Children's Services

The Hamlet Centre is well known in Norfolk for it's activities for children with disabilities.  We have been described by a senior member of staff at Social Services as 'a centre of excellence'.  A lively, committed and talented staff team brings a wide variety of exciting activities to the children.  

Toy Library
The Toy Library is open for all children up to the age of five years and all children and young people with additional needs. We have an extensive range of toys and specialist equipment to suit every age and ability level. A trained member of staff is always on hand to offer advise and support about the suitability of toys for particular needs and is constantly on the lookout for new ideas. Toy stocks are divided into these categories:

• Adapted toys

• Baby play

• Construction toys

• Dressing up clothes

• Educational toys

• Imaginative play

• Games

• Jigsaws

• Musical

• Physical play

• Story sacks

• Transport

• Visual and sensory toys

The Toy Library opening times are: Monday to Friday 10.00am - 3.00pm.

We are thrilled that support from Sure Start and Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership means that we can offer a Mobile Library service thus reaching more children and families. 

We now have an On-line Toy Catalogue and Request Facility for schools and groups using the Mobile Library service.  To view the catalogue click on the icon

Early Years Opportunities Group (was under 5s)
The first service to develop from the Toy Library was a play group for children with additional needs.  This has evolved over the years and we now run an early years opportunities group for both children with additional needs and mainstream children to learn through play.  The Hamlet Centre works with other statutory and voluntary agencies providing services to families in and around Norfolk working together to provide a continuity care. We work within the Early Years Foundation Stage framework ensuring that the five outcomes as set out within the Every Child Matters Guidance are upheld at all times. These groups can be particularly useful around the time of diagnosis offering specialist advice and support. The group size is kept small (12 children per group) to ensure that we can provide one to one support as required. We pride ourselves on being able to offer innovative and high quality care, activities and equipment to meet the individual needs of children, young people and their families.

Sensory Room
The sensory room enables children and young people to explore a range of lights, sounds and textures. It is a dual purpose room offering both sensory and physical play opportunities with soft play area and ball pool. The Sensory room can be booked by Hamlet Centre Service Users at the small fee of £3.00 per hour per family.

Holiday Short Break Play Schemes
The Hamlet Centre is well known in Norwich for its high quality summer playschemes for children with special needs aged between 3 and 18.

Thanks to a generous contribution from the Carers Grant and the provision of nursing care by the Health Authority, we now offer playschemes for those children who are least able to access mainstream schemes in all school holidays.  The response has been tremendous.  This service has a profound effect on the lives of families of children with complex medical needs.

For the Children's Service team, playschemes are the highlight of the year! There are many rewards to be had from the children's pleasure in their holiday activities. The team enjoy rising to the challenge of enabling all the children to take part in all the activities available if that is their choice, whatever their abilities or needs.

Summer Short Break Playschemes
This scheme is held in August for children with additional needs from 3 – 18years. We have highly qualified and experienced staff team to enable us to provide a high standard of care and activities which can be adapted to suit each individual.

Summer Transition Scheme
This scheme is based at our independent living flat in Norwich City Centre. It is a fun and social scheme to meet up with friends in the school holidays. To empower young people the activities are picked by them. Staff and volunteers are on hand to ensure that the young people can be as independent as possible with emphasis on independent living skills.

Half Term Short Breaks
These schemes run in half term school holidays and 10 Saturdays per year for children and young people with complex health needs. This scheme enables children and young people to meet up with friends and have fun. We  provide a person centred approach working with schools and other statutory bodies to ensure a continuity of care which is individualised to the young persons needs.