Best Start service: for children up to the age of 5

We run the Best Start service in a variety of settings, including children centres, schools and community buildings, such as libraries. You can gain access to services in a number of ways.

Through a professional

A professional, such as your midwife or GP, can give you information on Best Start services and how you can access receive support – they will talk you through the process and what you need to do.

Maternity services

Maternity services is the first contact an expectant mother would have with Best Start services. To contact Maternity services, you can call the main switchboard on 020 8401 3000.

Maternity services – Croydon Health Services NHS

Through a Best Start children's centre

Best Start children’s centres offer services, activities and support for families with children under 5. Most activities, apart from childcare are either offered free or at a small cost. Every centre is unique and provides a wide range of services and activities you might need as a family with a baby or young child, for example, midwife appointments, child health review.

Our children’s centre services are delivered by three main hubs who plan and co-ordinate the services across the locality:

North hub

Kensington Avenue Children’s Centre

With services also running from:

• Winterbourne Children’s Centre
• PIP House

Central hub

Selhurst Children’s Centre

With services also running from:

• Aerodrome Children’s Centre
• Malling Close Children’s Centre
• Shirley Children’s Centre

South hub

Woodlands Children’s Centre

With services also running from:

• Byron Children’s Centre
• New Addington Children’s Centre
• Purley Oaks Children’s Centre

Through the Best Start health visiting service

The health visiting service aims to promote the health and wellbeing of your family and can offer practical advice and support on a range of topics.

You may be allocated a Health Visitor either during your pregnancy or after your baby is born.

Find out more about the Best Start health visiting service – NHS Croydon Health Services

Through our community buildings that hold Best Start activities

We hold Best Start some of our activities in community centres, such as libraries, where you can ask about how to access the support yourself.

Find for your nearest library

If your child has special educational needs

There are a range of different health services available for children with SEND, for example the Chatterbox Groups. 

Chatterbox Groups are groups for Croydon families with children aged 4 years old and under who have concerns about their child’s talking or inter-action. They are run by the Chatterbox team which includes Speech and Language Therapists and Assistants and Children’s Centres staff across the borough.

The groups are designed to promote, encourage and support speech, language and communication development in pre-school aged children.

The Chatterbox Parent Programme January 2022  (PDF, 749KB)

Find out more about speech and language therapy – Croydon's Local Offer.

If your family needs additional support

If your family is in need of additional support you can be referred by a professional, such as your Health Visitor or a Best Start support service you are part of, to Early Help Family Solution who will assess your needs and allocate you a family key worker.

Find out more about additional support through Early Help.