New family time centre in Worksop officially opens

Harmony House in Worksop will help deliver safeguarding services, including offering a safe, welcoming space for children and young people cared for by the county council to have supervised, quality family time with their birth families.

The new £6 million building on Newgate Street replaces the old, nearby residential bungalows which were used for family time, but are no longer fit-for-purpose and will be demolished.

Nottinghamshire County Council Leader Councillor Mick Barton, Councillor Rory Green, Cabinet Member for Children and Families and Councillor James Walker-Gurley, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Asset Management were among those attend an event to celebrate the opening.

Speaking at the official opening, Councillor Barton said he was delighted to celebrate the opening of Harmony House. He said:

“This investment reflects our ongoing commitment to creating the very best environments for children, young people, and families across Nottinghamshire.

“We are also grateful for all the hard work which has gone into this building.”

Councillor Rory Green added:

“We are really proud of these new facilities. It is a fantastic, spacious building which provides a welcoming place for children and young people in our care and their families.

“We hope that many families will benefit from this new centre for many years to come.”

Jenny Williams is the Children’s Service manager who oversees the council’s family time centres says she and her team are thrilled to see the centre now open which is welcoming cared-for children and their families through its doors. She said:

“This has been a long-awaited project, and throughout the building's development our staff, children and families have enjoyed watching the transformation take shape.

“Designed with the experiences and needs of our families at its heart, Harmony House will become the new home for supervised family time arrangements, providing a safe, welcoming, and child-focused environment.

“Family time plays a vital role in helping children who are unable to live with their birth families maintain important relationships and create positive memories. Harmony House has been thoughtfully designed to support these precious moments, offering a comfortable and supportive space where children and their families can spend quality time together.”

The new building has two conference rooms, kitchens and contributes to the county council’s wider plans to move into more cost-efficient, fit for purpose buildings.

The new energy-efficient office, which will save on bills, is being designed, project and cost-managed by Arc Partnership and delivered through its construction partner G F Tomlinson.

Daniel Maher, Managing Director at Arc Partnership, a joint venture between the County Council and SCAPE commented: “We are proud to be delivering this vital new facility on behalf of the county council, providing design, project and cost management services alongside our delivery partner, GF Tomlinson. Our approach has focused on designing a warm, welcoming environment for the families whilst ensuring value for money."