A SINGLE mum says that without the support of staff at a children's centre she would be suffering with depression.

Sarah Morley, 25, from Wallisdown was a teenager when she became pregnant with her son Jack.

She said that although she was enjoying being a mother she felt isolated and had forgotten what she liked doing for herself. Over the last five years Sarah has grown in confidence, developed her parenting skills and received help with an eating disorder all through her involvement with the NCH North Bournemouth Children's Centre.

Sarah said: "When I first started coming I did not really talk to anyone because I did not feel I had anything worthwhile to say.

"Now they can't shut me up!

"It did take me a while to get to trust the people. It can be daunting to leave your child with someone, especially because Jack has asthma.

"When Jack was about 18 months I started leaving him in creche while I did some courses. I knew that they would come and get me if there was a problem."

Once Sarah was prepared to leave her son in the on-site creche she started taking free courses in a range of things at the centre in West Howe.

She said: "I did a self-esteem course which taught me to realise that I have already achieved some things. Once you see you are making small achievements all the time it makes you realise you can go on."

Sarah has been battling anorexia and through this she found the support of the staff at the centre invaluable.

At one stage she went to the centre every day to talk to the staff.

She said: "This place became my safe haven to come to because I never felt judged. My family live near by and that's good but they work so they're not always around.

"It's the staff that make the place what it is. The feeling you get when you come in the door comes from the staff."

Sarah believes that the help she has got from the centre has made her a better parent to Jack and that his experience in the creche set him up well for moving to school.

She said: "Jack and I have made so many friends here and if I had not come to the centre I really think I would be suffering with depression or something by now. I just can't understand why people do not use this service."

The NCH North Bournemouth Children's Centres support families with children under five in Kinson, Redhill, Northbourne, West Howe, Wallisdown and Winton West. It currently helps about 1,000 families.

NCH, the children's charity, has recently launched a campaign called Growing Strong which aims to highlight the impact that emotional wellbeing has on children's futures.