Parent-Toddler Groups
The Anna Freud Centre runs four weekly parent-toddler groups.
Two are based at the AFC where there is a large purpose-built hut, well stocked with toys, and a garden.
The other two are outreach groups funded by Sure Start. One meets in the Kilburn Grange Children's Centre and the other meets in a Hostel for Homeless Families in England's Lane. The latter group is sponsored by the SEI Cares Fund.
The toddler groups meet weekly for 1 ½ hours. They are attended by toddlers between 1 and 3 years old, accompanied by their parents, who remain with them and are responsible for their safety.
The numbers are kept small (8 at the AFC and up to 12 in the outreach groups) and consistent attendance is encouraged as a way for group members to get to know and learn from one another, through talking and playing together.
The staff running the groups (2 per group) aim to provide a warmly welcoming, stimulating, and safe environment in which development can flourish. They join in the play and are available to share their understanding and knowledge when required.
The toddlers are helped to make the transition from the close dependence of infancy to the relative independence of nursery, and the parents are supported in enjoying and managing what can be a challenging, but also important and rewarding period in their child's life.
If you are interested in learning more about the Parent-Toddler Groups, then please contact Lynne Pressnell at Lynne.Pressnell@annafreud.org or on 020 7794 2313.