Bubble and Speak was founded in 2016, based on the work of Francoise Dolto and La Maison Verte movement in France, with the aim of offering a convivial space to which children under 4 years of age and their parents or carers can come when they choose without having to make an appointment or pay a fee. It is open to anyone with a child in this age group, including expecting parents. A place like no other for children and their carers to gather, play and talk.
At Bubble and Speak children can begin to socialise and meet their peers while still in the comforting presence of their parent or carer. Our workers, called ‘welcomers’, oriented by psychoanalysis, are available to everyone who comes, through exchange, play, sharing and listening.
Our aim is to support young children in the awakening of their individuality and their parents and carers in the challenges of raising them, especially in the circumstances of socio-economic and political challenges including low income, migration, the absence of extended family, or lack of knowledge about available resources.
Any family may participate: there are no restrictions in terms of catchment area, target demographic, or indeed of psychological considerations. In practice, most attendees come from the same London Borough in which the sessions are held. By choosing a relatively socially deprived neighbourhood (Finsbury Park) for our work, we are able both to expand the service provision for young children in those communities and to support the community by helping to foster or strengthen relationships between local families.
