Author Archives: Yvonne

Drugs and Alcohol NI

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The Public Health Agency continues to commission a range of drug and alcohol intervention and prevention services across Northern Ireland. These services offer;

  • Drug and alcohol awareness and service information sessions for organisations/networks
  • Targeted life skills programmes for children and young people aged 11-25 years at risk of or experiencing substance use issues
  • Youth Engagement Services for children and young people aged 11-25 years. Young people attending the YES can receive information, advice and support on a range of issues including:
  • Mental health and Emotional wellbeing Issues: Depression, Low Self-Esteem, Self-harm, Family Problems, Educational (School) Problems;
  • Wider Personal and Health Issues: Drugs and Alcohol (including tobacco), Relationships, Sexual Health, Healthy Eating;
  • Social Welfare Issues: Benefits, Housing, Debts, Employment; and,
  • Practical Issues: Further Education, Careers, Money Management, Independent Living Skills.

The service also acts as a supportive signposting and referral agency for children

and young people with additional support needs.

For more information visit Drugs and Alcohol | NI (drugsandalcoholni.info) or contact your local trust area connections team at Contact Us | Drugs and Alcohol (drugsandalcoholni.info).

Down and Ards & North Down CYPSP Locality Planning Groups Fortnightly News

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Issue 55 October 2022

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

Welcome to the 55th edition of the fortnightly newsletter for Locality Planning Groups in Ards, North Down & Down. As increased cost of living hits, we would like to share information on
services promoting emotional, social and financial support for struggling
families. Please share with your contacts.
If you wish to advertise any upcoming programmes or activities
please see the guidance on the back page.

Southern Area FYI – Issue 90

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Welcome to the 90th edition of our information bulletin, ‘FYI’ (For Your Information). 

Download your copy here 

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

At our recent Locality Planning Groups we have heard from a number of services and organisations about the challenges highlighted by the cost of living crisis.  We are supporting local services, by sharing support and resources across the area, and have included a lot of information and potential support for communities and services in this ‘FYI’.

We will continue to share, promote and highlight essential support for organisations and communities in ‘FYI’ and at Locality Planning Group meetings, so please keep all information coming in so we can promote all the great work in the Southern Area!

Joanne Patterson & Darren Curtis, Locality Development Team, Southern Area

Talk, Play and have Fun

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Our September message of the month is: “Make our home language number one so we can talk, play and have fun”

Encourage parents to interact and communicate with their children in their home language. This is very important for and supports attachment, identity, understanding and self-esteem.

Communication is essential for a young child to build relationships; therefore it is particularly important that they can communicate with their primary caregiver and key adults around them.

When a child has moved from his/her home country, maintaining their first language helps to keep that important link with their home culture and strengthen their sense of personal identity.

Please use the link below which will take you to:

  • Message of the month video
  • a PDF version of the poster (to be displayed in setting or shared via email, Seesaw or another platform)
  • some additional ideas for how to put this message into practice

LINK TO ACCESS VIDEO AND RESOURCES HERE à https://view.pagetiger.com/messageofmonthsep/1

Furthermore, Check out this video which also supports our message this month: https://www.bbc.co.uk/tiny-happy-people/how-do-i-bilingual-development/ztrj4xs 

Don’t forget about our training for parents and anyone working with babies up to school aged children: You can access the Help Kids Talk Basic Awareness training via the link above, there are dates available for September & October at the moment. I would encourage you to sign up for level 1 training only when you have completed the Basic Awareness.

 

Help Kids Talk – July Message

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We have a lovely July message of the month: “Less watching, more talking… put everything away and just sing, talk and play”

This month we want to encourage parents and families to minimise screen time and spend time playing and talking with their children.

Please use the link below which will take you to:

  • a video explaining the message of the month
  • a PDF version of the poster to be displayed in setting or shared via email, Seesaw or another platform
  • some ideas on how to put this message into practice.

CLICK ON LINK TO ACCESS VIDEO AND RESOURCES HERE à https://view.pagetiger.com/july1/1

Please share the message of the month information with your staff team and also with your parents/families. We will be sharing more tips and advice linked to the message of the month on our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages.

Please also note that free training for parents or anyone working with children between 0 and 6 years old is available and can be booked below. (July dates available, keep an eye on the HKT Facebook page for Aug/Sept dates). ‘Basic Awareness’ around speech, language & communication is the first session and Level 1 is a next steps session looking at speech & language milestones, referring a child to Speech Therapy and tips for supporting children with difficulties in the home or their setting:

https://view.pagetiger.com/basic-awareness-webinar-training-dates/help-kids-talk-training