The latest news
Families First Dates for Your Diary!
There are many ways to stay updated with Families First News, including events, webinars, induction days, and partnership meetings. Discover what’s coming up here
Working Together in Early Help Events
Our next Working Together in Early Help events are taking place across the county in February 2025. We have a variety of presentations including CGL drug and alcohol support, OneYMCA/DASH, Young Carers, Reducing Parental Conflicting and the Target Parenting Framework, plus more.
Please join and share with your teams. You can book your place here:
- BOOK: Thursday 6th February 2025 10am-1pm Broxbourne Borough Council Chambers, Bishops' College, Churchgate, Cheshunt, Herts EN8 9XQ.
- BOOK: Monday 10th February 2025 10am-1pm Christchurch Baptist, Peartrees, 20 Tewin Road, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 1BW
- BOOK: Thursday 13th February 2025 10am-1pm Bowes Lyons, St George's Way, Stevenage SG1 1XY
- BOOK: Thursday 27th February 2025 10am-1pm Three Rivers Council, Three Rivers House, Northway, Rickmansworth WD3 1RL
Download a poster for sharing here.
Monthly Families First Keeping in Touch Sessions
These sessions are an informal update on service news, training offers and parenting courses delivered by one of our service managers. Please email familiesfirst.support@hertfordshire.gov..uk if you would like an invitation to join.
13 February 2025, 9-9:30am, via MS Teams
13 March 2025, 9-9:30am, via MS Teams
Join a Families First Induction day - ideal for new starters
We host Families First online Induction days 4 times per year, where various early help services give a 20 minute whistle-stop tour of their service and are attended by new internal CS staff and external partners. The next dates are:-
- 2 April 2025
- 25 June 2025
Please email: familiesfirst.support@hertfordshire.gov.uk if you have any questions on the above or would like an invite sent to you.
Families First quarterly district partnership meetings
In addition, many of you are regular attendees at our partnership meetings, which are a great way of keeping up to date with new services, updates and make connections. You can find out more about the groups here and email familiesfirst.support@hertfordshire.gov.uk if you would like to join.
Families First Partnership Groups - Complete Our Survey
If you attend one of our district Families First Partnership meetings, we are seeking feedback on their local effectiveness and how we can develop them in 2025.
Please take a moment to complete the survey here.
Given how valuable your time is, we aim to make our Families First Partnership meetings meaningful and worthwhile. If you haven’t done so already, please spend a few minutes completing our survey.
Your input will help us improve and tailor the meetings based on the survey results. This is a great opportunity to shape the future format of the partnership group. Feedback will be shared in the meetings, and changes will be agreed upon as a group.
The survey remains open until Friday 31 January.
New support group for those not attending school
The Bridge Group is an 11-week programme for young people and parents where the young people are not regularly attending school. It is aimed at years 7 & 8.
The group got off to a good start this week, however there is still space for more young people. It is run every Wednesday, 1pm-2.30pm for 11 weeks and being held at Hatfield Hyde Cricket Club, Beehive Lane, Welwyn Garden City, Al7 4BP
The sessions include:
- 2 x sessions on anxiety, worries and low mood facilitated by CWP practitioners
- Physical health & wellbeing co-facilitated with Herts Sports Partnership
- Neurodiversity co-facilitated with SPACE
- The future co-facilitated with Services for Young People
They will also be covering friendships, family, school/learning
You can find out more by downloading the leaflet. Or by contacting- Alison.Cowie@hertfordshire.gov.uk or Ruth.Coleman@hertfordshire.gov.uk
Help us promote the Young Carers Survey
We would like to hear from young carers and their families about the Young Carers Service.
Hertfordshire County Council arranges Carers in Hertfordshire to deliver Young Carers Services, we want to work with young carers and their families to understand what young carers want from a service and this survey is an opportunity for you to share your thoughts, needs, and ideas.
We understand that being a young carer is a unique role that brings strengths and opportunities as well as challenges and responsibilities.
Please share the links and QR code with any young carers and their parents that you are working with.
Young Carers Service Survey aimed at young carers aged 10-18
Young Carers Service Parent Feedback Survey aimed at parent and carers of young carers under the age of 10
Looking for FREE healthy lifestyle support for families and young people in Hertfordshire?
We know it can be tricky to get children to eat their vegetables, but we also know that getting more greens in at mealtimes can lead to a healthier and happier family life.
We run Beezee Families, a FREE heathy lifestyle programme that helps families across Hertfordshire discover the power of small changes together.
View our Parent Mail. It’s a FREE resource that tackles the biggest challenges faced in making healthy choices as a family. Please share it with parents and carers!
Our Beezee Families programme begins the week commencing 20th January. Sign-ups are still open, so there is still time to join. Spots are available in-person and online! Alternatively, families can start their journey now with our Beezee Academy. Visit our website for more details.
The HENRY programmes will start week commencing 3rd February 2025 for which a flyer is also attached.
All our programmes are funded by Hertfordshire County Council’s Public Health team and FREE for families and young people in Hertfordshire.
- HENRY programmes support babies and young children to have a healthy start for a brighter future. Parents and carers of children under 5 years gain the confidence and skills to adopt healthier lifestyles, long-term. A free creche is available throughout the 8-week programme!
- Beezee Families is an award-winning 12-week programme for 5–15 year olds and their families. Our team of nutritionists focus on making small, sustainable changes around food and physical activity – and have fun while doing so! Families can also learn at their own pace for six months over on our Academy. Alternatively, they can access our 1:1 support throughout the year.
- Beezee Youth is aimed at young people aged 13-17. This 8-week programme is co-produced by participants and helps them discover practical strategies to improve their physical, mental and social wellbeing in a non-judgemental setting. Young people can learn at their own pace over on the Academy for six months, accessing content specially designed for them.
Support is available in-person and online. Professionals can refer families and young people to these programmes, or families and young people can sign up directly.
To find out more about free healthy lifestyle support available in Hertfordshire, you can:
Call: 01707 248648
Email: BZBinfo@maximusuk.co.uk
Visit our website: https://hrt.maximusuk.co.uk/
Puberty Suppressing Hormones - Government Update
Since 3 June 2024, temporary emergency restrictions have been in place preventing the use of gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues used to suppress puberty as part of treatment for gender incongruence or gender dysphoria in children and young people under 18 years of age.
On 11 December 2024 the Government passed further legislation to maintain the restrictions permanently.
Read More here
Reducing Infant Deaths Linked to Unsafe Sleeping Practices
Over the past two years, Hertfordshire’s Safeguarding Children’s Partnership, along with local health and family services, has been working to reduce unexpected infant deaths during co-sleeping. This collaboration has led to the development of the ‘Health in all Policies’ (HiAP)safer sleep framework, which provides detailed guidance to help reduce these tragic incidents. You can find a summary page online at A HiAP framework for Safer Sleeping. Please email dee.debruin1@hertfordshire.gov.uk if you would like a full copy for more detailed guidance.
Early years providers in particular, are identified as key players in disseminating Safe Sleeping messages to parents and carers you may see in the course of your work. We are particularly concerned about families dealing with bed poverty. Bed poverty includes broken and damaged beds that a family cannot afford to replace, sharing of beds and rooms, sleeping on the floor, or being unable to wash and dry bedding. All infants under the age of 1 years old should always have their own sleeping environment, even if a parent chooses to co-sleep with the infant.
How you can help:
- Use both routine and opportunistic appointments to discuss safe sleeping practices with families.
- Ensure all frontline staff complete recommended training on safer sleeping, ideally on an annual basis, through resources like the Lullaby Trust
- If you identify risks of unsafe sleeping situations or bed poverty, refer families to you trusted resources e.g. their local Family Centre Service, or the Lullaby Trust has lots of information and advice.
By incorporating safe sleeping messages into your interactions, you can significantly influence parents’ and carers’ decisions, helping to create safer sleeping environments for infants.
Thank you for your support in keeping Hertfordshire children safe.
Hertfordshire Parenting and Relationship Courses Spring 2025
Please download the latest Newsletter which will provide you with information and details on Parenting Courses and Relationship Support offer. Please can you ensure you cascade to your teams. If you have any questions please email CSStrategic.Partnerships@hertfordshire.gov.uk .
Families Feeling Safe have been successful in receiving further funding from HCC to run workshops which are free to attend and open to all parents in Hertfordshire. The first workshop ‘All Feelings Matter’ can help parents and carers learn more about:
- Why all feelings matter for everyone.
- How feelings, thoughts, and behaviour link together.
- Recognising physical and emotional feelings, including anxiety and anger.
- Ways to support healthy emotional development.
- The stress response system and '3-Part Brain' concept.
- The importance of feelings and the Protective Behaviours process.
Please click here for the poster….
This workshop will be run on
21st January 9.30am – 11.30am and 7.00pm – 9.00pm for mums, dads & carers also 23rd January 7.00pm – 9.00pm for dads and male carers
Health & Wellbeing Board - Survey
To support the Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB) in receiving feedback on progress towards health and wellbeing outcomes in the Hertfordshire Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2022-2026, Hertfordshire Public Health is gathering the views of local organisations on the following health and wellbeing topics:
- Eating Well
- Moving More with Others
- Income, Mental Health & Wellbeing
- Healthy Place-Making
We are inviting service providers (including front-line professionals), commissioners, voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise organisations and others of any size in Hertfordshire to complete a 10-minute survey to share their perspectives.
Please click here link to get started
We would be very grateful if you could either complete this survey on behalf of your group, service, team or organisation, or forward to relevant organisations within your network. You are welcome to complete the survey from the same group or team should you provide multiple services.
The survey is open until Friday 24th Jan 2025.
Introducing the Phoenix Programme
The Phoenix Programme is a programme developed by Morgan Sindall Property Service (MSPS) to support female survivors of domestic abuse, rebuild confidence and develop skills to gain sustainable employment.
The programme will support those on their employability journey including an initial assessment of needs and aspirations followed by support with digital skills, CV preparation, mentoring, skills for work, work experience, interview preparation and managing finances.
MSPS will also provide guaranteed interviews for roles within the business and with supply chain partners. Developed in partnership with Addressing Domestic Abuse, a community interest company (CIC) and the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant (EDAC) the programme will be tailored to survivor’s needs.
Find out more by downloading a pocket guide and referral form here.
News from Services for Young People
New Duke of Edinburgh’s Award projects
Services for Young People (SfYP) has just launched four new Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) projects across Hertfordshire. The new projects are being delivered by qualified SfYP Youth Workers and are specifically for young people who need additional support or would be less likely to access the DofE through traditional routes: those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), young people missing from education, home educated young people, and young people being supported by a social worker.
By creating an inclusive and supportive environment, the projects will ensure that all participants can benefit from the DofE experience, regardless of their background or abilities.
Get the full details and how young people can join here:
Young people with SEND have their voices heard on social media takeover day
Young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) who attend SfYP youth work projects were supported to share their experiences, creativity and views to contribute to the SEND social media takeover day on 3 December. A wide variety of creative content was shared on several Hertfordshire County Council and Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust social media channels with the theme ‘This is Me’, including drawings, crafts, quotes, and videos which represented young people’s experiences and showed how they are contributing to their communities. The event enabled young people with SEND to get their voices heard and drive change in future service design and delivery.
St Albans Youth Council supports local foodbank with Christmas boxes
Members of the SfYP St Albans Youth Council came together to make a real difference in their local community by supporting the St Albans and District Foodbank at Verso Vineyard Church. Wanting to provide extra support to people using the foodbank at Christmas, the young people raised money to make Christmas boxes full of toys, essential food, toiletries, festive treats and gifts, all carefully packed and ready to be given to those in most need. Their efforts show the power of social action, and the positive impact young people can have when they come together to help others.
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:-
My Teen Brain Training for Practitioners
Strategic Partnerships Commissioning (formerly known as Family & Health Services Commissioning) are pleased to announce the next My Teen Brain Online Training course on Thursday 13th February 2025.
This 1-day CPD course, from 10am – 3pm for Hertfordshire practitioners working with parents of teenagers and/or working with teenagers or young people in Hertfordshire. It provides an opportunity to understand teenage brain development and the adolescent developmental process and consider both risk and resilience. It includes ideas and strategies for professionals working with teenagers and their parents to help them cope with challenging feelings and behaviour and to support young people in an emotionally healthy context. The day brings together the latest understanding from neuroscience and developmental psychology and the principles of The Nurturing Programme from Family Links The Centre For Emotional Health.
Please find below the booking link for you to reserve your place on to one of our courses. This training is a very popular course and is beneficial to the all practitioners who work with Hertfordshire children and families. If you are interested in booking on to the , please ensure that you ONLY book on to this course if you have the capacity to attend the training on your preferred day and for the entire duration of the session, which is from 10am – 3pm.
13th February My Teen Brain Online Training | Hertfordshire County Council
If you would like further information about the course or alternative dates, please email CSStrategic.Partnerships@hertfordshire.gov.uk
My Baby's Brain training for practitioners
Do you work with young children or their families? Book your free ‘My Baby’s Brain’ (MBB) courses for January to April 2025…
What? MBB courses introduce the key principals of neuroscience and how they can help parents, children and babies form strong attachments that will encourage healthy development.
Who? These courses are for practitioners who work with children aged 0-3 years old in Hertfordshire.
Where? The MBB courses are delivered on Zoom.
The following upcoming courses are available, book your place now:
- My Baby’s Brain Universal (strand A) – this course is for practitioners providing universal support to all families with young children:
- Wednesday 22nd January 2025 at 9.30am-3pm
- Tuesday 25th February 2025 at 9.30am-3pm
- Wednesday 2nd April 2025 at 9.30am-3pm
Book your place at: Strand A Registration Link
- My Baby’s Brain Targeted (strand B) – this course is for practitioners providing targeted support for those children and families identified as in need of additional support:
- Wednesday 29th January 2025 at 9.30am-3pm
- Tuesday 4th March 2025at 9.30am-3pm
Book your place at: Strand B Registration Link
Email us at ehcommissioning@hertfordshire.gov.uk if you have any questions.
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 on this page 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 (Broxbourne/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 October 2023 - September 2024.
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.
Amazing Feedback worth Celebrating
It's always good to hear positive feedback from a families, below is some lovely feedback sent to our Homelessness Prevention Team
Feedback from a parent, recently supported by Children's Services Homelessness Prevention Team
"You guys are heaven sent! Thank you so much I will be forever grateful, I was told by the Children's father that CS will take the children away, but he was wrong CS are there to help families in tough times, I was going through a very tough time, but you made things seem a little bit easier. Becky, you make me feel like I was talking to my mother, you are very motherly and have a good heart.
It is obvious you put your heart into your work and you are very caring and children sense a good person, Hallie loved you and was comfortable with you she knew you have a good heart!"
Parent, Jan25
Families First Case Studies
Following on from a programme of Celebrating Excellence in Early Help sessions run in Children’s Services, 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
Case Study 4 - Local Schools Partnership
Case Study 5
This case study follows a mum who suffers from depression and anxiety. She was distrusting of professionals due to a negative experience with Children's Services in another local authority. Dad had recently moved out of the family home so she cares for her three children alone. Read more about the support the family received and the tools mum now takes forward in her parenting skills.
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.
Help us promote the Families First Website
Our Families First Website is a great central resource for early help support for families and young people, with links to many services such as mental health support, Services for Young People, SEND Local Offer, parenting courses etc along with a link to the Herts Directory and the Families First professionals area.
We would like to encourage all partner agencies to help us promote the Families First website to parents and carers in Hertfordshire.
Campaign Tools:
Please add the web address to your own website:- https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/microsites/families-first/families-first.aspx
Or use the QR Code for direct link to the Families First homepage:
Download a QR code
Download a Families First Logo
Social media
Please follow Families First on Facebook and X (Twitter)
Suggested post
Image to post on your own social media channels, with the suggested text:-
"All families need help and support at some point, please visit the Families First Website to find out about support available in your area". https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/.../families-first.aspx
Poster:-
Please download our poster and display in your public facing space.
Thank you in advance for your support with this campaign.