Author Archives: Louise

Issue 133 – Southern Area FYI – 19 September 2024

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Welcome to Issue 133 of our fortnightly newsletter, ‘FYI’ (For Your Information).

Image with text promoting FYI (For Your Information)

Image with text promoting FYI (For Your Information)

Download Issue 133

(Note: Newsletter will download directly to your device.  Look out for the pop-up box and click on open file when it appears)

As you may have noticed, we have tweaked the design of ‘FYI’ to keep it user-friendly, including a new logo. Hope you like it!

We have included the reports for our Family Support Hubs, both regionally and in the Southern Area. These are on page 3 and give a very detailed breakdown of the nature of referrals to the hub over the past year.

Pages 27 to 29 introduce the Emotional Wellbeing Teams in Schools if you have not yet heard of them. They have great resources now to help support young people, parents/carers and teaching staff on the emotional wellbeing of young people.

Hope you find this edition useful!

Locality Development Team (Southern Trust Area)

State of the Sector Survey 2024 – School-Age Childcare

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Image with text explaining State of the Sector Survey 2024

Image with text explaining State of the Sector Survey 2024

To ensure that we have a clear understanding of both the opportunities and challenges facing School-Age Childcare providers, PlayBoard in partnership with the School Age Childcare Forum is undertaking a State of the Sector survey. 

The survey is an opportunity for School-Age Childcare providers to share a range of information about practice, workforce and quality within their setting alongside their views on the challenges facing the sector now and in the immediate future. For parents/carers using School-Age Childcare, the survey is an opportunity to have their say and help shape the future of play-based School-Age Childcare Services in Northern Ireland.

 The closing date for completion of both surveys is Friday 4 October.

 Survey links

You’ll find all the information on our website at www.playboard.org/state-of-the-sector-survey-2024-school-age-childcare

Infant Mental Health Conference

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Dear Colleagues,

We are delighted to invite you to attend our annual Infant Mental Health Conference online on Thursday 3rd October to hear about developments in research, policy and practice as we work together across Northern Ireland to support babies and their families.

Keynote speakers include: 

  • Dr Karen Bateson – Joint CEO/Executive Director of Oxford Parent Infant Project (OXPIP)
  • Graham Shulman – Lead for NHS Lanarkshire Infant Mental Health Service, and joint Head of Child Psychotherapy in CAMHS NHS Lanarkshire

This is a partnership event, co-hosted by members of the Regional Infant Mental Health Implementation Group, including the Public Health Agency, Health and Social Care Trusts, and voluntary/community members of the Stronger from the Start Alliance.

Please click on the link below or scan the QR code to register.

Image with text and baby promoting Speak up for babies event

Image with text and baby promoting Speak up for babies event

IMH Conference 2024 – Speak up for Babies – Giving our most vulnerable the best start

Regional HSC Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing Campaign

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Image with text and pictures promoting Take 5 steps to wellbeing

Image with text and pictures promoting Take 5 steps to wellbeing

The Public Health Agency (PHA) and Health and Social Care (HSC) organisations have launched this year’s HSC mental health and emotional wellbeing campaign urging people to prioritise workplace mental health.

Between World Suicide Prevention Day (10 September) and World Mental Health Day (10 October) the five local HSC Trusts, the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) and the PHA are encouraging people to take 10 minutes for mental health self-care using the ‘Take 5 steps to wellbeing’.

The ‘Take 5 steps to wellbeing’ are: Connect, Keep Learning, Be Active, Take Notice and Give.

 More information is available about the HSC mental health campaign, the work of the Health and Social Care Trusts, details of local services that provide mental health and wellbeing support and the ‘Take 5 steps to wellbeing’ at www.mindingyourhead.info/workplace-mental-health-2024

This will also be an opportunity to encourage everyone to learn more about mental health and suicide prevention by attending a training course. Details about the training available across Northern Ireland can be found at www.mindingyourhead.info/training

A NEW Constipation in children series is now LIVE on the Public Health Dietitians YouTube channel!

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Image with text and picture raising awareness of Childhood constipation

Image with text and picture raising awareness of Childhood constipation

You can view it here: Constipation in children – YouTube

These short videos provide information from a Registered Dietitian and Children’s Continence Nurse on:

  • The causes of constipation in children and how to spot it
  • Diet, lifestyle and toileting tips to help prevent constipation.