When attending a child minders you do not stay at theirs for the whole extent of the visit, you can be taken out to other groups and activities. In and around Penryn and Falmouth there is a strong link between each child minder and they often meet up at toddlers or even places like paradise park which gives the child the opportunity to meet others.
Children Centre’s- There are three children’s centre in are local surroundings, all of these are run by Julie Pikesly, these include:
- Penryn children’s centre – Commercial road, Jubilee wharf
- The park children’s centre – Jubilee road
- The lighthouse centre – Park terrace
All of the above are funded by sure start, otherwise known as statutory services, at each one of these centre’s provides:
- Play activities and childcare
- A base for child minders
- Support for children with additional needs
- Crèche facilities
- Toy libraries
To meet your child’s physical needs at the park children’s centre they hold a session on a Tuesday called Healthy happy families. This gives the parents the know how of what their child needs physically, e.g. Healthy eating, play development and exercise.
At the lighthouse centre on Friday they run a session called Lighthouse growers, this helps a child intellectually to learn about growing different vegetables.
All of the children’s centres are there to give your child a happy experience, for example the bubble room gives people with additional needs the chance to enjoy a sensory room filled with lights, sounds and various objects to touch.
At many of these different sessions there are many other children to mix and play with, some may be new faces or they may even be people that attend regularly.
Toddler Groups- Some early year’s services are voluntary; these are usually toddler groups who are run by child minders or parents, these groups involve story time, singing, soft play, role play and craft. People who come along to these sessions usually pay a small fee each week to provide new toys etc for the children. However these toddler groups are informal. There are many toddler groups around:
- Budock toddler group
- Mylor toddler group
- Acorns toddler group
- Charlie’s Angels, Falmouth
- Constantine toddler group
They have lots of play equipment including slides and trampolines to keep a child active and they usually provide a healthy snack for each child.
Parents bring their child so they can not only give the child the chance be around other children of the same age but so the parent themselves can talk to other parents for support on anything they may be finding difficult for example, A child which is unsettled at night.
Monkey Music- Some parents may be a full time mum, and are looking for different things to do with their child, monkey music is a great way for a child to socialize with others and learn more about music. This is another private service and it costs too attend workshops, but you can also book them for parties etc.
They can play music, on various different instrument.
Learning about different sounds and beats.
Music is a great way for a child to express emotions for example, if their happy they will probably be noisy with their instrument but on the other hand if their shy, music may not be the best activity for that child to get involved in.
Although they won’t be playing together as such they will be listening to each other and maybe even sharing different instrument with other children.
Health Care
Your child is the most precious thing in the world, and you need to make sure there healthy. In Falmouth and Penryn there are many services to give your child the best start to life.
The Penryn surgery- It is a statutory service funded by the NHS,and without the surgery are children wouldn’t be as healthy as we would like.
Penryn Surgery helps meet a Child’s physical needs by providing:
- Childhood immunizations,
- Routine checkups
- They have a Baby clinic for weighing and measuring your child on the centile chart.
- They are also there to prescribe cream or medicine when a child is poorly.
Vision express- An opticians is another health care service which is funded by the NHS for children, so therefore is a statutory service as well.
They perform tests to ensure the best eyesight for your child and if necessary prescribe glasses appropriate for your son/daughter.
The dentist- In Falmouth they give routine checkups as a statutory service for our physical needs
They check on the growth and cleanliness of their teeth, and ensure that your child grows up with the best teeth possible
The Royal Cornwall Hospital- Situated in Truro is are most used hospital in Cornwall, we go their when our child is injured, in need of medication or just if we have a query about their upbringing.
Usually when a child is first born, they are born here and they care for your baby, by washing and checking their health status.
The midwifes at the hospital will inform a parent on how to wash, feed and change their baby. They will also answer and questions that may be asked.
When a mother first gives birth they are very emotional and staff at the hospital do everything to make a parent feel happy. For example if a mother has another worries about their baby they will try to comfort them.
Social Care- Many of the above early years services also include social care, as they all give a child the best opportunities to socialize with other children. Social care is a main impact in a childs life because without this they will grow up lonely and shy.
Foster Carer’s Network- They are a group of 18 foster carers which work together as representatives of Cornwall Fostering service to improve the welfare of children.
They work together to give children the best they can, with a roof to sleep under, food and make sure their healthy and hygienic.
Intellectually, they try the best they can to get children to attend school or home tutors.
As a foster carer, they are trying to provide the support, love and care that a parent would give.
Although as a carer they do not want a child to be out on the street but they would advise clubs e.g. youth groups.
by
07shill (student)
