Tag Archives: news

Lunch box inspiration for September

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Promotional flyer titled “Healthy lunch boxes for kids.” The poster highlights the benefits of healthy lunches for growing children and promotes a YouTube resource from Public Health Dietitians NI. It features a lunchbox with sandwiches, school stationery, a water bottle, a QR code labelled “Scan Me,” and information on healthy lunch box steps, helpful hacks, and two weeks of lunch box ideas.Our Children’s Dietitian Jenny Panek says, “As children head back to school this September and we all get into new routines, now is the perfect time to refresh lunchbox routines and support healthy eating habits.

Our NEW Healthy Lunch Box Videos have you covered- packed with simple tips to help create balanced, nutritious lunches that keep children fuelled throughout the school day.

And don’t forget our popular ‘Children’s Snacks’ series.”

📺 Watch the videos on the Public Health Dietitians ‘Eating Well’ YouTube channel:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVutsY_gd5AYnalVYTCXNoKDh9anjQ9P2&si=ihbsMCGcUqmgAihH

And if you have teenagers, check out this playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVutsY_gd5AZldZtyoRRPIq5lF9RewHM_&si=z4Mm0IjHvTUiYQv-

Please share with parents, carers, friends and family to help support healthy eating this school year.

Wishing all families a happy, healthy and successful return to school!

Western Area FYI: Issue 34 – September 2026

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Your FYI is a monthly round up of all things family support and early intervention / prevention across the Western trust and beyond.

Cover image for the Western Area FYI newsletter. The design features the FYI logo on a blue background, alongside the Western Health and Social Care Trust logo and the CYPSP (Children & Young People’s Strategic Partnership) logo. Large white text reads “Western Area FYI” with “September 2026 | Issue 34” beneath. A white banner across the bottom contains an icon of a family and the text “Family Support & Early Intervention Newsletter.”

Download Western Area FYI September Newsletter

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

If you would like to contribute upcoming consultations, training, articles, or events that practitioners from the community, voluntary or statutory sectors within the Western Trust will find useful please contact;

Dr Priscilla Magee – Contact: 07880723076  priscilla.magee@westerntrust.hscni.net

Marty Daly – Contact: 07387259117    martin.daly@westerntrust.hscni.net

World Breastfeeding Week 1-7 August 2026

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Promotional graphic for World Breastfeeding Awareness Week (1–7 August 2026). A person is seated holding and breastfeeding a baby, with a soft pink overlay across the image. Large white text reads: “What to eat and drink when breastfeeding”. Below, text states “Watch now on YouTube”. Logos for World Breastfeeding Awareness Week, the Public Health Dietitians Group Northern Ireland, Eating Well, and the Public Health Agency appear at the bottom of the image.

Promotional graphic for World Breastfeeding Awareness Week (1–7 August 2026). A person is seated holding and breastfeeding a baby, with a soft pink overlay across the image. Large white text reads: “What to eat and drink when breastfeeding”. Below, text states “Watch now on YouTube”. Logos for World Breastfeeding Awareness Week, the Public Health Dietitians Group Northern Ireland, Eating Well, and the Public Health Agency appear at the bottom of the image.

World Breastfeeding Week is a global campaign to raise awareness of the importance of breastfeeding and the role that families, communities, healthcare professionals and workplaces can play in supporting breastfeeding mothers.

Good nutrition plays a vital role during pregnancy and breastfeeding.  Eating a varied, balanced diet can help meet increased nutritional needs, support maternal wellbeing and provide the energy needed to care for a growing baby.

Staying well-hydrated and making healthier food choices can also help support overall health during this important stage of life.

To mark World Breastfeeding Week, we have created a short video sharing simple, practical and trustworthy nutrition advice to support you and your baby on your breastfeeding journey.

🎥 Watch the video on our YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/664t0wkerhE?si=EEU5HPYUHHp0hSlP

Whether you are preparing for your baby’s arrival, currently breastfeeding, or supporting someone who is, we hope you find these tips helpful.

Southern Area ‘FYI’ Newsletter Feedback Survey 2026

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Promotional graphic for the CYPSP (Children & Young People’s Strategic Partnership) Newsletter Feedback Survey 2026. The design features a blurred background image of a hand holding a smartphone, with five white star outlines across the top suggesting a feedback or rating theme. The CYPSP logo appears in the top left corner. Large green and purple text reads “Newsletter Feedback Survey 2026.” A dark blue button-shaped graphic displays the text “REPORT CARD 26.5.” In the top right corner, a circular “FYI – For Your Information” logo is framed by a large blue curved border. The colour scheme includes blue, green, purple, and white, with a clean, modern layout focused on gathering feedback about the FYI newsletter

Promotional graphic for the CYPSP (Children & Young People’s Strategic Partnership) Newsletter Feedback Survey 2026. The design features a blurred background image of a hand holding a smartphone, with five white star outlines across the top suggesting a feedback or rating theme. The CYPSP logo appears in the top left corner. Large green and purple text reads “Newsletter Feedback Survey 2026.” A dark blue button-shaped graphic displays the text “REPORT CARD 26.5.” In the top right corner, a circular “FYI – For Your Information” logo is framed by a large blue curved border. The colour scheme includes blue, green, purple, and white, with a clean, modern layout focused on gathering feedback about the FYI newsletter

The Southern Area Locality Planning Team is delighted to share the findings from the ‘FYI’ Feedback Survey 2026, showcasing the continued impact of the ‘FYI’ newsletter as a trusted information-sharing, signposting and networking resource for practitioners, organisations and communities across the Southern Area.

Since its launch in 2019, ‘FYI’ has provided a one-stop-shop for promoting services, events, training opportunities, funding, resources and initiatives that support children, young people and families. The latest scorecard, covering the period April 2024 to March 2026, demonstrates that the newsletter continues to play an important role in strengthening partnership working and improving awareness of and access to local opportunities.

The report highlights a number of positive outcomes, including a 100% satisfaction rate, with every survey respondent agreeing that ‘FYI’ is a useful resource and that it has increased their awareness of what is happening across the Southern Area.

Feedback also shows that ‘FYI’ continues to have a tangible impact in practice. Over three-quarters of respondents said they had attended an event, participated in a programme or completed a survey after seeing it promoted through the newsletter, while other organisations reported increased attendance and enquiries after advertising their own activities in ‘FYI’.

Respondents praised the newsletter for its comprehensive signposting, up-to-date information, clear layout and ability to connect organisations with relevant services, training and networking opportunities. Many described it as an “excellent” resource, with comments including, “Look forward to it hitting my inbox” and “I couldn’t imagine my work life without it!”

The Southern Area Locality Planning Team would like to sincerely thank everyone who completed the survey and to all LPG members and organisations that continue to contribute content to ‘FYI’. Your ongoing support helps ensure the newsletter remains a valuable resource for sharing information, strengthening partnerships and improving outcomes for children, young people and families across the Southern Area.

To find out more about the findings, download the ‘FYI’ Feedback Survey 2026 Scorecard HERE.

Ethnic Minorities Mental Health Toolkit – a guide for practitioners

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A graphic titled “The Practitioner’s Toolkit: Mental Health and Ethnic Minority Groups.” The left side shows an illustrated person with short white hair, glasses, and a blue shirt holding a clipboard and pen. The top left features the Health and Social Care (HSC) logo. The top right contains the text “Support Resources” with simple line icons of a house, a scribble, and a speech bubble. Along the bottom are four blue buttons labeled: “Introduction,” “Quick Tips,” “Barriers to Accessing Services,” and “Accessing the Appropriate Support – List of Resources.” The background uses shades of blue and green.

A graphic titled “The Practitioner’s Toolkit: Mental Health and Ethnic Minority Groups.” The left side shows an illustrated person with short white hair, glasses, and a blue shirt holding a clipboard and pen. The top left features the Health and Social Care (HSC) logo. The top right contains the text “Support Resources” with simple line icons of a house, a scribble, and a speech bubble. Along the bottom are four blue buttons labeled: “Introduction,” “Quick Tips,” “Barriers to Accessing Services,” and “Accessing the Appropriate Support – List of Resources.” The background uses shades of blue and green.

 

This toolkit considers how mental health is viewed in different cultures, barriers to accessing services, cultural competences in mental health, ‘dos and don’ts’ quick reference guide. There is also information on interpreting and translation services as well as other support organisations that practitioners can refer clients to.

View The Practitioners Toolkit