Sure Start - L.A.S.T. (Omagh)

Sure Start aims to improve the health and well-being of families and children before and from birth, so children are ready to flourish when they go to school.

LAST Sure Start delivers programmes on;

• infant baby massage;
• nuturing programme
• 'cook it'
• peep programme,
• managing children behaviour,
• outings/ health fun days.

Key Principles of Sure Start; 

• To co-ordinate, streamline and add value to existing services for young families in local communities;
• To involve parents;
• To avoid stigma;
• To ensure lasting support;
• To be sensitive to local families needs and
• To promote participation of all local families

The rational behind introducing Sure Start was, and still is, to change and improve existing services by reshaping, enhancing, adding value and increasing co-ordination. Each Sure Start programme will vary according to local needs and, whilst it is important that Sure Start programmes maintain a degree of flexibility to allow them to respond to local issues, we expect all programmes to include a number of core services that meet Sure Start objectives and respond to parents needs.

The Core Services are:

• Outreach and home visiting services, to make contact as early as possible in the childs life and draw families into using other services;
• Family support, including befriending, social support and parenting information, both group and home based;
• Good quality play, learning and childcare experiences for children, both group and home based;
• Primary and community healthcare and advice and Support for children with special needs, both within the Sure Start services offered and through signposting to more specialised services where necessary.

Sure Start Objectives;

• Improving Social and Emotional Development Uptake of parenting information and support.
• Apportionment of children on the Child Protection Register that are registered.
• Improving Health
• Increasing Breast feeding rates at birth and eight weeks.
• Incidence of low-weight babies.
• Admission to hospital during first year of life with gastro-enteritis, respiratory infection or a severe injury.
• Admission to Accident and Emergency for childhood accidents.
• Increasing Immunisation uptake rates.
• Incidence of Post Natal Depression.
• Improving the Ability to Learn
• Number of referrals to speech and language unit.
• Number of children who regularly access good quality play and early learning opportunities.
• Number of children in baseline assessments on school entry.
• Number of children with behaviour management problems.
• Strengthening Families and Communities
• Levels of teenage pregnancy.
• Families reporting satisfaction with local services.
• Families reporting satisfaction with accessibility to services including services for disability.
• Effectiveness in reaching target families Number of families with children under 4 years of age in Sure Start areas.
• Number of families with children under 4 years of age in Sure Start areas who are in contact with the local programme.

L. A. S.T. OBJECTIVES:

• L.A.S.T has developed the following set of principles to underpin its work:
• The welfare of the child is of paramount importance
• Partnership with parents that enables parents exercise their parental responsibility and informs the development and delivery of all services.
• The cultural, racial, religious, linguistic and gender needs of children, with any needs arising out of disabilities, are taken fully into account in the delivery of all services.

Services are publicised and made accessible to all children and their families within our nine wards areas Fintona, Termon, Killyclogher, Strule, Camowen, Drumragh, Gortrush and Lisane

Sure Start offers creche places for parents who wish to avail of our programmes. Creche places are available up to 2 hours and children must reside within the catchment area and must be settled into the creche.

If you reside within our catchment areas you can register with us, please contact the office on 028 82252936 

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