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This resource is invaluable as a parent with a child with SEND.

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This resource is invaluable as a parent with a child with SEND.

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Durham Rainbow Guide | Choice Wellbeing CIC

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https://durham-scp.org.uk/practitioners/early-help/

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School places and admissions - Durham County Council

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Find out when and how to apply for a secondary or primary school place, what to do once you’ve been offered a place and how to appeal if you’re unhappy with the decision.

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https://www.nenc-healthiertogether.nhs.uk/resources/information-on-local-healthcare-services/school-nursing-services-1

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School nursing (Durham) :: North East and North Cumbria Healthier Together

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Information links for school nurses in Durham

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https://www.durham.gov.uk/vcsalliance

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https://www.familylives.org.uk/?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAA-m-4i3zmpy8YO8zHLu0sp7t8xT9c&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIru2AkeOLjAMVLZVQBh2m0CeOEAAYASAAEgLA4fD_BwE

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Parent helpline for child mental health worries

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Parent helpline for child mental health worries

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https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/parents-helpline/?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADk6C8dZ_l_4_s87YRJffojX2yOju&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIru2AkeOLjAMVLZVQBh2m0CeOEAAYAiAAEgI1m_D_BwE

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https://cerebra.org.uk/get-advice-support/sleep-advice-service/?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADMrTfkFjwc92IrNxV8vy7xLDWn4H&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7r7s7eOLjAMVTKVQBh0Jpi2DEAAYAiAAEgLeiPD_BwE

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https://durham.gov.uk/article/3876/Police-and-Communities-Together-meetings

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Henry Health and Wellbeing for Babies and Children

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Henry Health and Wellbeing for Babies and Children

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https://willowburnhospice.org.uk/children-and-young-people-bereavement-service

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SENDIASS- advice and support for parents/carers of children with SEND

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SENDIASS- advice and support for parents/carers of children with SEND

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We provide impartial advice on special educational needs (SEN) to:

parents and carers

children and young people

professionals and practitioners

https://durhamsendiass.info/

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https://www.jetandben.com/schools

People who help us

Stranger danger

Keeping safe

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Useful information about health and development of your baby or toddler

03003300700

Parent support line and advice

https://www.nct.org.uk/information/baby-toddler?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADrTwxKLqeCYhEmytfJAic9oa90N_&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImI_Zq-iLjAMV65hQBh3E5SLQEAMYAiAAEgKn1_D_BwE

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Education Psychology Dropins for Parents/Carers

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Education Psychology Dropins for Parents/Carers

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.durham.gov.uk/article/30907/Educational-Psychology-drop-in-sessions-for-parents-and-carers

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https://www.durham.gov.uk/article/30159/Durham-SEND-Information-Advice-and-Support-Service-SENDIASS-drop-in-sessions

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https://thewoodlands.durham.sch.uk/bases/primary/primary-wish/

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https://durham.gov.uk/article/25719/English-as-an-Additional-Language-EAL

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Charity supporting parents and children who are autistic and neurodivergent.

https://www.littletreasures.org.uk/

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Toilet training is about your child learning a set of skills. Making the transition from nappy to potty, or toilet, can result in a sense of achievement for you both.

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From brushing their first tooth to their first trip to the dentist, here's how to take care of your children's teeth.
A regular teeth-cleaning routine is essential for good dental health. Follow these tips and you can help keep your kids' teeth decay-free.

Toothbrushing tips

It's important to use a fluoride toothpaste, as this helps prevent and control tooth decay.
Children aged up to 3 years

Start brushing your baby's teeth as soon as the first milk tooth breaks through (usually at around 6 months, but it can be earlier or later).

Parents or carers should brush the teeth.

Brush teeth twice daily for about 2 minutes with fluoride toothpaste.

Brush last thing at night before bed and on 1 other occasion.

Use children's fluoride toothpaste containing no less than 1,000ppm of fluoride (check label) unless a dentist advises family toothpaste containing between 1,350ppm and 1,500ppm fluoride.

Use only a smear of toothpaste.

Make sure children don't eat or lick toothpaste from the tube.

Children aged 3 to 6 years

Brush at least twice daily for about 2 minutes with fluoride toothpaste.

Brush last thing at night before bed and at least on 1 other occasion.

Parents or carers should brush the teeth.

Use children's fluoride toothpaste containing no less than 1,000ppm of fluoride (check label) unless a dentist advises family toothpaste containing between 1,350ppm and 1,500ppm fluoride.

Use only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste.

Spit out after brushing and don't rinse - if you rinse, the fluoride won't work as well.

Children aged 7 and over

Brush at least twice daily for about 2 minutes with fluoride toothpaste.

Brush last thing at night before bed and at least on 1 other occasion.

Use fluoride toothpaste containing between 1,350ppm and 1,500ppm of fluoride (check label).

Spit out after brushing and don't rinse - if you rinse, the fluoride won't work as well.

Children aged 7 and over should be able to brush their own teeth, but it's still a good idea to watch them to make sure they brush properly and for about 2 minutes.

How to help children brush their teeth properly

Guide your child's hand so they can feel the correct movement.

Use a mirror to help your child see exactly where the brush is cleaning their teeth.

Make tooth brushing as fun as possible by using an egg timer to time it for about 2 minutes.

Don't let children run around with a toothbrush in their mouth, as they may have an accident and hurt themselves.

Taking your child to the dentist

NHS dental care for children is free.

Take your child to the dentist when their first milk teeth appear. This is so they become familiar with the environment and get to know the dentist. The dentist can advise you on how to prevent decay and identify any oral health problems at an early stage. Just opening up the child's mouth for the dentist to take a look at is useful practice for the future.

When you visit the dentist, be positive about it and make the trip fun. This will stop your child worrying about future visits.

Take your child for regular dental check-ups as advised by the dentist.

Find a dentist near you

Fluoride varnish and fissure sealants

Fissure sealants can be done once your child's permanent back teeth have started to come through (usually at the age of about 6 or 7) to protect them against decay. This is where the chewing surfaces of the back teeth are covered with a special thin plastic coating to keep germs and food particles out of the grooves. The sealant can last for as long as 5 to 10 years.

Fluoride varnish can be applied to both baby teeth and adult teeth. It involves painting a varnish that contains high levels of fluoride onto the surface of the tooth every 6 months to prevent decay. Some children may need this more often. It works by strengthening tooth enamel, making it more resistant to decay.

From the age of 3, children should be offered fluoride varnish application at least twice a year. Younger children may also be offered this treatment if your dentist thinks they need it.

Ask your dentist about fluoride varnish or fissure sealing.

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Find out how to look after children's teeth, including advice on brushing, toothpaste, establishing a routine and taking a child to the dentist for the first time.

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Learn the signs that your child may be ready to start potty training, and how to teach your child to use a potty.

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Sensory processing refers to how people experience, interpret and use their senses to guide their day-to-day behaviour. This guide will outline the most common sensory processing difficulties people can experience, as well as providing an overview of sensory assessments and interventions and strategies for sensory processing difficulties.

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This guide describes common signs of anxiety and gives you information on how to spots signs of anxiety in children with intellectual disability. It also details specific anxiety disorders.

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https://yourautism.co.uk/

# data[].attributes.body
https://senda.org.uk/

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https://www.durham.gov.uk/localoffer

# data[].attributes.headline
Parent/Carer forum Making Changes Together

# data[].attributes.subject
Parent/Carer forum Making Changes Together

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https://www.mctdurham.co.uk/

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Toby Henderson Trust- supporting autistic children and their families 

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Toby Henderson Trust- supporting autistic children and their families 

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.ttht.co.uk/

# data[].attributes.body
https://inourplace.co.uk/

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https://inourplace.co.uk/

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https://thesleepcharity.org.uk/

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Resources

https://www.learninglibrary.org.uk/

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https://www.rollercoasterfamilysupport.co.uk/

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https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/support-for-parents/

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https://www.citizensadvicecd.org.uk/moving-to-universal-credit/

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https://www.nenc-healthiertogether.nhs.uk/resources/information-on-local-healthcare-services/school-nursing-services-1

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https://families.barnardos.org.uk/?gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD6aeUNVDhqjGLvOMhG_9r3AEQF_v&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrof7pPKRjAMVupNQBh0bWAA5EAAYASAAEgJdI_D_BwE

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Barnardo’s Family Space is our virtual family hub offering information, advice and support for all stages of your parenting or caring journey.

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https://www.durham.gov.uk/FamilyHubs

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Find out what’s on at your nearest Family Hub - Durham County Council

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Our Family Hubs support families from pregnancy right up until your child turns 19, or 25 if they have special educational needs and disabilities.

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Find out what’s on at your nearest Family Hub - Durham County Council

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Our Family Hubs support families from pregnancy right up until your child turns 19, or 25 if they have special educational needs and disabilities.

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The Public Health England team leading this policy transitioned into the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) on 1 October 2021.

Introduction

This guide is part of 'All Our Health', a resource which helps health and care professionals prevent ill health and promote wellbeing as part of their everyday practice. The information below will help front-line health and care staff use their trusted relationships with patients, families and communities to promote the benefits of good oral health for children.

We also recommend important actions for managers and staff holding strategic roles.

Further information is available in the All Our Health collection.

Improving the oral health of children is an Office for Health Improvement and Disparities ( OHID) priority, OHID has an ambition that every child will grow up free of tooth decay, to help give them the best start in life.

OHID has established a Child Oral Health Improvement Programme Board ( COHIPB) working with a range of partners and stakeholders, to improve the health of all children, and reduce the oral health gap for disadvantaged children.

The Board launched in September 2016, and introduced the COHIPB Action plan, which details 5 high-level objectives of the board, how they will be delivered, and what success looks like.

Oral health is part of general health and wellbeing, and contributes to the development of a healthy child as well as school readiness.

Access the child oral health e-learning session

An interactive e-learning version of this topic is now available to use. OHID and Health Education England's 'e-Learning for Healthcare' have developed this content to increase the confidence and skills of health and care professionals, to embed prevention in their day-to-day practice.

Tooth decay is the most common oral disease affecting children and young people in England, yet it is largely preventable.

Although oral health is improving in England, the oral health survey of 5 year olds in 2019 showed that just under a quarter have tooth decay (see the National Dental Epidemiology Programme for England, 2019). Each child with tooth decay will have on average 3 to 4 teeth affected. For those children at risk, it can happen early in life. The oral health survey of 3 year olds in 2020 found that 11% had visible tooth decay, with on average 3 teeth affected.

While 77% of 5 year old children in England are now free of obvious tooth decay, significant regional inequalities remain - with children from the most deprived areas having more than twice the level of decay, than those from the least deprived.

Almost 9 out of 10 hospital tooth extractions among children aged 0 to 5 years are due to preventable tooth decay and tooth extraction is still the most common hospital procedure in 6 to 10 year olds, according to data up to 2019. See Issues arising following a referral and subsequent wait for extraction under general anaesthetic: impact on children.

Tooth decay can cause problems with eating, sleeping, communication and socialising, and results in at least 60,000 days being missed from school during the year for hospital extractions alone.

Tooth decay could be prevented by cutting down on sugar, as well as brushing teeth with fluoride toothpaste. The cost to the NHS of treating oral conditions is about £3.4 billion per year.

Regularly consuming food and drinks containing sugar increases the risk of tooth decay, and can lead to an increased risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Children are still consuming more than the recommended daily limit.

Core principles for health and care professionals

This 'All Our Health' child oral health information has been created to help all health and care professionals:

understand specific activities and interventions that can prevent tooth decay and gum disease, and improve oral health

know about the resources and services available that can help children, families and communities to improve their oral health

Taking action

The most effective way to improve child dental health is to embed it in all children's services, at strategic and operational levels.

Front-line health and care professionals

Familiarise yourself with the evidence-based advice and treatment that should be given.

This can be found in Delivering better oral health, which provides dental teams and other health and care professionals with the information they need. The quick guide to a healthy mouth in children provides a summarised factsheet with clear and consistent messages.

Making Every Contact Count ( MECC) focuses on staff working with the public giving appropriate and timely advice on health and wellbeing.

You should also work to:

Examples of community oral health improvement programmes include supervised tooth brushing, or fluoride varnish application programmes in targeted, early years settings such as children's centres, nurseries or schools.

Team leaders or managers

There are practical actions that managers (health and social care) can take to enable them to ensure all staff promote good oral health and access relevant training that is regularly updated including e-learning resources to support early years and health and care professionals.

Embed oral health in all children's services at a strategic and operational level.

Consider the training needs of the workforce, to enable them to deliver high-quality oral health advice and interventions. Several e-learning resources for the early years workforce are available on Health Education England's e-learning for Healthcare ( e-lfH), including:

The Centre for Pharmacy Post Graduate Education has a children's oral health programme.

Ensure your teams are aware of oral health services and interventions in your local area to improve child oral health and engage with commissioners to support them - for example supervised toothbrushing, fluoride varnish and Starting Well programmes.

Support local commissioners, identifying where programmes work well and if there are areas for improvement.

Promote the use of the child oral health impact pathway for front-line health and care professionals, to support them to provide oral health improvement as part of routine practice. The pathway also provides an easy way to record and measure their public health impact.

The Centre for Pharmacy Post Graduate Education (CPPE) has a children's oral health programme.

Senior strategic leaders

If you're a senior or strategic leader:

work to ensure that oral health is included and promoted within commissioned healthcare services

advocate for oral health, ensuring it is included in health and wellbeing board's joint strategic needs assessments

make sure that oral health is also included in other policies such as food policies

support policies to reduce sugar consumption and access to fluoride

The documents Local Authorities improving oral health: commissioning better oral health for children and young people and NICE Guideline PH55 Oral health: local authorities and partners support local authorities to commission, review and evaluate oral health improvement programmes for children and young people.

Return on investment of oral health improvement programmes for 0 to 5 year olds is a rapid review of the evidence of how cost-effective interventions are.

Improving oral health: a community water fluoridation toolkit for local authorities outlines water fluoridation's role in local authorities oral health improvement strategies.

This intervention does not require behaviour change by individuals and is safe and effective.

Water fluoridation resources are available to local authorities where community water fluoridation schemes are being considered.

Understanding local needs

Consultants in dental public health provide advice locally. They provide information and intelligence to inform and support health or care professionals, local authorities and other partners to help improve oral health and provision of services.

Oral health needs assessments and joint strategic needs assessments may be available locally.

The oral health collection contains a comprehensive list of information and resources for health practitioners, to improve oral health and reduce inequalities in England.

The following are included:

Oral health of 5 year old children in local authorities provides analysis and key findings on the dental health of 5 year old children, in each upper tier local authority area in England. They can be used to help plan and commission evidence-based services based on local need.

The guidance about oral health of 5 year old children in local authorities also includes information about:

local authority area variations in the oral health of 5 year olds

oral health improvement programmes commissioned by local authorities

The National Children's Dental Health Survey has been carried out every 10 years since 1973. It includes data on children aged 5, 8, 12 and 15 years, and reports on a dental examination and questionnaires for parents and 12 and 15 year olds. The last survey took place in 2013.

The Public Health Outcomes Framework ( PHOF) has one oral health indicator:

tooth decay in children aged 5 years (4.02)

The NHS Outcomes Framework (November 2018) has 2 oral health indicators:

decayed teeth (3.7.i)

tooth extractions due to decay in children admitted as inpatients to hospital, aged 10 years and under (3.7.ii)

Measuring impact

As a health and care professional, there are a range of reasons why it makes sense to measure your impact and demonstrate the value of your contribution.

This could be about sharing what has worked well in order to benefit your colleagues and local people or help you with your professional development.

The Everyday Interactions Measuring Impact Toolkit provides a quick, straightforward and easy way for health and care professionals (HCPs) to record and measure their public health impact in a uniform and comparable way. The toolkit includes a child oral health impact pathway.

Further reading, resources and good practice

Advice for patients and the public

The NHS provides a range of information and support on child and adult oral health.

Better Health have a range of information and resources to support families to make healthier choices.

Better Health provides a guide for dental teams providing key oral health messages to support Be Food Smart and also a Top Tips for Teeth Toolkit.

NHS Food Scanner app alerts parents to the hidden sugar, saturated fat and salt in everyday food and drink and highlights the harm this can do to their child's health, including oral health.

The Eatwell Guide shows the types of food which are needed to have a well-balanced diet.

Water fluoridation resources are available where community water fluoridation schemes are being considered.

Professional resources and tools

The OHID oral health collection includes information and resources.

The Royal Society of Public Health has produced a child oral health impact pathway.

Breastfeeding and dental health guidance provides current evidence and core messaging for dental teams and health and care professionals and features a new breastfeeding and dental health infographic.

Improving oral health for children and young people for health visitors, school nurses and practice nurses is an infographic for the Children and Young People's workforce.

The Better Health guide for dentists provides dental-specific key messaging and information on how dentists can support the Be Food Smart campaign and new app.

Water fluoridation resources are available to local authorities where community water fluoridation schemes are being considered.

Dental resources developed for Better Health are now live on the School Zone. The new KS1 and KS2 dental lesson plans are the first in a series of Better Health school resources to help pupils and their families learn about healthier eating habits.

Best practice examples

Oral health case studies can be found in the following documents.

Tackling poor oral health in children explains local government's role in reducing poor oral health in children.

Local authority area variation in the oral health of 5 year olds includes links to case studies published by the Local Government Association, that demonstrate evidence-based action by local authorities.

Healthy futures: supporting and promoting the health needs of looked after children contains 7 case studies of positive initiatives, one of which is an oral health study.

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Child oral health: applying All Our Health

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The Public Health England team leading this policy transitioned into the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) on 1 October 2021. This guide is part of 'All Our Health', a resource which helps health and care professionals prevent ill health and promote wellbeing as part of their everyday practice.

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We’re here to help your family be healthier and happier. Find out more about what’s really in the food we eat and how to make healthier food swaps to cut back on the sugar, salt and fat in your family’s diet.

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British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD) > Login

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The (BSPD) is the national society specifically concerned with the oral health of children in the UK it provides meetings, publications and news.

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Children and young people grieve just as much as adults but they show it in different ways. They learn how to grieve by copying the responses of the adults around them, and rely on adults to provide them with the support they need in their grief.
Further guidance that may be helpful:
How might bereaved children react and what may help?

Children and young people have a limited ability to put feelings and thoughts into words and tend to show feelings with behaviours rather than words. Reactions will vary greatly as children absorb and process information in different ways at different ages.

The following reactions are common, and are likely to settle over time with reassurance, acknowledging what has happened and their feelings, giving them clear and age-appropriate information, and keeping to normal routines.

Picking up on tension and distress

Children pick up on tension, distress or anxiety in adults, and may mirror this in their own behaviour. Even babies sense that something important is missing, and may cry more than usual. Children of all ages may be clingy or unsettled.

Appearing not to react

Children under 6 years old do not understand that death is permanent. Children cannot handle strong emotions for long periods, and may jump quickly in and out of grief ('puddle jumping'). When told that someone important has died, some children may look blank and ask 'can I play' or 'what's for tea?' They may have heard, but they are not able to process what that means yet. They may react later with sudden crying, outbursts, changes in behaviour or asking questions.

Asking questions and exploring what death means

Children may ask repeatedly: "When's Nanny coming back?" or "Where has she gone?" even though they've been told clearly what has happened. They may hunt everywhere for a 'lost' person, and so a clear explanation of what 'died' means may help. Children may play games where the person dies, or is still alive. They may seem fascinated with death, play-act about death or ask repeatedly about it. All of these are ways that children show that they are processing their understanding of what has happened.

Feeling anxious or insecure

When someone dies, a child's sense of safety is rocked. They may not want to leave you, and may cling to you or follow you everywhere. They may behave as if they are younger: being very quiet or tearful, having temper flare-ups, sucking their thumb, being reluctant to do things they used to do with confidence, or wetting the bed.

Try to keep to normal routines which will help them feel safe, and keep them informed about plans for the days ahead. Tell them who will take them to school or activities. If you need to leave them, tell them when you will be home, or who will be looking after them.
Include them in simple decision-making that affects them. If the person who died was ill, address any fears about the illness (for example that it is not catching), and reassure them that you are not ill and not leaving them.

Anger

Anger and other strong emotions are natural reactions to sad or shocking news, and some children and young people may not be able to understand or manage their own feelings. They may feel angry at the person who died, at family, at themselves or at the world in general.

It can help to tell them it is understandable for them to be angry, as long as they don't hurt themselves or anyone else. Safe ways to release anger include hitting cushions, vigorous physical exercise, messy painting sessions, or going outside to shout very loudly.

Another idea is a 'safe zone' where they can go to calm down. This could be a quiet corner with familiar items that help them to feel safe.

Looking after adults or feeling responsible

As children realise that death is permanent, they also become aware that it happens to other people including themselves. They may be protective and try to look after their important adults and siblings. They may feel that they were somehow responsible for the death.

Primary aged children may show 'magical thinking' where they think 'if I do this, Dad will come back'. They may behave very well to compensate for what's happened, or be less well-behaved because they feel angry or guilty.

Denying what has happened or taking risks

Bereavement can be overwhelming, and can bring huge changes, alongside other challenges that young people face as they grow up. They may want to forget or deny the death or how strongly they feel. They may feel 'what's the point?' with school or social activities. Some young people may be impulsive or take risks, in an attempt to get back some control in a life that for them currently feels very out of control.

What helps grieving children and young people

Every child is unique and will cope with the death of someone important in their own way. There is no magic formula but things that help include:

Clear, honest and age-appropriate information

Reassurance that they are not to blame and that different feelings are OK

Normal routines and a clear demonstration that important adults are there for them

Time to talk about what has happened, ask questions and build memories

Being listened to and given time to grieve in their own way

Further information

More about how children and young people grieve, and what helps:

Finding support

For many bereaved children and young people, they may get all the support they need from those already around them that they know and trust. However, some children and young people may need additional support depending on their situation.

Latest

Most read

Tag cloud

Short films delivered by our support practitioners giving guidance on a range of bereavement topics. Read more

A list of books and resources relating to grief and bereavement and what may help. Read more

Watch short films and read experiences of bereaved families and how support has helped them. Read more

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charity bereavement child death grief loss baby stillbirth miscarriage suicide young people

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Supporting bereaved children and young people

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Children and young people grieve just as much as adults but they show it in different ways. Find out how you can help them and more about child grieving.

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Growing Healthy 0-25 Durham | HDFT Childrens Health Service

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The 0-25 team are co-located in the Family Hubs, Children’s and Young People’s buildings across County Durham.

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DfE: Toilet training guidance for providers

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DfE: Toilet training guidance for providers

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Help for early years providers : Toilet training

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This article was written by the Department for Education (DfE) in consultation with senior health professionals in the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID).

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https://www.durham.gov.uk/FamilyHubs

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 Clinically approved information and resources to help with potty training and children's bowel and bladder conditions.

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 Clinically approved information and resources to help with potty training and children's bowel and bladder conditions.

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97% of 12-year-olds in Britain have a smartphone.

When children started getting them, there was no research about their impact. Now there is, and it's overwhelming.

Smartphones expose children to harmful content, raise the likelihood of developing a mental illness and are highly addictive.

But parents have been put in an impossible position.

Either we give our children access to something that opens the door to porn, bullying, grooming and the anxiety machine that is social media, or we risk alienating them from their peers.

Regulation hasn't caught up with the technology, so it's parents and children that lose out.

We started Smartphone Free Childhood to give power back to parents, and to kickstart the change society needs.

We've learned over time to restrict alcohol and smoking to certain age groups. Smartphones have been with us for barely 15 years, and now we know their effect, we need to act.

Our mission We're determined to turn the groundswell of public support we've already recieved into real change for our children and future generations. We'll do it by:

🗣️ Growing the national conversation about the harms of smartphones for children.

👩‍🏫 Empowering parents and schools to create change at a local level.

👊 Putting pressure on government and tech companies to help us protect our children.

Just as we marvel at the fact cigarette companies used to market their products as healthy, people will look back on this era and ask why children weren't protected from smartphones.

Let's get together and change the norm.

Sign up to be part of the movement and for the latest updates from our campaign.

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Smartphone Free Childhood is a grassroots movement on a mission to keep childhood smartphone free. We want to connect parents in their local communities so that together they can make a pact not to give their children smartphones until at least 14, or social media before the age of 16.

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Tees Esk and Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust

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Parent/carer CAMHS training in County Durham

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We offer free online training for people parents/carers of children and young people. Book your CAMHS Training for parents

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Locate is an online directory allowing residents to connect with local services in their community.

Whilst Durham County Council endeavours to ensure that information contained within the website is up to date and correct, the Council accepts no liability for error or omission and does not endorse any of the content on Locate.

Please click on the Coronavirus (Covid-19) tab for information on who is available to support you.

Government advice on Covid-19 can be found here.

Durham County Council - Latest Covid-19 news.

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Locate is an online directory allowing residents to connect with local services in their community. Whilst Durham County Council endeavours to ensure that information contained within the website is up to date and correct, the Council accepts no liability for error or omission and does not endorse any of the content on Locate.

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Homepage of the Durham Community Action website

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All of our work is focused on helping people build relationships in some way, from making new friends to reducing conflict in their relationships.

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Changing Futures North East helps children to thrive. We do this by helping improve the quality of family members’ relationships and by helping children and young people to make new relationships with adults and other people their own age

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Help with food costs - Durham County Council

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Food banks and other support to help with the cost of food.

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Early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework

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The standards that school and childcare providers must meet for the learning, development and care of children from birth to 5.

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Early learning and development - Start for Life - NHS

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Every smile, chat and cuddle is a great opportunity to help your baby’s communication and language skills. Find fun activities and games for your everyday routine.

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What is School Readiness — GrowingTogether

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Our first blog post in our new series, exploring school readiness. That looks at defining what is school readiness. Find out more here.

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Preparing your little one for school will have a positive impact on how well they settle in and interact with other children.

So, what can you do to better prepare you and your child for this big step?

1. Talk to your child about starting school

Bring the topic of starting school into daily conversations. Perhaps you could ask your little one what they expect from school or what they hope it'll be like.

You could tell them about your school days and show them pictures of you on your first day or with your school friends. Even if you didn't enjoy school, it's important to be positive about it around your child so they feel more relaxed about their new adventure.

New experiences can make us a bit nervous as well as excited, so if you or your little one has any worries about starting school do have a chat with their teacher.

2. Read books together about school

Swap out one of your bedtime books for one that talks about starting school. Whether your little one is excited or nervous to start school, reading fun stories about school adventures might help them get used to the idea. Visit your local library and ask the librarians if they have any suggestions for you, you might even bump into other families while you're there!

3. Practise the basic skills they'll need for starting school

Mark making is another fun activity. It's a simple way to encourage your little one to draw; whether it's a dot or a squiggly line, you could doodle together or take a bucket of water and paintbrush outside to get creative, all this helps them with their writing skills.

By incorporating these skills into their daily activities, children will learn through play and begin to understand the world around them during their everyday life.

4. Visit their new school

If possible, try to visit your little one's new school and ask for a tour. It'll help them feel at ease and get used to their new surroundings. Some schools even offer 'settling in' days which are a great opportunity for your child to get used to their new learning environment.

5.Practise self-care

If your child is not fully confident in going to the toilet alone or getting dressed, don't worry! Take some time to practise self-care with your little one until they become more confident. There's no rush and every child progresses at their own speed.

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What does 'school readiness' really mean?

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How can you help your child get school ready? We go through some useful hints and tips to help grow your child's confidence ready for starting school.

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Being school-ready - a guide for childcare professionals to help children in this transition.

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Wellbeing For Life - Support in County Durham to help you make positive changes in your life.

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Wellbeing For Life - Support in County Durham to help you make positive changes in your life.

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Our service aims to empower you to tell us what’s important to you and to support you to make choices that will benefit you and your life.

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Support for ASD and AHD in County Durham

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Local support services for ASD and AHD in County Durham

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Disability cycling group| North East | Gateway Wheelers | Houghton

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Gateway Wheelers is a disability cycling group charity. We are based in houghton in the north east of england and have many adapted bikes for people with all types of disabilities to try out.

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Find out more about what “challenging behaviour” is and how to respond to it using positive behaviour support.

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The Bridge Young Carers & Young Adult Carers Service

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You must make sure your child gets a full-time education that meets their needs (for example if they have special educational needs). You can send your child to school or educate them yourself.

Children must get an education between the school term after their 5th birthday and the last Friday in June in the school year they turn 16.

You'll be contacted by either:

the school - if your child is enrolled in school and does not turn up (even if they're only absent for a day)

the council's education welfare officer - if they think your child is not getting a suitable education at home

You can be prosecuted if you do not give your child an education. You'll normally get warnings and offers of help from the local council first.

You can get education and attendance information from your council.

When your child can miss school

You can only allow your child to miss school if either:

they're too ill to go in

you've got advance permission from the school

Holidays in term time

You have to get permission from the head teacher if you want to take your child out of school during term time.

You can only do this if:

you make an application to the head teacher in advance (as a parent the child normally lives with)

there are exceptional circumstances

It's up to the head teacher how many days your child can be away from school if leave is granted.

You can be fined for taking your child on holiday during term time without the school's permission.

School trips

Your child's school can ask you for a voluntary contribution to the cost of activities like school trips. They cannot stop your child from attending if you do not pay, but they should cancel the activity if there is not enough money to cover the cost of it.

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You can be prosecuted if your child has unauthorised absence from school - truancy, help with getting your child to school, and legal action to enforce school attendance

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Help with buying items for school - Durham County Council

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The cost of school uniforms can be a struggle for families. Many schools now allow you to buy cheaper, unbranded uniform items, or offer uniform swaps. Please check with your school what they offer.

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Bereavement, Loss and Grief support for children

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Bereavement, Loss and Grief support for children

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https://www.mencap.org.uk/sites/default/files/2016-08/FINAL%20DESIGNED%20Easy%20read%20SENDreforms%20parents%20v11.pdf

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If you're in Durham and looking after somebody, join us for practical tips and the support of a community of unpaid carers who understand.

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Early Help Newsletters for Education Partner Spring 2025

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DurhamLearn courses for family life - Durham County Council

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We’re not all about classroom attendance and passing exams! We’re here to make a difference too and lots of our courses are all about skills for family life.

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Funded childcare sessions for two year olds (Play and Learn) - Durham County Council

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Some two year olds are entitled to funded childcare from the term after their second birthday at ‘Play and Learn’ sessions. This could be at a nursery, playgroup or with a childminder.

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Being a young carer: your rights - Social care and support guide

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If you are 18 or under and you care for someone you are entitled to help and support.

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We support children and young people aged 5 - 24 years, and their families who have a challenging caring responsibility. We help and support the whole family by: Listening to you about what you and your family need. Sharing information, advice and support with you and your family.

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Nepacs is a north east charity which aims to promote a positive future for people who have been affected by adverse situations in their lives. We work with families, young people and children, as well as those affected by the criminal justice system.

We are there for people during difficult times when they need some additional support, whether that be emotional support, help with building resilience, confidence and self-esteem or some practical information.

We are known for our work within criminal justice, having worked in this field for 140 years but we also reach out and provide services in the community, to children and adults from all walks of life.

PLEASE NOTE OUR WEBSITE IS CURRENTLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT AND SOME INFORMATION MAYBE OUT OF DATE

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Nepacs is a north east charity which aims to promote a positive future for people who have been affected by adverse situations in their lives. We work with families, young people and children, as well as those affected by the criminal justice system.

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April is international month of the military child Find out more here ENTER NOW our Through Our Eyes photo competition Find out more here Supporting all children of our British Armed Forces Little Troopers is a registered charity supporting all military children who have parent(s) serving in our British Armed Forces, regular or reserve.

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Tiny Tweeties | Working with parents, teachers and children to bring learning to life through music

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Festivals and events - Durham County Council

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Information about events and festivals happening across the county.

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What’s on in Durham | Your guide to Durham Events and Festivals

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Your guide to what’s on in Durham. Durham hosts world class shows such as Kynren at Bishop Auckland and Lumiere Durham Light Festival. Search for things on at the weekend in the North East, catch a sh…

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Agencies to support parents

Admissions, places and attendance

Bereavement

Carers

Challenging behaviour

Child development

EAL

Home routines

Finance

Food and eating

Medical

School readiness

SEMH

SEND

Sleep

Toileting

Toothbrushing

Wellbeing

Miscellaneous

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How we can help you…

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Are you a Carer in County Durham or Darlington?

One to one support & advice for Carers

Carer Friendly Discount Card



Groups & Events

A diary of our support groups and a variety of events



Sign up for support

For Carers who wish to access the support we provide

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GP Carers Register

It’s very important to let your GP know you are caring for someone

How you can help us…



Fundraising

Support Carers by raising valuable funds in a number of ways



Volunteering

Join our dedicated team of volunteers



50:50 Lottery Club

Sign up to win a cash prize and help raise funds for our Carer Wellbeing Fund



Vacancies

View our current opportunities

Latest news

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Durham Area Disability & Leisure Group – Providing sports, leisure & social opportunities for children and young people with disabilities living in Durham and the surrounding areas

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Most Dedicated Children’s Disability Sports Charity 2023 – North East