Safety Nets: Social Security for Families in a Devolved UK

Image showing 2 people and row of houses.Text - Is there something you'd like to share about your experience with benefits?

Image showing 2 people and row of houses. Text – Is there something you’d like to share about your experience with benefits?

The research team which includes six universities from across the UK would really appreciate your help in spreading the word. It explores how benefits vary across all 4 countries of the UK and how this impacts families with dependent children. 

As a central part of the project, we’re holding a series of 14 online discussion workshops with parents and carers in receipt of benefits to hear about their experiences and what needs to change. The workshops are open to parents/carers across the UK who receive at least one UK benefit, such as Universal Credit, PIP, or Tax Credits, or who are receiving asylum support. 

The discussions will take place in small, friendly online groups where participants can share their personal experiences and ideas for policy change. To thank them for their time, we are offering £50 in Love2Shop vouchers for each 2.5 hour workshop they attend, with the opportunity to take part in up to two workshops on different topics relating to social security (e.g. employment support, free school meals, welfare mitigations).

Uisce from the research team would be delighted to arrange a Zoom call if you’d like to discuss this further and can be reached on 07552 285828 or safety-nets-project@york.ac.uk

 

Image with text and QR code

Image with text and QR code

Connect North Drop-in Sessions

Image with text- Connect North Your Pathway to Wellbeing and Libraries NI

Image with text- Connect North Your Pathway to Wellbeing and Libraries NI

Connect North can connect you to beneficial services and supports within your local community to address your practical, social or emotional needs. (You must be over the age of 18 and live within the Northern Health and Social Care Trust area)

Connect North Drop-in Causeway Coast and Glens dates

Connect North Drop-in Antrim and Newtownabbey dates

Connect North Drop-in Mid & East Antrim dates 

World Salt Awareness Week (12-18th May)

Reducing salt in our diets is a quick and effective way to reduce our blood pressure and improve our health. We often don’t realise just how much salt we are eating because most of the salt we eat is already in the food we buy.

Find out more in our short video: https://youtu.be/JC9ZoGD6T0w?si=Ws9Mtsb5x4s0FBnd

 

 

FSH Newsletter – April 2025

The April edition of the Family Support Hub Newsletter is now available https://cypsp.hscni.net/download/391/family-support-hubs/45810/fsh-newsletter-april2025.pdf

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

Hello and welcome to another edition of the Family Support Hub newsletter. What gorgeous weather we’ve been having. Fingers crossed it stays for the Easter break!!

I’ve got to be out and about at a range of events and there’s a lot going on, not least the recent Hub Coordinators Day in Dungannon, CiNI launch of the School Anxiety and Distress best practice guide and Bolster Communities celebration and awards event in the Canal Court, more information on these events is included in the body of the newsletter. It’s been so uplifting to witness the showcasing of organisations, families and individuals who are working so hard towards improving outcomes for the wider community.

If you have an event, celebration or launch you’re planning in the coming weeks please get in touch and we’ll be happy to include your good news in future newsletters.

Whilst out and about and chatting about the CYPSP resources and information streams I’ve spoken to a range of people who were surprised to hear about the range of information streams and free to use resources on the CYPSP website. I would ask that you take a few minutes to think about other colleagues, friends or organisations that might benefit from this information. If you do, please take a minute to forward it on to them. If anyone wants to be added to the mailing list for the Newsletter please email cypsp@hscni.net and we’ll get you added. Also, please take the time to explore the CYPSP website and the fabulous resources on offer such as the Youth Wellness Web.

It is also packed full of information for parents/carers, early years, children & young people with a disability,  mental health and wellbeing advice,  Helplines and much more – make sure you download your copy now!

Previous editions of the newsletter are available at  http://www.cypsp.hscni.net/family-support-hubs  under Family Support Newsletter section.

Family Support Hub Collective – 8 April 2025

On Tuesday 8th April an event took place bringing Hub Coordinators from across the region to chat and learn from each other and we were joined by number of speakers who really enriched the discussions and brought extra value to the day. We were delighted to welcome Jacinta Linden, CE of Bolster Community in Newry and Deirdre Mahon, former director of Children’s Services in Western Trust who are the co-chairs of the Family Support Workstream of the Children’s Services Reform Board and Catherine Cooke, the reform Coordinator working on that workstream. The workstream (Workstream 9) was established as part of the Children’s Services Reform Process to reform Children’s Services.

 

 

We kicked off the day with the theme of “different but the same” and completed an exercise to further examine the differences in how Hubs work in their areas. This was a great conversation starter and allowed us to consider possible draw backs and benefits of these different approaches. It also provided Jacinta, Deirdre and Catherine with an overview of the wider Hub Network. Jacinta and Deirdre then provided an update on the work they’re leading on and what that might mean going forward. We appreciate them taking the time out of very busy schedules to come and listen to and get an understanding of the Family Support Hub Network and how that fits in our current early family support system. As one of the Coordinators so eloquently summarised, we are working in different ways with the same principles and towards the same goals.

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Following the exercise, we had a presentation from Nora and Sarah from Co-operation Ireland’s Our Generation Project. They spoke about their role, an overview of the project, current partners and the potential opportunities for families and organisation in the Hub Networks to avail of their support.

 

 

 

 

We then had a presentation from Margaret, the Partnership Manager from Money and Pension Service. Given the rise in the number of families who report financial difficulties coming to hubs this was a very timely presentation. Financial pressures are not just faced by our families and the information was useful to all of us in the room too. She explored the link between financial difficulties and poor outcomes for families as well as the importance of those working with families to have the confidence and knowledge to best support these families. Improving the skills and confidence of the Hubs in providing the best information to families will be something we will be exploring going forward.

 

 

 After a well-earned break for lunch we finished up the day with the fabulous Ed Sipler. We have shared many of Ed’s resources in previous editions of the FSH Newsletter and so I was delighted he was able to join us in person to help round up the day. Ed’s passion for his work around self-care and self-compassion was so evident in his presentation.  We got a really accessible overview what self-care and compassion are, the science and impact it has on our bodies but Ed also kindly took us through some simple techniques to help ourselves. I will certainly be making the effort to introduce some of these techniques in to my daily routine. As always, Ed walked us through some of the resources available to support ourselves and to share with colleagues and families as well as what training he will be offering in the coming months.

 

 

It was a busy and educative day. I would like to once again thank all of the Hub Coordinator staff, old and new who came to join us, the speakers Nora, Sarah, Margaret and Ed, the Workstream 9 leadership of Jacinta, Deirdre and Catherine, the staff at The Junction and a final huge thank you to Louise and Yvonne from the Children’s Planning Team who made the day possible.

 

A day spent with our Hub teams is always a day well spent!

Bronwyn