The Parenting Team will be delivering free Understanding Your Child and Understanding Your Child SEND – from toddler to teens - groups from January 2026

These 10 week groups aim to:

• Promote understanding of children’s behaviour within the context of developmental issues
• Promote the development of parent/child relationship
• Increase confidence and self-esteem in both parents and children
• Give parents a strategy for repair when things go wrong
• Promote reflective, sensitive and effective parenting

We are also offering free SLEEP TIGHT groups from January 2026, including one for SEND families.

These 5 week workshops cover:

• Recognising the role of sleep hygiene to improve sleep
• Identifying causes of sleep issues and appropriate practical strategies to try
• Completing sleep diaries and identifying potential sleep issues

For the dates and venues please see the Family Information Service Directory - Information to help families in Shropshire

There’s one Meet and Chat SEND sessions still taking place this term for parent carers of a child with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

Parent Carers can join us for an informal drop-in session where they can ask questions, get advice, and explore the support available to them within Shropshire. Speak to a range of professionals who can help with:

• Education, health, and Care Plans (EHCPs)
• School support and advocacy
• Health and Wellbeing for children with SEND
• Social care and family support
• Mental health and emotional wellbeing
• Advice for navigating SEND challenges

Each session will have different professionals available, but parent carers are encouraged to come along, have a chat, and find the help they need!

Visit the Family Information Service (FIS) directory for information on dates and venues.

The Parenting Help and Support Line are here for all parents, including parent carers of children and young people with SEND. They offer a friendly listening ear and practical advice on everything from behaviours that challenge to sleep issues. No judgment, just support.

Call 01743 250950 Monday - Thursday, 9.30am - 4.30pm or Friday, 9.30am - 3.30pm or email: parenting.team@shropshire.gov.uk

It’s fair to say that all parents from time to time need some help and support with issues that impact on family life. There is help and support available in Shropshire through our Early Help coffee and chat drop ins – some of which are also stay and play sessions.

You can get free Information, advice and support on all aspects of family life, at our Family Drop-Ins.  You can chat, have a cuppa and see how we can help you with:

• Family life
• Parenting support
• Domestic abuse support
• Money worries
• Housing support
• Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
• and much more

To find your local drop in please visit the Shropshire Family Information Service Directory

Information on the open access clinics run throughout Shropshire by Health Visitors has been updated. You can find out where they are and when they run by clicking on the Shropshire Family Information Service Directory

They offer parents the chance to get their baby weighed but also to access information, advice and support on a range of topics, including:

• Infant feeding and breastfeeding advice
• Child development
• Emotional health and wellbeing
• Parenting and local support groups
• Behaviour
• Sleep

Please promote these great clinics to parents who may benefit from attending. Parents who would like support but are unable to get to a session, can also get help by calling 0333 358 3654 or texting the team on 07520 635212.

Worried about your relationship or feel you’re arguing too much? Not all arguing between parents is harmful but when it’s intense or happens a lot of the time, there can be a negative impact on the children.

If your relationship is going through a difficult phase, you can find ways to argue ‘better’, resolve disputes and reduce conflict at home with our range of free courses, resources and apps. Have a look at the Getting on better pages of the Early Help website.

sh Molloy, Family Relationships Coordinator has set up regular lunchtime drop-in sessions, delivered via Teams, which are available to anyone that works with conflicted relationships between parents.

You can drop into any session to discuss a family you’re concerned about or just come along to listen and learn.

If you’re confused whether you’re dealing with Parental Conflict or Domestic Abuse, we can unpick that, or if you’re just stuck and unsure how to move forward, support is available.

2025 drop-in sessions as follows:

• Wednesday 26th November – 12.30 to 1.30pm – click here to join the session​
• Wednesday 17th December – 12.30 to 1.30pm – click here to join the session​

If you would prefer a 1-1 with Ash to discuss a particular family, please email ash.molloy@shropshire.gov.uk  

What to do if your request for Targeted Early Help and Social Work Assessment is not accepted

If practitioners or organisations refer to Targeted Early Help or Children’s Social Care and the referral does not meet the support criteria, they should receive advice and feedback regarding that decision. There are several alternative options available:

• If the outcome is Targeted Early Help, the referrer will be contacted by a member of their local Early Help hub team.
• If the outcome is universal Early Help, the referrer should initiate an Early Help episode on EHM, complete an Early Help Assessment and create a Family Plan, in order to support the family at that earlier stage. Training on EHM and Early Help processes is available. For further assistance, contact supportingfamiliesteam@shropshire.gov.uk
• Parents and carers can access Family Hubs to discuss support needs, you can find these on the Family Information Service (FIS) directory - Information to help families in Shropshire.
• The Integrated Consultation Panel offer may also be considered. More information about the Integrated Consultation Panel can be found on the Early Help website.

If there is disagreement with the outcome decision, the Escalation Policy can be used.

The escalation process is detailed on the SSCP website:

05-escalation-policy-multi-agency-resolution-or-escalation-procedure-for-professionals-disagreements-or-concerns.pdf

This process applies to practitioners in any organisation supporting children and families who are seeking resolution regarding decisions or actions within Children’s Social Care or Targeted Early Help.

This 8-week course will help mum’s understand how domestic violence impacts on you as a parent and how it affects your children.

The course objectives are to empower, support and develop further understanding of their role as a mother in addressing the needs of their children and young people

Every Wednesday from Wednesday 14^th January 2026 – Wednesday 11^th March 2026 09:30-11:30am

Venue: Shrewsbury SY1

To book and secure a place on this course please call 01743 250400 

Facilitated by Early Help and Support Team with Shropshire Domestic Abuse Service

The Solihull Approach team is now Togetherness.

While their name has changed, their mission remains the same: to raise emotional health for every child, parent, and professional. The Solihull Approach model continues to underpin everything they do—because its relevance has never been greater.

In a world of rapid change, digital pressures, and growing uncertainty, families and professionals face new challenges. From navigating identity, social media and advancing technology to supporting children in forming healthy relationships, the need for emotional resilience is universal.

Togetherness: A new identity, a shared mission

Togetherness is more than a name, it’s their commitment to connection, compassion, and community. It brings together all that the Solihull Approach stands for, offering:

• Professional training across health, education, and social care
• Accessible learning pathways for parents, carers, families, young and older people
• Support for practice and community projects that build emotional strength

Togetherness gives them a clear, inclusive identity to expand their reach and deepen their impact. It allows them to refresh their learning materials, respond to global needs, and continue delivering evidence-based support that transforms lives.

Emotional resilience for the everyday

At the core of Togetherness is the belief that relationships matter. Whether it’s a parent and child, a teacher and student, or a practitioner and family, strong, emotionally attuned relationships are the foundation of wellbeing.

The Solihull Approach model remains their compass. Togetherness is how they bring it to the world

For information on the online learning pathways offered by Togetherness please visit the Family Information Service Directory

Shropshire Council is pleased to announce that Shaftesbury has been awarded the contract to provide Overnight Short Breaks to children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) for at least the next three years. This is a change in provider from Action for Children.

The award of the contract follows the completion of the formal tender and procurement process. Shaftesbury will begin providing Overnight Short Breaks from April 1, 2026.

The newly commissioned overnight short breaks service will continue to be provided at Bradbury House

To find out more please visit the newsroom

If you know of a family who might benefit from a foodbank Christmas hamper, please check with your local Foodbank when their referral process closes. Please be aware that some Foodbank referrals for this additional Christmas support close at the beginning of December. You can find a list of Foodbanks on the  Shropshire Larder website.

Foodbank Plus at the Barnabas Community Centre told us that each year they support the local community by giving around 500 Christmas Hampers to those households that are referred to them. The hamper contains everything for a full Christmas dinner, Christmas treats plus gifts for children. Every hamper is made up especially for the requirements of each household, so every hamper is bespoke! To find out more about the Barnabas Christmas support please visit Christmas 2025 — Foodbank PLUS Their Christmas referrals close on 5^th December.

Organisations who are referral partners of the Little Stars charity can make a referral to the Santa’s Little Stars Campaign which means babies and children, who may not otherwise receive Christmas presents, get to open at least one present on Christmas Day.

Since Christmas 2020 they have supported 950 children. To find out more about the campaign, including how to make a donation, please visit the Little Stars website - Santa's Little Stars Campaign

To find out more about making a referral for a family to receive a gift please visit the Make a Referral page.

PACC and Shropshire Council have organised a workshop for parent carers to discuss what support should be available to mainstream schools (including SEND Hubs) to support inclusion on Friday 28^th November from 9.30 – 12.30. The workshop will introduce the ‘Local Inclusion Support Offer (LISO)’, discuss what is already available to schools, identify any gaps and consider how we ensure that SEND families are well informed about this offer. The meeting will open with a discussion about Inclusion; what do we mean by this and what are the key principles Shropshire Schools should be thinking about

Please share with any parent carers who would be interested in sharing their views.

Book on here https://forms.office.com/e/bQ29wyivZD

Did you know there was a dedicated Domestic Abuse Helpline in Shropshire run by West Mercia Women’s Aid?

We understand that people living in rural areas can face extra challenges when trying to access in-person support, so this helpline might be a lifeline.

How can you help?

• Share information with families and partners to reach as many people as possible who may need support
• Distribute posters in your community - please contact volunteer@wmwa.org.uk to receive an information pack today!
• Find out more: https://www.westmerciawomensaid.org/shropshirehelpline/

Those looking for support can call the helpline on 0800 229 4066 or access LiveChat via the West Mercia Women’s Aid website.

Shropshire Council have a PA Noticeboard, where parent carers of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) can advertise and look for a PA – someone who helps someone else live the life they want to live by supporting their care needs.

The noticeboard was originally built around the adult sector but has recently been opened for the Children’s sector as well.

Parent carers just need to register on there and they can then contact any PAs who seem suitable. (There are search facilities to be able to filter by area, specialty, etc).

Parent carers can also put a specific advert on there, themselves. There’s lots of information and guidance included.

Please share with any families who may benefit from this.

Shropshire Personal Assistant Jobs Noticeboard

The TREES team have received information about young people using/accessing “Penjamin Vape Pens”.

These look and operate as ballpoint pens. There are a variety brands (some are nicotine some are THC).

The Penjamin Cart Pen UK Vape Carts

For more information about TREES (Together Reducing and Ending Exploitation in Shropshire) visit their website Child exploitation | Shropshire Council

Shropshire’s SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (IASS) are excited to share their latest recorded session for parent carers: Special Educational Needs (SEN) Support in Schools which is now available to watch on YouTube!

The session explores how SEN support works in schools across Shropshire and aims to empower parent carers with practical knowledge to help navigate their child’s educational journey.

This accessible video explains:

• What SEN is
• What SEN Support is
• What families can expect
• How to work in partnership

Watch now: SEN Support in Schools – Shropshire SENDIASS 

Our role is to provide dedicated support for children and young people with asthma, with a particular focus on those who may be harder to reach, more vulnerable, or living in hidden or deprived areas of our county. We work closely with families, schools, and health professionals to ensure these children receive the care, education, and guidance they need to manage their asthma safely and effectively.

By reaching out to these groups, we aim to:

• Improve asthma awareness and self-management skills.
• Reduce avoidable hospital admissions and emergency attendances.
• Promote equal access to asthma support across the community.

We are keen to build strong links with local partners and services, so if you are working with children and young people who might benefit from our input, please do get in touch.

It is recommended that all professionals working with children and young people with asthma complete Tier 1 of this nationally recognised free training, you can register here:

https://www.e-lfh.org.uk/programmes/children-and-young-peoples-asthma/ 

Thank you for your support in helping us improve the care and outcomes for children and young people with asthma in our county. Please note our service is currently only funded until March 2026 so we are keen to engage with yourselves before this date.

Please contact us on laura.scott21@nhs.net and kate.perkins2@nhs.net

The Centre for Young Lives has published its second report on the provision of Best Start family hubs in England.

The report highlights the range of local factors than can impact on early childhood development including access to high quality childcare and early education, wider support for families and the extent of deprivation. In partnership with local authorities and experts, the report identifies six principles for delivering a successful network of hubs, including: a single front door approach to support and an integrated local system; family support where the voices of children and families are heard; and family support that is embedded into communities. 

The report calls for the government to establish a statutory basis for the family hubs that brings all existing family support under one Best Start family hub legislative framework, with a duty placed on local partners to work together to support families through hubs.

Read the report: Best start: a fresh start for children and family support: part 2 report

Male Allies UK has published new research on how adolescent boys feel about being a boy in today’s society, exploring their views on topics including gender, relationships and technology. The research involved surveys and listening sessions with 1,032 11- to 16-year-old boys in secondary schools across England, Scotland and Wales. Interviews with a small sample of parents were also held.

Key findings include: a lack of physical spaces for boys to be with their peers, encouraging more time online; boys are prone to loneliness and use technology to make and maintain friendships, with chatbots being used by some for emotional support, friendships and romantic relationships; and boys are watching a varied set of online influencers including ‘manosphere influencers’, but 79% aren’t clear what ‘masculinity’ means.

Recommendations include: creating more youth programmes and initiatives for boys; better support for parents and teachers to help them understand technology and support young people with critical thinking and digital literacy skills; greater regulation to ensure technology companies prioritise children’s wellbeing; and making sure boys know that feminism and allyship is good for them too. Read the news story: The voice of the boys: How boys in secondary school education feel about being a boy today

NSPCC Learning has published the latest blog in its Why language matters series. The blog explores some of the problems with using the term ‘alleged’ in safeguarding and child protection work, highlighting how the term can imply that professionals don’t believe what a child has shared and how it can create barriers to children sharing their experiences. The blog outlines the importance of using simple, factual language when recording what a child has shared.

Read the blog: Why language matters: why we should avoid using the term ‘alleged’ when talking about child abuse and neglect

More in Common, a think tank and research agency, has published research findings on British parents’ opinions of their children’s online safety based on a survey of 2,012 parents of children aged 17-years-old and under.

Findings include: parents are deeply concerned about their children’s online safety; parents feel they are struggling to keep their children safe online with a third saying that setting limits on children’s digital use leads to conflict; and there is strong support for new laws and action from tech companies, with 77% of parents in the survey supporting comprehensive age verification and 78% wanting more action on algorithms.

Read the report: Parents talk online safety

See also on NSPCC Learning  > Preventing online harm and abuse

For Philippa – Family Support Worker

Mum: Thank you for everything. Thank you for kick starting things. You've been really pro active in helping us. We really appreciate everything you've done and the help for the girls.

Dad: My counselling sessions have been a revelation- don't know why I didn't do it sooner

Young adults

H "You're chill. You've been helpful, it definitely been good to talk and it's helped show me options for college and training. I feel better: the ups are better. Arguments are nowhere near as long at home and are more debating- rarely shouting."

L "I'm really glad I decided to do the counselling. It's going to really help. It's been brilliant to be able to talk and open up with you and without being horrible I hadn't thought it would be any good as so many people have tried to help but this time it really has helped. Thank you".

For Emma – Family Support Worker

PARENT : Made me feel less alone, and like I had people around me who understood what I was going through. Lots of different things were put it in place to support me and xxxxx. I had been struggling on my own for so long, so to finally have someone step in and help practically and emotionally was a lifeline.

Child 1: Good. Most of it has been helpful. Child 2: Good. I liked chatting to you. Child 3: I liked seeing you. I liked doing the Lego, that was fun. Child 4: I liked seeing you. I liked singing and dancing to you last week.

For Jayne – Family Support Worker

The experience since Jayne came on board meant I felt listened to. She has kept in touch and corresponded well with me. I feel there is a bias against fathers…. but not by Jayne herself.

I did feel that others excluded me and did not keep me updated on matters relating to my son

I found myself in unusual circumstances and through working with Jayne I have realised that I am not doing a bad job but there are things I can improve on.

Mum added when contacted for child feedback

There has been a significant improvement in recent communication with M (child’s Dad) and I feel Jayne has been instrumental in helping M with this.

Jayne came across as a human being …… so she felt approachable and understanding. It made the experience less worrying.

For Collette – Partner Support Officer

Collette is always at the end of a Team's call. She will always call back if she has missed a call.

The Family Support Workers speed dial her with any issues/questions/queries.

No job is too big for Collette; she is extremely knowledgeable and helpful. We could not do our daily job without her.

In a nutshell Collette is AMAZING!!