Trowbridge hub that enables birth families to meet fostered children opens after revamp

A centre that provides a meeting place for fostered children to meet up with birth parents and family members is reopening today (13 March) after a major refurbishment programme.

The Trowbridge Resource Centre is used frequently to help keep connections with families and provide support.

Wiltshire Council has invested £630k in the centre to provide warm, open spaces, including play areas and chill-out rooms for young and older children, plus kitchens and outdoor play spaces and seating.

The new building design and decoration was informed by feedback gathered from children, young people, their families and carers prior to the building being closed for renovation. A few days before it opened again, foster carers, parents and young people had an opportunity to visit the refurbished centre and were positive about the changes.

Foster carers regularly drop the children at the centre and they now have space to stay and relax and make a coffee while family-time takes place, rather than having to drop and go.

Foster carer Steve said: "It's money well spent. There has been a lot of thought put into this place. I'm really pleased they have catered for carers in this place too.

Foster carer Louisa said: "It's really lovely for the children to have much more homely, warm rooms. The sensory room will benefit all children and they have thought about older children too. I just think they have thought of everything."

Cllr Laura Mayes, Cabinet Member for Children's Services, joined foster carers on a tour of the facilities. She said: "The centre has been improved to look more homely so families can make happy memories with their children and also to learn parenting skills while they are here.

"The team has worked very hard to ensure there are the right facilities for families, from kitchens to baths so they can bathe their babies and have a shower if they need to, and there is also a special adapted kitchen for children to learn to cook - it's all incredibly impressive."