 Welcome to the September 2025 edition of the Cheshire East Best Start Family Hub Partner Newsletter!
Cheshire East Best Start Family Hubs welcome you back to the 2025/26 academic year. We hope you've had the opportunity to recharge over summer and are looking forward to a busy autumn term.
NEW Early Help Strategy Officially Launched
We are pleased to announce that we able to officially launch our Early Help Strategy (2025-2026), which 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.
This strategy ensures the effective delivery of the key priorities and outcomes which we all, as partners have a statutory responsibility to co-operate with and contribute to. Our early help work is critical in identifying emerging need and enhancing and strengthening multi-agency support to respond effectively and creatively during times of need, as well as being proactive and led by insights to offer the earliest possible intervention to support families. We will need to work with partners to embed the framework, develop skills and knowledge in our workforce, and ensure practitioners are confident with the approach. We want partners and practitioners to feel well supported, knowledgeable and able to meet the needs of children and families as early as possible.
The document is now live on our website and can be found via the link below;
Spotlight on...
Axess Sexual Health
 Axess 4 u is a free sexual health clinic for young people (aged 19 and younger). This clinic operates as a walk-in, meaning you don't need an appointment to be seen by our healthcare staff for all sexual health needs, including contraception.
The services we offer at axess 4 u:
- Contraception (including implants)
- Emergency contraception (time dependent)
- STI info, screening & treatment
- Free condoms
- Advice, guidance and information
- Pregnancy testing
If you are unable to attend an axess 4 u clinic, please check opening times of our general clinics where you can still attend and be triaged for urgent clinical needs.
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
CE SEND Local Offer Live!
Following the successful inclusion of SEND Marketplace events last year, these events have been rebranded to form the Local Offer Live!
Cheshire East is committed to providing face-to-face access to SEND services and support. These parent/carer focussed events will feature services from across the local offer including:
- Cheshire East Information Advice Service (CEIAS)
- Cheshire East Autism Team (CEAT)
- 0-19+ SEND Health Visitor
- Cheshire East Chatters (Speech and Language Therapists)
- Designated Clinical Officer (DCO)
- Access to the Local Offer online
- and many more!
The September events are:
North Locality
Knutsford Academy - Thursday 25th September - 10am-12pm
South Locality
Underwood West Primary Academy - Thursday 25th September - 2.30pm-4.30pm
A new webpage has been created to promote all events across the academic year, with a promotional flyer available to share with parents and carers.
Additional resources included this month are:
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0-19 SEND Health Visitor Drop-In
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Just Drop In Emotional Health and Wellbeing Workshops
Do Something Big
 Cheshire East Family Hubs are committed to improving early years provision across the locality and understand that many employers are now looking to expand their workforce.
The Government's 'Do Something Big' campaign has been designed to help early years providers to showcase their facilities and both employ and retain a strong workforce.
Understanding your Child
FREE local workshop from the Start for Life South Team
This free parent workshop will focus on:
- Understanding feelings and needs behind children’s behaviour.
- Discovering the importance of listening to children, and how it can support meeting their needs.
- Exploring responding with empathy, and how it can positively influence children's behaviour.
Wheelock Primary School - Wednesday 1st October - 1.30pm-3pm.
A flyer to promote this workshop is available in your accompanying email.
Looking After Ourselves
Free local workshop from the Start for Life South Team
Family life can be stressful. This workshop will teach parents and carers ways to stay calm and look after themselves so they can juggle things more easily.
- Understand the benefits of recharging our batteries for emotional and physical health.
- Share feelings and develop realistic expectations and coping strategies.
- Overcome feelings of guilt and failure.
- Gain practical strategies to reduce the stresses of family life.
YMCA, Crewe - Wednesday 10th September - 1.30pm-3pm
A flyer to promote this workshop is available in your accompanying email.
Childhood Development
The 2-2.5yr Health Development Review
The Government has set out an ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children ever. The 2 –2 ½ year health and development review is one of the main ways we can identify children that need support before they start school. A letter was sent on 17th June to all Directors of Public Health in England about increasing the uptake and quality of the 2 –2 ½ year review.
Some families won’t be aware of the value of the review and might find it helpful if you offered them more information. This can be found on the NHS’s website page on health and development reviews and the Better Health Start for Life website. You might want to share these links with parents to support their understanding of the 2 to 2 ½ year review and a toddler’s development.
If you would like to feature in this newsletter, please email familyhubs@cheshireeast.gov.uk
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