Welcome to the latest edition of the Early Help Newsletter. In this edition you will hear from Fran Doyle, Head of Early Help, Partnerships and Commissioning as she reflects on 2022 and looks forward to 2023. There’s also information about a new workshop for parents who are struggling with their relationship.
If you have information on your service area you would like to share in the next early help newsletter, please email Kate.Bentham@shropshire.gov.uk or if you know of a colleague who would also like to receive this newsletter they can also email to be added to the distribution list.
‘By treating our children and young people with respect, love and trust and with the right amount of encouragement we can inspire them to dream big, build relationships and connections that matter and together with kindness and a sense of belonging we can do great things.’
Children and Young People’s vision statement
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Whether you think a parent or family needs some support, or you are worried a child might be at risk of abuse or neglect, there is only one number you need – 0345 678 9021. From this number you will receive the support you need to get the right help at the right time to strengthen families and safeguard children.
The first thing I wanted to say was a huge well done to everyone for getting through the year. All of us that work on behalf of families have done an absolutely sterling job this year, without exception. I feel humbled that I am part of a strong Early Help system, that even though some parts of our system have been struggling under the sheer demand and complexity of some of the issues we face – no one has given up on our families. Agencies, partners and front-line staff have found solutions to continue to work with each other to ensure that families are supported and able to cope.
Thank you to all those partners, providers and schools who have contributed to Shropshire’s Holiday and Food (HAF) programme, a three year funded programme. Throughout the last year it reached over 4500 children on free school meals or who were vulnerable. We have some phenomenal feedback from children, their parents and carers and from providers and partners. It is good to know that this does filter back to central government – who have committed to fund this programme for the next two years from April 2023.
I recall writing last year about the impending Government funding for Family Hubs, little did we know that the funding was only going to be distributed across 75 Local Authorities, and that Shropshire Council was not one of them. Nevertheless, this has not stopped us embedding the principles of multi-agency collaboration, and better integrated working. This year we have reached 350 professionals through our Building Brighter Futures network, through two events providing the space to think about the future and what we can all do collectively to support our families better, and improve their life chances, given the tough times our families have faced. Given the popularity of these face-to-face events, another is planned for March 2023, to reach an even broader prevention and early help community, and to build on this movement.
This year has focussed on wave 8 of mental health practitioners in schools with another 20 schools coming on board to host mental health practitioners on school sites, having direct access to and supporting children and young people whilst in school. This year we launched Talk Boost – ensuring a focus on our youngest children, with speech and language being a key focus in early years settings.
This year schools in particular told us the Early Help module is not simple enough to use, we have listened and simplified it (EHM is the case management system that helps us all working in the early help system to share information to support families better). Next year we will go even further – in understanding what else we can do to make the information sharing system even more user friendly so that professionals use it.
The Early Help System is not a single service. It is a network of services, processes and interactions that aim to help children, young people and families at the earliest opportunity. Improving this system requires clarity of what success looks like, shared across a range of partners, and informed by the voices of managers, practitioners and families. Next year this is why we must consolidate integrated teams of professionals working out of family hubs or in venues closer to local communities, and build on the Oswestry Integration Project, an innovative programme to support the development of early help and prevention for families and communities. With a range of disciplines coming together under one roof, health, early help, social care, drugs and alcohol services, voluntary and community sector partners, together we will provide the right support to families, at the right time, offering a swift response to family’s needs.
Thank you for the passion and commitment you show to families – I am humbled to work alongside such a dedicated Early Help system team and here’s to the next 12 months.
All the very best for Christmas and the New Year and a well-earned break.
Regards Fran
Head of Early Help, Partnerships and Commissioning
Compass will continue to operate during usual working hours over Christmas and New Year, apart from the Bank Holidays and weekends. On these days The Emergency Social Work Team will operate as usual.
In between Christmas and New Year there will be reduced staff cover to take URGENT safeguarding concerns only. The phone number remains the same 0345 678 9021.
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The newly established Shropshire Council Youth Support team provide support through working on the streets, interacting with young people and running arranged sessions in schools. To help them make sure they’re benefiting young people to the best of their abilities, they want to hear from young people and to find out what they want. It's very important that the voices of young people are not only heard but are listened to as well so that they know what their concerns are.
Please encourage as many young people as possible to complete this short questionnaire.
Youth Support Services are primarily detached workers which means they mainly work without the use of a building or activity. Instead, their work takes place where young people are, both geographically and developmentally. For the most part, this means working on the streets, though not exclusively. They work to deliver personal and social education whether at school, at home or in town, by using everyday situations as educational opportunities in an informal way. This helps to address the needs of young people as they see them or as young people tell them what those needs are. We help with personal, social and educational development in an informal approach and in an environment that is structured around doing so on the terms of young people.
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Relationships can be difficult, complicated, fun, satisfying, exciting, annoying, bring out the best in us, bring out the worst in us. We are often in one, but we don’t often spend much time on them. So, here’s the chance
- Do you feel your relationship needs some attention?
- Do you feel you are drifting a bit lately or things have been difficult?
- Would you like to meet with other parents and carers?
- Are you looking for a way forward?
Why not join us for our 4 week workshop with one 2 hours session each week.
There are 2 different workshops on offer this Spring:
- Starts Wednesday 25th January for 4 weeks, 12.30-2.30pm in Shrewsbury
- Starts Wednesday 8th March for 4 weeks, 12.30-2.30pm in Shrewsbury
To book a place on the workshop or for further information, including the venue please contact the Parenting Team by emailing parenting.team@shropshire.gov.uk or call 01743 250950
Good Start Together is a parent, toddler & baby group providing support, encouragement and activities for parents with post-natal depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and limited confidence.
We welcome referrals from professionals and agencies, working with parents whose circumstances may hinder growth, socialisation and development of their child.
It’s a closed group with a number limit of 6 adult participants, attending with their children of birth to nursery age, run by volunteers with appropriate experience and qualifications. It is a FREE service.
Venue: Ludlow Methodist Church Time: Thursdays 9.30 to 11.00am
Membership of the group is strictly by referral only.
For further information or to make a referral please email: gst.handstogetherludlow@gmail.com
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Welcome to Issue 19 of Shropshire's SEND newsletter, (December 2022), co-produced by Shropshire Council, Shropshire NHS and PACC.
The newsletter aims to provide easy access to key information for SEND families, as well as an opportunity for parent carers to hear from each other about their experiences.
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The Office for Product Safety and Standards has issued an Urgent Safety Alert for baby self-feeding pillows and is urging the public to stop using them immediately and dispose of them safely.
Baby self-feeding pillow products are designed to be attached to a bottle so that the baby may be positioned on its back to self-feed without the assistance of a caregiver holding the bottle and controlling the feed.
This is inconsistent with NHS guidance in relation to safe bottle feeding.
When used as intended, even whilst under the supervision of a caregiver, it could lead to immediate, serious harm or death from choking or aspiration pneumonia.
OPSS has identified that this category of products will always be dangerous due to their design and intended use and can never be made safe.
Consumers should immediately stop using these products and dispose of them safely.
Businesses must immediately remove these products from the market as they cannot comply with the safety requirements under the General Product Safety Regulations, 2005.
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Due to the current cost of living crisis and the huge challenges facing families as we go into winter, the Lullaby Trust have issued specific advice for families on safe sleep during the winter months. This will allow practitioners to support families to follow safe sleeping advice when they may not be able to heat their homes.
NEW Parent and Carer Wellbeing Walks
Autism West Midlands will shortly be advertising term-time opportunities for parents/carers to get together and join them out and about in the beautiful Shropshire countryside – meet, chat with others, get some fresh air and head space. Keep an eye on their events page to find out more.
Autism West Midlands Advice slots
Every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday
For those would like some online advice Autism West Midlands are offering this virtually via video appointments. Teams works well on mobile phones. To book a 45 min advice appointment with a specialist autism advisor please visit this webpage. They will email your Team link the week before your slot, so make sure you are checking your inbox, including junk/spam to get your link.
If the dates/timings of the online advice appointments are not convenient for you, please contact Autism West Midlands to make alternative arrangements – scroll down for details
Autism West Midlands Virtual Support Group for Parents
Wednesday Mornings 10am-11am & Wednesday Evenings 8pm-9pm –
1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month (term time)
Autism West Midlands online support groups meet twice a month via Zoom. This is an opportunity to talk with other parents, share ideas, and offer support. It is recommended that you have attended an online advice appointment with a member of the team before joining group sessions (info above).
If you would like to join either of the support groups, please email the team here shropshire@autismwestmidlands.org.uk
Autism West Midlands Dad’s Group
Monthly on a Thursday 7pm-8pm
This is an opportunity for dads to meet online, share ideas, celebrate their children’s achievement’s and offer support to each other with a member of Autism West Midlands present. For more information and booking details please click here.
Autism West Midlands Advice and Support
Autism West Midlands offer advice and support over the phone and via email. Parents carers can contact the team directly to arrange an appointment including face-to-face if preferable.
Shropshire office - 01952 454156
Mon, Wed, Fri - Wendy Cowton 07900784186
Weds, Thu, Fri - Emma Hegenbarth 07881109480
Tue, Wed, Thu - Dawn Lewis 07706309382
Email shropshire@autismwestmidlands.org.uk
Helpline 0121 450 7575
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Help and support is on hand for those who are worried about money or struggling with day to day living this winter.
Shropshire Council has been working with partners to bring together key resources into one place, to help residents across Shropshire affected by the cost of living crisis.
The Cost of Living Help website offers a wide range of information and advice on:
- Money
- Energy costs and advice
- Food
- Information and support for those who care for others
- Help getting work
- Mental health and wellbeing
- What benefits/financial support you could claim from your council
- Warm welcome locations – nearly 60 locations where residents can just turn up for a chat and find out what support there is in their local area.
In addition to the above support, there is a handy 16 point Cost of Living Checklist that can help you focus on the things that can help reduce costs and increase your income as well as supporting your mental health.
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- Are you passionate about supporting children and young people to achieve positive outcomes?
- Do you want to be part of a new Keyworker support service for children and young people in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin?
- Can you support and achieve positive change for children, and young people with a learning disability autism or both, helping them to navigate services and support?
Then this could be the opportunity for you.
The Keyworking function in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin has been developed as part of the National Health Service long term plan for all children and young people with a learning disability, autism or both to have a designated Keyworker by 2024. This recruitment is for two full time Keyworkers to work as part of this function. For further information and to apply please visit the Barnardo’s website.
Get ready for winter by stocking up medicine cabinets at home, is the message from health experts at NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin.
A new campaign launched this week recommends that medicine cabinets at home are kept #stockedandlocked – stocked with essential medicines and products, as well as locked and out of the reach of children.
Both pharmacists and GPs advise that medicine cabinets should include painkillers, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, indigestion treatments and a first aid kit containing a thermometer, plasters and bandages.
These over-the-counter treatments are available in high street stores and supermarkets and are often cheaper than prescriptions.
Pharmacists also offer free help and advice on many minor illnesses, such as colds, coughs or fever, and can recommend the most effective medications to safely treat symptoms at home without the need to see a doctor.
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