The latest news
Care Leavers' Christmas Appeal
Young people who have grown up in care may not receive gifts at Christmas or have any family to spend the day with. Following the success of previous Care Leavers’ Christmas Appeals, colleagues can once again help make a difference to our young people by donating vouchers.
We are asking that you purchase vouchers to the value of £10 or £20 for either Asda, B&M, Tesco, or The Range. Vouchers will then be used to purchase items that are individual to the young people in time for Christmas and they will be given a Christmas box full of goodies. Please make any donations by Tuesday 5 December.
Last year alone we were able to get over 150 bags out to our care leavers and hope to beat that number this year!
Support for Dads webpage
We are pleased to announce the launch of the “Support for Dads” webpage containing a wealth of information and details of where to go for advice, guidance and support aimed at dads, stepdads and male carers.
Please promote to your networks and channels using the link and QR code below and by displaying the poster in public areas, where applicable.
Live link: www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/familiesfirstdads
QR Code, below and please download the poster to display in your public facing areas.
HAPpy camps are back this winter!
Hertfordshire County Council is once again launching its free winter activity camps for children and young people in Hertfordshire.
Fully funded holiday activity camps return for the festive break, providing eligible children and young people with the chance to meet friends, learn new skills and enjoy nutritious food.
The HAPpy programme, funded by Hertfordshire County Council and the Department of Education (DfE) via the government’s Holiday Activity and Food programme, and coordinated by Herts Sport and Activity Partnership and the Hertfordshire Community Foundation, is running approximately100 activity camps with nearly 9,000 free places from 21 December – 3 January 2024.
At the sessions, eligible children and young people can enjoy free food, free sports and free craft activities. They will also receive advice on nutrition and cooking skills to enhance their health and wellbeing.
Ask your school office if you haven’t already received your code and your child is eligible.
Free places can be booked via the Herts Sport and Physical Activity Partnership’s website
News from Services for Young People
Over 150 Hertfordshire young people are recognised for their outstanding achievements
Services for Young People (SfYP) celebrated the resilience, determination and compassion of 157 young people from across Hertfordshire at their four Young People’s Awards events during National Youth Work Week.
The Young People’s Awards events are an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the achievements of some of the young people who have been supported by SfYP over the previous academic year. They highlight the positive impact that SfYP Youth Workers and Advisers have in enabling young people to overcome barriers and fulfil their potential.
Hertfordshire Young People’s Health and Wellbeing Survey 2023
SfYP is working in partnership with Public Health Hertfordshire to deliver this annual survey which captures the health and wellbeing needs of young people aged 11-19 in the county. The results will be used to help plan future services which meet the needs of the young people of Hertfordshire.
Supported Internships give young people the skills they need for long-term employment
Supported Internships are for people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) aged 16-25. Supporting the transition from education to employment, they equip young people with essential skills and workplace experiences to prepare them for adulthood and the world of work.
SfYP is raising awareness about the difference Supported Internships can make to the lives of young people and how employers can benefit from hiring young people with SEND through a series of online events.
New Neurodiversity Support Hub
We are delighted to let you know about the launch of The Neurodiversity Support Hub. Following a pilot phase, we are excited to be able to roll this out across Hertfordshire thanks to funding from both Herts County Council (HCC) and the NHS. The Hub has initially been funded until the end of March 25 and ADD-Vance have been commissioned to run the Hub, which is open Monday - Friday 9am-1pm.
The Hub is staffed by experts by experience, they can answer any questions to do with Neurodiversity, however big or small, or just be a listening ear. Please note, no diagnosis is required to access the support and the helpline is open to parents, carers and professionals.
The Hub can be contacted by phone on 01727 833963, with an answerphone facility for out of hours or by email at support@add-vance.org
Please share this information with your parents/carers/staff and colleagues.
We also have some new digital webinars which parent, carers and professionals can access on demand. Initially we have webinars on Understanding Autism, Understanding ADHD, Navigating the SEND world and Navigating the SEND world post 16. Over the coming months we will be expanding this offer to include several other topics. They can be accessed here SEND documents and resources (hertfordshire.gov.uk)
If you have any queries or feedback, please don’t hesitate to contact me or alternatively you can contact the project team on hct.hertsneurodiversitytransformation@nhs.net
The feedback we have received so far has been fantastic, here is a small sample:
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I was stuck in a moment where I didn’t know which way to turn. Your helpline saved me today and put me in the right direction, made me feel less alone and has given me hope. thank you, I feel stronger just by knowing what to do next.
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I was feeling especially low and unsupported as a neurodivergent parent with neurodivergent kids. The call was such a life-line and the practical resources emailed to me afterwards are very useful. All in all, your service has kept me going during a particularly difficult time. Thank you.
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Amazing support. I was lost without L’s help, experience, advice, and support. I felt overwhelmed and now feel very supported and have direction. I felt I was heard and had the time and space I needed and could speak without being judged and ask anything. This service is incredible!
Parenting SEN children when Separated - Family Lives online groups
Family Lives are delivering the below online groups, funded by Herts County Council, for parents/carers who live in Hertfordshire.
All our programmes provide support, information and resources to parents/carers and adult family members so they can help their child reach their full potential as well as access to the wraparound support provided by our helpline, live chat and website.
Parenting SEN Children when Separated
Parenting SEN Children when separated’ 6-week programme is specifically tailored to help separated parents navigate the complexities of co-parenting and provide the best possible support for their SEND child. This is a valuable opportunity to enhance co-parenting skills, support children’s development and build a strong foundation for the future.
Mondays, 4, 11 & 18 December 2023 and 8, 15 & 22 January 2024
7.00pm – 9.00pm
MS Teams
Thursdays 11, 18 & 25 January and 1, 8 & 15 February 2024
7.00pm – 9.00pm
MS Teams
Mondays, 29 January, 5, 12 & 26 February and 4 & 11 March 2024
7.00pm – 9.00pm
MS Teams
Who can attend:
- Separated parents raising children with SEND.
- Parents seeking guidance, support, and strategies for co-parenting SEN children more consistently.
- Parents wanting to create a positive and supportive environment for their child’s development.
To book a place please click here for our online referral form Reducing Parental Conflict Parenting , or for further information please call 0204 522 8700 / 0204 522 8699 or email services@familylives.org.uk
Within My Reach
Within my Reach 8-week programme is for specifically designed for parents living together or apart, who are facing conflicts and struggling to find common ground in raising their neurodiverse child. This is a valuable opportunity to enhance relationships, strengthen parenting skills and create a more harmonious home environment
Two courses will be delivered MS Teams over 8 sessions on the following dates :
Tuesdays & Thursdays 27 & 29 February, 5 & 7 March, 12 & 14 March and 19 & 21 March 2024
7.00pm to 9.00pm
Via MS Teams
Wednesdays & Saturdays 28 February & 2 March, 6 & 9 March, 13 & 16 March and 20 & 23 March 2024
Wednesday 7-9pm & Saturdays 10am-12pm
Via MS Teams
Who can attend:
- Parents who are experiencing conflicts and challenges due to the neurodiversity of their child
- Parents who want to improve communication and build stronger partnership in parenting and coparenting their neurodiverse child.
- Parents seeking guidance, support, and practical strategies to navigate the unique challenges of raising a neurodiverse child.
To book a place please click here for our online referral form Reducing Parental Conflict Parenting , or for further information please call 0204 522 8700 / 0204 522 8699 or email services@familylives.org.uk
Herts Haven Cafes new drop in
A new Herts Haven Café is opening at the Quaker Meeting House in Hemel Hempstead from 9 November. It is following the same drop-in support model of the Herts Haven Cafés for 10-18 year olds which opened in the summer (July 2023).
The new Hemel Hempstead Café is open on Thursdays (starting 9 November: 3.30-8pm) and Saturdays (starting 18 November:12-5pm) replacing the original Café which was launched in South Oxhey. Sadly the South Oxhey Café ended on 2 November due to lack of attendance predominantly. Hertfordshire Mind Network who host all the Cafés hope the new location will provide even more young people with opportunities to easily access drop-in emotional wellbeing support.
Like Stevenage and Watford, the Hemel Café provides a safe and welcoming drop-in space for compassionate face to face emotional and mental wellbeing information, as well as support and guidance from trained workers, without the need for a referral. Young people can also access digital emotional and mental wellbeing support services, speak to other people who may be experiencing similar things and also gain a better understanding about ways in which they can keep themselves emotionally and mentally well.
You can download the flyer and help us to share details of the Cafés with young people who you think might benefit from this fantastic new service at this new venue. Please contact: cyp@hertsmindnetwork.org if you would like some printed copies to be sent out to your organisation.
Find out more, including the opening times and locations here.
Coats for Kids
You may be interested to hear about a scheme local to Stevenage called Coats for kids.
Laura who runs Coats 4 Kids accepts donations of children's coats and then they are redistributed to families in need. Periodically Laura has drop in sessions where people can go and collect a coat, there is no criteria, no charge and no referral needed.
The scheme covers Stevenage, Hitchin, Letchworth, Stotfold and surrounding areas and you may wish to access the scheme to support the families you are working with.
If you would like to make a donation of a coat/s you can do so by dropping off at either Hitchin, Stevenage and Baldock fire stations or at the Intensive Family Support Team Office (please call 01438 845005, to arrange a time).
Alternatively, you can contact Laura via the Facebook group if you have any questions, would like to make a donation or access the service.
Herts Young People’s Health and Wellbeing Survey 2023
Please help us to promote the Hertfordshire Young People's Health and Wellbeing Survey 2023. The survey runs until Wednesday 20th September and you can view the promotional leaflet here.
The Objectives of this survey are to:
- Enable young people to share their views and feedback on a number of issues
- Provide secondary schools with useful data on their pupil population, including trend data over time
- Provide commissioners and a range of agencies with useful data on the Hertfordshire young person population, including trend data over time
- Enable effective commissioning and service delivery that meets the needs of Hertfordshire young people
In 2022, 73 schools (11,155 young people) participated in the survey. Schools fed back that they find the data very useful in demonstrating impact to Ofsted and in monitoring the issues faced by their pupils and supporting them.
Survey content
The survey contains questions on a number of issues including:
- Mental health and wellbeing
- Drugs and alcohol
- Healthy eating and physical activity
- Relationships
- Safety and Bullying
A range of agencies from across Hertfordshire, alongside professionals in education settings, and young people themselves, have been instrumental in advising on the content and format of the survey.
Survey link: www.hertshealthevidence.org/yphws
Completing the survey
Pupils will select their school from a dropdown list (young people who do not attend a school are also able to participate), and the survey takes approximately 20 minutes to complete on a computer, laptop, tablet or mobile and is anonymous.
Once the survey closing date has passed, the Health Intelligence team will analyse the results.
If you have any questions about the survey, please email yphws@hertfordshire.gov.uk
Healthy Mouths in Hertfordshire
Dental decay is the most common oral disease affecting children and young people in UK. Although largely preventable, nearly one quarter of under 5s in England have tooth decay and estimated costs to the NHS for under 5’s is approximately £7.8 million annually for hospital admissions and tooth extractions.
In Hertfordshire, our Healthy Mouths programme is focused on improving the oral health of vulnerable under 5’s through distribution of an oral pack to encourage tooth brushing and healthy eating. An age-appropriate toothbrush, toothpaste, 2-minute timer and information leaflet, provide vital support for vulnerable families to help maintain good oral health for their children.
Healthy Mouths is a partnership with the Hertfordshire Family Centre Service (Family Centres and Health Visiting) through mandated development checks, key Family Centre networks and distribution through participating foodbanks.
Since the start of the programme in 2021, we have successfully distributed over 9000 oral health packs to vulnerable Hertfordshire families.
If families you know are struggling with their child’s oral health, they can contact their local family centre for advice Find your local family centre in Hertfordshire (hertsfamilycentres.org)
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:-
Recent 7 Minute Briefings
My Baby's Brain courses for professionals
You can now book onto our redesigned ‘My Baby’s Brain’ full day courses for professionals working with young children and parents:
My Baby
’s Brain introduces practitioners, who work with children aged 0-3 years old, to the key principals of neuroscience and how they can help parents, children and babies form strong attachments that will encourage healthy development.
My Baby’s brain has been redesigned and will now be delivered virtually over one day. We are also offering Deep Dive Webinars to delve into topics such as shame even further! The following trainings are available:
- My Baby’s Brain Universal (Strand A) – 1-day virtual training for practitioners delivering universal support to children and families in the early years e.g., Health Visitors, Midwives & Family Centre workers.
- Thursday the 18th of January 2024 at 9.30am-3pm
- Monday the 5th of February 2024 at 9.30am-3pm
Link to book your place: Strand A Registration Link
- My Baby’s Brain Universal (strand B) – 1-day virtual training for practitioners delivering targeted services to children and families e.g., Family Safeguarding and Specialist Services, Family Centre practitioners & specialist midwives.
- Tuesday the 23rd of January 2024 at 9.30am-3pm
- Monday the 12th of February 2024 at 9.30am-3pm
Link to book your place: Strand B Registration Link
- My Baby’s Brain Deep Dive Webinar: ‘Beyond shame: developing a positive sense of identity’ - for practitioners who work with children aged 0-3 years old and their families that have already completed My Baby’s Brain training (strand A or B).
- Wednesday the 6th of March 2024 at 11am-12.30pm *Please note, content of this Deep Dive session is to be confirmed.
How to book your place: Those who have previously completed My Baby’s Brain training or are booked to complete strand A or B training will be sent a link via email to book a place on this training.
You can find further information and check out Frequently Asked Questions at My Baby's Brain - for Professionsals (hertfordshire.gov.uk) or email us at ehcommissioning@hertfordshire.gov.uk
My Teen Brain - online training
The Early Help Commissioning Team are pleased to announce the upcoming FREE My Teen Brain Online Training course for Hertfordshire practitioners. This 1-day CPD course is for those working with parents of teenagers and/or working with teenagers 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.
It you are interested in attending one of the dates later in the year, please email EHcommissioning@hertfordshire.gov.uk
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6th December 23
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10am – 3pm
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23rd January 24
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10am – 3pm
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29th February 24
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10am – 3pm
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19th March 24
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10am – 3pm
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Money Advice Unit Training Programme, Winter 2023
The Money Advice Unit Training Programme and booking form for WINTER 2023 is now available.
All the courses are free of charge but please note we will only accept bookings from organisations in Hertfordshire. Due to demand, we only allow a maximum of two participants from each organisation per course.
If you want to book for more than one person, please complete a separate booking form for each person.
Once you return the completed booking form(s) to us, the attendees will receive a booking confirmation email within 5 working days. Please check your junk folder as sometimes our emails go to the junk folder straight away.
View the latest edition of Herts Adviser.
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)
Suicide Prevention Training
The Suicide Prevention Network involves more than 20 organisations. Our vision is to make Hertfordshire a county where no-one ever gets to a point where they feel suicide is their only option.
Suicide Prevention Training Courses (suicidepreventionherts.org.uk)
Suicide Bereavement support
New upcoming dates for fully funded CDP suicide bereavement training, delivered by Harmless.
Those attending will benefit from the following learning outcomes:
- The magnitude of suicide bereavement
- Suicide loss as a unique form of complex bereavement
- ‘Complicated grief’, trauma, and other individual responses to suicide
- The wider impact of bereavement on those exposed to or affected by suicide
- The stigma and shame associated with suicide and bereavement
- Bereavement by suicide as a unique risk factor for suicide
- Responding to those bereaved by suicide, and how we can help to support them
- Key UK strategic guidance and research on best practice in shaping services to incorporate suicide bereavement support
- Postvention: what is means and why it matters
- A local service perspective: CHUMS work supporting those affected
Click here for more information, dates and booking details
Reducing Parental Conflict - One Minute Guide
Our HCC Commissioning team have created a one minute guide to Reducing Parental Conflict in Hertfordshire. It’s a really ease to digest document which explains what parental conflict is, how to identify it and what to do if you spot it. It also explains the training package available for the workforce.
Please do share with you teams and discuss at your team meetings so we can reduce parental conflict in Herts together.
Download the guide here
Difference we're making
Families First - Performance Data Report
You may be interested to view our Families First Performance Data report for the period July 2022 - June 2023.
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.
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
Coming Soon:-
We are in the process of creating a poster for display in public facing spaces - watch this space!
Thank you in advance for your support with this campaign.
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.
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
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.