Welcome to the third edition of the Children's Centres Newsletter!
Now that Summer has now come to an end, all the fun Autumn activities will now start! We hope your children who have started nursery or reception school, and have settled in well.
We will continue to work closely with each of our families, to ensure everyone’s needs are being met and we will work together with you to stay alert, control the virus and save lives.
We wish you a wonderful month ahead and look forward to creating and sharing new memories with you all!
Workshops in October
Oral Health Advice - Thursday 15 October, 1 - 2pm
Food Portions -Thursday 22 October, 1 - 2pm
To join these sessions, please send an email; including your full name, postcode, child’s full name and DOB to: Vicky.burns@hounslow.gov.uk
Baby Massage - Monday 19 October, 1 - 2pm
To sign up to this session, please send an email which includes your full name, postcode, childs' full name and DOB to Mandy.tomkins@hounslow.gov.uk
Are you looking for advice on childcare and funding? Sign up to our Early Education Advice and Information Workshop on Tuesday 6 October, 1.30 - 2.30pm
To sign up to this session, please send an email including your full name, postcode, childs' full name and DOB to Chloe.taylor@hounslow.gov.uk
Special Events, Celebrations and Themes
- Black History Month
- 'Big Draw' Month
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5 to 9 October - Space week
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12 to 16 October - Science and national baking week
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16 October – World Food Day
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17 October – Navaratri
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25 October - Dussehra
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31 October - Halloween
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Weekly live sessions
Children's Centres practitioners and Early Years workers are running weekly LIVE sessions.
To see what's on, please see the session list or view the timetables listed below.
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,Activity videos sent via WhatsApp
Children’s Centre Practitioners and Early Years Workers have been producing videos with a variety of different activities, including song time, story time and activities for you to try at home. These activities will be sent out daily.
To sign up to this service, please follow the link: WhatsApp Registration Form
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Children's Centre Update
We are preparing to reopen our children’s centres and are just finalising our risk assessments. In order to keep everyone safe, all of our services will be by appointment only and we will require families to register with children’s centres (if you haven’t done this already) before attending. To register online please complete our online registration form. We expect that our services will initially consist of sessions run by health professionals as well as 1:1 sessions for families provided by our own teams. All of staff have undergone training in Covid19 Essentials and Infection control, so will take all necessary precaution when running these activities.
You said we did...
Over the past few months, we have encouraged families to make suggestions and give feedback on our online offer. We can appreciate nothing will beat going to a Children's Centre in person, but we were so pleased to receive lots of positive feedback. Thank you for all of your contributions!
Here are some of the comments we have received:
‘Had very competent speakers and good presentation of the topic’ -Toilet & Potty-training Workshop'
‘Keep it up, you are all doing fantastic job!’
We had some comments about our wonderful Children’s Centre Practitioner, Vicky Burns:
‘Brilliant session with Vicky’ and ‘Vicky is an asset’ – well done Vicky!'
We also received some feedback and suggestions to help improve the quality of our online offer and sessions.
Here is what you said and what we did:
‘Emotional support for kiddos, guidance for new normal interactions, separation anxiety, mask/face guard normalisation.’
During our live sessions we have been talking to adults and children about wearing face masks and other protective clothing. We have also planned some activity sheets and videos to help normalise face masks. During our live sessions, we discuss children’s and adult’s emotional well-being frequently, so please do join us and feel free to ask us some questions! In addition to Children’s Centre sessions, we recommend reading the information on the ‘NHS - Every Mind Matters’ campaign mentioned in the 'advice corner' below.
‘Communication with toddlers and helping your child to talk’ – If you have any concerns about your child’s speech, language or communication, please join one of our ‘sharing their world’ sessions. We will also be running a new live session called ‘Makaton for beginners’ for children 18months to 5 years. This will be starting on 17 November.
‘Teaching boundaries to toddlers’ – In November we will be running a workshop on ‘behaviour and boundary setting’. To register your interest in this session, please send an email to Vicky.burns@hounslow.gov.uk
We also received some helpful feedback and suggestions to help us enhance our future Baby Massage workshops!
Swap Shop
As our Family Store, clothes and toy bank is still closed, we have created a way for families to give away items and request for things that's needed.
We can accept items such as clothing, toys, baby equipment (except for Car Seats and cot mattresses) in good and reasonable condition. Every month we will advertise these items.
Send us an email with the items you would like to give away or you need, to Minal.Shah@hounslow.gov.uk. We will then share your details with the appropriate match. Please ensure the items you request is age appropriate for your child.
Please follow local guidelines, if you are collecting or delivering items, ensure it is a safe location and social distancing is maintained. Clean and disinfect any item you intend to give it away. If you receive any item, make sure that you clean it before you using it.
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Your feedback matters!
Have you taken part in our online offer? Do you have any suggestions or ideas on future services? If yes, please complete our online feedback form.
Thank you!
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Online Offer Family Gallery
Would you like to be featured on our next newsletter?
Have you tried any of our online activities mentioned in our videos and activity sheets?
If so, please let us know and send us a picture via email to Minal.Shah@hounslow.gov.uk
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WOW! moments
Most children have spent the last few months at home, learning new skills and reaching new milestones. Whether they have been budding new artists, building, cooking or simply playing; please share these special moments with us! You can do this by sending us your child’s name and age and a picture and/or description of their ‘WOW moment’ to Minal.Shah@hounslow.gov.uk. We will showcase the photos in our next month’s newsletter. If you would like to remain anonymous, please let us know.
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Benefits of a good routine for children
Routines are important for your child's wellbeing. For most of us, our lives involve a series of patterns—routines we perform almost every day, like stopping at the same place each day for coffee on the way to work. This is also very true for babies and toddlers. While we play a part in creating routines in our children’s lives, we may not fully realise the role they play in young children’s development.
Below are some of the benefits of a good routine for your child:
- Sense of security and control over their environment
- Can limit poor behaviour and outbursts
- Learn essential life skills
- Bring you and your child closer together and reduce power struggles
- Show me how to blow my nose
- Guide positive behaviour
- Support and develop children’s social skills
- Help children cope with transitions
- Routines are satisfying for parents too!
Our Children's Centre Practitioners Vikki and Viv have put together some tip sheets for families:
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Quote of the Month
'Sometimes we're all too quick to count down the days,
that we forget to make the days count' - unknown
Monthly mindfulness activity
The Art of Touch – give your child an object to touch, such as a ball, a feather, a soft toy, a stone, etc. Ask them to close their eyes and describe what it feels like. Then ask them to swap. This exercise teaches children to isolate their senses and to tune into separate, clear-cut experiences.
Further mindfulness activities can be found on the Minfulness4u website.
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Get Inspired – Couch to 5K
Couch to 5K is for everyone. Whether you've never run before or if you just want to get more active, Couch to 5K is a free and easy way of getting fitter and healthier. There are plenty of benefits from getting into running.
NHS Couch to 5K will help you gradually work up towards running 5K in just 9 weeks.
If you have any health concerns about beginning an exercise regime like Couch to 5K, make an appointment to see your GP and discuss it with them first.
Get started now on Apple or Android devices and share your story with the nation's biggest running community across social media via the #Couchto5k hashtag.
Surprise yourself - just because you don't doesn't mean you can't!
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Every Mind Matters
Most families have experienced upheaval in their daily lives during the pandemic.
Public Health England's Better Health – Every Mind Matters provides tips and advice to look after children and young people’s mental wellbeing.
The advice is designed to help parents and carers spot the signs that children may be struggling with their mental health and show the actions they can take to support them.
Top tips for parents and carers include:
- Be there to listen
- Stay involved in their life
- Take what they say seriously
- Support them through difficulties
- Encourage their interests
- Build positive routines
In addition to the advice for parents and carers the site also provides tools to help young people build resilience and equips them to look after their mental wellbeing.
For more information visit www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters
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Need Advice?
Every month we are going to be including an 'advice corner' forum in our newsletters.
If you need any advice on topics relating to childcare, child development, parenting, training and returning to work; please send an email to Michaela.clapson@hounslow.gov.uk, outlining the advice needed. This will be featured (anonymously) in the next newsletter and responded to by a relevant professional.
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Starting school in Hounslow – Reception 2021
If your child was born between 1 September 2016 and 31 August 2017 they will start school in September 2021.
The closing date for applications is 15 January 2021.
Information and the link to make an application can be found on our website www.hounslow.gov.uk/primaryadmissions
Late applications severely reduce the chances of getting your preferred school, so please make your application by 15 January 2021.
If you need help or have any queries, contact the School Admissions Team on 020 8583 2721 or admissions@hounslow.gov.uk
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Childcare
Nurseries, Preschools and Childminders are wonderful places for children to learn and have fun with friends, which supports their development and their overall wellbeing. Attending childcare can be an exciting and joyful experience for children and can also help provide a routine as they develop their social skills. Early years education is an important stage for children where they can flourish and get the best start in life.
If you have a two-year-old child they may be able to get up to 15 hours free childcare and early learning at an Ofsted registered private day nursery, pre-school or childminder. Check your eligibility online http://www.hounslow.gov.uk/free2 or call the Family Information Service 020 8583 3470
If you have a 3 or 4-year-old who is not yet going to school, they can get free childcare and education at an Ofsted registered private day nursery, pre-school playgroup or childminder. All 3- and 4-year olds, regardless of the parents’ immigration status, are entitled to up to 15 hours free education each week for 38 weeks from the term after their third birthday. http://www.hounslow.gov.uk/free15
3 or 4 year olds (30 hours) Working families in England with 3 and 4 year old children 30 hours of funded childcare and early education for 38 weeks A total of 1,140 hours per year, that you can use flexibly with one or more childcare provider Some providers will allow you to ‘stretch’ the hours over 52 weeks, using fewer hours per week Working parents or carers who are eligible for Tax-Free Childcare or 30 hours free childcare but have temporarily fallen below the minimum income requirement as a result of the pandemic will continue to receive financial support until 31 October 2020. Don’t miss out apply now for a code for September. If you apply after the 31st of August, you will need to wait until January to use the code. To find out more, visit: www.hounslow.gov.uk/30hours
If you need any help to find a childcare place, please contact the Family Information Service on 020 8583 3470. Alternatively, you can email them at fis@hounslow.gov.uk
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