Promoting good child development is at the heart of our model

Our Services

Birmingham Forward Steps provide health and wellbeing services for  babies and children up to five years old.

You will first come into contact with Birmingham Forward Steps with antenatal (pre-birth) support,  which then progresses through early years onto pre-school and continues until your child has started school. 

Identifying a child’s needs early is key to giving them the best start in life and ensuring parents receive the support they need.  You will have contact with your Health Visiting Team at five key points during your child’s pre-school years either at home or in a clinic which will be pre-arranged with you.  A range of locations in your district will offer support to help with children’s health and wellbeing. 

There’s a wide range of support available, including well-baby clinics, stay and play sessions and much more.

Birmingham Forward Steps is made up of five strategic partners:

 

Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Click here for more information about Birmingham Community NHS Foundation Trust

Barnardo's Children's Charity

Click here for more information about Barnardo's Children's Charity

Spurgeons Children's Charity

Click here for more information about Spurgeons Children's Charity

The Springfield Project

Click here for more information about The Springfield Project

St Paul's Community Development Trust

Click here for more information about St Paul's Community Development Trust

Glossary of Services

Please click the link to download a glossary of roles within Birmingham Forward Steps.

BFS Glossary of Roles V5

Please click the link to download the glossary of Birmingham Forward Steps Services.

BFS Glossary of Services FINAL V3

In order to provide you and your child with a service that meets your needs and expectations, it is necessary for the Birmingham Forward Steps partners to hold, process and use some personal data.

Click Here to download an information sheet about how and why we collect and use your data, whom to contact if you have any concerns and how you go about accessing the personal information held about you and/or your child.

A partnership approach

Experienced professionals from health, social care, early education and the voluntary and community sector have brought together a wealth of knowledge and experience of supporting Birmingham’s communities to lead Birmingham Forward Steps.

Birmingham Forward Steps has been commissioned by Birmingham City council

For the latest information about Birmingham City Council’s commitment to providing services for all Birmingham children and families, please visit the website. The needs of each community have been considered carefully in deciding where families can access services. Each of ten Birmingham districts (parlimentary constituencies) will offer the full range of services with extra support available in areas of higher need. Early years hubs will be open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, and if communities need more flexible opening there will also be weekend and evening access. There will also be a network of satellites and outreach venues delivering services in community locations such as community and faith venues, and GP practices.

Birmingham Forward Steps aims to

Encourage

Support children to lead health lifestyles with advice on healthy diet and staying active

Keep children safe

Ensure children develop well physically, emotionally and socially help keep children safe

Advise families

Advise families on parenting and emotional wellbeing and offer extra family support when situations are challenging

Create opportunities

Support communities to develop accessible services that families really want by creating opportunities to listen to local people and develop new services together

Targeted services

Available for some families where more support is required.

These will be delivered in groups and one-to-one sessions in the home based on need, to include the following:

 

  • Stay and play with professional advice and support
  • Breastfeeding
  • Parenting advice, including parenting courses
  • Maternal mental health
  • 1:1 family support, including support provided by Home-Start volunteers
  • Attachment and emotional development
  • Speech and language support
  • Freedom Programme (domestic violence and abuse)
  • Healthy lifestyle support for children and parents
  • Support for children with additional needs and their families (including peer support groups for parents)