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…EPIC Awards Nomination window is about to open!

Do you know an exceptional person in care? Please stand by to nominate them for this year’s Disney themed EPIC Awards (Exceptional People in Care).

Hosted by the Children in Care Council, Care Leavers Forum, the County Council and partners, this year promises to be a spectacular celebration of the achievements of young people in care and care leavers. Your help is needed to nominate young people in care, or Care Leavers, aged between 5 and 25 years.

Nominations are open from 29 August to 5 October 2017, with the ceremony taking place Sunday 10 December for all those nominated at Butlins in Bognor Regis. This year showcases new categories entitled Big Hearts, Big Talents, Big Thinkers and Big Strength designed by the Children in Care Council.

Please help us make this a great event by submitting nominations from 29th August. Details on how to do this will be released in mid-August.

For more information in the meantime, please contact Toby Wilson, Epic.awards@westsussex.gov.uk.

Health4Families Programme (H4FP) - Healthy Eating Campaign.

Everyone needs to eat well and healthy eating habits will help to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Children need to establish good eating patterns and learn from family around them how to enjoy meals and make healthy food choices.

Did you know?

• Many packaged foods and drinks contain surprisingly high amounts of free sugars. Free sugars are any sugars added to foods or drinks, or found naturally in honey, syrups and unsweetened fruit juices.
• Being overweight or obese can lead to health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Being underweight could also affect health.
• Children in the UK are consuming nearly three times more sugar than the maximum daily recommendation
• Nearly a quarter of the added sugar in our diet comes from soft drinks, fruit juice, and other non-alcoholic drinks
• Nearly a fifth of West Sussex children in the school reception year were overweight or obese (2014/15) National Child Measurement Programme
  
  

Health4Families Programme (H4FP) - Let’s get moving shall we?

Physical activity helps children grow strong bones, maintain a healthy weight and discover the world around them.

Best of all, its great fun!

Did you know?

• Physical inactivity remains one of the top ten causes of disease and disability
• Parents, carers, grandparents and siblings can be important role models and when families are active together everyone benefits
• Physical activity is central to a baby’s normal growth and development. This continues through school and into adulthood and older years.  

Please see Health4Families Programme Factsheet: Physical Activity. Identifying key messages, resources, including Change4life information and research to support evidence based practice.

Sussex Prisoners' Families - We want your Voice!

Sussex Prisoners’ Families is a local project that provides a range of support for people affected by the imprisonment of a family member in the courts and communities across Sussex. Details of their services can be found on their website.

Sussex Prisoners Families are working with North RTD, West Sussex County Council and the Safer West Sussex Partnership to conduct a scoping study on the needs of prisoners’ families living in West Sussex. The scoping study findings will be used help local organisations better understand the impact of imprisonment on families, how the seek support at this time, and how services can help meet their needs in future.

Please promote this where possible, and if you have time:  

• Complete the online survey for professionals available here.
• Share the family online survey with your service users, available here.
  

For more information, please contact Tanya Mackay, Community Safety Manager on 0330 222 3887 or via email Tanya Mackay.

NSPCC Domestic Abuse Recovery Together (DART) programme 

My Sisters’ House CIC Arun & Chichester Women’s Centre in Bognor Regis has recently been awarded a contract from the West Sussex Clinical Commissioning Groups to roll out the 10 week NSPCC DART programme in West Sussex for mothers and children. 

The purpose is to allow mothers and children to explore these issues within a safe, supportive and friendly environment for children to communicate to their mothers how they have been affected by their exposure to domestic abuse. For referral forms, please email:

• faye.mills@mysistershoise.info
• carolinehedicker@mysistershouse.info 

For further information, view their website.

Five to Thrive

Your child's body grows better when you give the child good food. Your child's brain grows better when you do five simple things.

Respond * Cuddle * Relax * Play * Talk

Play: At every opportunity during the day when a young child needs stimulation, play can provide it. For young babies this can include wakeful times after feeding, during and after nappy changes, and at any time when the baby is actively seeking stimulation. Older children thrive on play, and love it when parents are playful without being intrusive.

Read more about baby brain development here.