The latest news
Book Now: Working Together in Early Help Events
You’re invited to join our Families First, Working Together in Early Help Events
Join us this Autumn at our Working Together in Early Help learning events. These events are a great workforce development opportunity as well as a chance to network with other Families First partners.
The events are in person across the county and will be focused on school attendance and how the national social care reforms (also known as the Families First Partnership Programme) are being implemented in Hertfordshire with presentations from:-
Events are taking place across the county on the following dates:-
Wednesday 4 November 26, 9:30-12:30, South Hill Centre, Hemel Hempstead
Tuesday 17 November 26, 9:30-12:30, Broxbourne Borough Council, Cheshunt
Friday 20 November, 26, 9:30-12:30. Icknield Centre, Letchworth
Wednesday 25 November 26, 9:30-12:30, Three Rivers District Council, Rickmansworth
Book your place here: Families First - Working together in Early Help - Autumn 2026
Professionals network to improve outcomes for children, young people and families
It was inspiring to see more than 120 partners come together at this year's Children, Young People and Families Partnership Day in Hertfordshire.
The day provided an opportunity to network, share learning and explore new services and initiatives designed to support children, young people and families. Key themes throughout the event included:
- The importance of prevention and early intervention
- Listening to the voices and experiences of children, young people and families
- Building resilience within our communities
- The value of strong, effective partnerships
From updates on support for young carers, new families and those facing financial challenges, to discussions around children's social care reform and safeguarding, the event reinforced the impact we can have when organisations work together around a shared purpose.
Thank you to everyone who attended, presented and contributed to such an important day. By continuing to collaborate, listen and act early, we can make a real difference for children, young people and families across Hertfordshire.
Would you like to make a difference in a young parent’s life?
Safe Space Mentoring Service for Adopted Young People,
Safe Space are working in partnership with AdoptEast on an exciting new project to provide dedicated mentoring support for adopted young people across Hertfordshire. The service will offer young people a trusted relationship with a trained mentor, helping them build confidence, resilience and a stronger sense of connection as they navigate the challenges of growing up. We're looking to recruit volunteer mentors who have either personal or professional experience of adoption and can offer an hour a week to meet with a young person – full training and on-going support will be provided. Download the leaflet here and please contact the mentoring team to find out more;
mentoringmailbox@hertfordshire.gov.uk
In addition:-
Ohana offers young parents who are care experienced the opportunity to build new, positive relationships. We are recruiting volunteers who are caring, flexible, positive, and friendly. Could you provide real support that makes a difference to a young parent’s life? Do you have time to share and can make a commitment?
If you are interested in being an Ohana Champion, please see the advertisement below and complete an Expression of Interest 😊
The deadline for applications is the 1st of November.
The Children and Young people's Podcast has arrived!
Participation Team - Children and Young people Podcast
A brand-new podcast from the Participation Team is now live and features young people sharing their lived experiences and perspectives on labelling, stigma, and stereotypes. The podcast offers valuable insights from young people, encouraging reflection and greater understanding of the impact of labels and assumptions. Listen and share with colleagues and networks now.
View and share the first podcast hosted by Young Carers (ClubYC) below:-
Participation Team YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ParticipationTeam
www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/participationteam
Fifty Thrifty Half Term activities
HCC have put together another list of fifty cost-effective activities for families this October half-term
We’ve updated our list of fifty ‘no cost’ or ‘low cost’ activities to do in Hertfordshire for autumn, providing a whole world of wonder for you and your family. We understand that we all need to make the most of every penny at the moment and, if you’re finding times particularly tough financially, there is support on hand on our Help to manage the cost of living webpage.
Find out more here:- Fifty Thrifty October Halfterm 2026
Hertfordshire Young People’s Health and Wellbeing Survey 2026
The Hertfordshire Young People’s Health and Wellbeing Survey 2026 will be open from Monday 9 November to Friday 18 December 2026. The survey gives young people the opportunity to share their views on a range of health and wellbeing topics, helping schools, services and commissioners better understand and respond to their needs.
In 2024, more than 14,500 Hertfordshire young people took part. Schools reported that the findings were valuable for demonstrating impact to Ofsted, monitoring pupil wellbeing and informing support for young people.
The survey covers a range of topics, including:
- Mental health and wellbeing
- Drugs and alcohol
- Healthy eating and physical activity
- Relationships
- Safety and bullying
The survey is anonymous and takes approximately 20 minutes to complete on a computer, tablet or mobile phone. Young people attending school can select their school from a dropdown list, and those not currently in education can also participate.
Once the survey closes, the Health Intelligence team will analyse the results to help inform future services and support for young people across Hertfordshire.
🔗 Access the survey from 9 November 2026 at 9am: www.hertshealthevidence.org/yphws
The Mainstream Young People's Health and Wellbeing Survey will both be open from 9 November 2026 and close on Friday 18 December at midnight. For any queries about either survey, please contact yphws@hertfordshire.gov.uk.
Become a Hertfordshire Contraception Champion!
Contraception Champions play a vital role in promoting healthy relationships, supporting conversations about contraception and sexual health, sharing prevention messages, and signposting Hertfordshire residents to appropriate local services. The scheme is open to practitioners working across Health, Education, Children's Services, Adult Social Care, Drugs and Alcohol Services, and other frontline roles.
The scheme does not require you to provide clinical advice. It is about helping people access the right information and services when they need them, within the role you are in.
As a Contraception Champion, you'll:
Champions receive guidance, resources, training opportunities and regular updates to help them feel confident having these important conversations.
Interested? Sign up here:
New reasonable adjustments guidance for young people, parents and carers
Hertfordshire has developed some guidance for young people, parents and carers about reasonable adjustments. It encourages them to speak to services about how small changes might help children and young people to gain the most benefit from mental health services.
The guide, which is available at the HertsHub and as a PDF includes information about what reasonable adjustments are, the law and some ideas about the types of changes that might be helpful and questions to ask.
The guidance has been developed in partnership with system partners, parents/carers and young people. Colleagues at the Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust SEND MHST kindly allowed their friendly character “Pandy” to be used throughout the guide on a journey with a service, from before their first appointment to moving on from a service.
You can read the guidance in the Reasonable adjustments topic at the HertsHub here. Scroll down the page to send your feedback and comments via the HertsHub website.
Home-Start Watford, Three Rivers & Hertsmere Remains Strong, Stable and Fully Operational
Following the recent sad announcement regarding the imminent closure of Home-Start Hertfordshire, we would like to reassure our partners, referrers and the families we support that
Home-Start Watford, Three Rivers & Hertsmere remains financially secure, well-resourced and fully operational.
Home-Start charities operate independently, with each organisation responsible for its own governance, funding and service delivery.
Home-Start Hertfordshire has served families across Broxbourne, Dacorum, East Hertfordshire, North Hertfordshire (excluding Royston), Stevenage, St Albans and Welwyn Hatfield.
We would also like to reassure partners that Home-Start Royston, Buntingford & South Cambridgeshire continues to operate as usual and remains available to support families within its area. Further information can be found on their website:
https://www.hsrsc.org.uk/.
As a local, independent charity, we have worked hard to build a strong and sustainable organisation. Thanks to the continued support of our funders, volunteers, staff, trustees and partners, we are in a positive position and remain focused on meeting the needs of families across our communities.
We would be grateful if you could share this update within your teams and networks and continue referring families who may benefit from our support.
Thank you for your continued partnership and support. We remain here, ready and able to support families across Watford, Three Rivers and Hertsmere.
News from the Family Centre Service
We are pleased to share the news that One YMCA has changed its name to 'YMCA Chiltern Group'. ✨
💜 Why is One YMCA getting a new name?
Over the past 140 years, the charity has grown from the first YMCA meeting in Watford to becoming one of the largest YMCA groups in England and Wales, serving communities across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. As One YMCA celebrates this important anniversary and reflects on the positive impact it has made, they also wanted to look ahead to the future. So, the new name ‘YMCA Chiltern Group’ aims to unite all services under a new collective name and reflects ambitions going forward.
💜 Why did they choose 'YMCA Chiltern Group'?
This new name helps connect the group to the regions it serves, be more recognisable to local communities and is meaningful to the vision and purpose. The name is inspired by the Chiltern Hills, which many of you will know is the beautiful range of hills that stretches across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.
Just like the counties connected by the Chilterns, YMCA Chiltern Group is a mix of regional services connected by a common thread: supporting local young people and families to belong, contribute and thrive. 👏
To read more about One YMCA's name change, please visit: https://oneymca.org/one-ymca-becomes-ymca-chiltern-group/
The Incredible Years® Preschool Parenting Programme
The Family Support Service, in collaboration with Best Start Family Hubs in Watford and Stevenage, are excited to be introducing The Incredible Years® Preschool Parenting Programme to families living in Hertfordshire.
The programme is designed for parents and carers of children aged 3–5 years, and aims to strengthen parent-child relationships, support positive behaviour at home and promote emotional regulation and problem-solving skills in young children. With support from trained practitioners, parents and carers will explore ways to encourage positive behaviour through play, praise, and positive attention. Sessions focus on building strong connections, supporting children’s language and social development, establishing effective routines, and managing challenging behaviours calmly and consistently.
The programme runs over 15 weekly sessions, either online or in person, giving parents and carers the time they need to learn, practise and build confidence in using new strategies at home. Each session follows on from the last, allowing families to make lasting changes that can make a real difference to their child’s development and behaviour.
Incredible Years courses will begin in the Autumn term. Please contact your local Family Centre on 0300 123 7572 and ask for Watford or Stevenage for more information.
Hertfordshire SEND Directory
Are you looking for local activities and SEND services for a child or young person with SEND?
The SEND community activities directory promotes a wide range of local activities and support groups. Some activities will also include discounts for families registered with a Herts Card (SEND).
We will be adding additional activities on a regular basis.
View the Autumn Programme of Parenting Groups
The Hertfordshire Parenting and Relationship Support Offer Newsletter is a comprehensive guide to free parenting, SEND, autism/ADHD, and family relationship support services available to Hertfordshire families in Autumn 2026.
It lists courses, workshops, webinars and support groups provided by a range of organisations, along with dates, venues (mostly online), and booking details.
Please take time to read and share where applicable
Information Sharing Duty new statutory guidance
Information Sharing Duty Information Sharing Duty Sept 2026: The government has published new statutory guidance on sharing information to safeguard children and young people.
The guidance, published on 10 September 2026, explains the new information sharing duty introduced through section 16LA of the Children Act 2004. The duty comes into force on 30 September 2026 and applies to a range of safeguarding organisations, including education and early years agencies, local authorities, health services, the police and other specified organisations.
It replaces the previous non-statutory Information sharing: advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services.
What is changing?
The new duty is intended to remove uncertainty about whether information can be shared, particularly where concerns relate to emerging needs, early help or a child’s wider welfare rather than an immediate risk of significant harm.
There is no requirement for a child to have reached a particular statutory threshold before relevant information can be shared.
From 30 September 2026, an organisation covered by the duty must share information with another organisation covered by the duty where:
- it holds information about a child, or another person connected to that child;
- it considers the information relevant to safeguarding or promoting the child’s welfare; and
- it considers that sharing the information may help the recipient assess need or risk, make a decision, provide support or take safeguarding action.
The duty applies both when an organisation identifies relevant information itself and when it receives a request for relevant information from another organisation covered by the legislation.
Baby Sleeping Bag Safety Alert
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has issued a safety warning about some baby sleeping bags. Product Safety Alert: Baby Sleeping Bags (PSA9) - GOV.UK
Baby sleeping bags should have armholes and no hood. Products without armholes or with a hood can be dangerous because they increase the risk of suffocation and overheating, which can cause serious harm or even death. If a sleeping bag does not fit properly, a baby may slip down inside it and the fabric could cover their nose and mouth.
When buying a baby sleeping bag:
- Check that it has armholes and no hood.
- Look for the British Safety Standard BS EN 16781:2018, especially when buying online.
- Make sure the sleeping bag fits snugly around your baby's neck and shoulders so they cannot wriggle down inside it.
- Follow the manufacturer's tog guide to choose the right sleeping bag for the room temperature.
Since 2023, nearly 50 unsafe baby sleeping bags have been recalled or reported.
For more information on safe sleep and how to dress your baby for sleep, visit How to dress your baby for sleep | The Lullaby Trust
Launch of the OPCC Community Cashback Fund
Please see below the details on the Community Cashback Fund via the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire.
The priorities for this fund are:
- Crime prevention.
- Community safety.
- Victim support.
- Youth engagement and diversion.
- Reducing anti-social behaviour.
- Support victims and vulnerable people.
- Build stronger and more resilient communities.
Launch of Community Cashback Fund
Proceeds from the sale of seized and unclaimed property that cannot be returned to its owner will now be used for grants for local groups under a new scheme launched. Community groups and charities can apply for up to £2,500 from the new Community Cashback Fund to support projects that make Hertfordshire’s communities safer. At least 25 local projects are expected to benefit from the first round of funding. Eligible applicants must be charities, community groups and not-for-profit organisations. The idea is simple: take money associated with crime and use it to do some good in the communities that crime harms. Community Cashback will support practical local initiatives that contribute to crime prevention, community safety, victim support and stronger communities across Hertfordshire.
Applications are now open and will close on 30th October.
Find out more, read the guidance and apply at: https://www.herts-pcc.gov.uk/listening-and-responding/funding/community-cashback-fund/
If you have any queries, please do contact Jonathan Ash-Edwards, Police & Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire grants@herts-pcc.gov.uk and the commissioning team will be able to assist.
The Incredible Years Pre-School Parenting Programme
Do you support families of pre-school school age children in Hertfordshire, either as a setting, nursery or school or perhaps as a community, health or education professional?
The Incredible Years Pre-School Parenting Programme is a new parenting offer for parents and carers of children aged 3-5 years in Hertfordshire.
The Incredible Years Pre-School Parenting programme is a fourteen-week course, delivered by the Family Support Service through our Best Start Family Hubs and Family Centres. The programme will offer the opportunity for parents to connect with other parents in a reflective, supportive environment.
The programme teaches parents to help their children feel loved, safe and secure; to encourage their child’s language, social and emotional development; to establish clear and predictable routines; to handle separations and reunions; and to use positive, respectful and patient discipline to manage behaviour.
Long term research has demonstrated good outcomes for both parents and children with improved behaviour, greater independent play, positive parent child interactions and increased child outcomes for reading.
This programme is offered both online (all areas) and in person groups (Stevenage and Watford) offering flexible support for parents and carers, further information in the attached flyer can support professionals working with families to effectively share information with your families.
For further information parents and carers can book on themselves by going to the Best Start Family Hubs and Family Centres 'what’s on' webpage where dates of both the in person (Stevenage and Watford) courses and the online offer (all areas) can be found.
If you feel a family may need more support to access please use the professionals area and complete a request for support (referral) form with the parent/carer permission and the team will make contact directly.