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Jonathan Bailey

My name is Jonathan Bailey

Most of my work is based in The Family Hub where I have been instrumental in setting up and delivering a variety of groups. Over time the Family Hub has become an integral part of the FY8 community, with my role becoming synonymous with it.
Since the Coastal Collective started in September 2023 the Family Hub alone has had just over 4000 attendances, with 1539 of them already in 2024.
Jonathan Bailey
Baby Group

Baby Group

With my background in nursing and teaching antenatal classes for the local council, I have always had an affinity for helping families and children from an early age. Post covid there has been a lack of support for new parents, with even baby clinics / weighing sessions being restricted. I have set up a group just for this. Every Monday afternoon I open the hub for parents / carers with pre-walking babies. Here they can weigh their child and chat to other parents. I am always around to give advice, answer questions and signpost them to whatever I feel they need. I have built up a positive reputation with the community midwives and health visitors, with them now recommending and signposting the families to me.
Alongside this baby group I have set up a ‘nappy exchange’. This is promoted as somewhere you can swap nappies for the next size up. However, for some this is just a name for somewhere that they can collect nappies without feeling ashamed or guilty about just ‘taking’.

Infant Massage

I am trained in Infant massage with the International Association of Infant Massagers. Infant massage is incredibly important to new parents. The course we offer is free to the community – at present, this is only being delivered in the hub. This is mainly due to it being the ideal environment for new mums and their baby. My intention though over the next few months is to take this group and deliver it across the community.

Why is infant massage important?
 Infant massage is about helping the parent and child build a secure bond.
The attachment bond is the emotional connection formed by wordless communication between an infant and you, their parent or primary caretaker. A landmark report, published in 2000 by The Committee on Integrating the Science of Early Childhood Development, identified how crucial the attachment bond is to a child’s development. This form of communication affects the way your child develops mentally, physically, intellectually, emotionally, and socially. In fact, the strength of this relationship is the main predictor of how well your child will do both in school and in life. As well as promoting this bond, the groups help parents meet other parents – some amazing relationships and support circles have been formed in these groups.

Infant Massage
The heat map represents the addresses of the attendees since September 2023

Summary

As I have already said, most of my role with the Coastal Collective is supporting families and groups across the community in The Family Hub. However, saying that, my role does not end when the Hub is closed. For example, just over these last school holidays I have helped support many families – this includes three food bank referrals, (I can now do these online remotely), with many more conversations face to face, and over texts.
Many of these families just need a friendly smile or a ‘sounding board’. I am always available to help those who need it, wherever and whenever – the park, the beach, Home Bargains, the football match – and these were just over the last 2 weeks!!!
The heat map represents the addresses of the attendees since September 2023
full list of Family Hub services
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