There is lots going on this autumn for families, with two big festivals of events happening over the next month!
The first is SENDiVERSE - which is from 27 to 1 November across the Bradford District. SENDiVERSE is a celebration of the imagination, creativity, and incredible talents of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
Following this comes Baby Week, which is officially from 14 to 20 November, but we're starting early in the Bradford District with 2 brilliant events on 11 and 13 November. You can find out about these events and lots, lots more in this month's newsletter.
As always, this newsletter is packed with information and support from the Family Hubs and other trusted organisations across the district. We also include our ever-popular 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.
News for families and colleagues
Baby Week Bradford is back for 2025!
Baby Week Bradford is back, from 14 to 20 November 2025, and it’s all about YOU!
This year’s theme is Caring for you, Caring for baby, because self-care is a must when caring for your little one.
We are now able to share news of what's happening - with lots of lovely events for families. This will include two 'warm up' events in the run up to Baby Week, before the week gets into full swing!
Together we will explore why self-care is so important for babies’ development and health, and uncover the benefits for all of us, by making little moments to care for ourselves as mums and dads, parents and carers.
Keep up to date with Baby Week
Lots of organisations are running free events throughout Baby Week - you can see the full programme for the Bradford District on the Baby Week website: Bradford - Baby Week. More events are being added as we get closer to Baby Week, so check back regularly, and keep an eye on social media to keep up to date!
And in the meantime, keep reading for details of Baby Week highlights listed below.
Baby week 'warm up' event - Darley Street Market, Bradford - Tuesday, 11 November
Come along to Darley Street Market, Bradford, on Tuesday, 11 November, from 11am to 2pm, for a free event for families during pregnancy, with babies and young children.
Free fun and activities for parents, carers and little ones.
Baby Week Wiggle with Boomchikkaboom.
Baby Zumba and interactive jigsaw.
View the 'Holding Time' exhibition, celebrating breastfeeding.
Market stalls with a wealth of baby related and early years services, information and fun activities
Performances throughout
FREE warm drink
Find out more about what's happening during Baby Week from 14 November.
Pop across road to Bevan and get a sneak preview of the new Bevan Family Hub which will be opening soon, with sensory space and more.
Free event - no need to book, just turn up.
Baby week 'warm up' event - Airedale Shopping Centre, Keighley - Thursday, 13 November
Join us at Airedale Shopping Centre, Keighley, on Thursday, 13 November, 9.30am to 12.30am for a free baby event for families during pregnancy, with babies, toddlers and with children up to pre-school age.
Story time and puppets with Bradford Libraries.
‘Grateful’ performance from Bradford 2025 - relaxed, family-friendly performance about motherhood, with live music, dance and storytelling.
Meet 'Bluey' and 'Stitch' characters for photo opportunities and fun
Baby Week Wiggle with Boomchikkaboom.
Interactive jigsaw with Better Start Bradford.
Activities and play, supported by 50 Things.
Freebies and free refreshments - free warm drink
Information and support from Family Hubs, Start for Life, FYI website, Dad Matters, Family Action (perinatal mental health peer support), Baby Steps, KidsTime, Health Visiting, Living Well, Maternity Voices, Airedale midwives and infant feeding, and more.
Preview of the new Keighley Community and Family Hub, which will be opening soon.
Baby weighing and immunisations at the nearby pop-up baby clinic, with the Maternity Circles and Modality AWC.
Our district's Family Hubs are getting involved in Baby Week, with special 'caring for you...caring for baby' activities happening at sessions throughout the week. This includes:
Rainbow Family Hub: Tuesday, 18 November - 9am to 11am - 'Mini Moments, Me Time' - coffee morning and stay and play, with fun for little ones, and ‘me time’ for mums - with calming mindfulness exercises, gentle movements and simple hand massage.
TFD Family Hub: Tuesday, 18 November - 9.30am - 11.30am - 50 Things Takeover - fun activities hosted by our friends at 50 Things.
Owlet Family Hub: Wednesday, 19 November -9am to 11am - 'Mini Moments, Me Time' - stay and play, with fun for little ones, and ‘me time’ for mums - with calming mindfulness exercises, gentle movements and simple hand massage.
Barkerend Family Hub: Wednesday, 19 November - 1pm to 3pm - Baby Week stay and play party, with baby massage taster session, and advice and support from the breastfeeding team, Dad Matters, parenting support and more.
Farcliffe Family Hub: Thursday, 20 November - 1.30pm to 2.45pm - Mums, bumps and babies session, with added Baby Week 'caring for you.. caring for baby' sparkle.
Try out a maternity circle during Baby Week Bradford!
As part of Baby Week, all the maternity circles in Bradford and Airedale will be hosting special Baby Week sessions, focused on ‘Caring for You, Caring for Baby’.
There will be lots of activities for pregnant families and families with babies under 2 years old. Everything is designed around taking care of you, as the parent, and how this helps you to then care for your baby and meet your baby’s needs.
All maternity circles will offer maternal journaling to reflect on pregnancy, birth, and parenthood experiences; and how parents can ensure they appreciate and care for themselves. This will include a journal book for you to take away and use as you want to, or bring back into the circle sessions, if you come along again.
There will also be activities from the ‘Big Little Moments’ for babies and 1 and 2 year olds; and lots of activities focused on pregnancy and looking forward to meeting your baby, for pregnant families.
Everyone is welcome, and all Maternity Circles are drop-in, so you can come along at any point in the session.
Free goody bag
If you've never been before, why not try a maternity circle during Baby Week?
Every family who attends a circle session in Baby Week will take away a ‘goody bag’ with some self-care items for parents; and some fun activities for babies and young children; as well as lots of information and leaflets about ‘Caring for You, Caring for Baby’.
There are an amazing 14 special Baby Week maternity circles happening around the Bradford District, between 14 and 20 November. Take a look on the Baby Week website to see which one is nearest you! Bradford - Baby Week
To find out more about maternity circles times and places you can also visit the FYI website What's On guide and search for 'maternity circles' What's On Guide.
SENDiVERSE - free events across the Bradford District - 27 to 1 November
The SENDiVERSE festival is coming to the Bradford District - and the programme includes some fantastic events at our family hubs!
The SENDiVERSE festival, from 27 to 31 October, is a whole week dedicated to the imagination, creativity, and incredible talents of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) across the Bradford and Keighley area.
Events at the Family Hubs:
The rough and the smooth - sensory messy play session - Owlet Family Hub, Wednesday, 29 October, - with 50 Things Bradford. Squish, roll, and shape textures in a messy play arts adventure. Find out more: the rough and the smooth – sensory messy play.
The rough and the smooth - sensory messy play session - Reevy Hill Family Hub, Wednesday 29 October, 1pm to 3pm - with 50 Things Bradford. Squish, roll, and shape textures in a messy play arts adventure. Find out more: the rough and the smooth – sensory messy play.
Silent disco - Barkerend Family Hub, Thursday 30 October, 1.30pm to 3.30pm. Dance to your own beat in a colourful, family-friendly silent disco. Find out more: Silent Disco. Booking essential - call 01274 437523 or email FamilyHubEast@bradfordcft.org.uk
Pumpkin Olympics - Farcliffe Family Hub, Friday 31 October, 12 noon to 3pm. With Mind The Gap. Join us for relaxed autumn games and crafts. Find out more: Pumpkin Olympics. Booking essential - call 01274 436700.
There are also lots more events happening at other welcoming locations, such as our district's libraries.
If you have school-age kids you will know that next week (27 to 31 October) is half term. A time when kids get a chance to relax away from school work - but parents and carers are working twice as hard - keeping the kids entertained, and/or juggling childcare!
The great news is that the FYI website lists a wide range of free and lower cost events and activities that you can take the kids to during half term. There is an entrance fee for some events - but reduced rates are available, so please check individual websites for details. Click here to view the What's on Guide.
Highlights of FREE and low cost events include:
FREE Face Painting in Keighley! At Airedale Shopping Centre and Keighley Market Hall - Friday, 31 October, 11am - 5pm.
You:Matter exhibition at the Science and Media Museum - DAILY - an immersive art experience featuring dynamic soundscapes, varied lighting effects - for ages 7+. Booking required - pay what you can afford.
Bradford Science Festival at the National Science and Media Museum - DAILY throughout half term - nine days of exciting events with exploring the future of technology, fashion, climate, sound and food. Free but booking required.
Please also remember that during half term, any 'term time only' activities at the Family Hubs will not take place. Please check the Family Hub timetables or contact the Family Hub if in doubt.
Best Start in Life website will help families across the UK
A new ‘Best Start in Life parent hub’ website launched in September, bringing together trusted information and support for families.
Best Start in Life officially replaces the Childcare Choices website as the place to get national guidance on early education and childcare support. It also provides information for pregnancy, through your child’s early years and beyond.
Best Start in Life is organised into helpful sections:
Pregnancy
Baby
Toddler
Childcare and Early Years Education
School readiness
Childcare eligibility checker
If you visit the website, you can also sign up to receive a newsletter, or regular personalised emails tailored to your stage of pregnancy or your child's age.
Whether you’re a mum, dad, carer or professional, the new Best Start in Life website is here to help you get trusted information from national organisations.
For local support, including information about our Family Hubs, local services, events, activities, and tailored advice for all ages from pregnancy to adulthood, please continue to visit Bradford District’s Families and Young Persons Information website at fyi.bradford.gov.uk.
New Togetherness website launches for emotional health, relationships and parenting
'In Our Place', the online library of free courses to help with emotional wellbeing, has now changed its name to 'Togetherness'.
Whether you're a mum, dad, carer, parent-to-be, grandparent, teen, or professional, Togetherness offers a range of trusted courses for emotional health, relationships and parenting.
The new Togetherness website brings all the courses available from In Our Place, but these are now easier to use, with improved accessibility, and a fresh now look.
All saved links and favourites for 'In Our Place' will still work, but will take you to the new 'Togetherness' website instead. You can also continue to follow any courses you are in the middle of.
What does Togetherness offer?
Together offers a range of online courses - all free for people in the Bradford District - on a range of themes, from parenting ideas you can trust, to support for your own relationships and emotional wellbeing.
Support for all ages – from pregnancy to teens, and adults too
Practical advice, backed by evidence and insight from psychology experts
Please look out for more promotion coming soon, and take up the opportunity to find out more about the amazing online learning pathways that are available!
School anxiety - 'emotionally based school avoidance'
Is your child struggling to go to school due to feelings of worry or stress?
Are you unsure about what to do?
Emotionally based school avoidance, or EBSA, happens when children and young people have worries about school, leading to difficulties attending school.
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 groups will run for 4 sessions - you must be able to attend all 4.
The next groups are starting as follows:
Online from 12 November
Barkerend Family Hub from 14 January
Further sessions booked in for March, April and June
It doesn't matter where in the Bradford District you live - you may attend either group.
Little Minds Matter continue to accept referrals for families wanting support around their relationship with their baby. Families can call or complete an online form (details below). Professionals can also refer families to the service and we can work out what might be most helpful to the family. Details on referring yourself can be found at: Little Minds Matter - infant mental health service
Circle of Security
Circle of Security Groups run throughout the year at a range of locations. This is an evidence-based, relationship-focused support programme that helps parents and caregivers understand their child's emotional needs and build a secure attachment.
Through a series of sessions, usually 8 to 10 weeks long, it uses video examples, graphics, and discussions to make attachment theory accessible. The program aims to improve a child's confidence, resilience, and emotional growth by helping parents interpret their child's behaviour as communication and respond more sensitively to their cues.
If you are pregnant or have a child 2 years or under and feel you could benefit from accessing the circle of security you can self-refer to Little Minds Matter in Bradford by emailing LMMsupport@bdct.nhs.uk or calling 07766 568 407; Alternatively you can speak with a health professional such as your Midwife or Health Visitor about referring you.
'You said, we did' - listening to families at the Family Hubs!
Our district's family hubs are always open to feedback and ideas from families, whether through organised sessions such as parent-carer panels, or informally at any point when a family has something to suggest.
Recently the hubs have started to display families' comments - and the action taken - on their noticeboards.
Here are a few highlights from the last month or two. The noticeboards inside the hubs will be updated monthly - please look out for these next time you pop in.
You said
We did
Bradford South - Parents asked for activities and events to take place every week during the summer holiday period (school 6 weeks holiday).
Bradford South held family fun events with activities every Wednesday afternoon during August. Events such as the 'Summer Splash event' were well attended, with fantastic feedback such as "Thank you to everyone at the hub for all your effort in making it such a brilliant event. We all loved it."
Bradford West - To celebrate 3 years of the group running, the women's chit chat group asked for a group session to be held somewhere special out of the hub, to relax, connect, support each other and improve mental and physical health and wellbeing.
The hub supported the ladies to arrange a family bowling trip and meal. The afternoon was filled with laughter, friendly competition, and plenty of encouragement. Everyone joined in at their own pace and supported one another throughout. It was a lovely way to relax, connect, support each other, and improve mental and physical health and wellbeing.
Find out more about the Family Hubs, and view the timetables, on the FYI website.
Information, news and training for professionals and practitioners
Bradford East Family Hub - learn and share session promotes SEND support
In September, Bradford East's early help co-ordinators and family navigators held a learning and sharing session at Barkerend Family Hub, to learn and share more about the SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) support available for families in the area.
The event was split into two parts, with the morning focussed on workforce professionals and partners, while in the afternoon the doors at Barkerend Family Hub were opened to families, with a SEND marketplace to help parents and carers find out more.
Morning session – external partners and lead professionals
"We welcomed Lead Professionals from schools, nurseries, our Family Support Team and other colleagues across Bradford to network and hear from key services.
"Presentations were delivered by the Family Hub team, Local Offer, Parents Forum, and Short Breaks. Carers Resource and other SEND services hosted informative stalls.
"Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing appreciation for the opportunity to learn more about the support available for children and families experiencing SEND challenges in Bradford."
Afternoon session – families
The second half of the day was open to families, who engaged directly with the services present. Many found the event beneficial, gaining valuable insights into the support they could access.
Overall, the event was a great success, fostering stronger connections between services, professionals, and families, and highlighting the collaborative work being done to support SEND needs in our community.
A big thank you to all the professionals and families that attended!
You can find out more about SEND support services here:
Colleagues at Bradford West Family Hub held a Wellbeing Event at Manningham Mills Community Hub in October, for partners and families.
There was lots of valuable networking between colleagues from partnership organisations. The hub's family navigators met community partners new and old, and new partnerships were made. Organisations attending included wellbeing partners, local neighbourhood partners, and PCSOs.
Families from the local community came along, where they had the opportunity to sign up for family hub membership, and find out more about the amazing support and services available from the Family Hubs, the Start for Life offer, and other related services.
A big thank you to everyone who made the event a success.
You can find out more about district-wide support for all aspects of wellbeing on the FYI website: Information & Advice.
‘Togetherness’ - what does this mean for professionals in our District?
'In Our Place', the online library of free courses to help with emotional wellbeing, has changed its name to 'Togetherness'.
What is Togetherness?
Togetherness is an NHS emotional health team, which shares evidence-based teaching and learning about emotional wellbeing and preventative mental health.
The organisation behind Togetherness, and In Our Place, was previously known as 'Solihull Approach' - a name many professionals in our district may be familiar with.
The new name, Togetherness, will bring Solihull Approach and In Our Place together, to create a more joined up experience for professionals or families that may be accessing support, training, or materials from these offers.
The In Our Place website has been closed and the name will no longer be used.
Togetherness will continue to refer to Solihull Approach, as the evidence base and model that Togetherness is built on. However, Togetherness will no longer use Solihull Approach as their identity or the name of their services.
The 17 fantastic courses available from In Our Place are being rebranded as Togetherness.
If you have previously promoted In Our Place to families, please start referring to Togetherness instead.
We will start to roll out new Togetherness posters, flyers and other promotional materials as soon as possible, to replace the In Our Place materials that may be on noticeboards etc. This will include updating the toolkit of resources on the FYI website.
Please be reassured that all links to In Our Place will continue to work, and will soon redirect to the Togetherness website.
Each Family Hub area also works with other places including schools, nurseries, and community centres to provide services at a wider variety of places and closer to where families live. Contact your nearest Family Hub to find out more.
Full information is on the FYI (Families and Young Person's Information) website:
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!
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