Parents’ value at health and care services at Todmorden Children’s Centre

Healthwatch Calderdale visited parents at Todmorden Children’s Centre to ask for their views on health and care services in that part of the Upper Valley.

Our aim is to listen to people’s views on health and social care support and act where we can to influence positive changes. The feedback from parents was overwhelmingly positive, so we’ve shared it with the staff and service providers so they know how valued they and services they run are for parents.

Here is some of what they told us:

“I’ve used the stay and play sessions; dads drop-in; health visiting drop-in; weighing clinic; weaning clinic; all the baby classes like yoga, rave, signing. It’s about more than just being social, it’s helping me be a mum and it’s helping my child get used to being around other children. Sometimes it can be a struggle alone with a child, you learn as you go and sometimes you need to ask someone else ‘is this normal’?”

“I struggled breastfeeding, it was painful and I was going to stop. My health visitor was supportive and she told me about the peer support group. I went and was welcomed, she listened to me and then showed me a few things to change. It quickly became easier but I used to keep going, I think for a bit of moral support until I felt fine.”

“The health visitors are great. I think if they weren’t here I’d be going to my GP more, especially when the baby was first born and you don’t know what is normal.”

“The staff are just amazing, I’ve never felt judged just supported.”

• Health services available include Health Visitors; Antenatal Clinics; Breastfeeding Peer Support and more. For more details about all the services at the children’s centre click here