A range of services and support is available for you and your children, as they learn to be more independent and develop their sense of self.
Your child’s journey from birth to five
You can get local help, information and activities tailored to every age and stage of your child’s development, from birth up to 5 years.
Health visiting
The Health Visiting Team is led by the Health Visitor and includes nursery nurses and public health nurses, all with specialist training in family and public health.
The team offers support and advice from pregnancy until your child is five years old, based on personalised assessment of the family’s needs. This may include connecting you to other specialists such as psychologists or speech and language therapists.
Home learning and early language
We provide a range of home learning and targeted support for parents with preschoolers, aged 3 to 4 years old.
Peep Learning Together Programme
Learn how singing, chatting, laughing, and playing can build on your almost 3, 3 and 4 year old’s language and communication skills.
The Peep Learning Together Programme runs for six weeks, for one hour a week. You will be able to participate with your child and learn how language development plays an important role in your child’s development while participating in interactive activities that encourage them to be expressive and have open-ended conversations.
Further information about Peep:
- Contact alex.charalambous@hackney.gov.uk
- Find a Peep course near you
Early childhood education and care
If you live or work in Hackney and have a child aged between two and four years old, you may qualify for free childcare for 15-30 hours a week at one of our children’s centres or Children & Family Hubs. Not all two-year-olds meet the eligibility criteria for free childcare, as specific requirements must be met.
Your local Children and Family Hub can provide more information on the eligibility criteria, how to sign up, or guide you to one of the many other free childcare alternatives in the borough.
Holiday playschemes
Activity based childcare is available during school holidays. Activities can include:
- arts and crafts
- sports
- team and group games
- day trips
Children can form new friendships and discover new interests.