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February 2026

Welcome to your February newsletter!

Spring is (almost) in the air. As we move into March it is a special time for lots of our district's families and colleagues. Many will be observing Ramadan or Lent, fasting or giving up treats, and looking forward to the festivals of Eid and Easter in a few weeks. We would like to extend very best wishes to everyone practicing their faith in special ways this month.   

Change is also in the air this month - and we are bringing you news of an update to the logos we use for Family Hubs. You can find out more in the article below. The official time to change the logo will be from April, but you will start to see gradual changes before then. 

As always; this month's 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

Giving Bradford District's children the Best Start in Life 

Over the last four years, the Bradford District’s Family Hubs Start for Life programme has expanded the services and support available to families, particularly during pregnancy and in the first two years of a child's life.

This work has included funding new family hubs in Bradford and Keighley; making improvements to many of the existing family hubs; increasing the availability of antenatal courses, support for breastfeeding, child learning and development, parent/carer mental health, support for dads and male carers; and more.

From April 2026, we are delighted that the Bradford District will receive Best Start in Life funding from the Department for Education, to continue our district's work supporting children and families. This will also expand the focus from supporting families during pregnancy and with a child aged 0 to 5, to help children along the stepping stones to accessing excellent early education, being ready to start school, and achieving a good level of development.  

New Best Start in Life logo to be introduced across the Bradford District

The government has created a new ‘Best Start in Life’ logo for use on any services supported by this funding.

Following consultation with families and workforce colleagues across the district, we are updating the Family Hubs logo and introducing the national ‘Best Start in Life’ logo alongside this.

A big thank you to everyone to everyone who took part in the consultation.

We asked for views on a range of logo options. The most popular option was to update the existing Family Hubs Start for Life logo to say ‘Bradford District’, and use this together with the ‘Best Start in Life’ logo.

These logos, used together, will help families identify the support available during pregnancy, through to starting school, and beyond.

Any changes to signage and other materials will be done in the lowest cost way possible. We aim to use items up before replacing, so you may still see items with the old logo on, such as leaflets, for some time.

The changes to logos do not affect the services being offered locally. While there may sometimes be changes to services for a range of reasons, as we move forward, the services families use and trust will continue.

Find out about the support available

You can read the nationally focussed advice for families on the ‘Best Start in Life parent hub’ website.

For local advice and support please continue to visit the FYI (Families and Young Person’s Information) website at fyi.bradford.gov.uk.

Become a member of the Family Hubs

Family Hub membership was launched in the summer of 2024, and since then an amazing 2,693 families have joined the Family Hubs across the district!

Membership is completely free. When you join the Family Hubs you become a member of a growing community, and:

• Receive a Family Hubs and Start for Life goodie bag.
• Collect Citizen Coin rewards to use and spend locally.
• Get up-to-date information about family events and activities with our monthly newsletter.
• Get information on how to access our free parenting groups, resources and workshops.
• Get access to helpful family support.
• Opportunities to have your say on how we deliver our services to you and your family.
• Meet other families and people like you - with coffee mornings, chit chat groups, youth spaces and much more. Just look at our timetables to see what's on!

Find out more about how Family Hubs support families, during pregnancy and with babies and toddlers, in our Family Hubs video.

Across the Bradford district our Family Hubs support families at every stage of family life, from pregnancy, up to children aged 19 (25 with SEND - Special Educational Needs and Disabilities).

Membership is a simple as filling in an online form, then calling in at your nearest Family Hub to pick up your goody bag. If you haven't signed up before, why not sign up now!

Next SEND Marketplace at Barkerend Family Hub

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

The March SEND marketplace will be at Barkerend Family Hub, 365 Barkerend Road, Bradford, BD3 8QX, on Monday, 30 March, from 1pm to 3pm. 

Come along for advice, support and to discuss any concerns you 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 and carers, including Autism/ADHD, finance/benefits, speech and language, relationship issues, sleeping difficulties, and education. 

More dates from April:

• 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
• 27 July (1pm - 3pm) at Barkerend Family Hub
• 24 August (9.30am - 12.30pm) at Farcliffe Family Hub
• 25 September (2pm - 4.30 pm) at Reevy Hill Family Hub

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

Little Minds Matter – helping Bradford's babies and families

Having a baby is a special time for most, but can also bring many challenges for families. Little Minds Matter can offer a range of support to babies and their parents and primary caregivers.  

Support can range from tailored support and therapy, to joining the Circle of Security parenting group.

Families can 'self-refer' - you don't need to be referred by a professional. Please phone 01274 251298 or email littlemindsmatter@bdct.nhs.uk. 

You can also find out more about Little Minds Matter on the FYI website: Little Minds Matter. 

Incredible Years pre-school for children age 3 to 4 - book now to start in April 

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
• (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

PLUS - a new date and venue has just been added:

• Victoria Primary School, Cartmel Road, Keighley BD21 2RD - Tuesday, 14 April to Tuesday, 14 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.

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 (EBSA), happens when children and young people have worries and difficulties attending school.

For helpful support in a safe space, you can join the friendly Parent Support Group with the Educational Psychology Team. Here you can:

• Share and listen to other parents
• Get ideas to help
• Learn more about what you can do to support your child, a
• Understand more about 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:

• Farcliffe Family Hub, BD8 8QH - Wednesday, 4 March 2026 to Wednesday, 25 March , 1pm to 2.30pm. (DEADLINE to sign up is 3 March.)
• Online - Wednesday, 29 April to Wednesday 20 May, 1pm to 2.30pm.
• Reevy Hill Family Hub, BD6 3ST - Wednesday, 10 June to Wednesday, 1 July, 1pm to 2.30pm.

It doesn't matter where in the Bradford District you live - you may attend any group.

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

Find out more on the FYI website - EBSA sessions. 

Sleepfullness: supporting healthy sleep and wellbeing in 0 to 5 year olds

Did you know that World Sleep Day is coming up on Friday, 13 March, with the theme 'Sleep Well, Live Better'?

Sleep is important for our physical and mental wellbeing and we know that from birth, sleep is fundamental for healthy brain development.

While sleep is a natural instinct, it’s also a skill we develop: learning how to wind down and how much sleep we need.

Free resources created by psychologists and health visitors are now available on togetherness.co.uk, to promote connected relationships between parents and infants to help children to learn and thrive as they grow. 

Togetherness also offer online learning 'pathways' for parents and carers who want to explore nurturing and relationships in more depth - these are all FREE for Bradford District's families with the code BDPARENTS. Popular courses which can also support with sleep include:

• Understanding your baby 
• Understanding your child: from toddler to teenager 
• Understanding your child with additional needs 

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.

• 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.

You can also find out more on the FYI website: Sleep Support. 

World Book Day 2026

World Book Day is coming up - always a popular day with families and educators! Good luck to all families who might be pulling together fancy dress costumes for your little ones over the next few days!

Of course World Book Day isn't just about dressing up - it's about enjoying books with babies and children of all ages. Many schools give away free book tokens and you can also get involved by enjoying the thousands of books that can be borrowed for free from our district's libraries. 

Reading can be enjoyed at all ages - even with newborn babies! For ideas about how to enjoy books with your child, and tips about milestones, visit the Words for Life website. 

Many of our Family Hubs will be celebrating World Book Day in sessions during that week - please ask at your local family hub to find out what is happening near you. 

You can also find some great information on the FYI website:

• Fun with books for under 5s
• Fun with books for children and young adults

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:

• 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  

Information, news and training
for professionals and practitioners

Best Start in Life - logo changes from April 2026

In the longer article above we have announced the exciting news about an updated logo for Family Hubs, and the introduction of the Best Start in Life logo across the Bradford District.

Many of our district-wide colleagues, partners and service providers may have questions about how this affects your services, whether you need to adopt new logos, and so on.

We will provide updated information to partners and colleagues as soon as possible.

If you have any questions in the meantime, please contact josephine.graham@bradford.gov.uk.  

Little Minds Matter – helping professionals help Bradford's babies

Having a baby is a special time for most, but can also bring many challenges for families. Little Minds Matter can offer a range of support to babies and their primary caregivers as well as to professionals working with families.  There are various ways they can help you, as professionals, help your families. 

Make a referral 

If you are a professional in the Bradford District, working with a family who may benefit from support, please get in touch to find out how Little Minds Matter can help. Support can range from tailored support and therapy to joining the Circle of Security parenting group.

Little Minds Matter also accept self-referrals from families. Please phone 01274 251298 or email littlemindsmatter@bdct.nhs.uk. 

Support for professionals

We also continue to offer weekly online drop-in sessions for professionals working with families. These can be booked into ‘as and when’ needed and provide practitioners with a space for advice, reflection, and consultation around your work with parent-infant relationships. If you are interested in accessing one of these sessions, please contact Little Minds Matter by phone (01274 251298) or email littlemindsmatter@bdct.nhs.uk.

You can also find out more about Little Minds Matter on the FYI website: Little Minds Matter. 

Family Hubs and Start for Life
useful information and contacts

Family Hub timetables - March 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! 

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