Sunderland's Family Hubs

SEND Local Offer

Sunderland

There are a range of useful resources available online that can help to aid learning in the home environment.

Communication tip cards for babies aged 0-9 months National Literacy Trust

Communication tip cards for toddlers aged 10-24 months National Literacy Trust

Activities to do at home

Activity inspiration for all ages - Fun activities and things to do with your child to help with their communication skills.

Access most popular resources for Phonics Play, with best games, teaching resources and help for parents.

Words for life and national literacy trust, share activities from 0-12 years.

How Bitesize will support you while you're learning from home.

Activities: Kids need to be physically active for 60 minutes a day, with 30 minutes of that activity taking place outside of school.  From our fun 10 Minute Shake Up games to information about active

Sharing a book with a child is fun! It's a time for closeness, laughing and talking together – and it can also give children a flying start in life and help them become lifelong readers.

Book Trust: We get millions of children reading by supporting families to start sharing stories and books together from the earliest possible age.

Reading Together: Our vision to support families

Here's a lovely story time for you! We're joined by CBeebies presenter George Webster, who's reading us an extract from his latest book Why Not. Why not join in the fun?

Better Health Start for life - Little moments together

All children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) should have the right support and opportunities, at the right time, so that they can become resilient, happy and independent adults and lead fulfilling lives.

SEND offer and support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities

Breathing Space is an innovative whole family project that provides valuable space, time and support for young people with additional needs and their parents and carers.

Supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities age 0-25.

Lumi Nova - Fun digital therapy for childhood anxiety

Rainbow guide - Sunderland's guide to SEND support by Parents Carers for parents Carers

The Disabled Children Register (DCR) is a list of children and young people in Sunderland who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Creating opportunities to inspire disabled children and young people

underland Talking Therapies (formally Sunderland Psychological Wellbeing Service) provide a range of treatments for people with common mental health problems.

If you want to understand more about how you're feeling and find ways to feel better, or you are a parent / carer and want to support someone who's struggling. Links for life has lots of hints, tips, resources and local and national services to help.

Mental Health: children and young people

Support advice and service for children and young peoples mental health.

Teenage girl sitting on stairs writing help

Growing Healthy Sunderland

If you've decided you're ready to start a family, or are already pregnant, good health before and during pregnancy is vital. Here are some tips that will support you to have a healthy pregnancy: Being active and fit during pregnancy can help you experience fewer problems throughout your pregnancy, birth and beyond. By keeping up your normal daily physical activity or exercise(sport, running, yoga, dancing, or even walking to the shops and back) for as long as you feel comfortable, you are less likely to have issues in later pregnancy. Exercise will also help you cope with labour and reduce any negative impacts pregnancy may have had on your body after the birth. There are a number of exercise classes and groups that can support your fitness throughout your pregnancy, including aquanatal, seated exercise classes and online fitness groups. Making sure you get the right vitamins and minerals by eating a healthy, varied diet will help, but it can also be difficult to get the recommended amount from food alone. When you are pregnant, you will need to take a folic acid supplement. You'll need 400 micrograms every day until the end of your first trimester (12 weeks).The Department of Health also advises you to consider taking a daily vitamin D supplement, particularly in the winter months (from October to the end of March) when we don't get vitamin D from sunlight. You can also ask your doctor, midwife or pharmacist about supplements. Your doctor may be able to prescribe them for you.<ul><li>Find out more about vitamins and supplements in pregnancy on the Start4Life (vitamins and supplements) website.</li><li>If you're on income-related benefits, or you are under 18, you can get free vitamins while you're pregnant from the Healthy Start Scheme.</li></ul>Consider the following while trying to get pregnant - as they can impact fertility, your baby's health and your risk of pregnancy related complications:<ul><li>Reducing alcohol consumption</li><li>Giving up smoking</li><li>Contraception, family spacing and sexual health</li></ul><div><hr /></div>ScreeningYou'll have a number of antenatal appointments during your pregnancy, and you'll see a midwife or sometimes an obstetrician (doctor specialising in pregnancy). Some antenatal screening tests include:<ul><li>Screening for sickle cell and thalassaemia</li><li>Screening for infectious diseases</li><li>Anomaly scan</li><li>Screening for Down's, Edwards' and Patau's syndromes</li></ul>See the NHS - your antenatal appointments page for more information.<div><hr /></div>VaccinationFrom 20 weeks, you will be offered the whooping cough vaccination. The best time to have this vaccine is from 16 weeks up to 32 weeks pregnant. But if for any reason you miss the vaccine, you can still have it up until you go into labour. This maximizes the protection to the baby in the early weeks after birth.See the NHS - your antenatal appointments page for more information.Pregnant women are offered the flu vaccine at any point during the pregnancy (seasonal) which will protect both mother and baby.

Preparing for pregnancy and birth

Your antenatal care is all of the help and support we give you before you baby is born.

Information around bonding with your baby bump, pregnancy wellbeing, labour and more.

Pregnancy: From finding out your due date, early pregnancy signs and symptoms, to getting ready for labour and birth – this is your complete pregnancy guide.

pregnant woman sitting on a sofa with a dog

Sunderland Sexual Health Service is delivered by South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation. d offer a range of services.

Looking to quit smoking? Look no further than Sunderland’s stop smoking service! Our friendly team is here to help you start your quit story today.

Community Midwives

Staying healthyBeing healthy while pregnant means you are more likely to have a healthy baby and fewer pregnancy and birth complications. Both our health professionals and Family Hub staff can support you and your partner, to adopt positive health behaviours and reduce risk factors. Nutrition and physical exerciseDuring pregnancy it is important to:Eat a healthy diet and not eat for twoTake 10 micrograms of vitamin D each day through pregnancy and continue after the baby is born if you are breastfeeding. Continue to take folic acid up to the 12 weeks of pregnancy Stay active and healthyEating healthily while you're pregnant means that your baby eats healthily too. See the healthy eating section on the Start4Life website: Start4Life (healthy eating).Did you know that 150 minutes of walking each week has loads of benefits for pregnant mums? Gentle exercise is great for you and your baby. If you're not used to doing regular exercise, why not start doing 10 minutes every day, perhaps take a brisk walk or go for a swim? You can then build up to 150 minutes of exercise throughout the week.

Looking after yourself during pregnancy

Maternal Mental Health - South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust

Antenatal care - South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust

Maternity Services at Sunderland Royal Hospital

Support for parents becoming a parent whether that's through birth, adoption or foster caring can be exciting, challenging and sometimes overwhelming. Support is available to parents across Sunderland, either through fun activities where you can brush up on your parenting skills or through parenting programmes and support groups that offer that extra support when you need it. Visit the Family Hub social media pages for more information.

Becoming a parent

Online course -Me, You and Baby Too is for new and expectant parents.

image of two parents each holding young children

Maternal mental health - South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust

Antenatal Advice - South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Trust

Your mental health is just as important as your physical health, below you will find links to a number of trusted websites. These websites have lots of information that will help you get the support that you need. Did you know the Initial response service provides 24 hour access to mental health care, advice, support and treatment. By calling one telephone number 0303 123 1145, a member of the team will speak to you and discuss your current mental health needs.

Mental wellbeing

Online Self Help guides available to download

Sunderland Talking Therapies we offer a number of therapies, classes and groups to help with a range of common mental health difficulties.

Shout is the UK's first and only free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging service for anyone who is struggling to cope.

Visit wellbeinginfo to help manage your health and wellbeing, and find out what support around you

Sunderland Counselling Service are proud to be part of a team that offers Step Two Low Intensity Interventions at Sunderland Talking Therapies. We provide Guided Self Help, Computerised CBT and Group

An independent charity, supporting local people for positive mental health

Directory of websites and services to support with your mental health

Washington Mind’s mission is to work in partnership with our community to promote recovery and improve mental health and wellbeing

Feeding your babyBreastfeeding gives your baby the best start in life and can help you build close relationships with your baby. Any amount of breastfeeding has a positive effect. The longer you breastfeed, the longer the protection lasts and the greater the benefits. Exclusive breastfeeding (giving your baby breast milk only) is recommended for around the first six months of your baby's life. Combi-feeding can also be a great option to give your child some breast milk, even when exclusively breastfeeding is not something you can physically or emotionally manage. After 6 months, giving your baby breast milk alongside other food will help them continue to grow and develop.In Sunderland we are working towards being a Breastfeeding Friendly City.  We have the UNICEF Baby Friendly Award, which means we help raise awareness of the benefits of breastfeeding with parents. Our trained staff in the Family Hubs can support you to breastfeed, provide advice on what to do if you are struggling to breastfeed and help you to understand other options for feeding your baby (expressing breast milk/infant formula). How your partner can support breastfeedingGetting support from a partner can be very helpful when you're breastfeeding. Practical ways partners can help with breastfeeding include: <ul><li>Going to antenatal or breastfeeding sessions - ask your midwife or at a local Family Hub for details </li><li>Giving emotional and practical support - praising and encouraging someone who is breastfeeding can help to build their confidence </li><li>Arranging paternity leave - talk to your employer about paternity leave early on, so you can plan leave that suits your family's needs </li><li>Making life easier - for example, bring your partner dinner if the baby wants to feed at the same time, or bring them a glass of water and a magazine while they're feeding the baby, or perhaps arrange for family or friends to keep your partner company while you're at work </li><li>Doing your bit around the home - so your partner can focus on caring for the baby and getting breastfeeding off to a good start </li><li>Providing some stress relief - if you have young children, take the stress away from your partner by keeping them entertained when the baby is feeding </li><li>Getting involved in your baby's care - spending time skin to skin with baby, bathing your baby, changing nappies and helping at bedtime are great ways to get close to your baby  </li></ul>Visit your local Family Hub social media pages for information on Breastfeeding and Infant Feeding sessions near you. Extra support - Healthy Start VouchersIf you get certain benefits, then you might be able to get Healthy Start vouchers. These are free from the government and you can use them every week to buy milk, fruit, vegetables and pulses (fresh, frozen or tinned), and formula milk. You can also get free vitamins for you and your baby.  Moving on from milkMost babies can start their first tastes of food from about six months old, this is called weaning. You should not begin weaning your baby before 6 months unless there is a medical reason. Our Family Hubs have courses and information with the latest tips on what to safely start your little ones off with, from first tastes to first dinners. We've got healthy recipes the whole family can enjoy and ideas to get even the fussiest of toddlers to eat well.Please speak with your health visitor for more information on weaning

Infant feeding

Breastfeeding feeding advice from the NHS

If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, you may be entitled to get help to buy healthy food and milk.

Independent breastfeeding support, with a 24 hour support hotline

Every new parent can receive a welcome visit from our friendly staff to discuss what a family hub is, the activities available and to register your family as a family hub member. If you haven’t received a visit and would like a welcome visit, please contact your nearest hub. We have family hubs located in the Coalfield, Thorney Close, Hendon, Washington, and Bunny hill areas.   Sunderland, along with 74 other local authorities has received a share of £300 million investment from the Government to establish a Family Hubs and Start for Life programme. Family Hubs will: <ul><li>Bring services together to improve access to services.</li><li>Improve the connections between families, professionals, services, and providers.</li><li>Put relationships at the heart of family support.</li></ul> At the core of every Family Hub network is a great Start for Life for babies, from conception through to 2 years old. Support is also available to families of children aged up to 19, or to children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) aged up to 25. Our ambition is to ensure that local families can access the right support, at the right time, in the right place, with the right people. Please follow us on Facebook for up-to-date information or filter activities near you on the My Best Life website.

Welcome visit

Keep up to date with our Family Hubs on our Social Media

Register your families information for your local family hub.

South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS trust are dedicated to supporting the mental health of you and your family both before and after pregnancy. If you require an emergency response or urgent mental health support please use the following:·       For emergency help please call 999.·       For urgent mental health support call the Crisis Team on 0800 652 2867 or text 07889 036 280 if you have communication difficulties. South Tyneside and Sunderland Maternity Mental Health ServicesPregnancy can be a challenging time with many emotions. We also know that difficult experiences can sometimes arise during pregnancy and birth. Please reach out to people close to you, but sometimes it is easier to talk to someone outside of your family. There are services within the hospital setting in Sunderland and South Tyneside offering information and support.There are four services available in the Sunderland and South Tyneside Maternity Mental Health Service (1) the Obstetric Mental Health Antenatal Clinic, (2) Maternal Mental Health Services (3) Birth Reflections Service, and (4) Forever Cherished Bereavement Support. All of these services offer planned appointments for mental support in an emergency please call 999 Obstetric Mental Health Antenatal ClinicThis includes a mixed team of doctors and specialist mental health midwives. The clinic supports people with pre-existing mental health difficulties or those that are newly arising in pregnancy.  A referral to this clinic can made by a community midwife following assessment. Maternal Mental Health ServiceA small team of psychologists and one midwife who specialise in supporting people with mental health difficulties. The team supports women and birthing people with difficulties related to Trauma, Loss, and/or Fear during their maternity experience. The service hopes to offer support throughout all aspects of maternity care from pregnancy planning, during pregnancy, and up to 12 months after birth.  Please see the website below or telephone – 0191 569 9698 ext. 4969 Birth ReflectionsAn opportunity to discuss your birth experience with a midwife. The midwife will review your notes prior to the session and answer any queries you may have. Forever Cherished Bereavement SupportThe Bereavement Team is responsible for offering immediate and long-term emotional support, information and practical guidance to those who:·       Experience loss in pregnancy from 14 weeks onwards or in the new born period·       Support during a subsequent pregnancy which can be an anxious time·       Onward referral to Maternal Mental Health Service if required Mini Minds and MeAre you a new Mam with a child under 1 and struggling with feelings of depression, anxiety or stress? NHS Sunderland Talking Therapies offer a psychoeducational class targeted towards improving emotional wellbeing during the perinatal period. The service is effective, confidential and free. Please find more information at on the Sunderland Talking Therapies website below.

This is a six-week course facilitated by two of our practitioners. We will help you develop new  strategies using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to help you manage any current difficulties.

Mental health in the perinatal period (during pregnancy and the year after birth)

Designed to help reduce anxiety during pregnancy after loss

At Sunderland Talking Therapies we offer a number of therapies, classes and groups to help with a range of common mental health difficulties.

Supporting families through miscarriage, still birth and child loss.

Maternal mental health services, birth reflection and bereavement services

Childbirth is a unique time in a persons life, it may be that during this time your birth didn’t go as you had hoped or expected.

We have a Bereavement Lead Midwife in post, supported by a bereavement team and care is provided 24/7.

New Mam with a child under 1 and struggling with feelings of depression, anxiety or stress?

Welcome to our maternity service.  Our maternity team has lots of experience in what they do.  They will be here for you throughout your pregnancy.  Our aim is to make sure you get excellent care.

Worrying about money can affect your mental wellbeing and our ability to manage money can be difficult with the increasing cost-of-living pressures. Find out how to look after your mental health when dealing with money issues, plus get money advice including where to get more support if needed in the links below. Did you know that if you are pregnant or have children, whether you are in or out of work Together for children have there own employment advisors, please contact your local hub for more support.

Money advice

Sunderland Council financial wellbeing support hub.

About the Parent/Carer Panel Are you interested in being part of our Family Hubs Parent and Carer Panel? We need the help of local residents who use our services currently or may do in the future to make sure that Family Hubs are designed to meet the needs of our local community.The purpose of the parent/carer panels is to: <ul><li>Ensure local parents/carers play a key role in designing and continuously improving family services</li><li>Enable the voice of local parents/carers including those whose voices are seldom heard</li><li>Ensure Family Hubs are designed for inclusion and meet the needs of the diverse communities that live in Sunderland</li><li>Ensure that the panel is representative of Sunderland residents who have a wide range of lived experience</li></ul>What’s involved?As a member of the Parent Carer Panel you will help shape how services for families are delivered and be a valued part of Family Hubs development. You will meet new people in your community and have the opportunity together to build Family Hubs that meet families’ needs. You may want to join for your own personal development, or to share your experiences of accessing services for families in Sunderland and how they could be developed.Panel meetings will be agreed at a time and place that works best for the members of the panel. The meetings are likely to be at least every six weeks for up to two hours and can be either face to face, online or a hybrid to enable participation. What support will I get to be involved?We want to enable accessibility as much as possible so we will discuss with you what you need to participate. A few examples of what we can offer includes creche/childcare for meetings where necessary, travel expenses to meetings, refreshments in meetings, interpreting services, rewards and recognitions. We will support with any other accessibility requirement to enable you to fully participate in meetings/training. What happens after I apply?If you are keen to join the panel we will send you an expression of interest form for you to complete. Once we receive your completed expression of interest form, you will be contacted by a member of the team to arrange an initial telephone call where we’ll tell you more about the panel and what we are looking for and discuss if being on the panel would work for you. During the call we will tell you about the work done by the panel and how the Family Hubs support the panel members. We will also talk about the experiences you can bring to the panel, and address any accessibility needs you may have.Please be aware that submitting an expression of interest form does not guarantee you will be selected to be on the panel.Participants will be selected to ensure that the panel is representative of Sunderland’s diverse communities and circumstances.

Parent carer panel

Two children playing with torches in a neon room

Together For Children

Your baby’s health and development Sunderland’s Healthy Child Programme offers every family a programme of screening tests, immunisations, developmental reviews, and information and guidance to support parenting and healthy choices. The programme is delivered by a range of professionals: health visitors, midwifery staff, Family Hubs, GPs and the primary health care team. It aims to:·      Help parents develop a strong bond with children·      Encourage care that keeps children healthy and safe·      Protect children from serious diseases, through screening and immunization·      Reduce childhood obesity by promoting healthy eating and physical activity·      Encourage mothers to breastfeed·      Identify problems in children’s health and development (for example, learning difficulties) and safety (for example, parental neglect), so that they can get help with their problems as early as possible·      Make sure children are prepared for school·      Identify and help children with problems that might affect their chances later in life Newborn screeningYour newborn baby will be offered some screening tests in their first six to eight weeks. These include:·      Newborn physical examination·      Newborn hearing screening test·      Newborn blood spot (heel prick) testThe screening tests are quick and simple, and won’t harm your baby in any way. It’s recommended that your baby has the tests, but you can decline them if you wish. See NHS Newborn Screening to find out more information about each of the tests.Your baby’s vaccinationsYour baby needs their first injections at 8 weeks. Vaccinations are offered free of charge in the UK - just book your appointments with your GP.Don’t panic if you miss a vaccination appointment, just make an appointment as soon as possible. Find out more: Vaccinations and newborn screening tests - Start for Life - or ask your GP or health visitor for more information. Oral healthBabies should be registered with the dentist as soon as first teeth appear and regular visits should be encouraged. It is important to start brushing your baby’s teeth as soon as they appear. You can find out more about looking after your baby’s teeth:· Looking after your baby’s teeth· Kids teeth Q/A includes tips for parents on the top causes of tooth decay in children - and how to avoid them.· Caring for teeth - Children’s TeethSafety (unintentional injury) Suffocation, choking and falls in and around the home are a leading cause of preventable death in the under fives. Find out ‘What to do if your child has an accident’Common illness and support The NHS website and Healthier Together have a wealth of information and advice on health conditions, symptoms, healthy living, medicines and how to get help. PlaytimeYour baby’s favourite playmate is you - so try to spend time playing with your baby every day. Did you know that playing actually requires a lot of your baby’s brain and muscle power, helping develop their social, intellectual, language and problem-solving skills?You can turn almost anything into a game. And every little thing you do together will help set them up nicely for the day they start school. Useful information and tips: Baby·      Baby’s first years·      Tummy time - playing requires a lot of your baby’s brain and muscle power·      Learning to talk - from tips to help with speech, encouraging chatting and reading Toddler From helping your child learn to talk by chatting, reading and playing together, to encouraging them to be physically activeDevelopment milestonesEvery baby is unique, but the science is clear: in the first 1,000 days of life, your baby’s brain develops faster than at any other time. Early moments matter and their effects can last a lifetime.To find out more about how your child will grow download the Children’s Health Services App which gives some advice, information and top tips from when baby is 2 weeks to 3 years old.Download the 0-19 Children’s Health Services app for AndroidDownload the 0-19 Children’s Health Services app for Apple

Your baby's health and development

Vaccinations and newborn screening tests - Start for Life - NHS

variety of activities and tummy time ideas for your baby on the Start4Life website.

lots of helpful information on the Start4Life website

Attending your local family hub and engaging in groups and activities can support your child's speech and language development, through play, songs, rhymes, and everyday opportunities. BBC Tiny happy people have great tools to support you talking to your child ages 0-5 years but also offers further understanding around speech and sound development, factors affecting speech and language and speech delay frequently asked questions. Better health start for life also has lots of good tips and advice to help your child learn to talk. Download the Growing Healthy Sunderland 0-19 app today for more tips and support. South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Childrens Speech and Language Therapy Service offer specialist support for children and young people with communication difficulties but also support children with eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties. Please follow the link below for further information.

Speech and language support

Tiny Happy People - Childrens Speech and Language

Tips and activities for children and young people

So, you’re going to be a Dad? Or are you already are one? Congratulations!You will no doubt be feeling nervous and excited, but don’t worry there is plenty of support out there!Check out the links below but also the activities' in your local family hub.

A guide for new fathers from mental health org

Ha'way the dads

DigiDAD is an online E-Learning platform full of father friendly content.

It’s the essential guide for new dads, developed with the NHS.

Tips and advice to help you navigate parenthood and bond with your baby.

DAD info is Europe’s largest advice and support website for fathers.

Online guide to our maternity service.  Our maternity team has lots of experience in what they do.  They will be here for you throughout your pregnancy.

North East Young Dads and Lads Project - Dads care too!

At ANDYSMANCLUB, we want to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health and create a judgment-free, confidential space where men can be open about the storms in their lives.

Together for Children Sunderland, on behalf of Sunderland City Council maintain a directory detailing all schools within Sunderland.The details in the directory include school name, DfE number, address, contact details and Headteacher details. For further details about each individual school, either find the record for the particular school within this website or visit the school's own website.

Sunderland schools' directory

Disability Access Fund (DAF) is a one off payment that is given to any registered early years provider who is providing an early education place for any two, three or four year old who successfully claims Disability Living Allowance. The Disability Access Fund (DAF) will help providers to make reasonable adjustments in their settings, either to support the individual child, or for the benefit of all children attending the setting. Eligibility for Disability Access Fund (DAF)2, 3 and 4 year olds will be eligible for the DAF if they meet the following criteria:<ul><li>the child is in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and;</li><li>the child attends an early years provider for the funded entitlement</li></ul>Please note: Four year olds in primary and infant school reception classes are NOT eligible for DAF funding.  Children become eligible for funded early education at different points in the year depending on when they turn 2.   EntitlementEarly years providers offering funded places to children who are eligible for DAF funding will be entitled to receive a one-off payment for each child.  The DAF is not based on an hourly rate and is an additional payment.A provider can apply for the funding at any point in the academic year, however DAF funding is allocated only once in a 12 month period.  Applications for further payments can only be made after the yearly anniversary of any previous payment. If the child attends more than one setting only the main setting will receive the payment.  The child's parents will choose which setting will receive the funding and this will be recorded on the parental declaration form.If a child moves settings within the year the new setting will not be eligible to receive a payment until 12 months after the first payment was made. Identifying eligible childrenEarly Years providers are responsible for identifying eligible children.  Parents of children qualifying for Disability Living Allowance are required to provide documental evidence of this entitlement.  This is usually a benefits award letter from the DWP, sent to parents, naming the child for whom the benefit is paid.  Providers need to make an electronic copy of this evidence and submit it with the DAF application on the Provider Portal. Claiming DAFClaims for Disability Access Funding are to be made through the Provider Portal.  A completed application form and copy of evidence of DLA will need to be submitted via the portal. A link to the portal is below. Further InformationA Frequently Asked Question document is linked below

Disability access fund (DAF)

PDF document with Frequently Asked Questions

Families Information Service

The Max Card is designed to make days out more financially accessible for families of children with additional needs.The card offers free or discounted entry to great attractions. So what is the Max Card?Max Card is a national scheme and its aim is to provide a sense of community through stimulating learning experiences and enjoyable days out for everyone.It is the UK’s leading discount card for foster families and families of children with additional needs.  Families simply show their Max Card upon entry to a participating venue in order to obtain free or discounted admission.The scheme is designed to help these families save money on great days out at castles, zoos, bowling alleys and more.To find out which venues are included in the Max Card scheme, visit the Max Card website. How can I obtain a Max Card?If you are a parent/carer of a child with additional needs, and live in Sunderland you simply need to sign your child up to the Disabled Children's Register using the Max Card/Sunderland Disabled Register form (Link below) Max Cards are issued when a parent registers their child or children on the Sunderland Disabled Children Register.  For further assistance please contact Families Information Service either by telephone or email. How can I renew a Max Card?If a family require a card to be renewed, this can be done by using the Max Card renewal form (Link below)

Max Card - Sunderland disabled children's register

Please use this link if you wish to register your child/children on Sunderland Disabled Children's Register for the first time.

If you wish to renew your Max Card, please use this link.

The Foundation for Infant Loss Prevention has produced the UK's only free of charge Safety magazine for parents and child care professionals.  They have a fantastic team of writers including:<ul><li>Kicks Count</li><li>Safe Sleep Sanctuary</li><li>Izzie and Ollie Child Safety</li><li>Millie's Trust First Aid</li><li>Best Beginnings</li><li>Sepsis Trust UK</li><li>Safe Skin School</li><li>BBSA Blind Safety Association</li><li>The Royal Lifesaving Association</li></ul>Link to the magazine is below!

Foundation for infant loss prevention

Free online magazine that provides useful baby safety advice.

Mam and young girl reading together and smiling

There are a number of ways that the goverment can help you and your family with chidcare costs.  Whether you have toddlers or teens, you could get support.  Information about some of the schemes are below:TAX FREE CHILDCARE<ul><li>for working families in the UK, including self-employed</li><li>with children under 12 (or under 17 if disabled)</li><li>for every £8 you pay in, the government will add an extre £2, up to £2,000 per child per year, or £4,000 if your child has a disability. </li></ul>You can use Tax Free Childcare at the same time as 15 hours funded childcare and 30 hours funded childcare.You can't use it with Universal Credit, Tax Credits or Childcare Vouchers (Childcare voucher schemes are closed to new entrants)TAX CREDITS<ul><li>for working families in the UK</li><li>with children under 16 (or under 17 if disabled)</li><li>claim back up to 70% of childcare costs, up to a cap</li></ul>You can't claim Tax Credits at the same time as Universal Credit or Tax-Free ChildcareUNIVERSAL CREDIT<ul><li>for working families claiming Universal Credit</li><li>with children under 16</li><li>claim back up to 85% of eligible childcare costs, up to a maximum of £1014.63 per month for one child, and £1,739.37 per month for two or more children</li></ul>The childcare element of Universal Credit can but used alongside the 15 or 30 hours childcare offers.  You can't claim Universal Credit at the same time as Tax Credits and Tax-Free Childcare15 HOURS CHILDCARE - 2 YEAR OLDS FOR FAMILIES IN RECEIPT OF ADDITIONAL GOVERNMENT SUPPORT<ul><li>for families in England receiving some forms of support (eligibility criteria applies)</li><li>with 2 year old children - can start the term after your child's 2nd birthday</li><li>15 hours of funded childcare or early education for 38 weeks</li><li>a total of 570 hours per year, that you can use flexibly with one or more childcare provider</li></ul>15 HOURS CHILDCARE - 3 &amp; 4 YEAR OLDS<ul><li>for all families in England</li><li>with 3 and 4 year old children</li><li>15 hours of childcare or early education for 38 weeks</li><li>a total of 570 hours per year, that you can use flexibly with one or more childcare provider</li></ul>WORKING PARENTS ENTITLEMENT <ul><li>for working families in England (eligibility criteria applies)</li><li>15 hours of childcare or early education for 38 weeks for 2 year olds </li><li>30 hours of childcare or early education for 38 weeks for 3 and 4 year old children - NOT for children in Reception</li><li>a total of 1,140 hours per year for eligible 3 and 4 year olds, that you can use flexibly with one or more childcare provider</li></ul>Note: for the 15 and 30 hour childcare schemes, some providers will allow you to 'stretch' the hours over more weeks, using fewer hours per week.  Check with the provider of your choice to see what they are able to offer.

Help paying for Childcare

For more detailed information about all of these schemes and to check to see if you are eligible or to get an estimate of how much help you can get

Adult reading a picture book with toddler

Together for Children has developed a practical tool for SENCO's and all those who teach and support children in Early Years settings in Sunderland. We hope it will be useful for parents and carers too.  The aim is to help make sure that children and their parents/carers are put at the heart of a graduated approach to SEN support in Sunderland. The SEND Code of Practice explains the graduated approach in four stages:<ul><li>Assess</li><li>Plan</li><li>Do</li><li>Review </li></ul>The toolkit looks at each stage providing practical tips on how to gather person centred information and develop plans; how to include the child and their parents in effective meetings; and links to other useful tools and resources. The guide is a practical resource that provides information about how person centred approaches can be used within a graduated approach to deliver SEN support.  If you view the toolkit on a computer there are links that you can click to direct you to additional information and services.  Find our useful guide below!

Person Centred SEN Support in Early Years

The toolkit has  been developed to  support Special  Educational Needs  Coordinators  (SENCos) and other  Early Years staff.

Young Person in a wheelchair sat at a table with his family

All children aged 3 - 4 years are currently entitled to 15 hours per week funded childcare over 38 weeks, or less hours per week over more weeks up to a maximum of 570 hours per year. This is known as the Universal entitlement.What is the 30 hours offer?The new 30 hours of funded childcare is known as the extended entitlement.  It is an additional 570 hours per year for 3 and 4 year olds of working parents.  This means that eligible children can access up to 1140 hours of government funded childcare per year.Who is eligible?To qualify, each parent (or the sole parent in a single parent family) needs to:<ul><li>earn, on average, a weekly minimum equivalent of 16 hours at National Minimum wage or National Living Wage;</li><li>earn less than £100,000 per year</li></ul>Self-employed parents or parents on zero hours contracts will be eligible if they meet the average earnings criteria. Eligibility in families where parents do not workFamilies where one parent is not in paid employment, or neither parent works, will ususally not be eligible for the additional hours.  There are however the extended entitlement will be available for families where:<ul><li>Both parents are employed but one (or both) is temporarily away from<ul><li>parental leave</li><li>maternity leave</li><li>adoption leave</li><li>sick leave</li></ul></li><li>One parent works and one parent is in receipt of benefits relating to significant caring responsibilities</li><li>One parent works and one parent is in receipt of specific benefits relating to disability or incapacity</li></ul>Foster carers are eligible for the extended entitlement if they meet the earning or carer criteria for their own children.Foster carers may be able to claim 30 hours for the children that they foster if both foster parents work outside of their fostering role.  There is no minimum earning criteria for this  For more information see the attached information "30 Hours Childcare for Foster Children".Parents who are studying or in training will not be eligible unless this is combined with paid work which meets the minimum average earnings threshold.When to apply?The date you can apply depends on your child's birthday. Your child is eligible:<ul><li>from the term following their 3rd birthday until they reach compulsory school age</li><li>as long as they are not in a Reception class</li></ul>Applications for each term will need to be made by the relevant deadline dates:Spring Term - 31st DecemberSummer Term - 31st MarchAutumn Term - 31st AugustPlease note: Summer Term start dates can sometimes fluctuate depending on when Easter falls however the deadline dates or applications does not change.

30 Hours Childcare

For more detailed information about this scheme and to check to see if you are eligible.

Toddlers building blocks on a table with 2 adults

Tax Free Childcare is a Government initiative for working families, including the self-employed, who have children under 12 (or under 17 if disabled). You can get up to £500 every three months, up to a maximum of £2,000 a year per child.  If you child has a disability, you can get up to £1,000 every three months up to a maximum of £4,000 a year per child.If you are eligible you will create a childcare account and for every £8 you pay in, the government will add an extra £2.You can use your childcare account to pay for children provided by: <ul><li>childminders</li><li>nurseries</li><li>nannies</li><li>before and after school clubs</li><li>holiday clubs </li></ul>The childcare provider you use must be registered with Ofsted and signed up to the Tax Free Childcare scheme.

Tax Free Childcare

What is it?Two, three and four year old children attending a funded place at an early years education setting such as a nursery school, nursery class, private nursery or childminder may be eligible to receive Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP). Children must receive free Early Years Education to attract EYPP funding. Children do not need to access their full Early Years Education entitlement to be eligible as providers will be paid on a pro-rata basis.How much is the funding?It is an additional £359 per year (63p per hour) for each child for the setting to spend on supporting their development, learning and care.Who is Eligible?If parents receive one of the following benefits<ul><li>Income Support </li><li>Income based Jobseekers Allowance </li><li>Universal Credit - your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get) </li><li>Income related Employment and Support Allowance Child Tax Credit (providing they are not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)</li><li>Working Tax Credit Run-on, paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999</li><li>The guaranteed element of State Pension Credit Or if the child: </li><li>Is cared for after by the local authority or has been in care for at least one day</li><li>Has been adopted from care</li><li>Has left care through special guardianship or child arrangements order (previously a residence order) If a parent’s circumstances have recently changed, we would recommend that they submit additional information in the form of their Universal Credit statement, tax credits or benefit letter from HMRC (Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs) or DWP (Department of Works and Pensions) to demonstrate their entitlement when the EYPP application is made.</li></ul>How can an application be made? Parents and carers should speak with the staff at their child's nursery education provider and ask to provide the relevant information. The provider will share this information with Together for Children Sunderland, who will check eligibility using the Department of Education's Eligibility Checking Service. The nursery education provider will be informed whether the parent is eligible or not. How is the funding paid to the nursery education provider? Payments for eligible children will be made to nursery education providers on a termly basis.

Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP)

Mam and toddler playing with wooden toy train

Children’s Occupational Therapy Department

Childrens Occupational Therapy are a specialist service, who work with children and young people aged from birth to 18 years, who are unable to complete the daily occupations they need to, want to or are required to do. Daily life is made up of many occupations such as: · Self-care tasks such as feeding, dressing, bathing and brushing teeth.· Productivity tasks such as handwriting, using scissors and using a ruler.· Leisure activities such as riding a bike and enabling children and young people to be able to play with toys. We work with the child or young person and their family to identify meaningful goals. We complete a range of assessments to identify any barriers to a child’s occupational performance and use graded meaningful activities to maintain, develop and maximise their independence in their daily occupations. Children can be referred to Children’s Occupational Therapy via their Sunderland Royal Hospital Paediatric Consultant. Referrals are accepted for children living in Sunderland with a Sunderland GP.

A guide from occupational therapy service to support dressing skills with your child

A guide from occupational therapy service to support your child using cutlery

A guide from occupational therapy service to support your child's teeth brushing

Childrens Occupational Therapy

Child holding toys with a therapist smiling

Childrens Occupational Therapy - South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust

There are several important things to consider when selecting a childcare provider to look after your little charges.   First of all you need to consider the type of childcare provider who can meet your needs: <ul><li>School Nursery - usually care for children from 2 but some only take from 3 up to school age.  They might be privately run or be attached to a school.  They are usually term time only and have shorter hours to match the school day.  </li><li>Day Nursery - cater for children from babies up to school age.  They are usually open all year and have longer opening hours than preschools.  They can be privately run or attached to a school. </li><li>Childminder - care for children at their own homes, usually alongside a small group of other children.  They look after children from babies up to school age and often beyond as they start school. They can usually be flexible with the care they offer to match your needs. </li><li>Nanny - care for children in your home and are employed by you. </li></ul>Once you have decided on your preferred providers, it is advisable to visit them and ask questions about the care provided.   THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR<ul><li>Is the setting welcoming and friendly?</li><li>Is there enough space for your child to move around and be active?</li><li>Do children have plenty of opportunities to access outdoors?</li><li>How is the setting arranged?  Is there a quiet area and room for messy play etc?</li><li>Is it clean, safe and secure?</li><li>Do staff listen, talk and interact appropriately with the children and with each other?</li><li>Do children look engaged and happy?</li><li>How interested are the children in the activities and resources on offer?</li><li>Do the staff welcome your questions?</li><li>Do they appear to value your knowledge of your child? </li></ul>QUESTIONS YOU COULD THINK ABOUT ASKINGGeneral<ul><li>Do you offer / plan to offer funded childcare from 9 months old / two / three and four year olds? </li><li>Do you offer funded childcare all year round or term time only?</li><li>What are your opening times and holiday dates?</li><li>What happens if my child is absent due to sickness / holiday etc. do I still pay?</li><li>What happens if the setting is closed due to sickness / bank holidays etc. do I still pay? </li><li>What happens if my child arrives late?</li><li>Do you accept same day bookings? If so is there a cut off time / additional charges?</li><li>How many children do you look after at any one time? </li><li>What is the adult to child ratio? (2 year old ratios in nurseries can be flexible so some settings may have 1:4 whilst others 1:5)</li><li>How are activities chosen?</li><li>Can children choose their own activities?</li><li>How will you keep me informed about my child's progress?</li><li>How will my child's individual needs be met? </li><li>How will you respond to my child's interests?</li><li>How does the key person system work in the setting?</li><li>What can I do to support my child's learning and development?</li><li>What qualifications and experience do staff have? </li></ul>Children with additional needs<ul><li>Who is the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo)?</li><li>Is it possible to meet the SENCo today? </li><li>How will I be able to meet with / talk to the SENCo?</li><li>Could I have a copy of the SEN policy?</li><li>Does the SENCo have any additional qualifications?</li><li>Will staff be trained to meet my child's needs?</li><li>Is the building accessible, with wheelchair access, wide doors, ramps and toilets?</li><li>How will my child's diet be catered for?</li><li>How will my child be helped to settle in?</li></ul>Costs<ul><li>Do you require a deposit? </li><li>Is it refunded from the first month's fee?</li><li>What are the hourly / sessional / daily rates?</li><li>How do I pay?</li><li>Do you accept Tax Free Childcare / Childcare Vouchers / student finance?</li><li>Do you take payment in advance or in arrears?  Is this weekly / monthly / half termly?</li><li>What happens if my child is absent due to sickness / holiday etc. do I still pay? </li><li>What happens if the setting is closed due to sickness / bank holidays etc. do I still pay? </li></ul>Welfare<ul><li>How will you keep my child safe? </li><li>What happens if my child is ill or can't attend?</li><li>What meals / menus are offered?  Is there a choice? </li><li>How are allergies / dietary requirements catered for?</li><li>Is water readily available? </li><li>Do you provide snacks? </li><li>Is there an area my child can sleep / rest if needed? </li><li>What is your policy on:<ul><li>Sleep</li><li>Health and Safety</li><li>Safeguarding and child protection</li><li>Complaints</li><li>Behaviour management</li><li>Equality</li><li>Administering medication</li><li>Accidents and injuries</li><li>Risk assessment</li></ul></li><li>What is your settling in process for new children? </li></ul>

Choosing a childcare provider

Parenting and relationships team

We know parenting isn't always easy and family life has lots of challenges along the way. If you're finding things at home tough we are here to help through our Achieving Better Connections (ABC) sessions for parents / carers. ABC: These are weekly sessions for 2 hours for 6 weeks and will cover the following topics, Good Enough Parenting, Healthy Child Development, Emotional Resilience, Family Values and Healthy Boundaries and Safer Communities. If you would like a snap shot of the ABC sessions please access the links in the service section. Following completion of the ABC sessions we have additional sessions, called Bolt Ons, that can be accessed following a discussion with the facilitator.  Bolt on's to these sessions are: ·       ASD·       ADHD·       Violent and Aggressive Behaviour (VAB) The bolt on's have been created to support parents/carers with children who have additional needs or requiring further support.  The ADHD and ASD bolt on's focus upon understanding the diagnosis with tailored support and advice.  The VAB bolt on focuses upon understanding challenging behaviour, what increases the risk and how to de-escalate situations. ABC Snapshots: The Snapshots provide an overview of the information from the Achieving Better Connections (ABC) sessions which are available, for free, within your local Family Hub.The Snapshots contain a short presentation that can be read or listened to from the comfort of your own home.  The Snapshots provide information around building relationships, child development and emotional resilience and how we as parents can support our children in their journey to adulthood.

Parenting and Relationships

Support around your relationship and online learning

We all want to keep our children safe, bumps and grazes are a normal part of childhood however accidents can be fatal but many can be prevented.The websites and resources below offer a lot of useful information from summer water safety, fire safety, choking, road safety, the dangers of button batteries and much more.

Child Safety and Accident Prevention

Safer sleep advice and bereavement support from the lullaby trust

Water safety advice from the RLSS for home and holidays.

Safe and well check from your local fire brigade

Childrens hands with Safety written on in face paint

Video exploring the dangers of button batteries

How to save a choking child - British Red Cross

Reception

New to the UK or from all ethnic minority backgrounds and not sure what support is available? contact Winnibell Family Hub for advice and support, we support all families including those with no recourse to public funds, you are able to access our services.

Information for families from all ethnic minority backgrounds

ICOS exists to improve the quality of life of BME people in the North East and to enhance community cohesion and intercultural understanding in this area.

Helping to improve the lives of asylum seeking and refugee community of Sunderland.

SACA is a Global Majority Background (GMB) led organisation that serves African communities in Sunderland. Their services include providing support and development, promotion of African Heritage.

Providing holistic support to the African community living in the City of Sunderland

We raise community Agents of Change and transform lives through love. We aim to support everyone especially people from the GMB, transient student community and residents within the city.

BBC Tiny Happy People can help you develop your child’s language and communication skills, so they get the best start in life.They’ll show you why and how you can bond with your child, before they’re born and throughout their early lives – it’s never too early to start.Ideas and activities are easy to build into your daily routine. They’re quick and inspiring, but they’re also based on expert advice and evidence, and are proven to help your child’s development.

BBC Tiny Happy People

Tips and advice on a whole range of parenting topics.

Activity inspiration for all ages, discover and try everyday activities to support your child's language.

Relatable parenting stories, fun videos and quizzes to try if you have five minutes to yourself!

Find out about your child's brain development and how they come to understand the world.