|
July 2026
Welcome to the July edition of the TAF newsletter.
As we move into the summer months, we are pleased to bring you the latest updates, highlights, and achievements from across the team.
|
|
 |
As we move into the summer months and approach the end of the academic year, we are pleased to share the latest updates, achievements, and opportunities from across the TAF partnership. This edition focuses on supporting children, young people, and families throughout the summer holiday period, while celebrating the continued growth of the TAF approach across Nottingham.
Inside this month's newsletter, you'll find information on a wide range of free summer activities and Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programmes available across the city, as well as events delivered through Nottingham City Family Hubs and local community partners. We are also delighted to welcome our latest TAF adopters and share examples of how partners are embedding the TAF approach to provide coordinated support for families.
We highlight recent achievements from the TAF Team, including partnership work with probation services and community engagement at the Djanogly City Academy Family Festival. You'll also find information on the free EasyPeasy parenting app, our popular Weekly Holiday Planner for Families, upcoming Lead Professional Training dates, and our expanding Lunch and Learn awareness sessions for professionals.
This month’s Community Spotlight highlights a range of fantastic free summer holiday activities available for families across Nottingham.
Holiday Activities and Food (HAF)
The HAF programme provides funded holiday activities, meals, and wellbeing support for children and young people aged 5–16. Delivered by local providers during school holidays, the programme helps children stay active, have fun, and enjoy a healthy meal.
Activities include games, craft sessions, messy play, outdoor activities, with events taking place throughout the summer holidays. Please note that some summer holiday activities may be specifically aimed at children who are eligible for benefits‑related free school meals, so we encourage families to check the individual event details before attending.
Click the links below to see what's available near you.
There are also some great online activities available, including the opportunity for children and young people to apply for a Blue Peter Badge.
Nottingham City Best Start Family Hubs - Free Summer Events
We would like to highlight some of the fantastic opportunities available through Nottingham City Family Hubs this summer.
From free family events and outdoor activities to creative play, games, and opportunities to connect with other families, Family Hubs offer a wide range of support and activities throughout the school holidays.
|
The Family Hubs are welcoming community spaces where families can access advice, build relationships, and enjoy quality time together.
Events taking place at Meadows, Bestwood, Hyson Green, and Broxtowe Family Hubs throughout August.
View/Download Poster
|
|
 |
Summer HAF sessions at Bulwell Riverside Youth Centre
 |
|
The Adolescence Youth Team is running free Summer HAF sessions for young people aged 11–16 at Bulwell Riverside Youth Centre.
Sessions take place from 3pm–6pm on 4–6 August, 11–13 August, and 18–20 August, offering fun activities, food, and opportunities to stay active and social throughout the summer holidays.
View/Download Poster
|
We are finishing the academic year on a high! It's wonderful to see more schools embracing the Team Around the Family approach this term.
A massive congratulations and thank you to:
- Southglade Primary and Nursery School
- Nottingham University Samworth Academy (NUSA)
- Henry Whipple Primary School
- Bluecoat Primary School
- Edna G olds Academy
- Djanogoly Sherwood Academy
- Glade Hill Primary and Nursery School
We are delighted to welcome you on board and look forward to working together to ensure children and families receive a coordinated , timely support when they need it most.
From supporting children and families to developing new initiatives and strengthening partnerships, this section celebrates the team's latest achievements, activities, and successes.
Working with Probation services
|
TAF team's Alisha Smith has been working closely with Probation colleagues to support the embedding of the Team Around the Family (TAF) approach within their service and raise awareness of how Early Help can benefit the individuals and families they work with.
This has included having a range of productive discussions with probation officers about cases where TAF may be appropriate, helping them to consider how the approach could complement their existing interventions and support positive outcomes for families. Alisha also attended a team meeting to promote understanding of the TAF model and explore how it aligns with their current practice.
To further strengthen awareness and confidence, a workshop has been arranged for trainee probation officers, with additional training opportunities for established officers planned. This will ensure ongoing collaboration and support as TAF becomes more embedded within the service.
|
|
 |
Djanogly City Academy Family Festival
|
Sarah Prince from the TAF Team attended Djanogly City Academy's Annual Family Festival on 3rd of July, promoting the TAF approach to pupils, parents and carers, school staff, and partner agencies.
The event offered a great platform to raise awareness of TAF through conversations, information sharing, and promotional materials. It was a fantastic opportunity to engage with families in a fun and welcoming environment, helping to ensure that children, young people, and their families know where to access additional support when needed.
Djanogly City Academy has shown a strong commitment to the TAF approach, with a number of staff now successfully TAF trained and working to embed the model within the school. This commitment will help ensure that children and families can access coordinated support at the earliest opportunity.
Feedback from families attending the event was extremely positive, with many commenting on the excellent support provided by the school and the warm, welcoming relationships that staff have built with pupils and their families.
|
|
 |
 |
|
We would like to thank the staff, pupils, and families at Djanogly City Academy for their warm welcome and for inviting the TAF Team to be part of such a successful community event.
|
 
|
EasyPeasy brings together the best ideas, advice, and inspiration from a diverse community of parents, experts, and brands supporting families and their 0-5-year-olds during the crucial early years.
Parents can access thousands of simple, fun, and educational parenting tips and activities, tailored to their child’s age and development stage, designed to use everyday materials that families already have access to at home.
The app includes information, activities, and tips on a range of topics including:
● Wellbeing
● Bedtime
● Nutrition
● Speech and language
● Mindfulness
EasyPeasy - Free Parenting App | Early Help Nottingham
View/Download Poster
|
|
 |
Our Weekly Holiday Planner is now available to collect as convenient A4 glued pads, with 100 sheets per pad. If you would like a pad, please contact your TAF Advisor.
Designed to help families plan activities, maintain routines, and support children's wellbeing during the school holidays, it includes useful information, local support links, and QR codes to holiday activities and financial support.
The resource is also available to download and print using the links below:
It has been fantastic to see the diverse range of partners attending our Lead Professional training, joining the Team around the Family journey and strengthening partnership working to support earlier identification and intervention for children and families. We now look forward to welcoming day care providers to our upcoming training sessions as we continue to expand and strengthen the TAF Network across Nottingham.
A warm welcome and thank you to Bestwood Park Nursery who have booked their place on the training.
The TAF Team offer monthly Lead Professional training throughout the year.
Our upcoming training dates are:
- 13th August - Bestwood Family Hub
- 30th September - Bestwood Family Hub
Training is delivered monthly, with dates released two months in advance.
To book onto one of our upcoming training sessions, please complete our LP Training booking form to secure your place or send an email to AskTAF@nottinghamcity.gov.uk.
To help build a wider understanding of the TAF approach, we also offer a series of “Lunch and Learn” sessions (see below), offering a simple and accessible introduction for all practitioners.
Lunchtime TAF Workshop & Q&A Update
The Lunch and Learn sessions for our external Partners have now started, with the first session held at the Mary Potter Centre. The session was an opportunity for our partners to get an oversight on the new Team Around The Family model and for attendees to ask the TAF advisor's questions.
The session was attended by Day nurseries from the local area and the feedback given was that they could really see how this new approach could benefit the families that they work with. These attendees have already started booking onto the Lead Professional Training!
A big thank you to Stepping Stones Day Nursery, Bestwood Day Nursery, Zaytuna Day Nursery and Little Toes Day Nursery for attending the sessions.
As well as the Lunch and Learn sessions, the TAF advisors also used the opportunity to speak with internal colleagues based in The Mary Potter Centre e.g. housing patch managers, to raise TAF awareness.
Upcoming dates for Lunch and Learn sessions are:
- Wednesday 29th July, 12:15pm - 1pm – Broxtowe Family Hub
- Thursday 6th August, 1:15pm - 2pm – St Anns Valley Centre
|
If you would like to find out more about the TAF Awareness Lunch and Learn sessions, please book using the link below or scan the QR code.
Link: TAF Lunch and Learn Booking Form
We look forward to seeing you there.
|
|
 |
|
We want this newsletter to be a helpful and practical tool for you all. If there’s anything you’d like to see included, please scan this QR code or click the link below to share your suggestions, we’d really value your feedback.
Link: TAF Newsletter Feedback Form – Fill in form
|
|
 |
|
