Family Matters Bus Visits Stoke-on-Trent This March
Families across Stoke-on-Trent are invited to step aboard the Family Matters Bus this March as it travels to schools and community venues across the city.
The bus offers a welcoming drop-in space where parents, carers and children can access practical advice, themed workshops and friendly support. Sessions include:
- Reading – “Your Words, Your Way”
- Get Set School (school readiness and routines)
- Cooking on a Budget – “Your Food, Your Way”
- Building Confidence – “Your Confidence, Your Way”
Open public sessions will take place at Stoke on Trent College (Cauldon Campus) on the afternoon of Monday 2nd March, Friday 6th March and Friday 13th March; and Dimensions Leisure Centre on 3rd March, with additional visits to local schools including Ormiston Meridian Academy, St Peter’s CofE Academy, and Discovery Academy.
Family Matters is a partnership between the council, the NHS, Stoke on Trent College, and the voluntary and community sector. It focuses on stepping in early – before problems reach crisis point – to make sure children have the best start in life.
It provides a full package of support through Family Hubs and targeted early intervention to help families stay safely together.
The pioneering programme is now supporting 1,339 children and transforming the lives of many more.
Kerry Hancock, Head of Learning Skills for Work and Community, said: “The Family Matters Bus is all about meeting families where they are and providing practical, accessible support that makes a real difference. We want parents and carers to feel confident in supporting their children — whether that’s with reading at home, preparing healthy meals on a budget, or helping with school transitions.”
Councillor Sarah Jane Colclough, cabinet member for children’s services at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “Family Matters is a brilliant example of this city looking after its own and providing a vital safety net when people stumble in life.
“This is a real city partnership, and the voluntary and community sector have stepped up brilliantly to help deliver what we all want – a stable, secure, future for all our children.”
“The Family Matters Bus is a fantastic example of that partnership working in action, bringing valuable support directly into our communities.”
All sessions are free, informal and open to parents and carers (school-based events are for families of attending pupils).
For the full programme, click here: The Family Matters Bus Is Coming to Stoke-on-Trent Schools! – Stoke-on-Trent College :Stoke-on-Trent College
