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January 2026

Welcome to your January newsletter!

As we approach the end of the longest month of the year (or so it feels in this weather!) we have certainly packed a lot into January 2026.

We have celebrated the official opening of a new family hub, Bevan Family Hub in Bradford, seen the first Family Hub SEND Marketplace of the year, and enjoyed dozens of free sessions for families across the district's family hubs.

Looking ahead, we are getting ready to open the new Keighley Community and Family Hub, with a number of pilot sessions taking place in February, before the timetable officially launches in March.

Also in February we are marking Children's Mental Health Week (9 to 15 February) with a reminder of some of the amazing support for children's mental health in the district. 

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

Bevan Family Hub opens in the heart of Bradford

Bevan Family Hub has officially opened in Bradford city centre, offering help and support for children and families living in the city and further afield.

Based at Bevan House GP Practice, the hub introduces free sessions for families with babies and toddlers including Family Hub Play Together, Read and Rhyme and baby massage (booking required). The hub will also host an infant feeding drop-in, Bevan Babies, baby weighing and the midwife clinic.

Family Navigators will be available at drop-in sessions, where parents and carers can have a friendly chat about support with navigating parenthood, child development and wellbeing, as well as activities in their local area for families.

The hub’s accessible location, close to public transport links, means that Bevan Family Hub is convenient for families across the Bradford District, as well as those living in the city centre.

The new hub is the result of a partnership between our district's Family Hubs Start for Life programme, Bradford Children and Families Trust, and Bevan Community Benefit Society. Investment from the Family Hub Start for Life programme has made the hub's space accessible and family-friendly, with ramp access for wheelchairs and pushchairs, a ‘sensory space’ with lights and sounds, baby changing facilities, washing facilities for messy play, room dividers, a new reception, and a general refresh of the interior decoration, furniture and play equipment.

Bevan Family Hub has a dedicated entrance on Dale Street, Bradford. Bevan can also be accessed via its main entrance at 14 Piccadilly.

Bevan Family Hub’s sessions will be listed on the Bradford West Family Hub timetable - but families from all areas of the Bradford District are welcome to use the hub’s services. To find out more please visit the FYI (Families and Young Person’s Information) website. We look forward to seeing you there!

Children's Mental Health Week - 9 to 15 February

This year's theme for Children's Mental Health Week (9 to 15 February) is 'This is My Place', and it's all about how we help children and young people feel they belong.

There is a lovely video about the theme on the Place2Be's Children's Mental Health Week official website - or you can also watch on YouTube. 

The good news is that a wide range of support services run all year round to help Bradford District's children and young people with their mental health. 

A great place to start looking for support is the FYI (Families and Young Person's Information) website - there is a whole section about mental health for all ages here: Looking after your mental health

Read on for more support and ideas to support our children and young people. 

Mental health is for everyone - taking care of your child’s social, emotional and mental health

We don't need to feel there is a 'problem' to talk about mental health. It's great to show children that talking about their mental health and wellbeing is a normal and positive thing to do.

Children's Mental Health Week is a good opportunity to open up the conversation at home and show them it’s ok to talk about their mental health.

You could look at the Healthy Minds website together where you’ll find helpful resources on anxiety, sleep, exam stress, neurodiversity and more.

You can also use the handy support finder to find the right support for you and your loved ones – whether that’s a helpline for their age group, 121 counselling services or group activities that can help them feel better.

• Find out more: Healthy Minds for young people
• There’s lots on there for parents and carers too: Healthy Minds – Mental health support in Bradford and Craven

Digital safety and mental health

BDigital is Bradford Council's Digital Inclusion Service. Their role is to help people be part of the digital world, by supporting digital skills, to help people to use technology safely and effectively.

This Children's Mental Health Week, BDigital will be visiting as many of Bradford District's primary schools, secondary schools and SEND provisions as possible, to deliver sessions around digital skills, online safety, social media, safe screen time, parental controls, class dojo and more.

If you think your child's school would benefit from this service please ask them to email Digital.Inclusion@bradford.gov.uk.

If your child's school has sessions about Children's Mental Health Week, this is another great opportunity to open up the conversation at home. 

For more information about online safety and mental health, take a look at Keeping children safe online | NSPCC.

Togetherness - here for Bradford District's children and young people

Whether you're a mum, dad, carer, parent-to-be, grandparent or teenager, Togetherness offers trusted online learning across a range of themes, providing support with relationships, emotional health, and parenting.

With a focus on understanding, connection and kindness, Children's Mental Health Week is a great time to try out pathways including:

• Understanding your child: from toddler to teenager
• Understanding your child with additional needs
• Understanding your child’s feelings
• Understanding your child’s mental health and wellbeing
• Understanding your teenager’s brain

There are also two courses for your teens to follow themselves.

• Understanding your brain (for teenagers only!)
• Understanding your feelings (for teenagers only!)

All the courses offer practical advice backed by evidence and insight from NHS psychology experts.

The Togetherness website is completely FREE to use for everyone in the Bradford District, with the access code BDPARENTS.

Find out more on the Togetherness website. You can also find Togetherness on the parenting programmes pathway on the FYI website, where you can also explore other support that is available. 

KidsTime workshops at the Family Hubs

A factor in children's mental health can be the health of the adults closest to them. 

KidsTime Workshops are fun, supportive group sessions for families where a parent or carer has a mental health difficulty. 

They’re a safe, relaxed and non-judgemental space for families to come together to learn and talk about mental health, without shame or stigma.

Children get to meet other young people in the same situation, share experiences, get answers to questions and, most importantly, have fun.

No formal diagnosis is required to attend the workshops, however, a 'referral' is needed. This can be as simple as referring yourself, or asking a professional to refer you. 

When do the workshops take place?

The workshops are held once a month in three locations:

• Rainbow Family Hub, Keighley (1st Thursday of each month)
• Barkerend Family Hub, Bradford East (2nd Thursday of each month)
• Reevy Hill Family Hub, Bradford South (3rd Thursday of the each month)

A session will launch at Farcliffe Family Hub soon. 

The sessions are all on the Family Hub timetables. The referral form to attend is here: KidsTime Workshops | Mental Health support - or contact the Family Hub for support with the referral. 

Keighley Community and Family Hub opening soon

If you came to the Baby Week event in Keighley last November, or if you have wandered through the Airedale Shopping Centre recently, you may have spotted that a new Community and Family Hub is being created on Bow Street, opposite Keighley's bus station (next door to Max Spielmann).

The new hub is a collaboration between Keighley and Shipley Family Hub, Keighley Healthy Living (KHL) and Modality AWC, supported by the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme, all working together to support your family’s wellbeing and build healthy communities. 

While the hub is not fully open yet, a few sessions have already taken place, including the January pop-up baby wellbeing event. Here parents and carers could get their baby weighed with the Maternity Circles, access baby vaccinations with Modality AWC, and also have a chat with our friendly Family Navigators. 

There will be a small number of 'warm up' sessions taking place in the hub in February, including a fantastic messy play for dads and little ones with Dad Matters, which is booked in for Saturday, 7 February from 10am to 12 noon. (Take a look at the Facebook post to find out more.)

We will bring you more information in the next newsletter, and we look forward to welcoming you to Keighley Community and Family Hub soon!

SEND Marketplace at Reevy Hill Family Hub

In January, Reevy Hill Family Hub hosted the first of a series of SEND Marketplace drop-in events, across the Bradford District, for parents and carers who have a child or children with special educational needs or disabilities.

It's an opportunity for families to speak to a range of services and support professionals for friendly, one-to-one advice about the support available. 

The SEND Marketplace will visit different Family Hubs each month for the rest of the year. Find out more below. 

Family Hubs SEND Marketplace events throughout 2026

Our Family Hubs across the district are hosting SEND Marketplace drop-in events every month throughout 2026.

Families can get advice, support and discuss any concerns they have with specialist services including Carer's Resource, SENDIASS, Bradford district's Local Offer, the Family Hub's Family Navigators, and more.

There will be support available on themes that matter most to parents, including Autism/ADHD, finance/benefits, speech and language, relationship issues, sleeping difficulties, and education. 

Upcoming dates:

• 23 February (9.30am -12.30pm) at Rainbow Family Hub
• 30 March (1pm - 3pm) at Barkerend Family Hub
• 27 April (9.30am -12.30pm) at Farcliffe Family Hub
• 18 May (2pm - 4.30pm) at TFD Family Hub
• 29 June (9.30am -11.30am) at Shipley Library

More information and all the dates are here: SEND support in Family Hubs | Bradford Families and Young Persons.

HENRY Starting Solids - online and in-person - FREE workshops 

Do you (or does someone you know) have a baby, from newborn to 8 months old?

Introducing your baby to solid food is an exciting time, but can also bring worries about the best way to go about it.

To help, our friends at HENRY are once again offering their extremely popular, FREE, Starting Solids workshop, with sessions taking place soon! 

The workshops are open to everyone in the Bradford district with a baby aged  0 to 8 months old. (It's never too early to get the info and be prepared!)

Online workshops will be on:

• Thursday, 5 February, 6:30pm to 8pm
• Thursday 26 February, 6:30pm to 8pm

Face-to-face workshops will be at The Hive Community Centre, 53-55 Elliott Street, Silsden, BD20 0DE, on:

• Friday, 27 February, 1.00pm to 3.00pm 
• Friday, 27 March, 1.00pm to 3.00pm 

Sign up using this online form: Starting Solids workshops: Booking-on form. Once you have applied for a place, HENRY will get in touch with you to confirm your preferred date. Professionals can also refer families (apply on their behalf) using the same form.

While you are waiting to attend the workshop there is also lots of helpful info on the FYI website: Starting solids.

Incredible Years pre-school for children age 3 to 4 - April dates now confirmed

Our friends at Barnados are once again offering the brilliant 'Incredible Years' programme to families in the Bradford District.

These sessions are ideal to help children get 'school ready'. The programme explores all aspects of your child’s development at ages 3 to 4, and can support a smoother transition into starting nursery or school.

The programme, for mums, dads and carers with a child age 3 or 4, will be available from April 2026 at the following venues:

• (Bradford South area) Reevy Hill Family Hub, Bradford BD6 3ST - Tuesday, 14 April to Tuesday 14 July, 9:30am to 11:30am
• (Keighley/Shipley area) Windhill Community Centre, Shipley BD17 5NH - Tuesday, 14 April to Tuesday, 14 July, 12.30pm to 2.30pm
• (Bradford East area) Barkerend Family Hub, Bradford BD3 8QX - Wednesday, 15 April to Wednesday, 15 July, 12.30pm to 2.30pm
• (Bradford West area) St Edmund’s Nursery School, Bradford BD8 9QW - Thursday, 15 April to Thursday, 15 July, 9:30am to 11:30am
• (Bradford South area) St Matthew’s Primary School, Bradford BD5 8FG - Thursday, 16 April to Thursday, 16 July, 12.30pm to 2.30pm

The programme has 13 sessions. Sessions will not run in the school holidays (May 25 to 29). 

Families can attend any venue - whichever works best for you for getting there or timing. The programme can offer support with transport, and a free crèche will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Parents who attended recent groups said they are now:

• Feeling calmer
• Spending more quality time with their child
• Using more praise
• Managing challenging situations more confidently
• Tackling toilet training, bedtimes, and mealtimes more effectively
• and experiencing many other positive changes

Please apply on the FYI website: Incredible Years form.

You can also call/email on 01274 513300 or email IY@barnardos.org.uk.

There is more information, including quotes from parents who have done the course, on the FYI website: Incredible Years Preschool.

Book your place on Home-Start Bradford District’s Connecting Families Group!

Are you a parent or carer with little ones aged 0–5? 

Join Home-Start Bradford District for free weekly sessions where you can play, chat and connect with other families in a warm, friendly space at Eccleshill Library, Bolton Road, BD2 4SR. 

Running during term-time from Thursday, 5 March to Thursday, 7 May 2026 (10am to 12 noon), the Home-Start Bradford Connecting Families Group brings you supportive conversations about the joys and challenges of parenting. You will explore:

• Play and child development 
• Routines & boundaries 
• Weaning and faddy eaters 
• Getting nursery & school ready 
• Family life, wellbeing and self-care 
• Caring for little ones’ oral health 

Whether you’re looking to make friends or share parenting experiences, this is a safe, welcoming space for all families. 

Find out more about the group here: Home-Start Bradford Connecting Families Group. Those attending should aim to attend all sessions please, to get the most out of spending time with the group. There will be no sessions during the school holidays (i.e. 1 and 8 April).

Book your place or find out more: call the Home-Start Bradford District team on 01274 666711. 

Communication and trust through everyday actions 

Do you want to find out ways to strengthen communication, build trust, and maintain healthy relationships with your child and family?

If yes, join the Parent and Carer Support Group – From the Mental Health Support Team.

Our online Parent and Carer Support Group offers a safe and welcoming space to explore ways of supporting your child’s emotional wellbeing, and your own.

Each half term, we cover a new wellbeing topic inspired by the Five Ways to Wellbeing, and share practical tips and ideas.

It’s also a chance to connect with other parents, share experiences, and support one another.

This half-term’s topic is Give – Doing Good, Feeling Good

This session will explore simple ways to strengthen communication, build trust, and maintain healthy relationships with your child and family. Together, we’ll discuss how small, everyday actions can make a big difference to emotional wellbeing at home.

• Date: Tuesday, 10 February 2026
• Times: Join at 10:30am to 12:00pm or 7:00pm to 8:30pm depending on which time works best for you.
• Platform: Microsoft Teams

To register your interest and receive a joining link, please email: mhstparentsupport@bdct.onmicrosoft.com

Sleep Chat for parents/carers -  with The Together Trust

Parents/carers of children aged 2-11 years across Bradford and Craven districts are invited to have a free, 20-minute phone call with a qualified Sleep Practitioner from The Together Trust, to discuss any sleep issues their child may be experiencing.

A Sleep Chat is a short 20–30 minute phone call designed to offer initial advice and simple strategies. During the call, we can talk through basic sleep questions or straightforward issues that may benefit from some quick guidance.

After the conversation, you’ll receive a brief follow-up email summarising the key points and suggestions shared.

Sleep Chats are not a replacement for a full assessment and are not suitable for complex sleep needs. If your child’s sleep difficulties are more complicated, or you feel there isn’t anything you can meaningfully explore in this short time, it may be best to make a referral to our service via the Togetherness Trust website, or if you have already referred in, to wait for your full appointment.

The sleep chats are available on the dates below.

• Thursday, 12 February
• Tuesday, 10 March
• Wednesday, 15 April
• Thursday, 14 May
• Tuesday, 16 June
• Wednesday, 15 July
• Tuesday, 11 August

If you would like to register for a Sleep Chat, please email your full name, contact number and preferred date to:

admintss@togethertrust.org.uk

You will receive an email to confirm your allocated phone slot and the practitioner will call you on the date allocated.

Power of Play - a FREE interactive session for parents and carers of children aged 0 to 4

• Thursday 5 March 2026
• 12:30pm - 1:30pm
• Mayfield Centre, Broadway Avenue, BD5 9NP

Outdoor play project Better Place are offering a FREE hands-on session designed to support parents and carers of babies, toddlers and pre-school children (aged 0–4) to understand and enjoy how play boosts early development.

The session is led by Ben Kingston-Hughes, a play specialist, author and award-winning trainer, with expertise in helping families bring meaningful play into everyday life.

What to expect:

• Why play is crucial for early brain development and how it supports children’s learning, confidence and wellbeing.
• Practical, easy-to-use play ideas you can try at home or outdoors.
• Friendly, creative ways to boost connection and support your child’s growth through play.

Who it’s for: Parents, carers, and family members of young children aged 0 to 4 who want fun, inspiring ideas to enhance play and learning at home.

Children are welcome but must be supervised by their parent or carer at all times.

Book your place via Eventbrite here: Power of Play - a FREE interactive session for parents and carers of 0-4s

Practitioners - please note there is also a session for practitioners - please take a look further down in this newsletter. 

Museums for Play and Growth - FREE drop-in sessions for children 0 to 5 years old 

Did you know, Bradford District's museums and galleries offer weekly FREE play sessions for families with children aged 0 to 5?

The sessions' days and venues change throughout the month. Museums taking part are:

Putting the spotlight on Bolling Hall, this is a wonderful, welcoming, museum, packed full of history, which can be accessed by bus from Bradford using the 635 service (drops off closest to the museum) or the 620, 617 or 425 (10 minute walk from the bus stop). There is also a car park.

Visitors to Bolling Hall have access to toilets and baby changing, and there is a cafe nearby at Bowling Park. Why not give the next session a try - the February session is on Wednesday, 18 February, 10.30am to 12.30pm. 

You can find all the sessions listed on the Bradford District Museums & Galleries website and they are also listed as events on the Bradford Museums and Galleries Facebook page. 

Child car seat safety checking sessions

These free events, provided by Good Egg Safety and Bradford Council, are designed to support parents and carers in making sure their children’s car seats are fitted safely and correctly. Each session offers:

• FREE professional car seat checks
• Fitting guidance
• Helpful safety resources

More details are on Facebook:

• Thursday 12 February (10am - 3pm). South Hawksworth Street Car Park, Ilkley, LS29 9DX 
• Friday 6 March (10am - 3pm). The Rockwell Community Centre, 6 Summerfield Road, Bradford BD10 8DP 
• Friday 13 March (10am - 3pm). The Leisure Centre Keighley, Hard Ings Rd, Victoria Park View, Keighley BD21 3JN  

MMRV (measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox) vaccine

MMRV is now part of the NHS routine childhood vaccination programme, replacing the MMR vaccine.

It protects against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox.

Chickenpox is very common and can sometimes lead to serious complications, so vaccination helps reduce the risk of serious illness as children grow.

Your GP will be in touch when your child is due.

Find out more: MMRV (measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox) vaccine - NHS

Information, news and training
for professionals and practitioners

The Power of Play – a FREE session for early years practitioners

Thursday, 5 March 2026 - 10:30am to 12:00noon - Mayfield Centre, Broadway Avenue, BD5 9NP

Outdoor play project Better Place are inviting early years workers to a fun, hands-on session all about unlocking early years learning through indoor and outdoor play.

This event will be led by play specialist, author, keynote speaker and award-winning trainer Ben Kingston-Hughes.

What to expect:

• Insight into the neuroscience of play and early brain development.
• Practical discussion on how play supports cognitive, emotional and neurological growth.
• The role of play in building self-esteem, confidence and mental health.
• Exploration of how early playful experiences lay the foundations for lifelong learning.

Who should attend: Anyone who works with families with young children (0-4s) - essentially anyone passionate about enhancing child development through play.

Book your place here: Power of Play - a FREE session for the early years workforce.

Please note there is also a session for families - take a look further up in this newsletter to find out more - and please encourage families who may benefit to come along. 

Family Hubs and Start for Life
useful information and contacts

Family Hub timetables - February 2026

Our Family Hub area timetables, on the FYI website, 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

Past issues of your Family Hubs Start for Life newsletter!

We hope you enjoy the monthly Family Hubs Start for Life newsletter. With over 5,000 subscribers, we think it's one of the best ways of keeping up to date with what’s happening for families across the Bradford District!

The great news is you can now catch up with the latest issues (and a full archive) on the FYI website. Visit the new newsletters page today and stay connected!

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! 

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