Free support helps Middlesbrough families navigate early parenthood
How a free online programme is giving new parents in Middlesbrough confidence in their first year
A free online course offered to all new parents in Middlesbrough via the Middlesbrough Family Hubs is already making a difference — more than 650 local families have signed up. The course, called Triple P for Baby, aims to help mums and dads understand their baby’s development, build strong bonds, and support both their own emotional and physical wellbeing and their child’s.
Parents receive a free access code following their newborn health‑visitor check and can access seven online modules at any time from a computer, tablet or mobile. Each module is interactive, with videos and quizzes. The flexible set up allows parents to work through content at their own pace across the baby’s first year.
For many parents the results have been powerful. One local parent said: “The course has helped me accept that it’s ok to ask for help if I need it. It’s enabled me to give my son the best start in life.” According to the Family Hubs a typical outcome is a noticeable boost in parental confidence and an improved ability to respond to a baby’s needs.
Cllr Luke Henman, the Council’s Executive Member for Children’s Services, described the programme as a prime example of how Family Hubs offer support at a crucial time in a child’s life. He emphasised that the Hubs can also help families with everything from feeding support and money worries to fostering speech and language development.
The support does not stop at the online course. Through the Best Start in Life offer the Hubs provide a wide range of services before and after birth including midwifery, breastfeeding and feeding support, mental health guidance, baby‑essentials help and workshops for early developmental stages.
For families who had a baby in the last 12 months and have not received their code, the Family Hubs invite them to call 01642 579120 to request access — ensuring no parent is left unsupported at this important time.
