Welcome to the March 2025 edition of the Family Hub Partner Newsletter!

Grants for Schools - new bulletin

Looking for extra funding?

Cheshire East Council collate information on grants that schools can apply for, particularly to support disadvantaged groups in your school community.  Examples of grants currently available include funding for computing equipment and mental health support.  

If you would like to receive our Grants for Schools bulletin, please email rachel.johnson3@cheshireeast.gov.uk to be added to the mailing list.  New grants will be sent out every half term. 

Early Language Training and Development

Cheshire East Chatters

Cheshire East Chatters is a collaborative initiative led by Speech and Language Therapists and members of the Early Years team. We aim to upskill Early Years Practitioners across Cheshire East to identify and provide support for children’s speech and language difficulties as early as possible.  

Please note our training courses are only available for staff working in Preschool and Reception and are available for booking on the ChESS Early Years Training Hub.

Safer Sleep Week - Lunch and Learn

Safer sleep, out of routine, sudden and unexpected deaths and unsafe sleep factors in Cheshire

This is a learning event for all professionals and agencies in Cheshire. To raise awareness and support ‘The Lullaby Trust Safer Sleep Week’ Presented by Cheryl Glover - Named Midwife for Safeguarding Children Janice Bleasdale - Specialist Child Death Review Nurse Lunch and Learn Session—MS Teams Virtual 11th March 12.30-1.30pm To register email: cheshire.westsafeguardingadmin@cheshireandmerseyside.nhs.uk

ERIC - The Children's Bowel and Bladder Charity

ERIC is the national charity dedicated to improving children’s bowel and bladder health. Our mission is to reduce the impact of continence problems on children and their families.

March training for professionals includes:

• Complex Bladder and Bowels
• Healthy Bladders and Bowels
• How to release your inner psychologist
• Nocturnal Enuresis
• Interoception and sensory challenges with toilet training
• Toilet training inc. children with additional needs

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

SEND events happening across the locality this month include:

• SEND Marketplace (North and South)
• Education Psychologist Appointments in Family Hubs
• Cheshire East Information Advice and Support appointments
• Cheshire East Chatters Talking Walk-In
• 0-19+ Specialist Health Practitioner Drop-In
• Your Mind Matters drop-in sessions (age 8+)

Flyers to support these events can be found in the accompanying email to this newsletter. 

SEND Partner Survey

The Cheshire East 0-25 SEND Partnership is conducting a survey to hear from professionals, families, parent carers, children, young people, educational settings and anyone who is part of the delivery of SEND services for children and young people aged 0 – 25.

The partnership is interested to hear about what is working well and what we could do better for and young people with SEND.

You can complete the survey online before the deadline of 5 March 2025.

NEW - SEND and Inclusion Training Page on Livewell

Who is the SEND & Inclusion Training Page for?

The page is for everyone – it’s for children and young people, parents and carers, schools and settings, SEND, health and social care workforce, and those in the wider SEND Partnership.

What is the SEND & Inclusion Training Page?

This is where we will share SEND & Inclusion training opportunities.

This includes in person, online and on demand, it includes courses and one-off sessions. Please use this form to tell us about SEND or Inclusion training you would like us to add to the page.

Pilot stage - we need your feedback!

This page is a work in progress, and we need your help to make it as useful as possible. We would very much appreciate your honest feedback and any suggestions for improvements.  You can use this Feedback form, or email inclusiontraining@cheshireeast.gov.uk

Refreshed Program for the Care Leavers Hub 

Supporting Young People Across Cheshire East

We are excited to announce the refreshed program for the Care Leaver Hubs, a dedicated space designed to support care leavers and care-experienced young people aged 16-25 across Cheshire East. The hub provides a safe and welcoming environment where young people can access essential services, develop practical life skills, and build confidence as they transition into independence.

The hubs will offer a range of sessions and activities, including cooking classes focused on budget-friendly meal preparation, CV writing workshops, job searching skills, and online safety awareness. We are also collaborating with external partners, including Barclays for financial literacy sessions, CGL for support around drug and alcohol use, the regional sexual health outreach team for testing and advice, and My CWA for domestic abuse support. Additionally, Cheshire East Housing, Citizens Advice, and other key services will provide guidance on housing and benefits.

Young people will also have the opportunity to sign up for accreditation programs, such as First Aid, which will help them develop valuable skills and enhance their personal development.

Cooking sessions will run every second Thursday of the month in Crewe and every third Monday in Macclesfield from 5 pm to 8 pm. These sessions aim to equip care leavers with the skills and confidence to cook healthy meals on a budget. Whilst also being a opportunity to share views and lived experience so that young people can be involved in the decisions that affect them and service developments.

 Hub Locations and Operating Hours:

• Macclesfield Care Leavers Hub

33 Great King Street, Macclesfield, SK11 6PN, England

Open Monday and Tuesday, 12 pm – 5 pm

• Congleton Care Leavers Hub

Market Square, Congleton, CW12 1ET, England

Open Wednesday, 12 pm – 5 pm

• Crewe Care Leavers Hub

Moss Square, Crewe, CW1 2BB, England

Open Thursday and Friday, 12 pm – 5 pm

Any queries – please contact Cameron.Hudson@cheshireeast.gov.uk

Collaboratives

South Locality

Thank you to all partners who have booked a place at our south locality collaborative event on Tuesday 18th March.  It is so encouraging to see such a wide range of partners coming together to support children and families across the south in our three key priority areas (SEND, mental health and deprivation). 

If you were unable to secure a place at the spring event, we will be releasing dates for our summer events shortly.  

North Locality

Bookings are still being taken for the North locality event which we can now confirm will be held at Macclesfield Town Hall on Friday 4th April.

Early Help Strategy Consultation

Cheshire East Council are currently reviewing their Early Help Strategy 2025-2026.  Part of this process includes consulting with people living in Cheshire East, as well as professionals working in Cheshire East to allow us to understand what currently works well and what we need to improve and in what ways.  The draft Early Help Strategy (2025-2026) has been developed as a continuation of our existing strategy, building on the strengths of approaches adopted and identifying areas for improvement and development; this in terms of strengthening our partnership approach and responding to emerging needs.

Family Hub Updates for your setting/organisation

As we continue to share our offer across the locality, our Family Hub Business Development Officer Charlotte Blake has been visiting schools, primary care settings and voluntary organisations to ensure all practitioners are equipped with a solid understanding of the Family Hub offer and how best to signpost children and families to our services.

Charlotte has delivered staff meetings to Primary Education settings and GP practices and is keen to continue this work moving forwards. 

If you would like to find out more please email charlotte.blake@cheshireeast.gov.uk