By Vera Anyagafu

For many African mothers in the UK, especially those from immigrant backgrounds, juggling childcare and parenting responsibilities can be overwhelming, particularly with demanding work schedules.

Shirley Hayman, a devoted Christian and seasoned educator with a B.Ed (Hons) / EYPS degree, brings 38 years of experience to the table, offering free expert guidance to support mothers in need of a break from childcare duties.

In an exclusive interview with Vanguard Consular Hub, at Hartford Church, Town Tot, Hartford East, UK, Shirley shared her heartwarming approach to supporting young mothers. Shirley, who believes God gifted her with a passion for teaching, is confident in her element with children, no matter the background.

After retiring from a long teaching career spanning back to 1988, she sensed a calling to start a parent-toddler group at her UK Church, offering friendship, support, and a dose of God’s word, with vast experience supporting children with diverse needs and their parents.

As a wife, mother and gran to a special needs 6-year-old, Shirley’s approach prioritises holistic development, nurturing families’ emotional, social, and spiritual well-being. Her passion is catering to each family’s unique needs.

By running her parent-carer and toddler group for free, she’s breaking down financial barriers and making quality support accessible to families from all walks of life. Her efforts have resonated with many Nigerian mothers like those in Hartford, who have expressed heartfelt gratitude for her care and support, giving them peace of mind knowing their little ones are in good hands.

Excerpt;

What inspired your passion for an early childhood education at Hertford Town Tots and why do you think it’s necessary?

I wanted to make use of all my skills and experience in a Christian context.

Lots of young families in the UK are struggling. Juggling childcare and parenting responsibilities can be overwhelming, particularly with demanding work schedules. Here, we have a much more open society. There’s been a shift towards openness about mental health, and it’s really helping and great that we are talking about it more. Many working mothers can feel isolated in their role and struggle with loneliness, juggling work and family responsibilities.

And we’re here to lend a helping hand and give them some much-needed breathing room, so they can focus on themselves and work as well.

How do you involve parents and caregivers in playgroup activities?We try to make them feel really welcome.

There is ‘no’ judgement on their individual parenting skills.

We offer listening ears
We offer fresh coffee and snacks every week free of charge
We encourage them to talk together
We don’t ask anything of them but they do hear a Bible story each week when we tell or act it for their children and we trust that God’s word will sink into their hearts and minds.

How have you ensured playgroups welcome children from diverse backgrounds and cultures and how do you adapt activities for children with special needs?

We have families from many different countries attending, bringing their children to spend time with us at Town Tots.

Everything is done in English spoken language and we do use makaton sign language when we believe it would be necessary for a child.

We also have lots of sensory resources in our collection of toys and equipment if needed for any child.
However, due to space, we do simply first come first accepted each week to a maximum of 25-30 families, and we do not see ourselves as a playgroup, we are more like a meeting place with quality toys and craft, keeping watch, teaching, telling stories and singing for all children.

We are a Christian organisation and we do not hide that nor deny it.

What has been the biggest challenge/constraint at the playgroup, and how did you overcome it?
We do not have outdoor covered space for storing buggies and prams, so we bought two easy to put up gazebos.

Not enough indoor space, made the little hall way area into the play space too tight.

For storage of equipment, we do a termly cull of resources and are gradually refining our storage systems. There are no much constraints. We have volunteers, helping out in ensuring all needs are met.

How do you secure funding for essentials like food and toys, and make playgroups sustainable?

The helpers pay for all the resources at Town Tot Playgroup.
The church also supports with £600 per year.

What is your vision for the future of children’s playgroups at Hertford Town Tots and would you recommend replicating this model in other countries?

If you have someone or people who feel called by God to provide this service and set it up, yes.
It can be done, all you need is a safe environment for the children.

Make sure you do risk assessments regularly of the environment, indoors and outdoors.

Our Town Tots has ended up being more than a meeting place for foreign and local families. Serving and learning together has blessed the developing relationships between the helpers.

It has made the other services and events we offer at the church as a whole, better publicised.
It has created new friendships.

And our vision is to continue as we are. We are not quite two years old doing this and we will continue to pray regularly for God’s guidance.