One Croydon Training: Supporting families with under 5s in Croydon
12 March 2026- Meeting Notes and Session Recording
A special thank you to all who provided service updates—your contributions are essential in strengthening our collective knowledge of the support available for families with under 5s in Croydon. The session's success is only possible because of your support. Below is the recording from this session and a summary of service updates.
Recording Link for Supporting Families with under 5’s in Croydon session: Here
Guest Speakers
Croydon Council Family Hubs
Katy Sparrow, Family Hubs Transformation Senior Programme Manager
Presentation: https://cvalive.org.uk/assets/documents/20260312-croydoncouncil-family
Croydon Family Hubs currently have two hubs at the Woodlands Family Hub (South locality) and the Samuel Coleridge Taylor Family Hub (North locality)
Providing services in one place.
- Midwifery/ Maternity, Birth Registration, Health Visiting, Parenting Support, Parent-infant relationships and perinatal mental health support, Infant Feeding Support, Early language and the Home Learning Environment, Early Childhood Education and Care, SEND support and Services. Activities for children aged 0-5, Local authority 0-19 public health services
- Housing, Debt and Welfare advice, Mental health services
- Oral health improvement, Nutrition and Weight management, Stop smoking support, Substance (alcohol/drug) misuse support
- Domestic abuse support, Support for separating and separated parents, Intensive targeted family support services, Reducing Parental Conflict
Early years activity timetables are available through the Family Hubs webpage and Croydon Best Start Facebook page
Training and Events for Professionals: https://cscp.event-booking.org.uk/events-list?c=737
E: familyhubs@croydon.gov.uk| | W: www.gov.uk/government/collections/family-hubs-and-start-for-life-programme
Croydon Health Nursing Service, Healthy Child Programme (HCP) 0-5: Ene Odeh
Presentation: Awaiting slide Presentation/meeting notes
Service updates from Mental Health Support Groups in Croydon
Acorn2Oaks, Canterbury Children’s Centre: Sidra Abbas, Canterbury Early Years Manager
Canterbury Children’s Centre: Pre‑school offers term‑time Ofsted-regulated childcare and early years education and care for children aged 15 months to 5 years. Providing both term-time nursery placement and Government‑funded places for eligible families. These places are available across all settings for 15‑month‑olds, 2, 3 and 4 year‑olds, for 15 or 30 hours. We are open 8am–4pm. Our core mission is to tackle inequalities such as social exclusion and poverty, particularly among lone parents and young families. A key part of our offer is our support for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. We have a dedicated SENCo who ensures prompt access to professional support, and our staff team uses inclusive strategies such as picture routines and learning key words in children’s home languages to ensure all children feel understood, welcomed, and able to thrive.
E: Canterbury-admin@acorns2oaks.net | T: 07534 658106 | W: https://www.acorns2oaks.net
My Alba Village, Alba Tots: Florida Selimaj, Founder E: myalbavillage@gmail.com
Presentation: https://cvalive.org.uk/assets/documents/20260312-alba-village-present
My Alba Village is a community project supporting children and their families from pregnancy through the early years.
As part of this initiative, Alba Tots is a new Croydon‑based playgroup for parents and carers of babies and toddlers aged 0–4. The group aims to support families who wish to introduce their children to Albanian language and culture through play, songs, and meaningful community connection.
Babyzone Croydon
Jessica Barnaschone, Director of Hubs at Babyzone, leads delivery across Babyzone Hubs in Croydon
Presentation: https://cvalive.org.uk/assets/documents/20260312-babyzonecroydonpresen
Babyzone Croydon is a free community-based hub for families with children aged 0–5 years. A safe welcoming space where parents/carers can bring their babies and toddlers to play, learn, and connect without barriers such as cost, complex sign-in procedures. We support hundreds of families every week (and included in early childhood support), many from disadvantaged backgrounds. We are based in Legacy Youth Zone during term-times on Thursdays between 9:30am and 2:30pm. We provide evidence-informed play and learning activities that support early child development, including Toddler Sense, Reading Fairy, Baby Sensory, Dinky Medics, Little Kickers Toddler Football and Mini Professors. In addition, we provide free-play spaces that include soft play, reading areas, a sensory room, construction play, craft activities, colouring and puzzles. One of Babyzone’s strengths in Croydon is reducing isolation and building supportive social networks for families. Parents and carers meet others in similar life stages. Babyzone Croydon also collaborates with a wide variety of partner organisations to enhance our core offering to families. This allows families to access early help, parenting support, health guidance, and wellbeing services in a familiar, welcoming space. Our partners include Croydon Family Hubs, local NHS departments (health visitors, vaccinations team, oral health team etc.), Croydon Libraries, Home-Start Croydon, Croydon Health and Wellbeing Space, the DWP, Croydon Mencap and many more! These partnerships strengthen pathways into more formal support and increases families’ awareness of wider local services. Babyzone’s model aligns with research showing the critical influence of early years experiences on lifelong health, wellbeing and educational outcomes. By offering a trusted, accessible space for play, learning and connection, Babyzone contributes to improved parental confidence, better early development for children, and stronger community networks across Croydon.
E: jessica@babyzone.org.uk | T: 07906520412 | W: https://babyzone.org.uk/visit-us
Be Different 365 Foundation: Victoria Kamara, CEO & Founder
Be Different365 Foundation
- Supports children, young people & parents from low income households to build confidence, resilience, and positive life skills.
- Helps families identify purpose, develop social & creative skills, and become positive role models within their community.
- In-person sessions run 1st & 3rd Saturdays each month—providing a safe, uplifting weekend space, especially for children facing anxiety, bullying, or post pandemic challenges.
- Collaborating with Learning Disability Alliance Croydon, Holy Saviour Church Community, Home Start Croydon, Heads2Gether Housing Cooperative, CVA, Yoga & the Mind, 7upTaichi, Young@Heart Dance, Creative Skills, Julie's Nutritional Coaching Services, Group, and others to expand family support and volunteering opportunities.
- Offers guidance and refers urgent issues, including homelessness, domestic violence & immigration matters to appropriate specialist organisations.
E: be.diff365@gmail.com / bedifferent365foundation@gmail.com / victoria@bedifferent365foundation.com | M: 07949048980 W: https://www.bedifferent365foundation.com/
Building Blocks Baby Bank - Church of God (Seventh Day) Croydon: Avril Hargreaves
Presentation: https://cvalive.org.uk/assets/documents/20260312-builging-block-baby-b
'Building Blocks' Baby Bank provides essentials to families in need in the Croydon (and beyond) who are in urgent need of help with nappies, wipes, formula milk, toiletries, clothes, and more.
When: Every Monday between 11 am - 2 pm (excluding Bank Holidays)
Where: Church of God 7th Day, Derby Road, West Croydon CR0 3SE
For information/how to donate click here | E: | T: 0208 688 6094 | W: https://croydon.cog7.org.uk/baby-bank
HENRY Croydon: Asia Clarke, Croydon Service Manager E: asia.clarke@henry.org.uk
Presentation: https://cvalive.org.uk/assets/documents/20260312-henrycroydonunder5s-2
HENRY Croydon offers parents and carers free workshops and training to support and building healthy habits with their babies and children. These Free sessions are available both in person at local venues across Croydon, or online.
- Starting Solids Workshops give simple, reassuring guidance for families with babies 0-7months beginning to introduce solid foods alongside milk.
- Healthy Families, Brighter Future Programme helps parents and carers with children aged 0-7 years feel more confident about creating a happy, healthy home environment.
- Healthy Families, Growing Up Programme for parents and carers with children aged 8-12 years, shares practical ideas to support children’s healthy routines as they become more independent and helps parents and carers understand emotions and feelings as they develop.
Visit HENRY in Croydon for more information, or register your interest via HENRY Croydon - Register Your Interest - Parents Form and one of our friendly facilitators will contact you. E: croydon@henry.org.uk | W: www.henry.org.uk/croydon
His Grace Evangelical Outreach, His Grace YANA Group and Peer Support: Pastor Bola
Presentation: https://cvalive.org.uk/assets/documents/20260312-his-grace-yana-slide-2
Supporting young mothers and pregnant women through
- Preventing food poverty for babies, Postnatal Anxiety and Postpartum Depression /crisis and isolation
- Promoting access to good health and mental health care
- Providing travel and shopping voucher support for young mothers, enrolment support for 2 year olds (15 hours of funded nursery education per week)
- Supporting MBU (Mother and Baby Unit)
His Grace Croydon North-East Community Hub brings people together and shares resources, enhances easy access to services, engage the hard-to-reach communities and facilitate positive connections. Our demographic is (but not limited to) Thornton Heath, South Norwood, Crystal Palace North and Upper Norwood. We support residents with Employment/Benefit Advice and help with application, Housing/Preventing Homelessness and Health and Wellbeing. We also provide help around School Admission, School Uniform, Stationery, Clothes, Bus Pass, College Application, Benefit Application, Youth Engagement, Health and Wellbeing and more. Engaging and enhancing cohesion and addressing isolation and loneliness and promoting ‘Good Mental Health and Wellbeing for All’.
Youth Empowerment programmes and School Holiday Club and Youth Chill Zone programmes for under 25s with various activities
His Grace Food Bank and Food Hub In response to Cost-of-Living Crisis we provide fresh produce and long-life food to struggling individuals and families in the community.
His Grace Asylum Seekers and Refugee Support to displaced people helping these cohort to engage with available services as well as integrate with others.
Address: His Grace Evangelical Outreach, Church Office: 80-82 Beulah Road, Thornton Heath, Croydon. CR7 8JG | T: 07946 546 507 | E: info@hisgrace-evangelicaloutreach.co.uk
Home Start Croydon is a voluntary organisation committed to supporting local families through our Family Support Home-Visiting Service, Family Play Sessions and specialist projects.
- Family Support Home-Visiting Service provides one-to-one support to families who are struggling to cope. Support is provided by trained volunteers in the family’s home or local community. For more information about the service, visit our Get Support page.
- Perinatal Support Service provides one-to-one support to parents who are struggling with their mental health or are at risk of mental health difficulties during the perinatal period. Support is provided for up to 6 months by trained volunteers in the family’s home or local community. For more information about the service visit our Get Support page.
- Peer-led Stay & Play Groups are held all over the borough and are run by trained volunteers. For more information visit the Stay & Play Groups section on our Get Support page.
- Volunteering: For more information here or email us on E: contact@croydon-homestart.co.uk. Alternatively, see our Volunteer page | T: 020 8667 0207
My Child Has a Speech Delay - Activities for SEND families: Alicia Douglas, Founded and Co-Director
E: info@mchasd.co.uk | W: https://www.mchasd.co.uk/
My Child Has a Speech Delay is based in Broad Green. With support from Unibail ‑ Rodamco‑Westfield and Croydon Voluntary Action, Alicia and Melissa are building a strong community where families with children aged 2-11 years old feel less isolated and lasting friendships are made. We support families navigating speech delays and additional needs (we are inclusive but our focus is to support SEND families); this is not a drop‑off service, but a safe and welcoming space where parents and children are supported together. Through peer support to a music therapy bar, the group helps families connect, play and communicate.
School holidays we run stay and play sessions, day trips and outings, offering families opportunities to enjoy new experiences and create lasting memories.
Parent and carer only events, giving much‑needed respite and a chance to connect with other SEND families in the local community. For more info about the #mychildhasaspeechdelay offer go to W:https://mchasd.co.uk
T: 07566 259657 | E: Mychildhasaspeechdelay@gmail.com |
Rising Ohana’s CIC supports
- Young women with complex/neurodivergent needs with children 0-5.
- Young families age 18 – 28.
E: rising.ohanas@gmail.com | info@rising-ohanas-cic.co.uk | W: https://rising-ohanas-cic.co.uk/
Salvation Army Church & Community Centre Baby Bank: Malcolm Martin
The Salvation Army in Thornton Heath seeks to be a beacon of hope and meet people's needs as best as possible, either directly or in partnership with other community organisations. This can range from baby & toddler groups, support groups, supporting victims of human trafficking, and providing a space for community groups to support all ages within the community of Thornton Heath.
The Salvation Army Baby Bank is based in Thornton Heath High Street and has a focus on supporting those with children aged 0-2 years by providing clothes and equipment. We operate on Mondays and Thursday by appointment only. Call see what you need. Our Baby Bank is collects and redistributes good quality baby items. Many items are donated by the parents of our baby and toddler groups but we also purchase nappies and wipes to assist families in need.
E: thornton.heath@salvationarmy.org.uk | T: For Baby Bank Appointments: 0208 665 0327
Service Update - unable to attend session
St Francis, Monks Hill
- Mini Explorers Stay and play
When: Mondays, 9:30am – 11:30am. Where: St Francis Church Light House, Monks Hill, CR2 8HR
Open to babies and toddlers with their parents or carers, childminders £2 Per child. You will be responsible for your own children! No need to book – just drop in!
- Small Explorers, St Francis, Monks Hill opened May 2025, we provide early years care and education for children aged 9 months to 3/4 years in a warm, family-style environment. Our setting combines cosy indoor spaces with a newly developed free-flow garden, giving children the freedom to explore and learn through play. Our nurturing approach ensures each child feels safe, valued, and supported as they grow in confidence and curiosity. We believe in the power of self-led learning, where children are encouraged to follow their interests, make choices, and engage with their surroundings at their own pace. Small Explorers St Francis is more than just childcare it’s a place where little minds and big imaginations thrive. We accept all funded and non-funded children from the community and surrounding areas.
We are open from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm with flexible plans to meet working parents/careers needs.
For more information or to register your interest please complete the form here
W: https://smallexplorers-info.uk/ | E: smallexplorers_advice@outlook.com | T: 07512865173
Resources
Mental Health & Wellbeing Support in Croydon booklet: Take a look and print out this useful 'Mental Health & Wellbeing support in Croydon' booklet here
- Online Mental Health & Well Being support in Croydon booklet can be found on CVA website home page www.cvalive.org.uk → Directories Button → Croydon Mental Health Groups
- Other useful directories can be found on the home page of the Croydon Voluntary Action website, www.cvalive.org.uk (Homeless Support, Foodbanks, Mental Health & Wellbeing, Autism, Debt Advice Services, Find Activities, Find Organisations)
Croydon Simply Connect Directory
You can find out more about local services on Simply Connect Croydon. This online directory lists numerous specialist support services, such as mental health, bereavement services and much more. Find a service
- Adding, or amending your activities (for those already listed on the directory) please email your changes to connectwellcroydon@cvalive.org.uk
Not listed in the Directory yet?
- If you wish to add your services/activities you need to complete this online form
Kay Rhodes
Training Lead, Croydon Voluntary Action
To view the full CVA Training and Events calendar: CVA Events Training - Croydon Voluntary Action (cvalive.org.uk).