The latest news
The Families First Pledge
In Hertfordshire we have a shared vision that strong partnership working is a key component to our early help system. Our Early Help Strategy sets out the Pledge which explains Families First partners’ commitment to families and how we will work with them.
You can view or download a copy of our Families First Pledges here and use for discussion in your team meetings or display in your office etc.
Have you heard about Fit, Fed and Read Holiday Camps?
These are FREE multi-activity holiday camp for children aged 8 – 11 in need of somewhere safe and fun to go in the Half Term, and there is a camp running in the community near you! Fit, Fed & Read aims to reduce the inequalities that children within disadvantaged communities face, such as social isolation, physical inactivity and holiday hunger. Our camps work on a professional referral basis, so we look for schools and professionals to signpost this provision to the children and families most in need, this may be because they are particularly deprived families and cannot afford provision, or the child may be vulnerable during the holidays. Please contact us on fitfedandread@herts.ac.uk to request a booking code.
Camps are running between Monday 13th February and February 17th February 2023 - from 10am to 3pm and spaces will go fast!
Children will get to experience the perfect blend of activities to keep them active and entertained during the holidays. Our camps provide high quality sport, entertaining enrichment activities, as well as a nutritious hot meal.
Please contact us on fitfedandread@herts.ac.uk to request a booking code.
Reducing Parental Conflict survey
We have been asked to share this survey with our Families First partners, it’s aim is to capture information around what interventions/support is already being offered to reduce the impact of parental conflict and identify any gaps that Hertfordshire County Council may be able to support with.
What should be included?
The survey should be completed for all interventions that are available in your area which aim to reduce the impact of parental conflict on children; whether directly working with couples, individual parents, children or family groups or indirectly through training practitioners for instance.
What we will be using the short survey responses for:
Hertfordshire County Council will use your responses to these questions to map out the interventions in the Reducing Parental Conflict project and identify the offer for families in Hertfordshire. We will then use this in our future planning to support families with healthy relationships and reduce parental conflict.
The Closing date: 27/1/23
Please complete the survey here and share with your teams.
Talking with families about parental relationships
Practical tips and guiding questions from the Early Intervention Foundation
Parental conflict can be a sensitive topic for families. We know that conflict between parents is a normal part of relationships, and seeing conflict resolved in a loving or constructive way is important for children’s understanding of relationships. However, parents who are experiencing relationship difficulties can find it difficult to ask for help when they need it, because they feel ashamed and are worried about being misunderstood or judged.
This guide provides practitioners and leads in local areas with practical tips on how to talk to parents about parental conflict, and how to alleviate negative feelings about relationship support. Ultimately, the aim is to increase families’ engagement with support and reduce the risk of parental conflict negatively impacting child outcomes.
READ MORE
Key links to help manage the cost of living
Hertfordshire County Council have set up a central webpage that offers advice and practical help to manage finances and make savings and contains many useful links to help you support families, including money advice, energy and heating support, food support, holiday activities for kids along with information for professionals.
Below are some other very useful resources for professionals to use in supporting and signposting families:-
Listen Up, Speak Up!
Campaign line
Listen up, Speak up aims to get adults from across the UK and Channel Islands to take our 10-minute digital training called 'Connect the DOTS’.
Campaign paragraph
Half a million children suffer abuse and neglect in the UK a year. But there's something we can all do to change that.
We're empowering adults to know what to do if a child needs help, and where to go if they , or someone they know, need some support. That way, all of us can play a part in preventing child abuse.
So let's all Listen up and Speak up. Because a little bit of knowledge can help keep a lot of children safe.
Find out more here
News from Services for Young People, January 2023
Services for Young People projects have now restarted for the spring term
Services for Young People projects enable young people in all districts of Hertfordshire to develop their personal and social skills and increase their confidence, self-esteem and resilience.
Young people can get involved in exciting activities and discussions, learn new skills and get support from our Youth Workers on any concerns they may have.
Full details of the 2023 spring term projects for young people are now online.
See the projects in your district here: Projects for young people in your area Professionals, parents/carers or young people themselves can contact their local team to join a project or make a referral.
At Services for Young People (SfYP) projects qualified Youth Workers deliver curriculum programmes to support young people:
SfYP also delivers weekly street projects and Friday night projects in all districts and provides a range of support for care experienced young people up to the age of 24.
Young people can also get confidential one-to-one support at their local Access Point Project.
More news from Services for Young People
Services for Young People’s 2023-24 traded offer to schools and colleges is now available to purchase
Services for Young People improves outcomes for young people educated at home
Services for Young People’s “helpful and motivating” Pathways to Success programme exceeds targets
Changes in the Intensive Families Support Teams (IFST)
Within IFST we have been working to return our frontline teams to a double district approach, recognising the need to deliver localised support to our partners and families. We are delighted to inform you that this is almost complete and the Welwyn, Hatfield and Hertsmere IFST will become operational as of 30th January.
Following a period of internal team development, the team will be reaching out to local partners to re-establish key links and partnership approaches, with plans for networking events later in the year.
Until this date, please continue to link in with your local managers covering the quadrants or directly with CS for those families needing support.
The IFST team structure will return to the following as of 30th January 2023:
- Stevenage and North Herts – Team Manager: Sally Lee
- Watford and Three Rivers – Team Manager: Debbie Stone
- East Herts and Broxbourne – Team Manager: Janine Culpin
- St Albans and Dacorum – Team Manager: Penny Smith
- Welwyn Hatfield and Hertsmere – Team Manager: Ruth Coleman (Welwyn and Hatfield will be covered by Janine and Hertsmere by Debbie Stone until January 30th)
Contact details for the Welwyn, Hatfield and Hertsmere Team (as of 30th January) will be:
The Old Courthouse, St Albans Road East, Hatfield, AL10 0ES | 01438 845400
Please do not hesitate to contact familiesfirst.support@hertfordshire.gov.uk if you have any questions in the meantime.
The 2023 spring term HFL Education Online Safety Newsletters
HFL Education 2023 spring term online safety newsletters for school/setting staff and for parents/carers.
The HFL Education 2023 spring term online safety newsletters for School Staff and the Parents and Carers edition both feature a range of guidance, news, links and updates about online safety for all phases, with particular reference to the current situation, recent developments and concerns.
Our newsletter for staff includes reviews and details about:
- Safer internet day 2023
- Project evolve – new online bullying resources
- Teaching about cybercrime – free cybercrime awareness training for schools
- The national crime agency: cyber choices
- Not just flirting
- Technology assisted sexual abuse
Our newsletter for parents and carers includes reviews and details about:
- Live streaming
- Jessie and friends: online safety education for 4-7 year old children
- Reporting to social media sites
- What’s the problem?
- Lucy Faithfull Foundation
- Conversations with your child about online / technology-assisted harm
Please download and share these newsletters with your personal and professional networks as well as with your school or setting parent body where relevant.
For more information, advice and training about online safety across the curriculum and embedding this within a wider whole school approach to include mental health, positive relationships and safeguarding, please contact the HFL Education Wellbeing team at wellbeing@hfleducation.org or visit Herts for Learning | Online Safety
Learning & development
HSCP Learning & Development Programme
HSCP provide a wide variety of learning programmes and workshops across Hertfordshire to develop skills for safeguarding children, young people and adults.
We use this page to give you some quick links through to the HSCP learning programmes:-
One Plus One Digital Reducing Parental Conflict Training
Evidence shows that conflict between parents can affect multiple outcomes for children, including emotional, behavioural, social and academic development. Parents in poverty or under economic pressure are more likely to experience relationship conflict. According to the latest DWP estimates, 12% of all children and 21% of children in workless families have parents in a distressed relationship.
HCC are commissioning OnePlusOne who have over 50 years’ experience in creating evidence-based resources to support the development of healthy relationships.
OnePlusOne provide digital resources that raise awareness of the impact of stress and conflict on children, giving parents the skills to cope with stress together and manage their conflict more constructively. Allowing parents to develop positive communication skills, so that they can parent co-operatively and work out solutions together.
The resources are split in to 3 modules aimed at:
- New parents
- Parents that are together
- Parents that are separated
To date 72 practitioners across the Families First Partnership have been trained in OnePlusOne and we have received interest from 100 practitioners for our second phase of training.
We still have some spaces remaining on our upcoming training dates.
All training is delivered online and held from 9:30 to 12:30 over 2 consecutive days, please ensure you are available for both days.
Each training has a capacity of 20 delegates
Follow the link below for your preferred training date to register your place and a link will be sent to access the training.
For those practitioners already trained OnePlusOne are holding a lunch and learn session: Engaging Parents with the Intervention on Tuesday 17th January 1pm-2pm
Register and save the date in your diary here.
For further information please contact the project lead Nicola.Wilder1@hertfordshire.gov.uk
Free Suicide prevention training
Our Public Health team have commissioned Samaritans to deliver suicide prevention training. The course is aimed at frontline professionals and volunteers whose role may bring them into direct contact with people experiencing suicidal thoughts. The three-hour session is delivered via Zoom and will equip participants with practical skills to have a supportive, controlled, and effective conversations, assess and respond to risk and signpost to relevant support services. Please book a place using the links below or email SuicidePreventionHerts@hertfordshire.gov.uk for more information:
Next available dates:-
- Thursday 2nd February, 9.30am
- Friday 10th February, 9.30am
- Thursday 16th February 2pm
- Monday 20th February, 2pm
- Wednesday 1st March, 2pm
- Tuesday 7th March, 9.30am
- Friday 17th March, 9.30am
Book your place here: Hertfordshire County Council | Eventbrite
Vaping Webinar
The Hertfordshire Tobacco Control Alliance will be planning a webinar on Thursday 23rd February 2.00-4.00pm.
The webinar will be on vaping and divided into 3 areas
- Harm reduction
- Young People
- Smoking in Pregnancy
There will be presenters from ASH for the young people’s presentation, Dept of Health and Social Care for Smoking in pregnancy and Kings college for Harm reduction. The HHIS team will also promote Love your Bump and the incentive scheme for pregnant smokers.
To book your place please visit the Eventbrite page.
Or to request a meeting invitation please email – smokefree.hertfordshire@hertfordshire.gov.uk to be added to the meeting.
Step2Skills February timetable out now!
Step2Skills is busy recruiting for their February courses and workshops which are available to Hertfordshire residents to help upskill and learn.
For courses starting in February 2023, Step2Skills is offering these courses at a reduced registration fee of £10 (normally £15) to help residents in a time of heightened living costs.
Feb courses and workshops with spaces remaining include;
- Budget Friendly Winter Warmers FREE workshop in Borehamwood
- Introduction to Excel FREE workshop in Stevenage
- Understanding Assertiveness – An online FREE workshop taught in real time
- Brilliant Boxes – An online course taught in real time
- Family Photography - An online course taught in real time
- Digital Scrapbooking for wellbeing in Stevenage and online option to join too
- Improving Your Skills in Excel - An online course taught in real time
- Discover an industry: Health and Social Care - delivered in Stevenage
- Discover an industry: Customer Service - delivered in Stevenage
- Discover an industry: Working in schools - delivered in Waltham Cross
- Advanced Digital Skills for work – delivered in Stevenage
We hope that this reduction will help residents in their decision on whether to join a course.
In addition to this, if someone is experiencing severe financial hardship but wishes to join one of our courses, we continue to invite you to call (01992 556194) or email (step2skills@hertfordshire.gov.uk) our support team who may be able to help waive the course fees.
Browse and book the full range of courses and workshops at www.step2skills.org.uk
Book your free place at the Step2Skills Inclusive Job Fair in Watford!
Step2Skills is pleased to announce that BOOKING IS OPEN for the next job fair that will take place on Thursday 23rd February 2023 at 10am to 3pm at West Herts College.
>> BOOK YOUR FREE TICKET ON EVENTBRITE >>
Booking is not essential but is preferred to manage the number of visitors throughout the day.
This Inclusive Job Fair is part of the Supported Employment services offered by Step2Skills and is aimed towards people with learning and physical disabilities, sensory needs, neurodiversity and mental health conditions.
Sponsored by West Herts College and partnering with Jobcentre Plus, Watford & West Herts Chamber of Commerce and Watford Football Club, the job fair will be packed with local employers and will offer visitors the chance to meet others and network.
The Step2Skills team will be on hand to offer advice, guidance to visitors so book your ticket today!
My Teen Brain Training dates
My Teen Brain Training Dates for Professionals Working with Teens - 2022/23
My Teen Brain focuses on a key stage of brain development and shows how changes in the adolescent brain, in conjunction with experience and environment, can affect emotions, relationships, behaviours, sleep and attitudes to risk.
The initiative aims to raise awareness and provide practical information and strategies to professionals. This training along with a range of resources, will enable you to support young people through this time of change.
Professionals working with young adolescents (10-15) and/or their families are invited to attend a free one-day multi-agency training which will look at changes to the adolescent brain, risks and behaviours and how the learning can help a strength-based approach to practice.
THIS FULL DAY TRAINING HAS BEEN ADAPTED TO BE DELIVERD LIVE ONLINE
Dates available are:
- Wednesday 8th February 10am-3pm
- Tuesday 14th March 10am-3pm
If you are interested in the course please email EHCommissioning@hertfordshire.gov.uk
More Information on the changes that take place in the teen brain is available on our dedicated website www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/myteenbrain.
My Baby's Brain Training Dates
My Baby’s Brain training dates for professionals working with parents of young children – starting in January 2023
Do you work with parents of young children in Hertfordshire? You can now book onto upcoming My Baby’s Brain (MBB) training. MBB introduces practitioners, who work with children aged 0-3, to the key principals of neuroscience and how they can help parents, children and babies form strong attachments that will encourage healthy development.
The challenges that families face have evolved since delivery of My Baby’s Brain began in 2011 in Hertfordshire. To ensure parents continue to be supported at the earliest opportunity, Early Help Commissioning have worked with KCA to refresh My Baby’s Brain training with additional focus on resilience and managing toxic stress.
Now online, this training is a 3-stage learning programme combining webinars, e-learning and small group tutorials.
Choose your learning strand A or B and click on the relevant link below to register:
Strand A – My Baby’s Brain Universal: for all professionals working with young families 0-3 years old.
- Wednesday 25th January at 11am (90 mins) - Webinar
- Tuesday 14th February at 11am (90 mins) - Webinar
- Monday 6th or Wednesday 15th March at 11am (90 mins) – Tutorial (select one date to attend live)
You can book your place by clicking on: Strand A registration link
Strand B – My Baby’s Brain Targeted: for all professionals working with vulnerable and targeted families.
- Wednesday 25th January at 11am (90 mins) - Webinar
- Wednesday 15th February at 11am (90 mins) - Webinar
- Tuesday 7th or Thursday 16th March at 11am (90 mins) – Tutorial (select one date to attend live)
You can book your place by clicking on: Strand B registration link
For more information and helpful resources, please see My baby's brain | Hertfordshire County Council.
Cancellation
This training is currently offered free of charge for Hertfordshire Children's Services staff and all Children's workforce partners. However, to give as many practitioners as possible an opportunity to access this training, you will be charged £50 if you cancel without a valid reason or fail to attend a training session.
If you need any further help or have any questions, please contact us at ehcommissioning@hertfordshire.gov.uk
Workforce Shadowing
The vision for Families First training and development is to create a skilled, confident and resilient multi-agency workforce that supports whole family working.
Workforce shadowing provides a great opportunity to find out more about other services, what they do and how they might be able to support you in your work. It also enhances communication across agencies and helps strengthen and develop professional relationships, building local networks.
If you would like to organise a workforce shadowing placement for either yourself or a team member please complete the form below stating the service you would like to shadow and the preferred district and we will match you to a shadowing opportunity.
The following services have offered to host shadowing opportunities in either in person or virtually:-
- Citizens Advice (Brox/St Albans/North Herts)
- Childcare provision
- CGL
- Domestic Abuse Support
- Families First Panels Team
- Family Support Service, Family Centre
- Herts Mind Network
- Herts Sports Partnership
- MIND in Mid Herts
- ASB Team, District Council, Three Rivers
- Housing Support, District Council
- Intensive Family Support Team (IFST)
- Local School Partnerships
- Police
- Public Health Nursing
- Schools Early Years Provsion
- Specialist Adolescent Services Hertfordshire (SASH)
- Services for Young People
- Supporting Families Practice Team
Additionally, if you would like to add your service to the above list, again please email us with your contact details, service and district.
Familesfirst.support@hertfordshire.gov.uk
Please take a look at the page, bookmark and share with teams, where appropriate.
Workforce development (hertfordshire.gov.uk)
Difference we're making
Families First - Performance Data Report
You may be interested to view our Families First Performance Data report for the period Oct 2021 - Sept 2022.
The report looks at Families First Assessments that took place within the period and highlights the presenting needs and outcomes broken down by district along with information about other support for families.
Celebrating Excellence in Early Help
Following on from a programme of Celebrating Excellence in Early Help sessions run in Children’s Services last month, which aimed to highlight the Families First approach and also included contributions from some of our partners, we are sharing some of the recent case below:
Case Study 1 - Intensive Family Support / Local Borough Council
Scene Setting
The Intensive Family Support team (IFST) began supporting this family of nine in Spring 2021.
As support got underway the third youngest child Tia* was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour and the family are struggling coming to terms with Tia’s diagnosis and her life expectancy of one year. Tia is 11 years old.
On learning of Tia’s prognosis and following discussion with Keech Hospice an Occupational Therapist (OT) appointment was arranged for the family’s home. This assessment identified that the three-bedroom home was not suitable for end-of-life care and was not suitable for adaptation as the access was too narrow and steep for a ramp.
The Family Intervention Worker (FIW) made contact with the local Borough Council’s Aids and Adaptions Team for support.
READ MORE
Case Study 2 - Families First Assessment
Scene Setting
This case study provides some insight into the journey of Fran* and her family. Fran is an eight year old girl who worries about her mum, she knows mum is different when she is with her drinking friends. Fran’s Mum has a diagnosis of unstable personality disorder and has previously used drugs and alcohol as coping strategies, she has been in a cycle of poor mental health and whilst their wider family network have been supporting Fran and her mother they sought out some external support via a Families First Assessment.
READ MORE
Case Study 3 - Employment Adviser/IFST
Scene Setting:
This case study provides some insight into the support provided to Sanz* from one of our Employment Advisers. Our Intensive Family Support Teams include Employment Advisers who provide tailored support in areas such as employability; taking time to understand skills and experiences, any barriers or challenges preventing employment, identification of any training to support employability, preparation of supporting statements and CVs and job search support, including mock interviews.
Our Advisers can also provide guidance on how to navigate the benefits system, including benefit entitlements and claims, as well as how changes in circumstances impact benefits.
They work in parallel with Family Intervention Workers. This case study summarises support given to Sanz, the mother, to support with employability and benefits.
READ MORE
Please share anonymised case studies highlighting how early help and partnership working has provided support to local families with us at familiesfirst.support@hertfordshire.gov.uk. Please ensure you have consent from the family.