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Professionals
Three Spires Family Support Trust is an established charity that practically supports vulnerable and isolated families with children under 5, from across Coventry; helping them to build relationships and networks though the provision of a city centre parenting support project called Coffee Tots. Please note Coffee Tots is now based in The Wave Waterpark cafe. Support and care is given to families in a cafe setting with activities for children and a listening ear for parents, alongside practical support, including well-being courses for parents to help improve family life.
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We aim to:
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Remove families from isolation and help them to build their own support networks
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Create confident, positive parents who feel well supported and loved
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Improve the parent-child bond
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Increase the families’ life skills, experiences and aspirations.
Referring Families
If you're working with a family that could benefit from some extra support then please encourage them to come in to Coffee Tots cafe. Coffee Tots is a welcoming and safe space, where families can come and relax; it's free to come in and all the activities and courses are free too and there's no pressure to buy anything. If there's a specific course or activity you want to refer a family for, then please email us at coffeetots@gmail.com. We often have a waiting list but we'll help if we can.
“Coffee Tots is an integral part of our Family hub offer, supporting our ambitions to ensure that every child in Coventry gets the best start in life. Through their work in the city centre they are reaching so many families , including those seldom heard or reached by formal agencies, and by collaborating with them we are able to help more families get the help, advice and support that they need to raise their children to be confident happy and ready for school. Together we recognise that the mental health and well being of all parents is crucial both for their own lives but also for the lives of their children, and Coffee Tots has a significant experience in supporting parents and carers with their mental health and well-being with amazing results. There are many testimonials of lives changes as a result of long term relationships with Coffee Tots and the staff and volunteers who work there. We are proud to work in partnership with Coffee Tots and to include them in our Family hub network and integrate many of our services within their offer.”
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Jane Moffat
Operational Lead ~ Early Help
Coventry City Council
Working Together
We know that families have the best outcome when everyone works together. We welcome the Infant Feeding and the Stop Smoking in Pregnancy Team into the cafe to run sessions and regularly receive referrals from Social Care and the Health Visiting Team. If you work with families in Coventry and want to explore working together then get in touch.
“Coffee Tots and Family Learning have an effective partnership based on a shared desire to improve outcomes for children with Coventry. Through Coffee Tots, I have seen this done with strong and trusting relationships built between staff and families. These relationships are built on empathy, understanding and mutual respect. There is an understanding that children living in different families, in different communities, may have different needs, thus the support given is bespoke to the family.
The unique set up, starting with the community cafe, enables parents and carers to feel comfortable and safe at Coffee Tots. Groups and individual support are on offer and differing (but appropriate) levels of support are offered to families.
Family Learning (part of Adult Education at Coventry City Council) have successfully delivered sessions for parents at Coffee Tots over the last 4 years. Some of the adults who join the groups are referred in by Coffee Tots, others are new to the venue. We support the parents with understanding therapeutic parenting, as well as supporting English and Maths skills by looking at the curriculum taught in EYFS and primary schools. Each group receives free activities, games and books to keep enjoying at home with their children.
This shared vision of supporting parents to feel more confident and capable, has a long-standing impact on the children, and the parents themselves.”
Kate Steventon
Family Learning, Adult Education, Coventry City Council
Since moving to larger premises at the Wave Waterpark in April 2023, Coffee Tots has seen the numbers of families accessing the project treble. Affectionately known as their ‘Tots Family’, our families have shaped Coffee Tots in all aspects from the very beginning. By building genuine relationships & spending time listening in the café, we identify needs & shape support together. Families know their voices matter; their feedback helps to shape service delivery and their ideas influence our future. Feedback is sought using a range of tools alongside pre/post questionnaires to help assess the effectiveness of what we do and shape future delivery, as well as providing feedback for funders.​​
Outcomes data for previous time periods, case studies and professional testimonies from partnership working are available on request (please email: coffeetots@gmail.com).
“Coffee Tots make a significant contribution to improving early childhood development in Coventry, particularly for families living in areas of high deprivation who may not otherwise access support. Through their strong partnership with the city council Early Years (QIS) Team, they have delivered high‑quality support to families, including school readiness sessions, the National Literacy Trust, First Words Together programme, and also host a Boromi toy library. Their approach combines trusted relationships, community reach, and evidence‑informed practice to support children aged 0–5 in developing communication, play skills, and positive parent–child interactions. Coffee Tots are a valued partner in our citywide efforts to improve outcomes for our most vulnerable children and families.”
Wendy Foxall
Home Learning Environment Co-ordinator, Coventry City Council
Coffee Tots has grown organically since we first opened in 2010 responding to the changing needs of families, we have built relationships and developed a foundation of trust with some of Coventry’s most vulnerable and marginalised families. This has enabled us to develop and deliver tailored support services; which improve the life of the whole family, our programme changes depending upon need and demand, this is some of the support we can offer:
Parenting
Circle of Security Parenting Programme
Our trained facilitators offer this research based course, which focuses on attachment and building a strong relationship between the parent and child.
Baby Massage
Baby massage course for babies 4 weeks to pre-crawling
Our qualified instructors teach parents to massage their baby on this popular 5 week course
Art
Art workshops for parents
We offer relaxed art workshops to help improve well-being and meet new people.
Sensory
Play
Sensory play courses for babies and toddlers
Courses give parents the confidence to play and interact with their little one; helping with attachment and development
Advocacy & Support
Support for parents when times are tough
We offer parents support through offering a listening ear, signposting, help with applications and advocacy.
Family Cooking
Teaches budget and family friendly meals
Gives parents key skills to be able to cook healthy, family meals from scratch.
Peaced
Together
Art Therapy course
Uses crafts to encourage reflection and set out on a personal journey from brokenness to hope.
Drop-in Play
Fun play sessions for toddlers and pre-school aged children
They target key areas for improving child development while building confidence and having fun.
"Coffee Tots presence in the city centre for adults with barriers who are trying to improve the lives of their families is key, as is their consistancy. Parents feel comfortable with the Coffee Tots support staff working together with social workers and other statutory organisations on their behalf or with them through challenges, barriers and problems they are facing."
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- Senior Social Worker
