A health trust has opened a new children’s centre it hopes will be an “amazing” facility in the area for years to come.

North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT) has opened its new community facility in Grove Road, Chadwell Heath.

The ribbon was cut by Deputy Leader of Redbridge Borough Council, Eileen Norman, on Thursday, May 10.

The teams at the Grove will provide specialist community children’s health services for young people in Redbridge up until the age of 18.

Bob Edwards, NELFT care director for Redbridge, said: “It’s fantastic to be able to officially open this new facility today.

“It is a great example of how partnership working can benefit the people of Redbridge and I’d like to pay tribute to the dedication of the staff who have enabled this amazing new facility to be created for the children and young people of the borough.”

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

Around 90 staff will work at the new facility and the service delivers physical and mental health support for children and young people with special needs, as well as their families.

In 2013, the Health Needs of Disabled Children working group identified the premises would improve clinical care.

In late 2014, some services relocated to the building, formerly called Grovelands, which sparked the start of the move towards creating a one-stop centre for younger people in Redbridge.

The development and extension of the building, to create The Grove, was funded by NELFT.

The Grove was fully operational from February 2018 and is now home to 13 different health services.

It allows the staff to provide joined up and multi-disciplinary support to children and young people and their families.

Councillor Elaine Norman said: “The Grove is something to celebrate as it brings together many different services in one place that will deliver a more holistically based service for children.

"The partnership between NELFT and the London Borough of Redbridge is considering what greater integration will look like and how services can be further improved.”