March 2024 newsletter - fantastic FREE sessions to support children's development and confidence

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March 2024

Welcome to your March newsletter

We're in a time of year when lots of us are celebrating or observing special events - including Ramadan, Holi and Easter in March, and Baisakhi, Eid Al-Fitr and Passover in April. Wishing you happy times, whatever you may be celebrating. 

Everyone can join together in celebrating the start of spring (let's hope for some good weather!), and many of us will also be taking time off for Easter holidays. There is still time to get involved in holiday activities - look at the What's On guides on the FYI (Families and Young Person's Information) website and Visit Bradford for more details. 

This month's newsletter, as always, is packed with helpful news about activities, support and courses for families and your children and young people - and further information for the professionals that are available to help. Please take a look and see what's on offer for you!

Wise Owls drop-in advice sessions

"No need to book" - for all families with concerns over their toddler’s speech and language development

Each week, across each area of the Bradford District, the friendly language development workers from BHT Early Education and Training will be on hand to chat to parents and carers at their Wise Owls drop-in sessions.

Wide Owls is a chance to call in, without an appointment, to discuss any concerns that parents and carers may have over their toddler’s speech and language development (children aged 18 months to 4 years).

The Wise Owls Drop-in advice sessions are term-time only and run as follows:

Keighley/Shipley: Mondays – 9am to 10am – Keighley Library, North Street, Keighley, BD21 3SX

Bradford West: Fridays – 9am to 10am – Abbey Green Nursery, Green Lane, BD8 8HT

Bradford South and Bradford East: The Language and Development workers will be dropping into playgroups around the rest of the Bradford district, details will be promoted at the beginning of each week on Facebook via @BHTLanguageDevelopment.

Please also follow the Facebook page @BHTLanguageDevelopment, to keep up to date, in case of any last-minute changes across any of the sessions. 

Is Wise Owls for you? 

Do you have any of the following concerns?

• My child is saying fewer than 50 single words.
• We can’t understand what our child is saying when he or she does say words.
• My child is not starting to put together short sentences with 2-3 words, such as ‘more juice’, ‘red car’, ‘bye nanna’.
• My child struggles to follow simple instructions such as "go get your shoes", "where’s the ball".

If any of these concerns sound familiar, then come and have a chat with the friendly language development workers at the Wise Owls sessions, details above. 

Sessions are also listed in the Family Hub timetables and ‘What’s on Directory’ on the FYI website.

These free sessions are funded through Family Hubs and Start for Life.

Preparation for Parenthood - a new, free course for expecting mums and their partner or friend/family member

Are you or your partner pregnant, or do you know someone who is?

A new FREE 6-session programme is now available from HENRY, to help you prepare for the arrival of your baby. Your partner, or a friend or family member are encouraged to attend alongside expectant mums.

Available to families across all of the Bradford District. 

The course includes:

• Information to help you feel more confident about having a healthy pregnancy, giving birth, bonding with your new baby, and caring for them.
• Practical, evidence-based information to support you as you prepare to become a parent.
• A great opportunity to meet other expectant parents and build friendships within your community.
• Join the thousands of families across the country who have benefitted from a HENRY programme.
  

This course has been funded by Family Hubs and Start for Life.

To find out more visit the FYI website and scroll down to 'HENRY'.

Becoming a new family

This 2-hour workshop from HENRY will help families and expectant parents prepare for the changes that will take place when becoming a new family.

It normalises the range of feelings you can experience, looks at expectations of family life, builds confidence, and helps you develop ways to deal with becoming a new family. The session will give families and parents-to-be the time to:

• Talk about the changes that new families often go through.
• Discover healthy ways to manage these changes - covering relationships, emotional health, activity, eating well and sleep.
• Meet and chat with other soon-to-be new families and share ideas.

There are many wonderful ways to become a family, including through your or your partner’s pregnancy, through adoption, surrogacy, or co-parenting with your former partner. All parents-to-be are welcome at this session, and facilitators will be mindful of people’s unique experiences to ensure that everyone feels included and comfortable.

This workshop can be attended in addition to ‘Preparing for parenthood’, or as a stand-alone session. Available online and in person.

Available to families across all of the Bradford District. 

For more information, to register interest, or to make a referral, visit the FYI website and scroll down to 'HENRY'.

Understanding children’s behaviour

This free, 2-hour workshop is for all parents and carers who would like to better understand why their child behaves how they do, and to develop practical coping strategies to deal with challenges. 

Through this workshop parents and carers will:

• Understand the feelings and needs behind their child's or children’s behaviour.
• Discover the importance of listening to children, and how it can support meeting their needs.
• Explore responding with empathy, and how it can positively influence children's behaviour.

These on-off sessions are face-to-face or online and are delivered in a supportive group setting. 

Available to families across all of the Bradford District. 

For more information, to register interest, or to make a referral, visit the FYI website and scroll down to 'HENRY'.

Incredible Years Preschool – for parents and carers of children aged 3 to 4 years

Incredible Years Preschool helps families with children aged 3 or 4 years, to boost your child's development and confidence.

It's a great way to meet other parents and carers, and get amazing 'life hack' tips to support your child's social, emotional, and language development, through positive praise and encouragement.

The sessions are for parents and carers - a free creche is available (with professional childcare support) to entertain and care for your child while you are at the session.

Courses are up and running across the Bradford district now, and some even have waiting lists as they are so popular! 

We are calling out in particular to families who can attend this course in Bradford South or Keighley - courses are starting in April and still have places available! 

If getting to a particular venue is a problem, then transport can be arranged.

Professionals please note - this is a great time to recommend this course to your families and make a referral.

Families can also 'self-refer' (request a place).

The programme will aim to support all referrals and self-referrals, but if oversubscribed, families with the greatest need will be prioritised.

Find out more, apply (self-refer), or make a referral on the FYI website. (Scroll down the page to find Incredible Years.)

This free programme for families across the Bradford District is funded by the district’s Family Hubs and Start for Life programme.  

DART - support for mothers and children following domestic abuse

DART (which stands for 'Domestic Abuse Recovering Together') is a 10-week programme that helps mothers and children (aged 7-14) strengthen their relationship after experiencing domestic abuse.

The next course is starting soon (9 April 2024) and is open for referrals.

The time following domestic abuse will be a difficult time for mums, who may be dealing with their own feelings. At the same time, mum can also play a vital role in supporting her child following their experience of domestic abuse within the family. 

Over a 10-week programme, mum and child can explore their issues within a safe and friendly environment, promoting openness and honesty.

The programme is designed for one mum and one child per family. If the family needs support with more than one child, they can be referred to the programme more than once.

DART is an NSPCC course, provided by our friends at the Brathay Trust Youth and Families hub in Bradford. 

To find out more please visit the domestic abuse information page on FYI. 

Families can be referred to the programme by a professional, or request a place themselves. The referral form is on FYI on this page: DART programme.

Calling all young carers

There are over 45,000 people in Bradford District who act as an 'unpaid carer', looking after someone (often a family member or friend) who needs help. Many of these are young carers, aged 11 to 18.

Bradford Council and the Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership are reviewing their Carers Strategy. The organisations are asking young carers to complete a survey, to capture their views and help shape future services and support.

To help participants to feel confident about sharing honest and authentic feedback, the survey is completely anonymous.

Young carers (age 11 to 18), please use the link below to take part. There are only 3 questions, so the survey will only take a couple of minutes to complete. 

The organisers are hoping for a wide range of participation. If you are a professional working in this area, please also encourage the people you are supporting to share their insights.

The link to complete the survey is here: online1.snapsurveys.com/youngcarers

Separating better – a new FREE app for separating parents

Separating parents can now download a free app to help them self-manage their separation.

Separating better has been created by OnePlusOne, the UK’s leading relationship and innovation charity, and funded by the Department for Works and Pensions.

The app's features include:

• Practical tools to help with budgeting and legal arrangements.
• Helps parents create a personalised parenting plan and make co-parenting arrangements that work in the best interests of their children.
• A series of specially created videos showing typical co-parenting scenarios helps parents to improve their conflict resolution and communication skills. 
• There are also evidence-based articles offering expert advice on separation and co-parenting.

The separating better app is FREE and can be downloaded from app stores. For further information about the app, visit www.oneplusone.org.uk/separating-better.

• Download the app for iOS devices
• Download the app for Android devices

You can also find support and advice for separating families on FYI: Family separation.

Notes for practitioners:

Please refer parents to the app if you feel they would benefit from the expert advice it provides.

Please be aware that Separating better is not suitable for parents where there is, or has been, domestic abuse.

Help your child get a better night's sleep - new dates and locations available from April to June

The Together Trust charity is offering free support to help families with a child aged 2 to 11 who has sleep difficulties. 

The sessions are for parents/carers to attend and are free. Some sessions are drop-in while for others you must book your place.

Together Trust will provide advice, information and practical approaches to help your child improve their sleep.

All sessions are open to families across the Bradford District and Craven. You do not need to live in the local area where the session is taking place.

Sessions and workshops are available as follows:

Sleep session drop-in - in person - 2 hours

This 1.5 to 2-hour session will be hosted by a qualified practitioner, to help you learn tips and strategies for your child's sleep, with a chance to ask questions.

Shipley 

• Thursday, 18 April
• 11am to 1pm
• Carer’s Resource Centre
• Park View Court, St Paul’s Road, Shipley BD18 3DZ
• Drop-in session, no need to book.

Bradford East (Barkerend Family Hub)

• Monday, 13 May
• 11am to 12.30pm
• Barkerend Family Hub, 365 Barkerend Road, BD3 8QX
• Drop-in session, no need to book.

Silsden

• Friday, 21 June
• 1pm to 2.30pm
• The Hive, 53-55 Elliott Street, Silsden BD20 0DE
• Drop-in session, no need to book.

Sleep workshop - in person - 4.5 hours

This 4.5 hour session will take a more detailed approach, looking at sleep science, routines and diaries, and will include an opportunity to create your own sleep plan for your child. 

Bradford West (Farcliffe Family Hub)

• Tuesday, 30 April
• 10am to 2.30pm
• Farcliffe Family Hub, 56 Toller Lane, Bradford BD8 8QH
• Open to families across the Bradford District and Craven. 
• Please bring your own lunch and drinks. 

To book a place at the sleep workshop, please email admintss@togethertrust.org.uk, and include:

• Your full name
• Session and date
• Contact telephone number (if you are requesting a telephone sleep chat). 

These sessions are also on the Family Hub timetable for the area they are taking place.

Please note you do not need to live in the local area where the session is taking place, these sessions are open to families across the Bradford District and Craven.

Together Trust - sleep training for professionals: 
New dates available from May to August

Three 'Sleep training' courses are available from the Together Trust charity, for professionals in the Bradford District and Craven, to help you advise and support families. 

All training sessions are free, but must be booked in advance by emailing SleepTraining@TogetherTrust.org.uk.

Online course - one day

This course, held live on MS Teams, will include an introduction to sleep science and sleep disorders, and will provide advice on creating a good sleep environment and other strategies to support good sleep.

Dates and times available:

• Wednesday, 22 May - 9.30am to 2.30pm
• Thursday, 20 June - 9.30am to 2.30pm
• Tuesday, 13 August - 9.30am to 2.30pm

Face-to-face course - one day

This face-to-face course will include an introduction to sleep science and sleep disorders, and will provide advice on creating a good sleep environment and other strategies to support good sleep.

Held at CNET Enterprise Hub, Bradford, BD8 7JF.

Dates and times available:

• Thursday, 11 July - 10am to 3pm

Please bring your own lunch. Tea and coffee will be provided. 

Face-to-face course - two day

This course is more in-depth than the one-day course. It will include sleep training methods, problem solving, sleep assessments, and how to write a sleep plan, with case studies to provide examples. 

You must attend both days. The course will be held at CNET Enterprise Hub, Bradford, BD8 7JF.

Dates and times available:

• Wednesday, 15 and Thursday, 16 May - 10am to 3pm
• Wednesday, 3 July and Thursday, 4 July - 10am to 3pm

Book your place

To book a place or find out more, please email SleepTraining@togethertrust.org.uk, and include:

• Your full name
• Job title
• Preferred session and date

Holiday fun for families

The school holidays are here, and whatever festivals you are celebrating, if you have children to entertain, you are probably trying to think of ideas of what to do!

Luckily there is plenty of fun to be had in the Bradford District - with lots on offer totally free for families.

And though the holidays are already underway, there is still plenty to get involved in.

For an up-to-date look at all the events and activities on offer, look at the Visit Bradford website: Easter Events - Bradford (visitbradford.com)

Survey deadline extended - have your say and win £100

Your views matter!  The survey deadline for has been extended - please take part. You could win £100!

Survey - families during pregnancy or who have a child age up to 2

• Are you a parent or carer of a child aged 0 to 2, or are you or your partner currently expecting a baby?
• Have you accessed any of the Bradford District’s Family Hubs parental support services?
• Please use this link to take part in the survey with a chance to win £100.

>>  Survey - pregnancy or child under  2 <<

The survey is open until 21 April 2024.

The survey is anonymous and confidential. If you have a question about the survey or research, please email: UK-PA-TF2Evaluation@ipsosresearch.com

Thank you in advance for taking part.

Bradford Food Survey - take part and receive a £15 gift card as a thank you

Do you have a child aged 3-11 and live in Bradford District? We would like to invite you to take part in a Born in Bradford (ActEarly) and Living Well online children’s food survey. 

What will I have to do?

The study involves keeping a record of all the food and drink your child has eaten in a day. This will be done online, on 4 different days, and takes about 15 minutes per day.

Why should I take part?

You will receive a £15 gift card for completing your child’s food diaries and you will be generating local evidence which will be used to improve the diets of children in Bradford district.

If you would like to find out more about the study or see if you are eligible visit https://redcap.link/4ynrtcaj, email BradfordFoodSurvey@bthft.nhs.uk, or contact Lisa Dowling 07890 418278. 

Latest Family Hub timetables - April

Our Family Hub area timetables show the sessions and activities that are taking place for families in the coming month.

Some sessions will need booking in advance - please contact your Family Hub if you would like to book a place.

Our Family Hubs around the district

Follow us on Facebook You can follow the FYI service and all the Family Hubs on Facebook: Bradford East  Bradford West Bradford South Shipley/Keighley FYI - Families and Young Person's Information

Why have I received this email?

You have received this email from Family Hubs and Start for Life because you previously subscribed to receive Family Hub Information from one or more of our Family Hubs: Keighley and Shipley, Bradford East, Bradford South and Bradford West.

Stay subscribed to make sure you don't miss out on any future updates! 

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