Resources for families in Portsmouth

Family hubs are a ‘one stop shop’ within your community. They give information and signpost a variety of free services, activities and support in one place. There are a total of five family hubs. These are in Buckland, Milton, Northern Parade, Somerstown and Paulsgrove. Each hub has a family hub champion who can offer advice and signpost to further support. Find out more: Portsmouth family hubs - Portsmouth City Council.

Start for life and family hubs offer booklet highlights everything available in Portsmouth, to support you during the first few years and beyond.

Family Assist is an innovative way of ensuring that parents and their friends and families have access to a wide range of information and resources, both local and national, at their fingertips. Find out more on their website: Family Assist Home.

Healthier Together website provides health information on different stages from pregnancy young people.

The parenting network offers a range of services, including:

• stay and play groups, 

• school readiness programmes, 

• fathers' groups,

• teen mum support.

• bump & baby classes provide essential guidance for new parents,

• Mischief Makers programme fosters creativity and connection through fun, interactive activities.

Get Set Go is aimed at children starting school in September 2025, Get Set Go is a PEEP course for parents and their child to support school readiness. The five weekly sessions will each cover a different topic, so please ensure you are available to attend all sessions.

For more information: Get Set Go

For bookings: Bookings

If your child is starting school in September and has special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), Portsmouth SEND Local Offer has published ten top tips for your little ones making the move to primary school: Ten top tips to help your little ones prepare for starting school < Portsmouth Local Offer

Year R teachers and pre-school staff have put together 10 key skills for children to have before starting school in Year R. Help your child develop them so that they feel confident and ready for their first day. 10 top tips for starting school - Portsmouth City Council

HIVE Portsmouth’s Uniform Share Store helps families across the city by getting children and young people kitted out in their school uniform: Uniform Share Store | HIVE Portsmouth

Portsmouth City Council’s six free, exciting adventure playgrounds. Open-access session for 6-13 year olds after school, weekends and school holidays.  Additional sessions (younger, family etc.) are available at certain times of the year.

HAF Fun Pompey Free, fun activities and tasty, nutritious meals for primary and secondary school children who receive benefits-related free school meals. Pay as you go is available too.

Breastfeeding Peer Supporters and Volunteers can support you throughout your feeding journey. Pregnant, combination feeding, expressing, exclusively breastfeeding, chest feeding, newborn, toddler, ending your breastfeeding journey, debriefing feelings about a previous journey, whatever your situation we are here for you and everyone is welcome. Portsmouth - The Breastfeeding Network

Healthy Start (12 weeks gestation - 4 years)

Eligible families can access free vitamins during pregnancy for mothers (and if breastfeeding up till 1 year), and for their child(ren) from birth.  The same scheme also provides families with a pre-paid card (topped up monthly) to support purchases of healthy food, until the child reaches 4. Get help to buy food and milk (Healthy Start)

Free School Meals All families entitled to a means tested Free School Meal (not the universal offer for Year R, 1 and 2) should apply prior to child starting reception or as soon as they become eligible. Applying means entitlement to other things e.g. supermarket voucher for food during school holidays when they are available, access to HAF programme etc.  It also means your child's school can claim additional funds from central government, which helps support learning in school. Free school meals - Portsmouth City Council

Cost-of-Living

The rising cost of food in recent years, can make eating a balance diet challenging.  There are many options available locally to support food access, from food banks/pantries/larders to community meals and free/reduced cost food aps and much more. Food and essentials - Portsmouth City Council