Practical. Warm. Always free.
At the core of our work is a simple conviction: when parents feel informed and supported, children are healthier. Every session we deliver — whether a drop-in at Forres Town Hall, a structured course evening, a home visit in a rural glen, or a community weaning workshop — is designed around that principle.
Our health advocates are trained to share public health guidance in accessible, conversational language, to listen without judgement, and to help families identify the right next step for their specific situation — whether that is a referral to a health visitor, a tip about introducing solid foods, or simply the reassurance that what they are experiencing is normal and they are doing well.
Baby Wellbeing Drop-In
A weekly open session for parents and carers of babies from birth to twelve months, covering feeding, sleep, development, and emotional health.
Held every Tuesday morning at Forres Town Hall, the Baby Wellbeing Drop-In is the cornerstone of our work. Parents arrive at any point during the two-hour session and speak one-to-one with a trained health advocate, or simply sit and connect with other families at a similar stage. Topics covered include responsive feeding, safe sleep practices, recognising developmental milestones, understanding crying, and when and how to access NHS support. No appointment is needed and there is no charge.
Growing Families Course
A structured six-week programme for parents of children aged one to three, addressing toddler health, behaviour, and development in a small-group setting.
Running in four cohorts per year, the Growing Families Course takes a group of eight to twelve parents through a curriculum covering nutrition and weaning, language development, physical activity in the early years, managing behaviour with warmth and consistency, and understanding the transition into nursery. Each session is ninety minutes, led by two of our health advocates, and designed to leave room for the questions parents actually have rather than just the ones we anticipated. Participants consistently report increased confidence and reduced parental anxiety at the six-week mark.
Home Start Outreach
Supported home visits for families in rural Moray who face barriers to attending our Forres-based sessions.
For families in Kinloss, Rafford, Dallas, and other settlements to the south and west of Forres, travelling into town for a morning session is not always straightforward. Our Home Start Outreach programme pairs these families with a trained advocate who visits at home, typically for four to six sessions over two to three months. The content mirrors our centre-based work — child health information, feeding and sleep guidance, signposting to statutory services — but delivered at the kitchen table, at a pace that suits the family. Referrals come from health visitors, midwives, GPs, and self-referral.
Community Health Events
Seasonal open days, weaning workshops, and themed talks bringing broader Forres families together around specific early-years health topics.
Throughout the year we run a programme of events open to the whole community — not just families already engaged with our core programmes. These have included weaning workshops led in partnership with the NHS Grampian dietetics team, outdoor play and physical activity days on the Cluny Hill estate, and winter health evenings covering immunisation, cold and flu management, and mental health support for parents. Events are free, informal, and widely promoted through Forres schools, the library, local Facebook groups, and GP waiting rooms. They serve both as a valuable resource in their own right and as a visible front door to our year-round work.