View as a webpage  /  Share

April 2025

Welcome to your April newsletter!

First of all - don't worry, your calendar isn't wrong! We have sent your April newsletter a couple of days late to include the most up-to-date information. The May newsletter will be along in a few weeks as usual. 

In this month's newsletter we have a strong focus on mental health and wellbeing - because we are marking Mental Health Awareness Week, and Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week, which both take place in May.

This month we are also very excited to announce the launch of birth registration in Family Hubs - a new initiative to bring birth registration closer to families and communities. 

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 organisations.

We also include links to the Family Hub timetables and useful pages on the FYI (Families and Young Persons Information) website.

Please take a look and share the newsletter with anyone who might find it useful.

Birth registration now available at three of Bradford District’s family hubs

For the first time, families with a new baby in the Bradford district will have the option of registering their baby’s birth at three of our community-based Family Hubs.

From 6 May, birth registration will be available for one day each week at the following hubs:

• Reevy Hill Family Hub (Tuesdays)
• Barkerend Family Hub (Wednesdays)
• Farcliffe Family Hub (Thursdays)

This change brings more choice and convenience to families. The usual birth registration service, at Bradford’s City Hall and Keighley Town Hall, will also continue as normal.

Whilst at the Family Hub, parents can find out more about the free activities and support available for their family. This includes baby feeding support, maternity circles and baby weighing clinics, as well as family events, and activities for all stages of family life, from pregnancy through to the teenage years and beyond. 

If you would like to register your baby’s birth at a family hub, just use the usual birth registration booking system on Bradford Council’s website, choose the family hub as the venue and select from the available appointment times.

Birth registration is free, however there is a charge of £12.50 if you wish to have a birth certificate. This can be paid for at the time of registration or any time afterwards, and the birth certificate will be posted to you.

You can find out about birth registration, and lots more about life with your new baby, on the FYI website. There is also information for families during pregnancy, with children of all ages, teenagers and beyond.

Mental Health Awareness Week at Bradford District's Family Hubs

Mental Health Awareness Week takes place from 12 to 18 May and the theme this year is 'community'. 

Bradford District's family hubs will be having a focus on mental health and wellbeing at their sessions and activities throughout the month of May, so please take a look at the timetables and follow the Family Hub Facebook pages to keep up to date.

Here are some of the highlights:

• Reevy Hill Family Hub - parents and carers brunch on Wednesday, 14 May from 10am to 12 noon. This will include a 'digital drop-in' to show the free online support available for families around emotional health and well being. Free drop-in, no need to book.
• Reevy Hill Family Hub - wellbeing sessions for adults on Thursday 8, 15 and 22 May, from 1 to 2.30pm. Free drop-in, no need to book. 
• Barkerend Family Hub - Kooth Mental Health Support Session, on Thursday, 8 May from 9.30am to 11am. Kooth is aimed at people aged 13 and upwards.
• Farcliffe Family Hub - Great Minds Together session on Thursday, 22 May from 9.30 to 11.30am. Free session for families with children with SEND. Please call Farcliffe for information before attending.
• KidsTime Workshops are being held across the month at Rainbow, Barkerend and Reevy Hill Family Hub. KidsTime workshops are fun, supportive group sessions for families where a parent or carer has a mental health condition. These sessions are for families who have been referred to the service. If you feel your family would benefit, please speak to a professional that is working with your family.

There is lots more on the timetables, or call in at your Family Hub to find out more. 

Supporting the workforce

Mental wellbeing also matters when it comes to our fantastic workforce. Support is available all the time on the FYI website - Wellbeing at work.

Many organisations mark Mental Health Awareness Week internally, so look out for communications in your organisation. Or why not take the lead and arrange something yourself - such as the Keighley and Shipley Family Hub team, who are having a shared lunch for staff!

Supporting your mental health and wellbeing

Caring for your mental health is often about the positive things you can do to support your wellbeing. This means different things for everyone - it could be talking a walk or sitting out in the fresh air, doing something creative, chatting with a friend, or perhaps attending a group at a family hub to meet new people!

If you have any feelings of low mood, overwhelm, anxiety, or any other signs of poor mental health, you can get in touch with a family hub, where you will find a friendly face, a listening ear and a range of support options. All the contact details are included in the bottom section of this newsletter. 

Here is a reminder of online support:

• The FYI website has an information and advice section with a range of helpful topics around mental health: Looking after your mental health.
• The In Our Place online course library offers support on a range of emotional wellbeing themes (see the longer article below).
• Healthy Minds Bradford website has a directory of mental health support. 
• The Mental Health Foundation has some great ideas and resources: Explore mental health.

Support in a crisis 

If you or someone you know is in a crisis situation and needs immediate mental health help, please call the First Response line. This service offers support 24 hours a day, seven days a week to people of all ages living in Bradford, Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven. Call 0800 952 1181.

If you, or someone you know, is at immediate risk, always call 999.

Support for women and families during Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week

Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week takes place from 5 to 11 May. Promoted by the Perinatal Mental Health Partnership UK, the aim of the week is to help people access information, care and support, and advocate for women and families impacted by maternal mental health. 

If you or someone you know is feeling anxiety, low mood, overwhelmed, worried or upset, help is available in the Bradford District from a range of organisations.

The best place to go for a summary of support available is the FYI website: 

• Mental Health and Well-Being in Pregnancy
• Mental Health and Well-Being after giving birth

Here is more information about some of the support available:

• Family Action offer a free 'perinatal' support service - perinatal means the time before and after a baby is born, so the support can be offered both during pregnancy and any time afterwards until the baby/toddler is 2.
  Find out more about the support available on their website family-action.org.uk or on Facebook.
  
  
• FamilyLine is a free service to support all adult family members with family life issues via telephone, text message and email. Whether it’s emotional support or practical advice on any aspect of parenting or broader family issues, call: 0808 802 6666, text: 07537 404282 or email: familyline@family-action.org.uk.
  Support is available Monday to Friday: 9am – 3pm and 6pm – 9pm. The helplines will be covered by the text crisis line SHOUT outside these hours, including weekends and bank holidays.
  
  
• Little Minds Matter provides a free group for mums, dads and carers who are struggling in their relationship with their child/children under two years old. You can access this support wherever you live in Bradford. Find out more on the FYI website: Mental Health and Well-Being after giving birth.
  
  
• In Our Place is a free library of online courses to support emotional wellbeing at all stages of family life. The courses for the antenatal and postnatal periods combine practical advice for parenthood with support for your emotional wellbeing. Take a look at:
  • Understanding pregnancy, labour, birth and your baby
  • Understanding your baby
  • Or find out more about the In Our Place course library. 
• You can also look at the Healthy Minds Bradford website for a directory of mental health support. 

Our district's family hubs will also be focussing on mental health during the whole of May, so please look at the family hub timetables to see what's happening near you.

All of this information is on the FYI (Families and Young Person's Information) website. 

In Our Place - supporting mental health and wellbeing with free online courses 

Mental Health Awareness Week is coming up from 12 to 18 May. It is also Maternal Mental Health Week from 5 to 11 May.

Did you know that many of the In Our Place online courses, available for FREE to all Bradford District families, have a strong focus on mental health and wellbeing for people of all ages? 

If you are interested in supporting your child's, or your own, mental wellbeing, you might like to look at these completely FREE online courses. Themes covered include the brain, feelings, the impact of the pandemic (which is still impacting significant numbers of children and young people), relationships and trauma. There are also courses to support parents and carers of children with additional needs.*

(*The full In Our Place course library also includes antenatal and postnatal courses.) 

All of these free courses are part of the In Our Place course library, and can be followed on demand, in your own time. To access any course, all you need is your Bradford District post code and the code BDPARENTS.

More about In Our Place

‘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 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 and text, with additional video on some courses, 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. To access the courses for free, all you will need is your post code and the access code – BDPARENTS. You can register for as many courses as you want. Where to find In Our Place You can find a link directly to the In Our Place courses from the Parenting and family programmes page on the FYI (Families and Young Person’s Information) website.

Click on the In Our Place button 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.

Parent carer support group - supporting a child with anxiety

Volunteer opportunities at Reevy Hill Family Hub (Bradford South)

Calling people in the Reevy Hill Family Hub area! Do you want to help make a difference other families in your community?

Reevy Hill Family Hub has three volunteer roles on offer:

• Family Activities Volunteer
• Digital Skills Volunteer
• Events Volunteer

These volunteering roles are suitable for anyone with an interest in supporting your local community and helping children have the best start in life.

You must be over 18, and able to volunteer with us for a few hours a week, for up to 6 months.

What’s in it for you? Volunteering can provide many benefits, including meeting new people and learning new skills or gaining experience to help you into employment. If would like to give something back to your local family hub or put some spare time to good use, we’ve got a volunteering role for you.

Volunteering and giving back is also said to be great for your mental wellbeing - why not give it a go!

• Where: at Reevy Hill Family Hub, Bedale Drive, Bradford, BD6 3ST
• When: All our roles are flexible. The general hours will be between 9-5pm, Monday to Friday 
• How do I apply: You can register your interest through the FYI website or contact arlie.haslam@bradford.gov.uk 

Find out more on the FYI website. 

Parent and carer panels - for families during pregnancy or with young children

Are you or your partner pregnant, or do you have a young child?

The new parent and carer panels at Bradford District’s Family Hubs want to hear from you! Mums, dads and carers are all welcome. We have these dates scheduled in May:

• Keighley and Shipley area - Friday, 9 May - Rainbow Family Hub at 1pm
• Bradford South area - Tuesday, 13 May - TFD Centre at 10am
• Bradford East area - Tuesday, 20 May - Barkerend Family Hub at 1pm

Come along for a cuppa and a chat to have your say on topics including:

• What would you like to see in your Family Hub?
• What support would make a difference to your family?

This is your chance to shape local services and build a stronger community. Come along, share your thoughts and help make a difference. Babies and toddlers also welcome.

Please get in touch if you are planning to join us!

To find out more, visit the FYI website or speak to a Family Navigator at a Bradford District main Family Hub.

Kids can play out with 'Play Streets'

In times past 'playing out' for children often meant playing out in the street where they lived - but nowadays, with increased traffic, and changes in habits, playing out on the street is becoming less common.

So if you are you looking for a free way to encourage the kids away from screens and outside in the fresh air, having fun, chatting and playing with friends, here is one thing you could try.

If you live in Bradford or are a community based organisation operating in the district, you can apply to Bradford Council for permission to temporarily close your street to through traffic for 1 to 3 hours. This creates a ‘Play Street’ – a space right outside your front door where children can play and have fun with their friends!

If you’re interested in this idea you can apply to the council - who will carry out the necessary checks to make sure the street is suitable to close to through traffic (the council won’t accept applications for main roads, bus routes or where there are no suitable diversion routes) and that there is nothing else planned that would have an impact e.g. road works. Once this has been done, the council will provide the traffic signs and cones that you’ll need.

You’ll need to bear in mind that although ‘through traffic’ won’t be allowed during a Play Street session, neighbours and residents will still be allowed vehicle access in and out at all times. They’ll need to go very slowly and be aware that children and families will be about (the signs and cones will remind them of this) but parents will also need to remain responsible for the supervision of children throughout or ensure that they can play safely and have enough awareness to move to the pavement if a car needs to come through. Many parents enjoy getting outside and watching their children play as it gives them chance to join in the fun or chat with neighbours!

Information and training
for professionals and practitioners

Successful 'lead practitioners' event at Reevy Hill Family Hub in Bradford South

Lead Practitioners from across Bradford South recently joined the team at Reevy Hill for a lively and informative Lead Practitioner Network event. The event was provided to help colleagues find out more about some of the mental health services available to support children and young people and their families.

A Lead Practitioner in this context is a practitioner or professional in any organisation, including schools, the police, VCSE, or health and care, who works with a family to carry out an early help assessment.

At the event, lead practitioners also had a chat with one of the hub's Family Support Co-ordinators, Syed Razwan, to find out more about the family support role within the Early Help service.

Lead practitioners are supported by the wonderful Early Help Co-ordinators in Bradford South to identify children and young people, and their families, who need some additional help. They work really hard to get families the help the need at the right time at the earliest opportunity to try and prevent needs from escalating.

The Lead Practitioner Network is a great way to come together, celebrate success, learn about new services and share good practice – and enjoy a piece of cake.

If you are a lead practitioner in your organisation (in the Bradford South area) and would like to attend our next network event, please get in touch. We would also be happy to hear from services who would like to attend the session to talk about your service. Please contact the Early Help Coordinators team by email: ehcfamilyhubsouth@bradfordcft.org.uk.

Family Hubs and Start for Life
useful information and contacts

Latest Family Hub timetables - May 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

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: