View as a webpage  /  Share

December 2024

Welcome to your December newsletter!

As we reach the end of 2024, we are already looking ahead to 2025, and this month's newsletter is packed with news of what's in store for next year, including opportunities to volunteer, attend a wide variety of free courses and groups for families, or access some free training.

We are also very much looking forward to a partnership event our programme is hosting for colleagues, partners and stakeholders in January. Named 'Reflect, Connect, Expect', please read more about this further below! 

As always, our monthly newsletter is packed with information for families and professionals about the wide range of free support for families, funded by Family Hubs and Start for Life and other trusted Bradford District organisations. We also include the links to our Family Hub timetables and other pages on the FYI website, where this is all listed. Please take a look and share the newsletter with anyone who might find it useful.

We would also like to take this opportunity to wish all our readers, families, workforces and partners a peaceful and happy close to the year. A very merry Christmas if you are celebrating, and whether you celebrate or not, we hope you enjoy this time of year, whatever this may mean to you. 

Bradford District's Family Hubs during the Christmas period

Opening times and events

Family Hubs are here to support families across the district. Please look at our timetables and check out our opening times over the Christmas period: 

• Monday 23rd December - Open
• Tuesday 24th December - Open
• Wednesday 25th December - Closed
• Thursday 26th December - Closed
• Friday 27th December - Closed
  
  
• Monday 30th December - Open
• Tuesday 31st December - Open
• Wednesday 1st January - Closed
• Thursday 2nd January - Open
• Friday 3rd January - Open 

Some of our hubs have festive events and warm spaces during this time. Highlights include:

• Family Christmas Activity Session - Reevy Hill Family Hub - Monday, 23 December - 1pm to 3pm (booking required)
• New Year Party - Reevy Hill Family Hub - Monday, 30 December - 1pm to 3pm (booking required)
• End of year celebration - Rainbow Family Hub - Monday, 30 December - 11am to 1pm

You can keep up to date with events with the Family Hub timetables and the FYI website What's On guide. 

Support and wellbeing

If you are finding the Christmas period difficult, please visit Well-being at Christmas time on the FYI website. Here you can find a range of support for you and your family.

If you are concerned about a child you can call 0800 9530966 during office opening hours, alternatively you can fill in this online form Bradford Children and Families Portal.

If you believe a child is at immediate risk of harm, please call the Police on 101 or 999 for emergencies.

Reflect - Connect - Expect: partnership celebration event in January!

The Family Hubs Start for Life programme would like to invite colleagues and partners across the Bradford District to our partnership celebration event, Reflect - Connect - Expect, on Tuesday, 21 January 2025. The event is from 10am to 3pm (registration from 9:30am) at Victoria Hall, Saltaire.

The event will include presentations from the programme team and partners, bringing many of Start for Life’s commissioned services to life with statistics, case studies and success stories. Presentation themes will include parenting support, perinatal mental health, parent infant relationships, infant feeding, and the home learning environment.

Members of our brilliant parent and carer panel will also join us to talk about their experiences of services, and of being involved in the co-production element of the programme.

There will also be the opportunity to connect and network. This learning and sharing event is free to attend, and includes lunch and refreshments.

Attendance and booking

Please click on the Eventbrite link to book your place and also to let the team know about any dietary preferences or accessibility needs: Family Hubs Start for Life: Reflect, Connect, Expect - Tuesday, 21 Jan 2025

We look forward to seeing you there!

Looking back at a playful Baby Week Bradford 2024

Bradford District's Family Hubs, and the Family Hubs Start for Life programme, had a wonderful time in November, getting involved in Baby Week Bradford.

Better Start Bradford have now shared a video to help us relive the memories, and some statistics which explain how many people got involved, and show how much of a success it was!

Over 1750 individuals attended events or ran activities, including 845 who hopped on the Wiggle Room Play Bus. This play was bus hosted jointly by Better Start Bradford and Family Hubs Start for Life, with amazing support from our Family Hubs colleagues and other partnership organisations. 

Better Start Bradford said: "We and our district partners invited you out to play for Baby Week Bradford 2024, and you did just that - families, groups and organisations alike - with Family Hubs, libraries, museums, and sports centres coming alive with the sound of innovative play activities, stories, music and wiggles!

Re-live some magical moments in this round-up video. Please also Click here to join the mailing list if you would like to stay in the loop for next year.

Volunteer at your family hub

We’re excited to announce that volunteering opportunities are coming soon to Bradford District's family hubs!

There are many benefits to volunteering, such as helping your community, making new friends, improving your mental health and wellbeing, or learning new skills to help you into employment.

If would like to give something back to your local family hub and put some spare time to good use, take a look at these volunteering roles you can get involved with.

These roles are coming soon to Reevy Hill Family Hub and will start in the New Year:

• Family Activities Volunteer Support family hubs to run community sessions, such as coffee mornings and tea time clubs.
• Digital Skills Volunteer Support your community by helping others build everyday digital skills, such as setting up a google account or formatting documents.
• Events Volunteer Support with planning, organising and running family friendly events from the family hubs.

Our volunteering roles are suitable for anyone with an interest in supporting children to have the best start in life, and we want to encourage people from all diverse communities to apply.

Find out more here: Volunteer at a Family Hub, and please use the Volunteering interest form to register your interest.

Home-Start Bradford - Volunteer Preparation Course this January

If you're looking to volunteer in the New Year, Home-Start Bradford District have another preparation course for home-visiting volunteers! Their home-visiting volunteers support families who have young children across the Bradford District.

The volunteer preparation course starts on Thursday, 23 January 2025 and will run for seven weeks on Thursdays:

• WHEN: Starting Thursday, 23 January 2025, 10:00am to 2:00pm
• WHERE: The Thornbury Centre, 79 Leeds Old Rd, Bradford, BD3 8JX

If you think you can spare a couple of hours every week to support a family experiencing difficult times, then please get in touch with them on 01274 666711 to find out more.

Be prepared to:

• Develop new skills
• Progress your career
• Improve interpersonal skills
• Have better health and well-being
• Have more self-confidence
• Put a smile on someone’s face

Visit Home-Start Bradford District's website to find out more.

Dad Matters Bradford

Thanks to funding from the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme, Home-Start Bradford District are now able to support dads and male carers directly, through Dad Matters Bradford. 

To help provide support, Home-Start Bradford District have welcomed two Dad Matters Coordinators to their team - Mohammed Khan and Louise Gill. 

In their role as Dad Matters coordinators, Mohammed and Louise will:

• Support expectant dads, dads and male carers to have the best possible relationship with their children.
• Be a friendly ear to listen to anxieties and stresses.
• Work with dads and male carers to help them access services and information, to help them make sense of being a dad.
• Work closely with other professionals within the Bradford District to collectively foster better support for dads in their parenting journey.

Read more about Mohammed and Louise as they share their hopes and vision for their new Dad Matters Coordinator role:

• Meet Mohammed
• Meet Louise

Please follow the new Dad Matters Bradford Facebook page here, and get in touch, or recommend the support to any expectant dads, dads and male carers that you know, who may find these services useful. 

Dad Matters is also on the FYI website, where you can find a variety of information for dads, dads-to-be and male carers: I'm a dad (pregnancy), I'm a dad (birth to 2).

Meet our new Engagement Workers!

Welcome to Sara and Tamina, who have recently started new jobs as engagement workers, working across the Bradford District to support families in a variety of ways. 

As Engagement Workers for Family Hubs Start for Life, Sara and Tamina's aim is to support families in accessing the right Start for Life and Family Hubs services that will help their family.

A day in the life of an Engagement Worker could include: travelling to one of the Family Hubs; attending an infant feeding session; joining in with a maternity circle session; visiting a health visitor, midwife clinic, or baby weigh; or attending a community event.

Wherever you see Tamina and Sara, their goal is to provide guidance, build connections, and help ensure every family feels supported.

Tamina and Sara said: "Wherever we go and whatever we are doing, we will be focused on helping parents to find out what is going on locally and across the district, supporting them to access the FYI (Families and Young Person's Information) website,  and recommending and suggesting support and services where this may be helpful.

"We look forward to meeting many of you and working together to create a positive impact in our community. We are here to help!"

These new roles have been funded by the Family Hubs Start for Life programme and are hosted by Family Action. We are delighted to welcome Sara and Tamina to the workforce. Please look out for them around the Bradford District in the coming months!

Practitioners, professionals and volunteers

If any practitioners or group leaders would like to get in touch, for example to invite Tamina and Sara to your setting, please email tamina.tariq@family-action.org.uk and sara.kirk@family-action.org.uk.

Baby Massage - free courses across the Bradford District

Latest dates for groups starting in January

Also offering at new venues for 2025!

Having a baby is a big change and can be challenging, but the gentle movements and closeness provided through baby massage can help.

Are you:

• Struggling to connect with your baby?
• Finding it difficult to calm your baby?
• Feeling worried or sad?

If the answer to yes, then a free, 5-week baby massage course, with Little Minds Matter and Family Hubs, may help you and your baby.

The next courses across the Bradford District will start in January.

• Bradford East - Gateway Centre - Thursday, 16 January until Thursday, 13 February
• Bradford East - Barkerend Family Hub - Friday, 17 January until Friday, 14 February 
• Bradford South - Reevy Hill Family Hub - Thursday, 16 January until Thursday, 13 February
• Bradford South - Holmewood Children's Centre - Thursday, 16 January until Thursday, 13 February 
• Bradford West - Bevan House, 14 Piccadilly, BD1 3LS - Thursday, 16 January until Thursday, 13 February
• Keighley - Strong Close - Monday, 13 January until Monday, 10 February
• Bingley - Trinity Centre - Wednesday, 15 January until Wednesday 12 February.

We also have dates booked starting in February and March. 

Past courses have been fully booked, so please register your interest as soon as possible. 

Baby massage can help:

• Strengthen the parent-baby bond using soothing touch.
• Notice more of what baby is trying to tell you.
• Boost self-esteem and confidence in parenting.
• Enhance your understanding of baby’s development.
• Encourage deeper sleep for baby.
• Relieve wind, colic, and constipation.
• Develop muscle tone and co-ordination.

Suitable for families with a baby aged 6 weeks to 6 months. Due to space only one parent/carer per baby please.

Applying and booking through the FYI website is essential.

For more information and to apply, please visit the FYI website: https://fyi.bradford.gov.uk/baby-massage-with-little-minds-matter/

These baby massage courses have been funded by the Family Hubs Start for Life programme.

Preparation for Parenthood - free antenatal programme - BOOK NOW FOR JANUARY START

Are you or your partner pregnant, or do you know someone who is? You can join this fantastic FREE 6-session programme from HENRY, to help you prepare for your new baby's arrival. 

The next start dates and times are on the FYI website: HENRY programmes and workshops.

• Monday, 20 January 2025, 1.30pm to 3.30pm at Farcliffe Family Hub, Toller Lane, BD8 8QH
• Tuesday, 21 January 2025, 6.45pm to 8.45pm, online

You can attend either programme depending which works best for you. (You do not have to live in Bradford West to attend Farcliffe - all Bradford District families are welcome.) 

You can attend at any point during your pregnancy. Your partner, or a friend or family member is encouraged to come along with you. 

The programme 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.

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

To find out more visit the HENRY programmes and workshops on FYI, 'Preparation for Parenthood'.

School anxiety - 'emotionally based school avoidance'

Emotionally based school avoidance, or EBSA, happens when children and young people have worries about school, leading to difficulties attending school.

• Is your child struggling to go to school due to feelings of worry or stress?
• Are you unsure about what to do?

If this is happening in your family, you can join the friendly and supportive Parent Support Group with the Educational Psychology Team. You’ll find a safe space to:

• Share and listen to other parents and get ideas to help.
• Learn more about what you can do to support your child, and what you can expect from school.

The next group is starting in January.

Where: Barnardos, Unit 40-42 Listerhills Science Park, Campus Road, Bradford BD7 1HR

When: Join us weekly at 1pm to 2.30pm from Wednesday, 15 January until Wednesday, 5 February 2025. You must be able to attend all 4 sessions.

Book: by e-mailing EBSA@bradford.gov.uk or by calling 01274 439444.

Groups are also starting in March (Barkerend Family Hub) and June (Rainbow Family Hub) - find out more on the FYI website - Directory Search Page - EBSA.

Have your say and win £100!

Are you a parent or carer of a 0 to 2 year old, or are you (or your partner) currently expecting?

Are you receiving (or have you received) parenting support through the Family Hub or Start for Life services?

If yes, we want to hear from you!

Please tell us about your views and experiences of the Family Hubs’ support services, so we can learn what helps and what could be better for families like yours.

If you take part, you could win £100!

Your feedback will contribute to national research and help services be improved for families.

The survey link is here: Parent/carer survey 

Season's Greetings from Relationships Matter

Relationships Matter and the FYI (Families and Young Person's Information) website took part in the St James Christmas Tree Festival in Allerton, Bradford, during the last week in November.

The church hosted over 40 charities and services that support families. We had our very own Relationships Matter Tree, where families were able to pick up free resources, leaflets, and FYI keyrings, which hold QR codes for the FYI website, the home for Relationships Matter as well as Family Hubs and Start for Life.

Support for families, parents, children and young people 

The Relationships Matter team would like to wish everyone a Happy Christmas and New Year. We also recognise that it can be a difficult time for families.

There is support available on the FYI website to help parents who have a conflict in their relationship, and for parents who have separated and share time with their children. Relationships Matter.

We also have a page to support children and young people who may be struggling due to their parents having conflict at Christmas and throughout the year Relationships matter to young people.

There is also a selection of expert articles from the One Plus One organisation offering advice and support on topics such as:

• How to relax
• Choosing the perfect gift for your partner
• Your first Christmas as a co-parent
• Christmas with disabled children
• Cuddles and cuppas: the importance of small gestures in relationships

Bradford district's annual SEND survey

Calling all parents/carers of children and young people aged 0-25 to take part. Your voice matters.

The Parents’ Forum for Bradford and Airedale (PFBA) will use the feedback from our families in partnership with local SEND services to make improvements

There is also a chance to win a £30 Amazon voucher this year.

Please use this link to take part:

Annual SEND Parent/Carer Survey 2024

Questions? Email supportnews@pfba.org.uk.

Please note PFBA also has an interpreter who can translate the survey into Urdu, Punjabi and Hindi.

Closing date for the survey is Sunday 5th January.

Get your Child Benefit claim wrapped up in time for baby’s first Christmas

Have you welcomed a new baby in 2024 - but not yet claimed your child benefit? 

If you claim online or through the HMRC app, you could get your first payment in time for your baby’s first Christmas.

Child Benefit is worth £1,331 a year for the first child, and £881 a year for each additional child. It can be claimed online at GOV.UK  or via the HMRC app just 48 hours after registering a baby’s birth. Parents typically receive their first payment within 3 working days.

Parents are opting to claim for Child Benefit digitally because it is quick and simple to do. Latest figures show 87% of new claims each month are via the app or online – ensuring more parents are getting their cash quicker.

Find out more and claim online here: Child Benefit: How it works - GOV.UK

Visit a warm space across the Bradford District this winter

Across Bradford District there are Warm Spaces – venues where people can gather for free in a safe, friendly place and maybe enjoy a drink and some company.

The network of Warm Spaces is made up of libraries, community centres, church halls, sports clubs, family hubs and other places.

Warm Spaces are totally free to use and are open to everyone.

Search the directory to find your nearest Warm Space and its opening times.

Information and training
for professionals and practitioners

Infant Mental Health Awareness Training

This one-day awareness training (with follow-up Infant Mental Health In Action training) is available to any professionals working with babies or families in the Bradford area and focuses on baby brain development, attachment and the importance of parent-infant relationships. Please book on using the link below if you are interested.  There are currently dates available in early February. Further dates will be advertised soon:

Little Minds Matter: Infant Mental Health Service Events - 3 Upcoming Activities and Tickets | Eventbrite

We are excited to also be delivering Infant Mental Health Awareness training to the Children’s Social Care workforce, highlighting the importance of early brain development, infant mental health, and the valuable role CSC can play in being the voice of the infant.

Consultations

Little Minds Matter continue to offer a range of services to professionals working with families in the first 1,001 critical days from conception to age 2 years. Professionals working with families can access any of our weekly drop in sessions for advice and consultation. All sessions can be booked by contacting Little Minds Matter by phone or email.

Please see below for some of the feedback from professionals who have accessed our sessions:

“The consultation enabled me a reflective space with specialist professionals which helped me to see the situation more from the children's perspective.”

"Each time I learn something else about how I work with families and it helps increase my confidence in watching the parent-infant relationship.”

Free training - Support women and families to 'Plan for pregnancy'

The health and wellbeing of mothers at the time of conception remains the best predictor of pregnancy and birth outcomes and gives the child the best start in life.

This free training covers how to empower women and their families to improve the outcome of future generations by optimising their physical, psychological and social wellbeing, before conceiving. The Starting Well programme endeavours to reduce inequities in the health outcomes of children in highly deprived areas and ethnically diverse populations by an upstream focus on preconception health.

You will be provided with some of the information about lifestyle, physical health and mental health which can be improved prior to pregnancy so that you can support potential parents in asking for more specialist help where necessary. We will explore your role in supporting women, partners and their families with the ambition of women in being able to have healthier pregnancies, including choosing if and when to become pregnant.

The training is available to staff and volunteers in any role.

The training is delivered by Bevan who deliver health and wellbeing services to inclusion health groups including people experiencing homelessness, refugee and asylum seekers, sex working women, traveller and gypsy communities and other marginalised communities and individuals. Bevan is passionate about delivering care and support in an individualised and strengths focused way.

You can access the training in 3 different ways:

1. Independent online only offer will be offered fully online as independent learning. Complete the booking form below and you will be sent the link to access the course. You will just need to set up a free account.
2. Facilitated online sessions will be delivered on teams using the online course materials. The online course has built within it interactive components, stop and reflect activities, videos, text with questions which will be utilised as part of the facilitated online session.
3. Train the Trainer - The face-to-face sessions will be offered as a train the trainer model. Following the face-to-face sessions, the online course will be available for staff to disseminate in their organisation.

Courses are happening from now through to July. Take a look to select the best option for you. If you would like to book on the training, please use this booking link: 
Good pre-conception care booking form 

You can also find wider information from Bevan here: Starting Well - Bevan

Family Hubs and Start for Life
useful information and contacts

Latest Family Hub timetables - January 2025

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 Keighley/Shipley FYI - Families and Young Person's Information

In Our Place - free online courses for everyone in the Bradford District

‘In Our Place’ is an online library of free courses for everyone in the Bradford District, including families with children of all ages, during pregnancy, for teenagers (courses to follow independently), and adults.

In Our Place free courses are designed to help you better understand yourself and your family members, providing useful tips and information, to help you deal with children and family life, parenting, relationships, and your own emotional wellbeing.

There are 17 courses, all delivered online, ‘on demand’, through a combination of audio, video and text, so you can follow them in your own time and at your own pace. Different language options are available, and the system also supports Google Translate.

All the In Our Place courses are completely free for Bradford District residents. You can register for as many courses as you want.

To access the courses for free, all you will need is your post code and the access code – BDPARENTS.

Where to find In Our Place

You can find a link directly to the In Our Place courses from the new Parenting and family programmes page on the FYI (Families and Young Person’s Information) website.

Be sure to follow the In Our Place button link to access the courses.  If you would like to talk to a professional, or prefer in person advice and support, you can also get in touch with our district’s Family Hubs.

What's on guide - on FYI

The FYI (Families and Young Person's Information) website has a What's On guide, which is kept up-to-date with events around the district for families, children and young people.

There are various filters to help you search, including by date, post code, age group and event category.

You can also search by 'key word' to find what you are interested in - just use the 'Search' function while you are on the What's On page. 

Take a look and find out what's happening near you!

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! 

If you have been sent this email by someone else, you can sign up for future emails here: