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Welcome to another issue of the Family Hubs newsletter!
In this month's edition, we want to tell you about some of the fantastic things that have been happening across our Family Hubs network in Rotherham.
LATEST NEWS
Rotherham Children’s Public Health Nursing App
Families in Rotherham can get trusted health advice straight to their phone with the TRFT – Children’s Health Service App. It’s designed to support parents, carers and young people from pregnancy right through to age 19.
The app is packed with helpful, easy‑to‑understand information on everyday topics like infant feeding, child development milestones, sleep and bedtime routines, teething, toileting, healthy lifestyles and oral health. There’s also support for teenagers, including advice around sleep and wellbeing.
The app is completely free to download. Just search for “TRFT – Children’s Health Service App” in your app store, or follow the links here
It’s a simple, handy way to access reliable local health information anytime, adding to the support already available for families across Rotherham.
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One Plus One – Getting on Better
 We have recently updated our One Plus One online programmes for parents and carers who want to reduce conflict and improve relationships at home. These free programmes are designed to support families in a practical, down‑to‑earth way and can be done at your own pace, whenever it suits you.
The programmes available include Arguing Better, You, Me. and Baby Too, Debt and Relationships (which is new for Rotherham families), and Getting it Right for Children. Each one focuses on helping adults communicate better and understand how conflict can affect family life and impact on children.
To get started, visit https://www.oneplusone.org.uk/parents and click on the programme you’d like to try. If it’s your first time using the site, you’ll be asked to create an account by adding your email address and choosing a password.
Once you’ve registered, you can log in straight away and start the programme. You can dip in and out as needed, and everything is saved so you can come back to it later, helping you juggle completing the programme with daily life.
It’s a simple, supportive way to get help and make small changes that can make a big difference at home.
Saturday Family Hub Club
Our Saturday Family Hub Club now runs once a month in Family Hubs and other local community spaces, and it’s a lovely way to spend time together as a family. These sessions are open to everyone, with activities mainly focused on little ones, so they may not be suitable for older children.
Every session is a little different, but you can always expect plenty of play, crafts and fun at the heart of the morning. Our next session has a spring theme, so why not come along and join us at Ferham Family Hub and Children’s Centre? You’ll find us in the Sports Hall.
Date: Saturday 25 April.
Time: 10am to 11:30am.
We’d love to see you there for some Spring‑themed fun.
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Supporting Parents in the Early Days
 The first few days after bringing your baby home can be a mix of excitement, emotion and feeling completely overwhelmed, and that’s totally normal. Many parents tell us they need extra reassurance during those early days, especially when questions pop into your head at all times, day and night.
This was something we recently talked about at our Family Hubs Parent and Carer Panel. Families shared how hard it can be to find the right help and advice when you really need it, so the clear message was: let’s make support easier to find. And that’s exactly what we’ve done.
We’ve added new links to the Family Hubs website, including a dedicated page for the early days, weeks and months. You can visit the Best Start in Life page on the our website for trusted advice and information to support you and your baby.
Healthy Screen Time for Under‑5s
 Screens are part of everyday life, but for children under five, it’s important to keep a healthy balance.
Experts recommend avoiding screen time for under‑2s (except for things like video calls with family) and keeping screen use to around an hour a day for ages 2 to 5.
Focusing on slow and age‑appropriate content can really support young children’s development.
If you’d like to learn more about healthy screen habits for under‑5s, you can read the full guidance here.
Understanding Sensory Needs
 We all have things that can bother our senses sometimes, loud music, scratchy clothes or a taste we don’t like. For some children, though, these sensory experiences can feel overwhelming all the time. They may struggle to make sense of what’s happening inside and outside their body, and find it hard to cope with sights, sounds, smells or textures they can’t control. This is often described as having sensory differences or sensory needs.
On the Local Offer website you can find information, tips and advice for supporting children with sensory needs.
For pre-school children, we have information about sensory workshops for parents:
Advice and Support – Workshops for parents of children 0 to 5 years
For children in school, we have advice on our Education pages:
Support in Education – Support for different types of SEND
And we have a dedicated section about sensory needs on our Health and Wellbeing page, see here Health and Wellbeing – Sensory needs
This section includes fact sheets, information packs and toolkits for parents, young people, and schools.
Keeping Children Safe This Spring
This spring, as we spend more time outdoors and at home with doors and windows open, it’s a good time to think about everyday safety for young children.
Things like cleaning products, open windows, garden tools and water can all become risks very quickly if little ones can reach them.
Remember to store chemicals safely, keep an eye on children around water, and make small changes inside and outside the home to prevent accidents.
For more practical tips and simple safety guides, you can find lots of helpful information from a trusted source on the Child Accident Prevention Trust website or by clicking here
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Celebrating Your Feeding Journey
Come and join us for a relaxed celebration of breastfeeding at Vetro Lounge on Monday 27 April, from 10am to 12pm. This friendly get‑together is open to all breastfeeding families, as well as anyone who’s pregnant and wants to find out more about feeding their baby.
It’s a lovely chance to meet other families, share stories and feel supported, whether you’re currently feeding, getting ready to feed, or supporting someone who is. Little ones and supporters are very welcome, so please come along and celebrate your feeding journey with us.
If you’d like more information, you can contact the Infant Feeding Team on 01709 423333.
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We would like to learn about about the views, opinions and experiences of families living in Rotherham.
Every newsletter we will share a different question. All information provided will help to shape and improve Family Hub services in Rotherham.
Click the link to share your feedback
UPCOMING EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
Weekly Saturday Morning Read Alongs at Mowbray Gardens Library and Neighbourhood Hub
Recurs weekly on Saturdays.
Location: Mowbray Gardens Library and Neighbourhood Hub
Cost: Free
Time: 10am to 10:30am
Weekly Breastfeeding Advice and Support Group at Greasbrough Library and Neighbourhood Hub
Join our Breastfeeding Group, a relaxed and friendly space where mothers can connect, share and learn together.
Recurs weekly on Tuesdays.
Location: Greasbrough Library and Neighbourhood Hub
Cost: Free
Time: 10am to 12pm
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