Bruce Family Centre Services

Bruce Family Centre Services is an integrated service bringing together SIC Education Staff and Social Care Staff into one team.  Based at the Family Centre are the Family Centre Manager, the Pre-School Home Visiting Service, the Home Link Service, Family Centre Development Worker, Family Support Worker, Playworkers and Admin staff.

The Family Centre aims to promote early and effective intervention by providing support for vulnerable families and improving life chances for children and young people.  The team work along with other agencies linking to GIRFEC to try to enable families to ‘achieve their potential’.

The Team aims to offer family support services at the Centre with individual and groupwork sessions for parents, children and young people.  They also provide services throughout Shetland on an outreach basis by offering individual support to vulnerable families, children and young people and play opportunities to groups with the Playvan visits.

The Family Centre Services are managed by:
Eleanor Robertson, Manager, Telephone 01595 745405

The services provided by the Family Centre are:
Groupwork and individual sessions with Parents - these are held in the Family Centre to provide support for vulnerable families.
Contact: Anita Gaffney, Family Support Worker, Telephone 01595 745406

Triple P Parenting Programme Sessions are also managed and arranged by the Family Centre.
Contact: Eleanor Robertson, Manager, Telephone 01595 745405

Pre-School Home Visiting Service (managed by Education Services) – provides support in the form of individual learning programmes for young children with Additional Support Needs, social, emotional and behavioural needs and their families. The Pre-school Home Visiting Service also liaises with Pre-school settings and other agencies to ensure a team approach to services provided to families.
Contact: Eleanor Walterson, Pre-School Home Visiting Teacher, Telephone 01595 745407

Home Link Service – Home Link provides an outreach service supporting educational, social, emotional and behavioural needs of children and young people. The Home Link teacher works closely with families, schools and other agencies, through the GIRFEC process.

Home Link provides support for families who choose to home educate and also for pupils who are absent from school due to ill health.

The Home Link service has a range of resources which can be borrowed by schools, playgroups and families. The resources encourage parental involvement in children’s learning.
Contact:  Morag Gray, Home Link Teacher, Telephone 01595 745408

Playvan  – The Playvan was bought with money from the Big Lottery.  The Playvan and the Playworkers from the Family Centre travel the length and breadth of Shetland promoting play.  If you are a childcare provider you can request a visit from the Playvan.
Contact:  Fraser Cluness, Playworker, Telephone 01595 745409

The Family Centre also provides support for the Islesburgh Pre School group, Islesburgh Breakfast Club, and the Islesburgh Out of School club.
Contact: Carrie-Ann Pargeter, Family Centre Development Worker, Telephone 01595 745404

Pre-school
Islesburgh Pre-school is a nursery that offers education and childcare for three to five year olds.  We encourage the children to explore and develop their personalities, through play.  Our activities follow the guidelines of the Curriculum for Excellence with a focus on physical wellbeing, literacy, expressive arts, numeracy and social and emotional development.  We encourage the children to be actively involved in planning, helping them to feel they contribute to their learning.

We are in partnership with the Shetland Islands Council Schools Service and have a legal agreement to provide free pre-school education for eligible children aged three to five.

Islesburgh Pre-school runs in conjunction with the Bruce Family Centre but operates from Islesburgh Community Centre.  The Staff are managed by the Family Centre Services Manager, Eleanor Robertson. The service is line managed by Martha Nicolson, Service Manager Children’s Resources.

Out of School Club
Out of School Clubs offer childcare outwith school hours including breakfast club, after school, school holidays, occasional holidays and in-service days. 

Under the Shetland Island Council there are 3 out of school clubs:
Islesburgh (Lerwick), Kidzone (Mossbank) and Ness (Dunrossness).

At Islesburgh we aim to provide a safe and stimulating environment for children.  We encourage the children to be involved in the planning of activities within the club and always provide a range of activities including – physical play, construction, computer/internet, reading, homework, baking, arts and crafts etc.

Islesburgh out of school club is managed through the Bruce Family Centre.  The opening hours are:

Age range – 4½* - 14 years   (* only if starting school in the August)

Contact a member of staff on 01595 745115/5113.  Staff are available from 1pm during term time or from 8am during school holidays if you require further information.

Kidzone Out of School Club is transferring to the Education Department in Aug 2011.  Please contact the staff on 01806 242890 for further information on their service.

Ness Out of School Club is managed by Dunrossness Primary School.  Please contact a member of staff on 01595 745461/5440 for further information on their service.