Due to the coronavirus pandemic, all of our Family Centres are closed from 20 March 2020 until further notice.
If you need support, please call our Early Help Advice and Allocations Team on 0191 561 1501 or email EHAAT@togetherforchildren.org.uk.
Together for Children provides a range of activities and services from our Family Centres and other venues across Sunderland.
We currently have five Family Centres across the city that provide a range of support services for local families with children aged 0 to five. Our Centres are a place that your child can make friends and learn as they play, with a variety of free and fun classes from messy play to time for rhyme, all of which support your child’s development.
We also offer additional sessions at a cost, including TechyTots and Relax Kids.
Our Family Centres have Early Help workers on site who are available to chat to you about any concerns you have about your children, your family or your home circumstances. Please contact your nearest Centre to find out more or visit our Sunderland Family Centres Facebook page.
Family Centre information
Bunny Hill Primary Care Centre
Location: Hylton Lane, Sunderland, SR5 4BW
Telephone: 0191 561 8126
Facilities: Sensory room
Hetton Family Centre
Location: Welfare Road, Hetton-le-Hole, County Durham, DH5 9NE
Telephone: 0191 561 3995
Thorney Close Family Centre
Location: 120 Thorndale Road, Sunderland, SR3 4JQ
Telephone: 0191 561 4127
Facilities: Sensory room
Rainbow Family Centre (Washington Children’s Centre)
Location: 34 Elliott Terrace, Washington, NE37 3AE
Telephone: 0191 561 3995
Facilities: Sensory room, indoor play space, outdoor play space, café
Barnwell Family Centre
Location: Barnwell Academy Trust, Whitfield Estate, Houghton-le-Spring, DH4 7RT
Telephone: 0191 561 3995
Maplewood Family Centre
Location: Maplewood Avenue, Sunderland, SR5 5AY
Telephone: 0191 561 8126
Facilities: Outdoor play space
Free Family Centre Classes
Our Family Centres run lots of fun and educational classes across the city throughout the week. Check out our more popular free sessions below.
Baby Massage
Age: 0-6 months
Baby Massage is the use of a nurturing touch from parent to baby, which can help early bonding and relaxation. Our sessions demonstrate how to massage your baby and are available to parents and carers of babies from six weeks to six months old. All of the sessions are delivered by an experienced instructor and take place in a relaxed, informal setting.
Time for Rhyme
Age: 0-18 months
Time for Rhyme sessions promote children’s development through activities including dancing, singing and treasure baskets.
The sessions are available to children up to 18 months old and offer the chance for interaction with other children. The sessions develop and build imagination, decision making and social skills, and give parents and carers the opportunity to be involved in your child’s development in a social setting.
Busy Bodies
Age: 18 months to 5 years
Busy Bodies promotes children’s development through activities such as climbing, balancing and crawling. Children have the space to be physically active and learn about what their bodies can do.
The sessions are a mix of free play and structured singing to promote social interaction. This gives parents and carers the opportunity to meet one another while the little ones burn off some energy.
Stay & Play
Age: 18 months to 5 years
Stay and Play sessions incorporate elements from Time for Rhyme and messy play. Through activities including painting, play dough and craft, your child has the opportunity to be creative and explore new materials. The sessions also include small world play to help develop imagination, books to share and group singing.
Outdoor Group
Age: 18 months to 5 years
Explore the outdoors with your child in our garden at Maplewood Avenue. We have activities on offer to explore a range of different materials including digging, water play, bug hunting and elements of messy play in the outdoors. Each session ends with songs in one of our outdoor dens.
Additional Family Centre classes
We also run additional classes which are delivered by external providers and therefore incur a small cost. To find out more about these sessions, please visit each provider’s website.
Jittabugs
Baby Move and Groove age: 6 weeks to crawling
Pre-School Move and Groove age: Walking to 5 years
More information and booking at: www.jittabugs.com/find-class/tyne-and-wear
Little Movers
Age: 0 to 5 years
More information and booking visit the Little Movers Facebook pages: Little Movers Washington and Sunderland North and Little Movers Sunderland South and Boldon.
Little Learners
Age: 0 to 5 years
More information and booking at: www.littlelearnersuk.com/book-a-class
Relax Kids Little Stars
Age: 3 to 6 years
Let your child join in colourful adventures and learn to be calm and confident. Helps anxiety, tantrums and sleeping problems.
Sessions are available at our Rainbow Family Centre in Washington. For more information and bookings call 07771 330 652 or email relaxkidssunderland@gmail.com.
Active Aim
Age: Suitable for the whole family
A free six-week programme that combines healthy eating workshops and family orientated exercise and activities using a Kangoo Jump fitness programme.
More information and booking at: www.bookwhen.com/activefamilies