Information portal for families accessed over 35,000 times in its first year

Solent NHS Trust’s Child and Family Services is celebrating the first anniversary of Family Assist Solent - an online portal helping parents and families access information and support during pregnancy, birth and beyond, all written and approved by local health professionals.
Family Assist Solent can be accessed at any time, from a phone, tablet or PC, and will deliver key pieces of information by e-mail to registered users at the relevant stages throughout pregnancy and through the different stages of a child's life.
In its first year, families across Portsmouth and Southampton cities and the Isle of Wight have accessed the platform over 35,000 times, benefitting from the free, comprehensive, easy to access service from local health professionals, providing information up to age 11, with more guidance for older children being developed.
As users of Family Assist Solent, families benefit from a wealth of information, support and guidance. They can also connect with local professionals to ask a question and receive an email response within two working days so families can receive timely, reliable and relevant information. Parents and carers can also invite their relatives and friends to join them so that they can receive the same information and ask questions. This is a great way to include partners who can sometimes feel excluded in the parenting journey.
Mia Wren, Operations Director, Solent NHS Trust, said: “We are really pleased to see these numbers, which tells us that many families across Portsmouth and Southampton cities, and on the Isle of Wight, have been comprehensively supported through Family Assist Solent in the first twelve months.
“We would now encourage more families to come forward so that they too can benefit from this wide-reaching resource and information portal, for those early in pregnancy right the way through to their child’s teenage years.”
Expectant or new parents can register via their health visiting or school nursing service or alternatively, families with a child under 11 can sign up now by visiting the portal.
View or sign up to Family Assist.