Honiton Children's Centre

Location

Additional location: Clapper Lane, Honiton, EX14 1QF, Phone: 01404 549982

Centre manager: Vikki Duffy

Honiton Children’s Centre has two sites in Honiton and serves an area of 800 children in the villages of Offwell, Awliscombe, Upottery, Stockland, Broadhembury, Dunkeswell and Farway, as well as in Honiton itself.

The children’s centre provides a range of activities and resources to families throughout the rural learning community, which contains nine primary schools.

Please read our new summer newsletter.  

Activities

We have an exciting summer timetable now available.

A sample of our events include:

• Just Babies – a sensory play session to actively encourage your baby to explore
• Child Health Clinic – a drop-in session held every Wednesday at the Honiton Bottom Road Centre with health visitors available at each session
• Baby Massage – a bookable five-week course for babies from birth to one year
• Family Brunch – a family group that is held once a month on a Saturday morning
• Young Parents’ group – a new group for parents under 24 to meet new friends and enjoy time with their under-fives.

Our staff

Our experienced staff members are trained to meet the needs of local families. They also possess a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.

In addition, Honiton has a team of 21 volunteers who support the centre’s work with counselling, group work, and breastfeeding support and advice.

Volunteering

This legacy report has been produced to celebrate the impact of the Devon and Somerset Children's Centres’ Volunteering Scheme. Thanks to funding by the Department of Health, this project has changed the way The Children’s Society in Devon and Somerset has involved volunteers in its children’s centres. Although the funding has now ended, the children's centres will continue to use volunteers as we are very clear as to the benefits they bring to our work with children and their families.

Comments from the families we work with

'Thank you for your relaxing, calm, informative classes.'

'Really enjoy "sing and rhyme" and find it is at a good time and is a good length. . . .'

'All staff are great. They spend time not only with the children but the parents also. They are always caring and kind.'

'The ladies running the programme are exceptional and never cease to impress us.'

'Fantastic staff on hand to provide advice about breastfeeding and expressing – it was really valuable.'

'Just to say that coming here has been a great stepping stone to preschool. A great
place to come and make friends for mums and children.'

Our centre's history and goals

Honiton Children's centre was designated in December 2007. 

Our current goals are to:

• Win the retendering to continue to run services for Honiton Children’s Centre
• Develop the outdoor space at the centre
• Develop funding opportunities to develop centre services and resources
• Develop outreach services including Dunkeswell and Heathpark areas
• Continue to work with partner agencies to support families in the area
• Develop antenatal classes and 'Here’s Looking at You Baby' course

Honiton and the greater East Devon area

Including Honiton’s Children’s Centre’s two sites, there are seven children’s centres serving families in East Devon. They include two sites in Exmouth, run by the Exmouth and District Children’s Centre (also part of The Children’s Society), as well as centres in Axe Valley, Ottery St Mary and Sidmouth.