Author Archives: Valerie

Celebrating infant mental health week in the Western Outcomes Area

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The Western Health and Social Care Trust with partners including Sure Start, Libraries NI, local play groups, Action for Children and many more have been promoting the five key messages of the regional Infant Mental Health Strategy in the Western Outcomes area. 

The five key messages of the Infant Mental Health Strategy are:

  1. No smoking or drinking alcohol during pregnancy
  2. Breastfeed your baby
  3. Read a story to your child everyday
  4. Give your child lots of love, affection and praise
  5. Have fun and play with your child

 

Kieran Downey, chair of the Western Outcomes Group and Director of Women and Children’s Services in Western HSC Trust has said ‘The evidence is overwhelming that children’s life experiences in early years directly impacts upon their mental, physical and emotional well-being in later years’.

 

Click here to read more about Infant Mental Health Week in the Western Outcomes Area

 

The Western Health and Social Care Trust in partnership with the Public Health Agency have produced a short guide providing detail of the five ways to support the development of your baby’s emotional health and well-being. Click here to read this guide

 

 

Celebrating 25years of Bookstart in the Down Sector

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Down Sure Start Rhythm Rhyme and Storytime group celebrated National Bookstart Week 2017 on the 6 June in Ardglass and on the 7 June in Downpatrick. Rhythm Rhyme and Storytime is run by Speech and Language Therapy in Down Sure Start and is open for all children under 4 in the Down Sure Start area.

 

Diana Gerald, Chief Executive of Book Trust said “We are delighted families across the country are celebrating 25 years of Book Trust’s flagship programme Bookstart. Sharing a book is a wonderful experience which every child should benefit from. Books invite children to dive into adventures whilst also promoting discussion about emotions. Reading for pleasure can have many positive impacts on a child’s life with research showing if a parent reads to their infant every day they will be almost 12 months ahead of those who are read to less often, in terms of their reading and language skills.”

 

Click here to download a copy of the press release from the Down area Bookstart programme 

 

 

Contact Us:

For more information on Rhythm Rhyme and Storytime sessions please contact Down Sure Start on 02844613630

 

Family Links Nurturing Programme Antrim

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Seven parents  recently completed the 10 week Family Links Nurturing Programme in the Antrim area. This programme worked directly with parents to develop emotional and mental well-being to build effective relationships and positive family life. 

 

Sandra Anderson, Participation Development Officer and Selena Ramsey, Locality Planning Officer in the Northern Outcomes Area hosted the programme as parent group facilitators in partnership with Homestart to identify the unmet needs of parents who live outside of the Surestart wards in Antrim.

The Nurturing Programme aims to help adults understand and manage feelings and behaviour and become more positive and nurturing in their relationships with children and each other. It encourages an approach to relationships that gives children and adults an emotionally healthy start for their lives and learning.

 

The findings of this 10 week programme will inform future planning initiatives of the CYPSP Antrim Locality Planning Group to meet local needs of parents in the area.

 

Contact Us

For more information about this programme and the CYPSP Antrim Locality Planning Group contact:

Sandra Anderson, Participation Development Officer at SandraL.Anderson@northerntrust.hscni.net 

 

Selena Ramsey, Northern Area Locality Planning Officer at Selena.Ramsey@northerntrust.hscni.net

Telephone: 028 2563 6609

Strengthening Families Programme in Ards and North Down Area

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The forthcoming Strengthening Families Programmes for the Ards and North Down Area (Starting Jan 2018) is currently open for family referrals. This globally recognised and evidenced parenting programme provides a unique opportunity for both parents and young people to work together to improve their relationships.

 

Are you working with any eligible families who you could refer to the programme and would be willing to participate?

Maybe you have families on a waiting list who could benefit from participating in Strengthening Families whilst they are waiting to access your service?

 

The attached leaflet show the referral pathway and provides some basic information about the programme (targeted at any family with young people aged 12-16). 

Click here to download the Strengthening Families leaflet

 

The programme runs for 14 weeks, is completely free of charge (as it is being funded through the Public Health Agency ) and includes free childcare/ play sessions for younger family members to enable the family to participate and a family meal at each of the14 sessions.

Other key information is attached including;

 

 

Contact Us

For further information please contact the Strengthening Families Co-Ordinator, ASCERT:

Jamie Compton-Rea

Strengthening Families Service Co-Ordinator

02892604422 / 07545928220 / jamie@acsert.biz

 

Networking in Ballyclare & Rural Newtownabbey

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The CYPSP Ballyclare and Rural Newtownabbey Locality Planning Group brought together organisations working with children, young people and families in the Ballyclare & Rural Newtownabbey area last week. The event proved a successful networking opportunity bringing together 16 community, voluntary and statutory sector organisations to understand the emerging issues faced by children, young people and families in the area. It also enabled the opportunity for agencies to share information, coordinate services and improve communication between services locally.

 

An organisation profile of services supporting children, young people and families has been prepared from the agencies who were represented at the event.

 

Click here to download the CYPSP Ballyclare and Rural Newtownabbey service profile 

 

Contact Us:

For further information about the CYPSP Ballyclare and Rural Newtownabbey Locality Planning Group contact:
Selena Ramsey, CYPSP Northern Area Locality Planner by email at selena.ramsey@northerntrust.hscni.net

Gemma Lutton, CYPSP Northern Area Programme Support Officer by email at gemma.lutton@northerntrust.hscni.net or telephone 028 2563 6615