Children's centres
Thameside Family Hub
Address
Thameside Primary School,
Manor Road,
Grays,
RM17 6EF
You can phone or visit our Brighter Futures Thameside Family Hub at the following times:
- Monday to Thursday from 8:30am to 5pm
- Fridays from 8:30am to 4:30pm
Mondays
| Time | Activity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 8:30am to midday | Housing advice for council tenants | Book in advance. |
| 9:30am to 10:30am | Start for life – Baby rhyme time | For ages 0 to 12 months. All welcome. |
| 9:30am to 10:30am | Early words together | For ages 36 months to 60 months. Enjoy exploring stories, rhymes and being creative with your child. This 4-week programme shares ideas and activities that support learning and development in everyday life – talking, singing, sharing books and playing together. Book in advance. |
| 1pm to 2pm | Start for life – Early years oral health workshop | 22 July. For ages 0 to 8 years. Advice and guidance on early years oral health. Includes a toothbrushing demo, plus a free dental activity pack and toothpaste. Registered professionals will be able to answer questions. Book in advance. |
| 1pm to 3pm | Triple P babies | Antenatal or for parents with a child of age 0 to 12 months. This is 4-week course with 3 follow-up calls, plus a 1-week evaluation and celebration. The programme gives you practical strategies to create the best environment for your baby's development, helping you feel more confident as you begin your parenting journey. Learn ways to cope with frequent crying, set up good sleep habits, read your baby's cues, look after yourself, adapt to changes in family life, and more. Book in advance. |
Tuesdays
| Time | Activity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 9:30am to 10:30am | Start for life – Stay and play | For ages 12 months to 24 months. Fun activities for you and your child. Sessions promote social skills and stimulation to support your child's development, encouraging speech and language, sharing and turn-taking, and exploring new and exciting activities. Sessions also offer ideas to support your child's learning at home. All welcome. |
| 10am to midday | Empowering parents, empowering communities (EPEC) – Being a parent | For parents and carers with children aged 2 years to 11 years. A friendly and fun 8-week course run by parents for parents. These are informal sessions to give new ideas on building better communication and relationships with your child. Book in advance. |
| 11am to midday | Activity sessions | For ages 12 months to 60 months. All welcome. 2 July - Fun with instruments. 9 July - Fun with stickers. 16 July - Fun with painting. 23 July - Fun with textures. 30 July - Fun with mark-making. |
| 1:30pm to 2:30pm | The Walkie Talkies | 9 July. Walk and talk sessions led by Parents 1st. For anyone who is a new parent or currently pregnant, offering a chance for some outside exercise and to get to know new parents in your area. Book in advance by phoning 01268 525 758. |
| 2pm to 3pm | Sensory play | All welcome. 2 July - For ages 0 to 12 months. 9 July - For ages 12 months to 24 months. 16 July - For ages 24 months to 60 months. 23 July - For ages 0 to 12 months. 30 July - For ages 24 months to 60 months. |
| 3pm to 5pm | Help me to stay safe | A programme for ages 6 years to 16 year. By referral only. |
Wednesdays
| Time | Activity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 9am to 4pm | Midwife appointments | Pre-natal checks, advice and support for you and your baby. Book in advance. |
| 10:30am to 11:30am | Special educational needs and disability (SEND) – Just for You | No session 3 July. For children with additional support needs, ages 0 to 60 months. Fun activities for you and your child. The sessions promote social skills and stimulation to support your child's development. The session also shares ideas to support your child's learning at home. All welcome. |
| 11am to midday | Start for life – Stay and play | 24 July. For ages 0 to 12 months. Fun activities for you and your child. Sessions promote social skills and stimulation to support your child's development, encouraging speech and language, sharing and turn-taking, and exploring new and exciting activities. Sessions also offer ideas to support your child's learning at home. All welcome. |
| 1:30pm to 2:30pm | Start for life – Let's talk with your toddler | For ages 12 months to 24 months. This 4-week course promotes speech and language development with your child. Each week we will introduce new ideas to practice at home. Book in advance. |
| 1:30pm to 2:30pm | Let's talk potty training | 10 July. For ages 24 months to 60 months. An interactive session to help families gain knowledge and understanding about potty training. Book in advance. |
| 1:30pm to 2:30pm | Start for life – Fussy eating | 31 July. For ages 12 months to 60 months. Information that can inspire change to help overcome fussy eating, giving you new ideas, such as portion sizes and tips for mealtimes. Book in advance. |
| 4pm to 5:30pm | Young carers | Support session for children aged 4 years to 8 years who are identified as young carers. This group gives the children a break from caring, to come and have fun and take part in different activities like playing in the garden and socialising with other children in the same situation as themselves. Refreshments are provided for children in the group. By referral only. |
Thursdays
| Time | Activity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 9am to 4pm | Midwife appointments | Ante-natal checks, advice and support for you and your baby. Book in advance. |
| 9:30am to 11am | Chatterbox | For ages 24 months to 60 months. A structured language group providing support, advice and guidance to help your child develop their communications skills. By referral only. |
| 1:30pm to 2:30pm | Start for life – Let's talk with your toddler | For ages 12 months to 24 months. This 4-week course promotes speech and language development with your child. Each week we will introduce new ideas to practice at home. Book in advance. |
| 1:30pm to 2:45pm | Baby weighing clinic | Drop-in session for ages 0 to 60 months. All welcome. |
| 2:45pm to 3:45pm | Start for life – Baby massage | At Acorns Community Centre, Headon Hall, Crawford Avenue, Stifford Clays, RM16 2AS. For ages 0 to 12 months. This 5-week course offers a wonderful opportunity for you to bond and learn how to communicate with your baby through gentle strokes using your hands. Each week we will focus on a different part of your baby's body. Book in advance. |
Fridays
| Time | Activity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 9am to 1pm | Early interaction advice sessions | For ages 24 months to 60 months. Individual sessions working with parents to develop early communication and interaction skills. By referral only. |
| 9am to 1pm | Speech and language drop-in | First Friday of the month. For pre-school children not yet in Reception aged 2 years and older. Speech and language therapists will be available to provide advice and support to families who feel their child might be experiencing some delay in their speech and language development. By referral only. |
| 9:30am to 10:30am | Garden group | No session 19, 26 July. For ages 24 months to 60 months. Fun activities in the garden for families with children. Please wear appropriate clothing. All welcome. |
| 10am to 12:30pm | Job club – supported families | Employment adviser. Book in advance by phoning 07776 245 301. |
| 11:15am to 12:15pm | Start for life – Let's talk with your baby | For ages 0 to 12 months. This 4-week course promotes attachment and communication skills through interactive, fun and exciting activities with your baby each week. Book in advance. |
| 1:30pm to 2:30pm | Start for life – Stay and play | No session 19, 26 July. For ages 0 to 12 months. Fun activities for you and your child. Sessions promote social skills and stimulation to support your child's development, encouraging speech and language, sharing and turn-taking, and exploring new and exciting activities. Sessions also offer ideas to support your child's learning at home. All welcome. |
More activities and support
A wide range of activities are organised at other family hubs across Thurrock. You can find out more about these activities in the document below. Check the timetables of individual family hubs for latest details.
For information on local support services during pregnancy and for families with a baby up to 2 years-old, go to Start for Life.
Registration
You can use the registration form below to register yourself and your child at this family hub, or any of our other family hubs.