Sunderland's Family Hubs

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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.

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

Community Midwives

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

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.

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.

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

Help and advice about alcohol and drugs for young people, parents or carers.

Support around drug and alcohol use

Information, advice and support for young people

Information, advice and support for parents and carers

Information advice and signposting via links for life Sunderland

Support service for young people up to 18 years or 25 years with care experienced

Change grow live service for adults, support around drug and alcohol use

Good sexual health is an important element of health and wellbeing. Links for Life Sunderland can signpost you to lots of useful support, information and services.

Sexual health

Sunderland sexual health services, local GP or pharmacy and C Card.

Post it note on clip board saying sexual health