and the local community as well as social media. We can take on the ideas about the resources to ensure that when families come they feel comfortable and welcomed.
Promotion of what we provide but also what else if available for families and young people is really important and we are keen to work with the local authority to get this right. It is particularly important that people know what is available at different times like evenings and weekends and something we can continue to check with people to ensure how and when services are offered is working for them. Some of our courses and workshops and those of our partner agencies are offered in evenings and weekends but we can increase the awareness about this as well as identify any gaps in services.
We like the idea of posters that appeal to children as well as adults. The new Barnardo’s branding has been designed by children and young people and we are including this in more of our displays now.
We will be identifying dates for young inspectors to review the other Family Centre buildings over the summer months so look forward to meeting you and other young inspectors then and gaining your perspective about how it feels to access a centre and any improvements that can be made."