Antrim/Ballymena Locality Planning Group

Antrim/Ballymena Photos 2020-21 including Talk Pants Guide, Christmas Craft Packs, Healthy Movers Packs, CSN Physical Activity Programmes, Looking After Me Journals & GAITGO Photos

The Antrim/Ballymena Children and Young People’s Locality Group is a partnership of agencies from the statutory, voluntary and community sectors who come together to provide local solutions to the identified needs of children, young people and their families across the area. The Group is a Subgroup of the Northern Outcomes Group linking to the CYPSP. The Group was formally launched on 24 October 2007. Membership is open to all organisations who provide services across the area and the group is particularly keen to hear from children, young people and families themselves. We recognise that by working together we can all achieve better outcomes for our children and young people.

Learn more about locality groups
Learn more about outcomes groups here
The Antrim/Ballymena LPG is part of the Northern outcomes group

Latest News & Events

‘Cost of Living’ & ‘Every Family Counts’ Events – Antrim and Ballymena - Cost of living was one of the priorities identified by children, young people and parents that the Antrim/Ballymena CYPSP Locality Planning Group (LPG) have been working on for the last Continue Reading →

NHSCT Health & Wellbeing Officers Win Runner Up in the 2022 NHSCT Chairman’s Awards - NHSCT Health and Wellbeing Officers have won Runner up in the 2022 NHSCT Chairman’s awards – Population Health and Wellbeing for their work on the NSPCC PANTS Campaign. For the Continue Reading →

Antrim & Ballymena Children & Young People Active Outside Survey - In August 2021 the Antrim Ballymena CYPSP Locality Planning Group conducted a Children & Young Peoples and Parents survey to ascertain children, young people and parent’s views on being active Continue Reading →

Mid and East Antrim Council launch ‘Little Free Toybox’ at People’s Park, first for the Borough - The concept of a ‘Little Free Toybox’ is simple – a passer by can lift a toy to play with or leave a toy for someone else. Mayor of Mid Continue Reading →

Baby Basics – Antrim and Newtownabbey - Baby Basics is a volunteer-led project aiming to support new mothers and families who are struggling to meet the financial and practical burden of looking after a new baby. Continue Reading →

Action Plan and Priorities

Achievements

Achievements 2022-2023

Every Family Counts OBA
Cost of Living Networking OBA
PANTS workshops held for childminders, NHSCT, school & early years staff- 274 attended. PANTS Makaton workshop held- 16 attended. PANTS blog in PCSP Neighbourhood Watch Newsletter. Runner up in NHSCT Chairperson’s Award- Population Health and Wellbeing. Schools PANTS week-Pantosaurus visited 17 schools, 4 nurseries and 1252 pupils. Pantosaurus birthday competition organised- 125 children entered. Won Runner up in the 2022 NHSCT Chairman’s awards – Population Health and Wellbeing for their work on the NSPCC PANTS Campaign
Attended Northern area MHEW conference where we spoke about Northern CYPSP members to 250 people, ran information stand and supported with registration
Worked with NHSCT Trust breast-feeding co-ordinators to compile and disseminate information to database about World Breastfeeding Week and how they can become a Breastfeeding friendly organisation. Information on breastfeeding and World Breastfeeding Week activities shared with all Northern LPG members.
Organised financial training for members on Money and Pensions Service Money Helper website so members more aware of financial products and assistance and better able to signpost their service users. 15 members attended training
Links made so members could obtain digital devices to tackle loneliness and support completion of homework through loneliness networks- 3 devices obtained by members for service users.

Achievements 2021-2022

LPG meetings moved online. Partnerships between members continued to be build; information, services and needs shared; new members joined across the statutory, voluntary and community sectors committed to improving outcomes for children and young people (CYP) in the area.

Worked with NHSCT and MayWe to disseminate MHEW Take 5 arts booklets through LPG members
Getting Active in the Great Outdoors Photo Competition held to promote outdoor play
Survey of children and young people and parents carried out looking at what physical activity CYP would like to do more of outside and what are their barriers to that
Looking After Me journal given to children with additional MHEW needs to help them transition to post-primary
Co-ordinated Demystifying Disability Hate crime webinar
Worked with NHSCT Trust co-ordinators to compile and disseminate information to database about World Breastfeeding Week and how member organsiations can become a Breastfeeding friendly organisation
Co-ordinate delivery of Talk, Learn, Do training to generate greater financial awareness and more financial stability in families
Autism NI Level 1 Fundamentals of Autism delivered online to staff and parents across Northern LPG’s
NSPCC PANTS Campaign- Worked with NSPCC to deliver 11 PANTS workshops held for Public Health Nurses (PHN), staff working with ethnic minorities, childminders and school staff- 170 attended. PANTS included in PHN Year 3 review reaching over 6,000 families. All primary schools, playschools and nurseries in Northern area offered PANTS information and resources. PANTS books provided to all schools for libraries. PANTS material translated to help work with ethnic minorities. PANTS material translated into Makaton
Sourced additional funding to deliver various mental health/emotional wellbeing programmes to meet need and fill gap in area.
Worked with NHSCT and MayWe to disseminate MHEW Christmas Take 5 arts booklets through LPG members
NHSCT Parenting Programmes Survey carried out to capture gaps, training needs, programme delivery, and challenges that will enable parenting programmes to be delivered that meet the needs of parents and children
3 Foundation Solihull training sessions delivered to 43 staff across Northern. Practice sessions also delivered to support staff after initial training.12 schools (6 PS, 6 Post-primary) across Northern area received Solihull training.
Incredible Years- 2 facilitators trained in Incredible Years- babies.
Practice Sharing event targeted at Heads of Trusts and PHA organised
Parents Plus- 4 staff completed training. Adolescence & Working Things Out refresher session offered to Eotas staff
Parenting NI- Odyssey Parenting Your Teen x 1 delivered in Northern area. 60 parents on waiting list for Parenting Children’s Challenging Behaviour programme in Northern. 3 six week programmes to reduce list funded.
Trauma Informed schools UK sessions provided to local school staff in Antrim Ballymena area
Treasure chest physical activity equipment boxes given to pre-school organisation working in an area of deprivation to support increased movement and daily physical activity by children
Funded and co-ordinated 250 Grow Your Own Vegetable kits and recipe booklets to primary school aged children across Antrim Ballymena. This supported CYP to be physically active outside, connect with nature, learn or develop a new skill, learn about where food comes from and improve nutrition
Secured funding through Save the Children (StC) Initiatives. Partnership set up with StC and Community Advice Service (CAS) Centres and councils. The funding assists with offering practical financial support for vulnerable families within all LPG areas through CAS, e.g. food vouchers, laptops for school work, fuel and household white goods up to £340. 386 families including 913 children received financial assistance across Northern area
Digital Safeguarding Forum brought together and launched February 2022 during Safer Internet Week with themes of problematic sexual behaviour, anti-bullying and mental health. Social media campaign ran with animated videos targeting teens and parents to promote greater awareness of parents and young people of online dangers and how children and young people can stay safe online

Achievements 2020-2021

Survey carried out with children, young people and parents to assess their needs and priorities
Arts packs delivered to LAC nurse to deliver to Looked After Children aged 4-11 identified as needing mental health support funded by Children In Need
Young people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing supported by boxes emotional wellbeing boxes delivered to young people in emotional need by member organisations
Worked with NSPCC and the NHSCT sexual health lead to roll out PANTS awareness campaign across the area to empower parents to have age-appropriate conversions with their children aged 4-8 to prevent or stop sexual abuse
Christmas craft packs provided to member organisations to deliver to children aged 4-11 identified as being in emotional need at Christmas
Worked in partnership with NHSCT Sexual health lead to provide LGBT Training to LPG member organisations
Organised and promoted mental health awareness training across area to meet CYP mental health/ emotional wellbeing needs
Co-ordinated and promoted whole staff training in Trauma and Mental Health-Informed Schools and Communities Training to members and teachers in area
Co-ordinate promotion and delivery of Parenting in a Pandemic training to create greater mental health awareness and knowledge of support mechanisms during Covid lockdown for parents
Pre-school play Healthy Movers packs provided to Surestart organisations to promote physical activity in early years
Worked with MEA council to place toy box in park to promote outdoor play and sustainable play
Physical activity programmes delivered in partnership with the Northern Health and Social Care Trust Children’s Department, Northern CYPSP LPG’s and Community Sports Network to CYP from member organisations
Delivered “Supporting young people in the return to school following the Covid-19 lockdown” training by Trauma Informed Schools online via Zoom
Co-ordinated ADHD Changing Lives Initiative training to LPG member organisations to parents and professionals
Worked in partnership with Save the Children, Family Support Hubs and Antrim/ Newtownabbey borough Council Community Advice Centres to provide financial support for vulnerable families within all LPG areas to buy things like early learning packs and household items

Report Cards

Engagement of Children, Young People and Families

Engagement with Children and Young People 2013 - Youth Fair February 2013 The Antrim Raising Attainment Group and the Local Children Services Planning Partnership hosted a Youth Fair at the Oakfield Community Centre in Antrim on Tuesday, 7 Continue Reading →

Engagment with Children and Young People 2012 - Engagement with Children and Young People April 2012 – May 2012 To improve service provision for parents with children aged 0 to 4 years in the Antrim area, Questionnaires have Continue Reading →

Antrim Engagement with Children and Young People 2010 - Engagement with Parents August 2010 Engagement was completed with 20 young people aged 10 to 16 years living in the Greystone area of Antrim in August 2010. The purpose of Continue Reading →