The latest news
Help to manage the rise in 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 contain many useful links to help you support families.
Hertfordshire has become one of the first regions in the UK to partner with Energy Saving Trust to provide an energy efficiency app to residents and help them make energy savings. The App can be downloaded via the central page:-
In addition, HertsHelp - trained friendly advisors are on hand to offer confidential assistance and can put you in touch with helpful services and support locally - call 0300 123 4044, email info@hertshelp.net or visit www.hertshelp.net
The annual St Albans sleepout is BACK and BIGGER than ever!
Taking place on Friday 11th November 2022 at Oaklands College or at home, we invite you to join us for an evening under the stars.
A night filled with live entertainment, music, workshops, prizes for the best ‘deck your den creation’…and a bit of a reality check. To see what life is like for some of our service users. Last year, with your help, we raised an incredible £58,000 all of which went towards helping vulnerable young people in Hertfordshire who do not have a stable place to live and enabled us to provide our vital services to those who need it most.
This will be the most memorable thing you will do this winter! Help us come together as a community, for our community.
Please enjoy the below video and find out more here https://www.hyh.org.uk/sponsoredsleepout
Awesome Autumn Adventures
There’s lots to do across Hertfordshire this month and with the October half term just around the corner we’ve updated our fifty thrifty tips to give it an awesome autumnal twist.
The link is: www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/awesomeautumnadventures
In addition the 50 things to do before you're 5 app can help support Hertfordshire families
Please share with the families you work with:-
Fully funded parenting courses
Both Families in Focus and Talking Parents have some great free parenting courses this winter:-
Families in Focus courses
For parents of children with Special Education Needs and/or Disability are also inclusive of parents whose children are on assessment pathways or waiting diagnosis
Families in Focus award winning, evidence based courses funded by Hertfordshire Children’s Services and free for parents living in Hertfordshire. All courses have just 12 fully funded places available.
Please promote these courses to the families you work with:-
(FIF L1 D8) Families in Focus Complete guide to parenting children with SEND
Free for parents Living in Herts. inclusive of those on assessment pathways/awaiting diagnosis 2-11years Starting Tuesdays 9.30-11.30am January 10th
(FIF L1 E6) Families in Focus Complete guide to parenting children with SEND
Free for parents living in Herts. inclusive of those on assessment pathways/awaiting diagnosis 2-11years Starting Tuesdays 6.30-8.30pm January 10th
(FIF ADHD E4) Families in Focus Handling anger of your child with Autism/ADHD
Free for parents living in Herts. parenting primary aged children and inclusive of those on assessment pathways/awaiting diagnosis Starting Mondays 6.30-8.30pm January 9th
(FIF ADHD D2) Families in Focus Handling anger of your child with Autism/ADHD
Free for parents living in Herts. parenting primary aged children and inclusive of those on assessment pathways/awaiting diagnosis Starting Thursdays 9.30-11.30am January 5th
For parents of primary aged children
(FIF L2 D1) Families in Focus Handling anger in your family
Free for parents living in Herts parenting primary aged children Starting Wednesdays 10-12noon January 11th
(FIF L2 E1) Families in Focus Handling anger in your family
Free for parents living in Herts parenting primary aged children Starting Wednesdays 6.30-8.30pm January 4th
(FIF L2 EVR) Families in Focus Sleep Solutions
Free for parents living in Herts parenting primary aged children Starting Fridays 9.30-11.30am January 6th
TO BOOK:-
Practitioner/Service referrals: Using Herts FX please contact Francine and Lesley stating the course code and title of course, parent name, email & mobile number and outcomes agreed with parent.
Any questions please email us – bookings@familiesinfocus.co.uk
More details available on our website: www.familiesinfocus.co.uk
Talking Families
In addition, Talking Families courses begin immediately after half term and are now going to be conducted online and we have places available so please share the attached details with your colleagues and any parents who you feel would benefit from these sessions.
Our Talking Dads course also has a few places left so please share these details as well.
Talking Families (for parents of children under 12): Tuesdays 8pm to 9.30pm 1st November to 6th December (6 weeks)
Talking Dads: Mondays 7.45pm to 9.15pm 31st October to 5th December (6 weeks)
Find out more here:- Courses (supportinglinks.co.uk)
Alongside the usual Parenting Courses, Supporting Links are pleased to be offering the workshops this coming Autumn Term. These are open to parents and carers of children with ASD and/or ADHD across Hertfordshire, funded by the Local Authority.
Talking ASD/ADHD: Anxiety and Stress - 23rd November 2022
Talking ASD/ADHD: Responding to Anger - 20th October or 7th December 2022
Talking ASD/ADHD: The Teenage Years - 2nd November 2022
Talking ASD/ADHD: Tech Use - 11th October 2022
We accept referrals or parents can self-refer and book places via Eventbrite.
Courses (supportinglinks.co.uk)
News from Services for Young People
HCC Services for Young People Access Point Projects survey, Autumn 2022
HCC Services for Young People (SfYP) is asking young people how they can make their Access Point Projects more accessible to them.
SfYP is committed to delivering the best possible services for young people at venues and times that work best for them.
They are currently reviewing the delivery of services at their Access Point Projects, where young people can access a wide range of support and information. SfYP help young people progress into education, training or to find a job or apprenticeship. They also offer confidential one-to-one support with issues such as mental health, relationships, personal safety, benefits and finances, housing and homelessness, drug and alcohol use. Young people can also access sexual health services, including free condoms, free pregnancy testing and free chlamydia and gonorrhoea testing.
The results of the survey will inform how they structure and deliver the services at the Access Point Projects from January 2023, so it is important that they hear from as many young people as possible. Please share the link to the short survey with any young people you know or work with to ensure their views are included.
The survey is anonymous and young people do not need to provide any personal details. It only takes a few minutes to complete:
Complete the SfYP Access Point Project survey, Autumn 2022
The closing date is 13 November 2022.
National Youth Work Week 2022: ‘A Festival of Youth Work’
As part of their Youth Work Week celebrations, Services for Young People is inviting young people to create a poster expressing ‘What youth work and youth workers mean to me’ and enter it into their poster competition.
Youth Work Week takes place in November every year and celebrates the positive impact youth work has on young people. This years’ theme is ‘A Festival of Youth Work’.
Young people aged 11-17 (up to 24 for young LGBT+ people, care leavers and young people with learning disabilities) can create a poster around the theme of ‘What youth work and youth workers mean to me’ and submit it between Monday 3rd October and Friday 28th October 2022.
Get full details and find out how young people can enter here:
Enter the Festival of Youth Work poster competition
Spotlight on Safe Space Mentoring!
Mentoring involves a young person meeting with a volunteer mentor for an hour or so a week, in a public place such as a café, park or library.
The Safe Space mentoring programme is available to 11-19* year olds (up to 25 for young people with learning difficulties/disabilities or care leavers) in Hertfordshire who have low to mid-level support needs. *If aged 11 the young person must be in year 7.
The programme is voluntary so the young person must agree to the referral and support.
Mentoring gives young people a chance to talk about anything they wish to discuss or want advice on.
Typically, mentoring lasts for 6 months (this can be longer/shorter depending on the young person’s needs).
Some young people decide to set goals at the beginning of the mentoring, whilst others simply value the one-to-one time, just to talk with someone outside of their family / school.
All our mentors go through a recruitment process, 2 day training and have a valid DBS check.
If you would like more information or to discuss a possible referral please contact us on mentoringmailbox@hertfordshire.gov.uk or call the office on 01992 588251.
“It can help you through a rough patch, for me it was school and staff not listening, but with an advocate and mentor, things changed, school is better and I have a bit more confidence.”
“It’s going well, I’m enjoying it. It’s really nice to have someone to talk to if I have random worries.”
From a parent: “X’s mood has improved 100% since seeing her mentor. She has someone she can trust which means so much. I think it’s great what you do, especially as it’s volunteers. Happy child= happy mum. 5 out of 5 for everything the mentor has done”
Can you Volunteer?
Do you have an hour a week to volunteer? Interested in supporting a young person in Hertfordshire to help them reach their full potential? Then becoming a volunteer Mentor with Hertfordshire County Council may be for you! Contact the Safe Space Mentoring team today to find out more.
Find out more about Safe Space Counselling and mentoring | Hertfordshire County Council
Safe Space Mentoring currently has a shortage of mentors in East Herts – particularly Bishop’s Stortford and the surrounding villages. If you are interested and could cover this area, please do get in touch at mentoringmailbox@hertfordshire.gov.uk 01992 588796
Talking Pants !
The NSPCC have put together some useful resources for tips and advice to help keep children safe.
Talk PANTS helps children understand that their body belongs to them, and they should tell someone they trust if anything makes them feel upset or worried.
Please visit the Talk PANTS website for helpful tips, advice and useful materials,
Talk PANTS & Join Pantosaurus - The Underwear Rule | NSPCC
Funding Opportunity: The BLC Informal Youth Activities grant is now open!
Do you, or an organisation that you work with, provide youth activities in Hertfordshire that:
- are informal
- operate outside of school term time, and
- do not require pre-booking or fees to access?
We are once again accepting applications for the Informal Youth Activities Grant from Monday the 3rd of October 2022 as part of the Building Life Chances programme. This is a multi-agency programme addressing inequalities exacerbated by the likes of Covid-19 on Hertfordshire residents who are vulnerable.
The pandemic has been tough for many young people who may not have had the opportunity or confidence to meet with friendship groups informally and may now have increased anxiety affecting their wellbeing. Therefore, we welcome applications for locally based community activities for young people aged 12-17 years that run all year round.
Each district in Hertfordshire will be able to access up to £25,000. Grants will be awarded for any amount up to the maximum amount for that district.
In the last round of grants, we funded 16 organisations across Hertfordshire that offered exciting and varied projects, including drop-in cafes, Friday-night groups, sport and performing arts and refugee support for young people.
Please email buildinglifechances@hertfordshire.gov.uk for an application form and further information. The closing date for applications is 11.59pm on Monday the 31st of October 2022.
We want as many organisations as possible to have the opportunity to apply. Please share this opportunity as widely as possible with any organisations that you work with or that may be interested.
Did you know . . .
. . . all Hertfordshire Family Centres are part of the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative? We were also reaccredited by UNICEF again in July this year. This means the staff are trained and able to provide qualified and expert advice on all infant feeding options – be that breastfeeding, bottle feeding or starting your baby on solids.
There are strict guidelines by being part of this initiative and so many mums have said what a help it’s been to be able to receive such great support. There is lots on offer for new and expectant parents such as:
Find your nearest Family Centre here and if you work with families, make sure they sign up for the free events happening near them! You can also download family centre leaflets from the Herts Grid.
ADHD & Autism Digital animation
As part of the ADHD & Autism transformation, we are excited to announce the launch of our ADHD and Autism Support Digital Animation. This animation is aimed at all families that are living in Hertfordshire and seeking support and guidance for a child or young person with neurodiverse needs. As children’s practitioners, partners and schools, this animation will also help you to better support your families and will be a great place to sign post the families that you work with.
Please find below the link for you to share far and wide within your teams, services and families, as well as an attached document with example communications for social media or newsletters, we hope that you will enjoy it.
Learning & development
Invitation to join our next Share & Learn event
Due to popular demand, our online Share & Learn event is back for an Autumn session. This time organised by the St Albans Families First Partnership group with a theme around positive wellbeing and resilience in St Albans. The event is open to all Families First professionals, across the county and is a great opportunity to hear more about the services and training they offer, plus ask questions.
We are planning to have the following line up who will give an overview of their services:-
- Mental Health in Schools Team, overview of the service – Lyndsey Hooper
- Herts MIND Network : 5 ways to wellbeing workshop for professionals - Joe Owers
- The OLLIE Foundation : overview of service and training for professionals – Vicky Gutteridge
- Safe Space : overview of the mentoring service – Sally Gubb, Safe Space
Please share with your teams and register your place here:- Eventbrite page and a calendar invite will follow.
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)
- 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
- 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)
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:-
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:-
- Monday 31st October
- Wednesday 2nd November
- Wednesday 9th November
- Friday 11th November
- Tuesday 15th November
- Tuesday 22nd November
- Wednesday 30 November
Book your place here: Hertfordshire County Council | Eventbrite
My Baby’s Brain & Teen Brain Training dates
My Teen Brain Training Dates for Professionals Working with Teens - 2022
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 23rd November 10am-3pm
- Thursday 12th January 10am-3pm
- 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
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.
My Baby’s Brain has been running in Hertfordshire since 2011. In that time, the challenges that families face have evolved, particularly because of the current pandemic. To ensure parents continue to be supported at the earliest opportunity, Early Help Commissioning have worked with partners KCA to refresh My Baby’s Brain training to allow for a greater depth of learning for professionals with additional focus on resilience and managing toxic stress.
For more information and helpful resources, please see My baby's brain | Hertfordshire County Council. You can also find details on our MBB programme.
Latest news from Step2Skills
Discover an industry with Step2Skills this November
Step2Skills runs a range of career discovery courses which you can join to explore an industry. Find out more about the jobs available, qualifications needed and how best to begin your new career choice.
This November Step2Skills is running two discovery courses, with just a £15 registration fee payable at the time of booking. (Note that if you find yourself struggling to pay this amount, please get in touch as Step2Skills may be able to help).;
Intro to Health & Social Care: Starts 9th November, 10am in Stevenage
Intro to Customer Service: Starts 9th November, 1pm in Stevenage
Browse and book the full range of courses at www.step2skills.org.uk
New accredited qualification courses available with Step2Skills!
? Unlock your potential with a qualification at Step2Skills!
Whether you want to start a new career, progress in your current role or add skills to your CV, as a Herts resident, here is your opportunity.
Step2Skills has just added some additional qualification courses to their website, including another two courses to achieve a Level 3 Diploma in Leadership & Management.
This is in addition to our Essential Digital Skills Qualification (EDSQ), all of which can be booked on our website
Visit their website to see the latest accredited courses; Our courses (hertfordshire.gov.uk)
Inclusive Employment: Hear from a parent
It’s thanks to funding from the European Social Fund that Step2Skills is able to offer a tailored approach to supporting unemployed residents in Hertfordshire who have a diagnosed or undiagnosed disability or barrier(s) such as neurodiversity, mental health conditions, sensory needs or learning and physical disabilities into employment, education or training.
Here, the parents of one participant describe how the Inclusive Employment team have helped their son;
‘From the very first meeting Neil, our son’s Employment Advisor, made every effort to engage with and encourage by alleviating any anxiety, thereby building a trusting working relationship with him, in a relaxed manner which enabled our son to engage in conversation, which normally can be challenging.
Through Neil's professionalism, patience and understanding, he made conversations and the completion of forms more simple by sharing in our son’s sense of humour and interest in football.
It was apparent at each meeting with Neil (I attended each week) that he was enthusiastic to assist our son to obtain paid employment in a sphere of his choosing. The meetings were purposeful with positive outcomes and favourable plans to progress towards that goal.
Neil arranged and kindly attended 4 work taster sessions, giving our son opportunity and support in unfamiliar surroundings.
Our son finally obtained employment at a pub which he particularly enjoys and feedback from the employer has been encouragingly positive. Neil accompanied our son in this new job until he had settled and it was time to transition to Adrian as Job Coach, who is now kindly assisting each week with online training at the pub.
Throughout this whole process with Step2Skills, Neil has clearly and patiently explained the process to our son and myself which has given us all a sense of security as this is a very new venture.
We are a tremendously grateful for the professional provision and assistance given by Neil and Adrian over these past months. Our son is now working confidently and cheerfully as the result of the many hours given by Step2Skills.’
If you're a Hertfordshire resident with a diagnosed OR undiagnosed disability or barrier to work, our team is here and waiting to hear from you.
Apply or refer someone to the Inclusive Employment project: https://surveys.hertfordshire.gov.uk/s/A1SHNA/
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Free training from the Money Advice Unit
Please find attached the Money Advice Unit Training Programme and booking form for Autumn 2022.
All of these courses are free of charge but please note we will only accept bookings from organisations in Hertfordshire.
Please complete a separate booking form for each course you want to book on. If you want to book for more than one course please complete a separate booking form for each course. As usual we only allow a maximum of two participants from each organisation for each course.
Once you return the completed booking form(s) to us, you will receive a booking confirmation email within 5 working days.
Also, please see below, a link and an electronic copy of the new Benefits Rate Card for 2022-23.
MAU Benefit Rates poster 2022/23