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Helping Us Grow Supported (HUGS) Programme

We know that every parent starts their steps towards parenthood with different chances and different challenges. It can be hard becoming a parent and sometimes everyone needs a little extra support. Sometimes parents need more support from others due to their own experiences. Our HUGS programme aims to help every parent to become the best parent they can.

We are really excited that our HUGS programme will support first time parents who have any of the following:

  • Young parents – often under 24,
  • Those who have experienced care themselves
  • Parents with low to moderate mental health challenges
  • Those with learning disabilities.

This is an exciting opportunity for you, your baby and your family to be part of a special partnership programme, which offers more support for you and your family from the antenatal period until the point where your child reaches their two-and-a-half-year birthday.

Our HUGS programme offers you the opportunity to work not only with your health visitor to improve your and your family’s health, but also to work with a skilled family practitioner from the children centre.

The combination of you, your family, your health visitor and your children centre practitioner all working in partnership supports you to set your goals in becoming a parent and ensures that you are supported every step of the way to become the parent you want to be once little one arrives.

 

Have your say

Help us improve the local information on this website and give us feedback about any contacts you have had with our service by completing the Devon Public Health Nursing feedback form.

ChatHealth Logo

Devon County Council runs a confidential secure text messaging service for parents of children aged 0-19 years called ChatHealth. The service operates Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm, excluding bank holidays. All texts will be responded to by a public health nurse (health visitor/school nurse) within 24 hours. Outside of the service working hours, you’ll receive a message back to inform you that your text will be responded to once the line reopens. You can also call our Public Health Nursing hubs on the numbers listed below.

If you are concerned about the safety of a child in Devon, contact our Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) on 0345 155 1071 or email mashsecure@devon.gov.uk with as much information as possible.

This page was last reviewed on 16-05-2022

This page will be next reviewed on 16-05-2025