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All babies and young children progress differently. However, you may be worried that your child is developing at a different pace to other children, or not how you would expect.

You can share your concerns with your GP or the Childrens Public Health Service 0-19 team. They will assess the health, learning and development of your child. If they have any concerns, they will discuss them with you.

Children's Public Health Service 0-19 includes health visitors, public health school nurses, midwives and child development practitioners.

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All babies and young children progress differently. However, you may be worried that your child is developing at a different pace to other children, or not how you would expect.

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Nap times

Once your child has stopped using nappies in the daytime, it's time to think about nap times.

Learning to sleep without a nappy on at naptime and use the potty when they wake up, will help prepare your child for being dry at night.

Tips for managing nappy-free nap times:

Just before nap time, help your child use the potty or toilet, so they are more likely to stay dry.

When you notice the nappy is staying dry at least some of the time, stop using a nappy at nap time.

Accidents are common during the first few months. Use a waterproof sheet or similar underneath your child, to protect their sleep area.

Lots of children need to use the potty when they wake so help them to do this.

Using praise and rewards to motivate your child

Research shows that rewards such as sweets or sticker charts may help your child initially, but they can stop working quickly.

For most children, encouraging and supporting them to be as independent as possible is the best way to motivate them.

Tips for keeping your child motivated:

Give your child plenty of encouragement and praise their efforts. When your child uses the potty or manages to stay dry, even if it's just for a short time, tell them how pleased you are.

Try to stay calm when accidents happen and do not make a big fuss.

Give your child the opportunity to do things for themselves as far as possible. This will help them to feel in control, positive and relaxed about the process.

Use favourite toys, books or songs to help them feel comfortable on the potty.

Try to avoid prompting or asking your child too often. Instead, wait until you think they need to go and then direct them gently, e.g. "it's toilet time" or "let's get that wee/poo in the potty!"

Be clear, confident and consistent so your child knows what you are asking them to do.

Managing potty training accidents

It is normal to have lots of accidents at the beginning and they are an important part of the learning process. This is a big step for your child, so be patient and encourage them.

Tips for managing accidents:

When your child has an accident, clean it up together and remind them to use the potty next time.

Do not shame or punish your child about accidents, as stress and upset can make it harder for you and your child to learn together.

It's important not to pretend an accident hasn't happened. Help them get clean and dry as soon as possible and involve your child in this process. Gently explain that you want them to use the potty next time.

Potty training out and about

When you first stop using nappies, choose a time when you can stay home with your child for a few days, so you can do some one to one learning with them.

Tips to make your first trips out easier to manage:

Don't forget your potty and spares of everything just in case!

Make trips out short to begin with.

Dress your child in clothes that are easy for them to push down and pull up again.

Avoid putting your child back in a pull up or nappy for outings. This will confuse them and undo all that learning.

A travel potty and washable car seat cover can come in handy.

Using the toilet away from home is a good thing for your child to get used to. Talk to them about things like how the flush at the supermarket is different from the one at home or nursery for example.

We have an excellent range of products to help with this stage including portable potties and car seat covers.

Potty training at nursery & pre-school

Many children spend part of their day being looked after by someone other than you and away from home.

For potty training to go well, your child needs a consistent approach to help them learn what they need to do whether they're at home or in childcare.

As soon as your child starts attending the setting, communicate about their bladder and bowel health. Ask the staff to tell you about the child's poos, so you can keep track and avoid constipation.

Find out what they are offered to drink to you can supplement appropriately at the beginning and end of the session. If the setting will only offer water, and your child is reluctant to consume enough water, talk to staff. Offer to supply juice or squash for them to dilute; it is vital for your child to stay well hydrated when they are away from home.

Start conversations about potty practice as soon as your child can sit up. Settings may regard potty training as something to attempt when the child is older; share this information so they too can see the benefits of potty practice.

When you are thinking about stopping using nappies, plan with the staff. Agree dates together with your child's caregivers so everyone is ready to support them. Time what you are doing at home to fit in with the setting.

Avoid starting to wear pants when the child is about to change rooms at nursery - that will be a big enough upheaval for them.

Tell the staff about the language you use at home for wee and poo.

Talk to the staff at the beginning and end of each session so everyone knows how things are going both at the setting and back at home. Use our potty training record so staff can keep track of their progress.

More information and free resources for childcare settings to support potty learning.
Getting dry at night

The age at which children become dry at night varies hugely. For some, it follows on quite quickly after achieving daytime dryness. For others, the wetting carries on after the age of 5 and treatment will be advised.

It is not your child's fault if they wet during sleep.

There are however lots of things you can do to gradually work towards night time dryness including:

Help your child get into the habit of using the potty or toilet at bedtime.

As well as making sure they are drinking plenty during the daytime, work on a good bedtime drinking routine as well. STOP drinks one hour before bedtime, every night, and no more after that till morning. Our Wee Checker has information on how much children should drink for their age.

Prepare your child for sleep. Unwind with a book or listen to music with the lights turned low. NO screens - so no TV, iPad, computer games in the hour before sleep, or the brain will get the wrong message!

Avoid lifting - in other words waking your child to take them to the toilet - if you want to work on stopping bedwetting. It might keep the bed dry, but it encourages the child to wee during sleep as they don't really wake up.

If your child is still wetting the bed when they are 5, see our Advice for Children with Night Time Wetting factsheet for more information and help.

Common potty training problems

Taking your time leading your child through the preparation and practice stages should help to avoid the most common potty training problems.

If you feel as though it's all gone wrong and they're just not getting it, it's ok to stop, go back to the preparation stage and start again.

Could they be constipated?

Constipation affects 1 in 3 children and is especially common in under 5s. Your child may be struggling because they have some underlying constipation that was there before you started potty training.

So stop, treat the constipation and then try stopping the nappies again once it is all under control. Carry on with potty practice - this in itself is an important part of constipation treatment.
Are they drinking enough?
Sometime the bladder misbehaves and we realise that our child is simply not drinking enough.

Once again, you don't have to go right back to the beginning, but go back to the potty practice stage while you increase your child's fluid intake.

Try not to panic if it seems as if they just aren't getting it. Some children take longer to learn, and just need more time.

Reassure your child that their wees and poos will learn to go in the potty, they just need more practice!

Get more information and help with common potty training problems.

FAQs

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Potty training: how to start & best age to potty train - ERIC

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We've broken down potty training into 3 easy steps: preparation, practice and perfecting those skills! Use our step by step guide to help your toddler become toilet trained.

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A decent night's sleep will help children to learn more effectively and make them less susceptible to minor ailments,

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What should I do if I have concerns about my child's development?

If you're worried about your child's progress, talk to your childminder/nursery/pre-school team, health visitor, local children's centre or Family Hub.

If your child has developmental delays or SEND (suspected or confirmed), speak to their nursery, childminder, or health visitor/nursery/pre-school team well before they start Reception and discuss their needs when you are selecting schools.

You can work with your child's early years setting to help your child with self-care, managing emotions, social skills and communication in a way that suits their stage of development.

​You might want to share details about: their development, needs, what motivates them, what might trigger difficulties, how they learn best, and what strategies work well.

Make sure you share important information with everyone supporting your child, including their new Reception teacher.

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Your child's journey to school starts at home. We understand that all children develop at their own pace, and that we're all learning from birth. When it's time to start school, some children will need more help than others.

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Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) - working together to improve the lives of people in Greater Manchester - Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan

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Foundation Years - Latest news, policy and resources for early years professionals

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Resources for Parents - Foundation Years

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Childcare for 2, 3 and 4 year olds Encouraging your toddler’s independence Family Information Services Family relationships Preparing to be a parent School reception class Support if your child has SEND Understanding how your child will develop and learn Your baby’s development Your newborn baby

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Tiny Happy People is here to help you develop your child's language skills. Explore our simple activities and play ideas and find out about babies and toddlers' amazing early development.

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Children’s language development and parenting advice - BBC Tiny Happy People

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A chatty child is a happy child, so Tiny Happy People is here to help you develop your child’s communication skills through simple interaction and play.

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Learn about sleep | Sleep Action | UK’s oldest sleep charity

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Learn how & why we sleep, and discover tips and advice on overcoming sleep problems to get a better night’s sleep and improve your wellbeing

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North Tyneside Parent Carer Forum Facebook Group

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North Tyneside Parent Carer Forum CIC | Whitley Bay

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North Tyneside Parent Carer Forum CIC, Whitley Bay. 1,559 likes · 42 talking about this · 6 were here. The parent led forum in N.Tyneside for those caring for a child or young person aged 0-25yr with…

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Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

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If your child is aged 4 to 18 years and lives in North Tyneside our autism spectrum disorder assessment pathway teams will do the assessment. You will be assessed by our Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) or our Community Learning Disability Team if your child has already been diagnosed with a learning disability. This might be a nurse or clinical psychologist who will meet with you to explain the process and begin the assessment.

Information from other people involved in your child's care including speech and language therapists, paediatricians, occupational therapists, or educational psychologists will be considered. Then they will arrange at least two observations in school/college before the final assessment.

Our autism spectrum disorder assessment pathway team will meet with you to discuss the findings and how this information should be shared, such as with your GP, school or agencies who support your child.

You will be given an information pack with local and national support services and there will be help and support in your child's school or college depending on what your child's needs are, which will be discussed with you.

You will be offered to take part in the cygnet parent programme run by North Tyneside Council's language and communication team with help from our community learning disability and speech and language teams, with lots of advice on how to support your child's development.

Children with a diagnosed learning disability and autism can get additional support from our community learning disability team to help with a range of health needs including psychiatry, psychology and mental health and wellbeing.

Click here for ASD diagnostic pathway for children 4years and older.

Click here for ASD diagnostic pathway for children 4 years and older with a learning disability diagnosis.

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Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Support :: Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

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If your child is aged 4 to 18 years and lives in North Tyneside our autism spectrum disorder assessment pathway teams will do the assessment. You will be assessed by our Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) or our Community Learning Disability Team if your child has already been diagnosed with a learning disability.

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Portage Support Service - Beacon Hill School

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The Portage Service is part of the North Tyneside Local offer, which is offered to children with special needs living in North Tyneside.

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Educational Psychology | Education Services

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Using our knowledge and understanding of educational and psychological research, we promote the use of evidence based practice to promote social and emotional well-being and academic progress across

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The Language and Communication Team is an authority-wide commissioned service based within Benton Dene School which includes the specialist nursery, Dene Communication Centre. To access information about our local offer, select an option below:

Direct line 01914661814
Resources, Links and Online Training

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The Language and Communication Team is an authority-wide commissioned service based within Benton Dene School which includes the specialist nursery, Dene Communication Centre. To access information about our local offer, select an option below: Direct line 01914661814 Resources, Links and Online Training

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Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

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Skip to main content Skip to accessibility tools

Our speech and language therapy service can support children and young people from birth to 19 who have speech, language or communication needs or difficulties with eating, drinking or swallowing. These include:

Stammering, where sounds or words are regularly repeated or a lot of effort is needed to produce them.

Speaking with a persistently unusual voice quality, which might sound croaky, breathy, or hoarse.

Difficulties in saying specific sounds when talking making your speech difficult to understand by others.

Difficulties with speaking, including difficulties putting words and sentences together to ask for something, telling a story or holding a conversation.

Making sense of what other people say to you and/or understanding and using body language and eye contact.

Difficulties learning the 'rules' of conversation such as when it is your turn to speak and when it is time to change the topic of conversation.

Feeding or swallowing difficulties.

As well as occurring on their own, these difficulties are common in children and young people who have other diagnoses such as autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, cleft palate, learning, physical or hearing difficulties.

Your care

We can see you at health centres, schools, nurseries, and at home.

As well as working directly with children and young people we support their families and carers, their teachers or childcare staff and other professionals who have regular contact or work with them.

We carry out assessments, including observations of play, learning activities and will observe meal times for children who are experiencing feeding or swallowing difficulties. We sometimes work with other professionals to help us carry out assessments.

Our aim is to help children and young people develop their best possible communications skills, taking into account their individual abilities and needs.

Most importantly we look at the impact of their communication difficulty on the child, young person's life, their family and aim to find ways of reducing this as much as possible.

This can include one or a combination of:

A programme of agreed targets or goals for the child or young person, parents or carers, and other professionals who support them.

Coaching and education for parents/professionals working with the child or young person on specific communication/feeding techniques.

Specialist support from a speech and language therapist or assistant speech and language therapist for short periods of time to help develop specific communication skills

Liaising with other services involved in the child or young person's care, for example, the feeding team at Royal Victoria Infirmary and Regional Communications Aids Service.

Involvement in local authority statutory assessment procedures. For children and young people with complex and lifelong communication and or feeding needs we also support professionals working with them when they start a new school, or start receiving support from adult services.
Preparing for adulthood

If a young person has complex ongoing and changing communication and/or feeding needs we will work with them and their families, and professionals who are involved in supporting them to plan and prepare that youn person for leaving school. If necessary, a referral will be made to Adult Speech and Language Therapy services for further support .

How to access this service

You can self-refer to this service if you live in Northumberland and North Tyneside. We also accept referrals from any professional working with the child and family. For example a health visitor, doctor, nurse, social worker or teacher etc..

For new referrals we prioritise seeing children and young people with urgent feeding and swallowing difficulties within 10 working days. Children and young people with communication difficulties will be seen within 18 weeks from a referral.

Contact us

If you are a parent or carer you can contact our speech and language therapy service directly, just contact the nearest team to where your child lives (see contact details below).

You can contact us Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5pm. Each clinic has an answer phone so please leave a message to speak to a therapist. Alternatively if your enquiry is urgent please call the main office at Shiremoor Resource Centre.

Alternatively health visitors, GPs, school staff and any professional can make a referral for a child or young person. You can contact us to receive a copy of our referral form on any of the numbers below.
Clinic venues and contact numbers Main office
Shiremoor Resource Centre

Earsdon Road

Shiremoor

NE27 0HJ

North Tyneside tel: 0191 297 9031 Northumberland tel: 0191 297 9019

Area teams

Alnwick or Berwick at Alnwick Medical Group, Infirmary Drive, Alnwick, NE66 2NR. Tel: 01665 511 880

Castle Morpeth, Ashington or Wansbeck at Northumberland Child Health Centre, Woodhorn Lane, Ashington, NE63 9JJ. Tel:01670 564029

Blyth Valley at Unit 2, Northumbria Health and Care Academy, Northumbria Way, Cramlington, NE23 6NZ. Tel: 0191 607 2097

Tynedale area at Cobridge Health Centre, Newcastle Road, Corbridge, NE45 5LG. Tel: 01434 636940

Useful links

nas.org.uk- the National Autistic Society website contains information about autism as well as links to help available for both children and parents.

Downs Syndrome educational trust

Afasic- national charity that helps families affected by speech and language problems

Contact a Family- UK charity providing advice, information and support to the parents of all disabled children - no matter what their disability or health condition

ICAN- a national charity that works to help children communicate

British Stammering Association- information aimed at adults, parents, teenagers and teachers and employers.

apraxia-kids.org- this is an American website containing information on and about children who suffer from apraxia

Speech Teach- for parents with children with speech difficulties and provides chat room facilities and materials for working with your child

The Hanen Centre- information about training programmes for young children with language delay issues

Makaton- information about Makaton, a language programme that incorporates signing into a child's communication to assist with their overall communication development

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Children's Speech and Language Therapy :: Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

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Skip to main content Skip to accessibility tools Our speech and language therapy service can support children and young people from birth to 19 who have speech, language or communication needs or difficulties with eating, drinking or swallowing. These include: Stammering, where sounds or words are regularly repeated or a lot of effort is needed to produce them.

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May 2022

NORTH TYNESIDE SENSORY SERVICE AT BEACON HILL "SENSORY STARS"

FUND RAISING FAMILY SPONSORED WALK - SUNDAY APRIL 10th 2022

Congratulations to all the children and young people, families, staff and friends who attended our fund raising sponsored walk to raise money to fund future social events for our children and young people with hearing and / or visual impairment. 15 families and 30 children in total joined us for a walk in beautiful sunshine along our coastline.

Our aim was to raise £500, and as of May 17th, we have raised £1240. This will enable us to provide social events for the next few years. Our Just Giving page is still open, for those who would like to make a last minute donation.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our children, their families and friends, and my service staff for all their efforts!
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/jacky-miraoui?utm_id=1&utm_term=BjrDMvzmZ
Nick Cubley, Service Manager, May 2022

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North Tyneside Sensory Service at Beacon Hill - Passionate about supporting children and young people with hearing and / or vision impairment in North Tyneside

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May 2022 NORTH TYNESIDE SENSORY SERVICE AT BEACON HILL "SENSORY STARS" FUND RAISING FAMILY SPONSORED WALK - SUNDAY APRIL 10th 2022 Congratulations to all the children and young people, families, staff and friends who attended our fund raising sponsored walk to raise money to fund future social events for our children and young people with hearing and / or visual impairment.

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Local Offer: Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

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Wondering if your child has special educational needs? Information, advice and support Disabled children's register More Special Educational Needs and Disabilities information

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Bonding with your baby

Healthy development of your baby begins during the first 2 years of their life.

From the moment your baby is born, and even during pregnancy, your interactions with them help them feel loved and secure.

The way you care for your baby, and the experiences you have together, really do matter.

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From the moment your baby is born, and even during pregnancy, your interactions with them help them feel loved and secure.

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Active North Tyneside is all about helping children, young people and adults to feel the benefits of being active to live a long and healthy life.

The aim is to get people to move more and live more by being physically active, everyday.

All of our programmes and projects are free or low cost for residents of North Tyneside.

Apply for our Community Fund!

We can help fund local community groups, organisations and registered charities for initiatives aimed at getting local communities active.

Mini Movers: a free session for 2 to 4 year olds

Toddlers can play, dance and sing exploring a wide range of sounds, movements, textures and foods.

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Active North Tyneside is all about helping children, young people and adults to feel the benefits of being active to live a long and healthy life. The aim is to get people to move more and live more by being physically active, everyday.

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Solihull Approach | Parenting - We're all about emotional health and wellbeing!

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FREE DOWNLOADS

Parents

You can download useful information for parents here:

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Let's Play

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Development and emotional milestones

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Brain development through childhood

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For Teenagers

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Teenagers and risk taking

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Practitioners

You can download the discussion leaflets on behaviour, feeding, sleeping and toileting in different languages here:

Bengali

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Bulgarian

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Chinese (Simplified)

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Gujarati

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Lithuanian

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Lithuanian

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Modern Standard Arabic

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Sleeping - Child's perspective

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Toileting - Child's perspective

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Polish

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Play - Child's perspective

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Punjabi

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Romanian

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Russian

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Somali

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Turkish

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Urdu

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Welsh

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Free Downloads - Solihull Approach | Parenting

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- FREE DOWNLOADS Parents You can download useful information for parents here: File Language Download Let’s Play English Download Development and emotional milestones English Download Brain development through childhood English Download For Teenagers English Download Teenagers and risk taking Englis…

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Solihull Approach | Parenting - We're all about emotional health and wellbeing!

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Online Courses for Parents - Solihull Approach | Parenting

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Our online courses cover from conception to 19 years. They include the same content as a face to face group. Digital parenting offer available. Find out more!

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Solihull Approach | Parenting - We're all about emotional health and wellbeing!

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Firstly, the Solihull Approach group for parents 'Understanding your child's behaviour' is for any parent of children aged 6 months to 19 years. There are free Addendums available to customise the group for adoptive parents, parents of children with a learning difficulty, parents of children with disabilities and parents of children on the autistic spectrum. This group was given the top rating for value for money by the Early Intervention Foundation (EIF)

Secondly, the Solihull Approach Postnatal group 'Understanding your baby' is for any parent of a child aged 0 to 6 months

Next, the Solihull Approach Postnatal Plus group is for any parent with relationship difficulties or postnatal depression

And finally, the Solihull Approach Antenatal group 'Understanding pregnancy, labour, birth and your baby' is for anyone expecting a baby and anyone around the mother, e.g. father, partner, grandparents, birth partner etc.

The groups are evidence-based, with both qualitative and quantitative published research. See the section for more details.

In addition, an RCT has been published on 'Understanding your child's behaviour', with very positive results.

Every training is cascadable, supporting sustainability and coverage.

All the groups are also available in online form , supporting accessibility.

Each group promotes reflective parenting.

Furthermore, we also provide a for delivering a course on parenthood in schools. There are 9 lessons of 45 minutes. It is £59 for the manual, which is delivered to the school.

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Parent groups - Solihull Approach | Parenting

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Information on 4 types of face-to-face parenting groups. All groups, from Antenatal onwards, promote responsive and reflective parenting.

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Our hubs provide free activities for the whole family.

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About DadPad, Key Content, Long Read

Posted on 18th February 2022

Why DadPad?

We thought it might be helpful for us to pull together a blog post setting out some of the reasons why - as a Health Trust or local authority provider - you might want to invest in DadPad...

What is DadPad?

Developed with the NHS, the DadPad gives new dads and dads-to-be the knowledge and practical skills necessary to support themselves and their partner, so that babies get the best possible start in life.

Topics covered within the DadPad itself include:

An overview of the Health Visitor Team and the appointments that parents will have;

'Baby basics', including feeding, sleeping, holding, coping with crying, cleaning and bathing baby and changing nappies;

Ways in which dad can help to build his bond with his baby, including baby massage, communicating, baby swimming, and play and learning;

Core information on perinatal mental health for dad - what to look out for in his partner, and what to look out for in himself, as well as advice on supporting each other and their relationship; and

An overview of other key topics, including child development, legal information and important further sources of parenting advice and support.

In addition to the above, the DadPad app also includes:

Enhanced core content, covering areas such as the Midwifery Service and antenatal appointments, the fourth trimester, healthy pregnancy and healthy family, and home safety;

Information on and contact details for local hospitals, health visitor teams and perinatal mental health support; and

Specialised content on local services, charities and support groups on a range of topics relevant to expectant parents and new parents.

First launched in Cornwall in 2012, the DadPad has been kept under continual review, to ensure that all content is up-to-date, reflective of current best practice and contains all the information that new dads and dads-to-be want to know.

Over the intervening decade, DadPad has grown and - as at February 2022 - the app is now available in 24 NHS Trust areas across the UK, with more preparing to launch during the year.

How does DadPad differ from other parenting guides, apps and websites?

Obviously, the market for information and advice for new parents is a busy and competitive one, but we believe that DadPad has a unique offer to make, for the following reasons:

Since Day One, DadPad has been specifically written for dads, on the topics that dads and health professionals told us that they wanted and needed to know about, with expert input from NHS and Public Health professionals. As mentioned above, it's kept under regular review by the same individuals, so you always be sure that DadPad offers the latest, most up-to-date information and guidance as to best practice;

We're totally focused on 'getting the language right', so that dads feel engaged and included. Unlike other guides, supposedly written for 'parents', you won't find DadPad inadvertently slipping in phrases like 'when you give birth' or 'when you are breastfeeding'. This is because all the research evidence tells us that - for dads to actively engage in parent-focused material - they need to feel that it hasn't actually been intended for mums, partly because many dads feel that pregnancy, birth and the whole perinatal period is an exclusively female arena, in which they shouldn't/don't want to get involved, and partly because they are afraid of taking the attention or focus away from the mum at such an important time in her life. Writing materials for dads, in dad-focused wording at all times, is key to overcoming this, and helping dads feel welcomed and valued as a co-parent. Further, our years of experience in this area also enables us to spot, challenge and alter wording which might perpetuate outdated stereotypes regarding the various roles of each parent in relation to their child - for example, we'll try and avoid phrases like dad "helping to care for the baby", which might suggest that mum should be taking the lead... It might seem silly, and pedantic, but it's all about challenging unhelpful conventions; after all, have you ever seen mums being encouraged to "help to care for baby"?

One of the points we stress in our work is the importance of actively using the 'F' word (father) in any letters, posters, papers, briefings, tender documents or other communications you produce. Unless you explicitly address fathers, they are overlooked and implicitly excluded: most people (mothers and fathers, practitioners, policymakers, researchers, etc) see the word 'parents' and read it (consciously or subconsciously) as meaning 'mothers'.
Jeszemma Garratt, Head of Training at The Fatherhood Institute

It's not - and never will be - a gender-neutral, all-things-to-everyone 'ParentPad'. This isn't because we're not mindful of other parent demographics, but because we believe - and, again, this is based on research findings - that, to do the job properly, dads require something that is exclusively for them and their specific needs. Men's and dad's mental health needs will be different to those of other co-parents, the co-parent relationship dynamics between a man and a woman will differ from that between other genders, and so on. And because we're so passionate about (a) ensuring that all parents receive the advice, information and support that they need and (b) writing materials that are specific for the needs and wants of each parent demographic, we have a brand-new resource - the Co-ParentPad - coming out later in 2022, which has been written specifically for LGBTQI+ non-birthing parents;

The DadPad has more intended purposes than being 'just' a guide book or resource to help dad find out more about the skills that he needs to be a hands-on father; it's also designed to be used by relevant health professionals as an embedded engagement tool, as part of their whole family approach to perinatal care, including as:

A means of engaging with/building a relationship between dad and health professional, so that dad knows that he can: trust the health professional; be honest with them about his fears, emotions and worries; confidently share any concerns that he may have relating to mum and/or their baby at the earliest stage; and encourage mum to do the same - all of which will help to give baby the best start in life;

A means by which health professionals can start to build a picture regarding any potential safeguarding concerns - how, for example, does dad react when the DadPad is shared with or mentioned to him? (we've got a further, more detailed article on the use of DadPad as part of a safeguarding toolkit coming out later this month); and

An empowerment tool for dads, especially the less confident, younger and/or more vulnerable new fathers, helping them to see that they - just like mum - are valued, relevant and an essential part in, not only their new baby's life, but also the whole perinatal period, from pregnancy, through to labour, birth and beyond.

Why isn't the app free?

Obviously, there are a number of purportedly parent-focused resources available online at no cost, so you might wonder why we charge a fee for the DadPad app. There are several reasons why we choose to charge for our products, including:

We value our product, and we believe that - by putting a price on it - we help others to value it, too.

We value our staff and want to be able to pay them an appropriate wage in order to reflect their collective expertise and experience. Across the current crew of full-time, part-time and freelance team members, we've got a range of degrees - at both Bachelors and Masters levels - in topics as diverse as Psychology, Law, Marketing, Education and even Silversmithing, together with a huge amount of personal, lived, employed and voluntary experience in a whole range of areas which are relevant to the various aspects of DadPad, including:

employment within the Probation Service, as a group facilitator, with detailed experience of working with men on cognitive change programmes, including in particular working with domestic violence offenders;

employment within further and higher education as a lecturer;

working as a freelance writer, editor, examiner and author of materials relating to education, professional qualifications and the law;

working as a regional and national trainer on cognitive change programmes;

writing and leading a course for new fathers used in Children's Centres for five years across the south-west, and co-writing a Young Fathers' Course for roll-out across a national organisaiton;

employment as a soldier in the British Army, including having been a 'military dad';

working as a birth and postnatal doula, who's also worked as a Traumatic Birth Recovery practitioner, and local breastfeeding peer support volunteer;

having been the founding Chair of a Maternity Voices Partnership, with in-depth experience of working with and advocating for vulnerable and marginalised families in rural communities - with her work alongside the local hospital to engage the local Roma, Gypsy and Traveller communities recognised as an outstanding example of practice by the CQC in 2020 and Highly Commended for the Maternity Voices Award at the 2019 International Maternity Expo;

previous membership of the local Perinatal Mental Health Board;

previous service as a primary school governor and current service as a governor at a nursery school;

as a founder member of the Paternal Mental Health Alliance;

as a member of the Birthrights Expert Panel for the Human Rights Inquiry into Racial Injustice in Maternity Care;

as a supporter of the NHS England's Better Births Continuity of Carer Expert Reference Group; and

of course, lived experience as parents! Between the team - currently two dads and two mums - we've got seven children, ranging in age from 16 years to just a few months.

We're a Community Interest Company, which is a company that - at its heart - operates to serve a social purpose. We formed to help reduce inequalities, with a focus on helping society's most vulnerable - babies - by working to engage, include and support fathers as they transition to fatherhood. Crucially, it also means that we are a business that operates on a profit-for-purpose basis, so we are bound by rules to ensure that our profits are spent on furthering the social purpose of the company and we cannot pay ourselves over and above what would be fair and equitable in relation to the same roles in another organisation or in relation to our levels of experience and qualifications. These pay 'caps' are set by Companies House regulations, and we do not have shareholders that we have to pay dividends to. It's great to be focused!

So, by receiving income as a result of selling our products, we have been able to continue to invest in dads and parents, and to keep expanding, growing and improving our offer. Over the last ten years, we've used DadPad income to:

Continually keep all DadPad content under review, arranging for redesigns, rewrites and reprints when changes have been required as a result of changed advice on best practice;

Develop our DadPad app as a separate innovation alongside the existing and original hard copy DadPad book, in response to demand from healthcare professionals for an online, accessible-on-the-go resource;

Develop, write, print and produce the DadPad Neonatal (DPNN), a version of the DadPad written for the specific needs of new dads who find their babies in a Neonatal Unit after birth, in response to a request from consultant neonatologist Professor Minesh Khashu at Poole Hospital to meet this previously unmet need - and we've been delighted to have had the DPNN Highly Commended by the BMA in the Innovation Category of their Patient Information Awards in 2019;

Develop a Quick Read 'baby basics' version of the original DadPad. Conceived with the help of an 'easy read' expert and designer to provide enhanced illustrations and simpler, more concise explanations of key points of knowledge and skills, this book is now being used by NHS Trusts alongside existing DadPad products to enable them to reach out to and engage with a wider-ranging group of dads, including in particular those who would - for whatever reason - struggle to read and cope with the detailed explanations contained in the original DadPad;

Translate core DadPad app content into a range of different languages. By purposely avoiding using automated translation software and instead investing in bespoke translation services, we are aiming to ensure that the other language versions are - like all existing DadPad content - the best quality that they can possibly be, again enabling Health Trusts to feel confident using our products and to reach out to and successfully engage with an even larger number of dads-to-be and new dads in their area;

Continue to innovate to ensure that DadPad and the DadPad app remain the best that they can possibly be, reacting to feedback from users and Trust areas as to what other elements they would like to see and be able to offer. The updated version of the app, with a whole host of exciting new features, is coming out later this year; and

Developing new versions of the DadPad to offer support to as many new parents as possible. New issues planned for release in 2022 include the Co-Parent Pad, for LGBTQI+ non-birthing parents, and a MumPad, which focuses on improving the mum/dad relationship during the perinatal period, with key pointers on things that dad would want mum to know and/or discuss with him. We're also continuing to work with our contacts in the services to consider how best to offer support to military dads and their families.

And, in the overall scheme of things, DadPad is a relatively low-level investment for a Health Trust to make, given the potential long-term savings that the SROI tool (see further, below) has suggested it could make.

But does it actually work?

We're obviously regularly asked what evidence there is to support DadPad and the goals we intend it to help meet. Hopefully, some of the points below will help address such queries:

With any new and innovative approach to a social problem which involves system change and with prevention at its core, it will take time to understand all the benefits and be able to measure them, so as to adjudge the true impact and effectiveness of that approach. Having said this, though, there are still ways to accurately see impact - in both social and economic senses - which again require effort and change to implement. This includes surveys, focus groups and data analysis tools which consider direct effects and cost savings (in terms of pounds and pence) for society as a whole.
One tool used to measure the economic return on investment made is the Social Value Engine Tool which, when initially applied to the use of DadPad in its early years, came back with a figure which indicated that - for every £1 spent on DadPad - a £56 saving could be made to the community. An example of how this happens is that, by using his DadPad, a dad would be able to notice symptoms of depression in his partner during pregnancy much earlier than he might otherwise have done, had he been unaware of the signs to look out for. Again, as a result of the advice set out in DadPad, he will be able to ensure that she receives correct support and treatment at an earlier stage, and will also potentially need less interventions. There are therefore implicit cost savings as a result of less treatment (and possibly also less severe treatment and/or interventions), not only in financial terms, but also in relation to the potential impact on that a prolonged, undiagnosed and unsupported period of mental ill health might have had on the family as a whole. This is just one example of how an approach to the perinatal period which includes, informs and engages dads and partners can be so effective in preventing negative health and promoting shared care and partnership in newly-formed families.

Our entire 'back catalogue' of content and approach is evidence-based, guided by over 20 years of research into the importance of father and partner inclusion and focused on the best ways to care for babies and their families. All this research has, of course, most recently dovetailed with maternity services approaches which encourage their workforce and initiatives to be inclusive and equitable, and to 'Think Family', to look at the world through the baby's eyes and to be trauma-informed. As mentioned above, this research has established that there is a clear need for dads to receive a direct approach and to be spoken to directly in relation to all things perinatal and parenting, in order to feel included and engaged. Although this whole issue is covered in more detail in other blogs (including our "Why dads?" piece), some of the key points - all of which are central to all DadPad work and innovation - are that:

Academics, such as Dr Anna Machin, have established that dads have a unique and important role to play in his child's life, with his bond helping his child to not only feel loved and nurtured, but also to learn how to deal with challenges and gain in confidence;

The Government - via reports such as Every Child Matters in 2003 - are advocating for the need for greater recognition of and support for the role that fathers play in a family;

Research has established, though, that fathers feel excluded during the antenatal period, and also that perinatal services have not been focused on the perinatal mental health struggles of fathers/partners;

Some of the reasons for these feelings of exclusion (as summarised by Raquib Ibrahim from Mellow Parenting at the 2020 AIMH Annual Infancy Conference) - barriers to engagement, if you like - include:

cultural expectations (e.g. in relation to perceived gender roles within a family);

ingrained societal attitudes regarding dad's role (use of phrases like 'baby-sitting the kids');

environmental constraints (including expectations and availability of access in schools, services, family centres etc);

accessibility, which also links to work commitments (are there any groups or services available for dad and, if there are, are they available at times when he can easily access them?);

family circumstances (such as the dynamics in his relationship with his partner, his in-laws, etc);

resources (where are these being targeted, what funding is available to support dad-work, and what knowledge, expertise and awareness do staff have to involve and support dad?); and

images and language (such as in social media and across the internet).

And this latter point leads into that confirmed by many academics, including Jeszemma from The Fatherhood Institute (quoted above), that dad-focused materials need to be explicitly written for dads for them to actively engage with the resources. Using words like 'parent' will implicitly lead dad to believe that they are for mum, not him, and he will actively disengage.

We are so pleased to have received so much positive feedback from dads, families and health professionals over our years of operation. These comments have meant that - during the past three years - we have (so far) been commissioned by over 24 perinatal organisations (including NHS maternity and clinical Perinatal Mental Health Services, Public Health and Safeguarding Boards), making our DadPads and DadPad app available to new dads in about 75% of the UK. Further, the fact that we have also received repeat orders from established DadPad areas (either for additional books and/or for renewal of app licences) further evidences the fact that commissioners are happy with the benefits that DadPad provides to them, their teams and their families;

As a result of learning gained from all the feedback that we have received over the years, we are about to refresh our DadPad app with many new and exciting features. Working alongside the Academic Health Science Network (AHSN), we will not only be embedding tools to gather evidence for a long-term evaluation, but we will also be building a community of support by and for the dad-users. This will also enable them to provide feedback into other organisations that want to learn how to best support them as new dads, but also to be linked up with university or other research studies looking to gather dad-focused evidence.

Julian with Mark Williams and team, presenting Mark Williams' report to the House of Commons and NICE in Sept 2020.

What else does 'DadPad' do?

As you've hopefully guessed by now, the team at DadPad are a lot more than simply producers of a guide for new dads. As well as Julian being one of the founder members of the Paternal Mental Health Alliance, an organisation established in September 2020 following the presentation of the ten-year report by fathers' mental health campaigner Mark Williams and team to NICE (the National Institute of Clinical Excellence) and to MPs in Parliament, we also work to raise the profile of dads' mental health needs and dads' role as a co-parent via our social media accounts and blog posts.

We've established ourselves as a recognised source of information and expertise via our growing list of contacts - e.g. via dads and health professionals within our 24 (and growing) DadPad areas, as well as our 'dadvocate' contacts, engaged in dad-work and/or research across the UK. The latter includes the aforementioned Mark Williams, Kieran Anders at Dad Matters UK, Dr Andy Mayers from Bournemouth University, Jeszemma Howl at The Fatherhood Institute, Errol Murray at Leeds Dads, perinatal mental health support advocate and trainer Scott Mair, and Ash Curry, a perinatal mental health trainer with expertise in OCD. We're constantly looking to reach out to more and more such workers and campaigners, to continue to 'keep the dots joined up' regarding dads' work across the UK.

This has all also enabled us to become something of a 'listening bank'; we're trying to listen to the voices of both dads and workers on the ground, via all our DadPad areas, to reflect on the changes that are needed in real-time. This gives opportunities for the researchers, organisations and statutory services around us to understand and learn what the dads and their families need in terms of existing support, and the new levels and types of support that would need to be created.

Becoming recognised as experts in our field means that we're also increasingly asked to become involved in new and evolving projects, research, strategies, systems and processes around dad-work, which is fantastic and an honour to be invited to do.

We do our best to keep on top of all the latest research and evidence coming out around topics applicable to our work, including dads, parenting, the perinatal period and other co-parents. To this end, we also endeavour to support students and researchers undertaking research within relevant areas, including by sharing their requests for participants across our social media channels.

This constant reading and searching for the latest developments in our field also supports Team DadPad in providing 'added value' on all aspects of parenting and being a dad via our regular blog posts, usually published each Friday as part of our #FatherhoodFriday initiative on social media. These blogs provide further reading for dads and/or health professionals on a range of core topics including:

dads' mental health;

infant mental health;

bonding and attachment;

safe sleep;

coping with crying;

and the basics of baby care.

We always work hard and do our utmost to ensure that these articles are accurate, referenced and - where relevant - written in a way that makes them accessible to dads (and our team's collective experiences in academia, freelance writing and related services means that we believe that we're able to do this to a high standard, again ensuring that all our content is reliable, professional and can be trusted).

It is always a privilege to work with so many perinatal professionals who help us to share the results of our many content collaborations between areas, ensuring that all new dads are benefitting from the best and most up-to-date information, and which crucially has saved a great deal of time for these professionals who are no longer having to 'reinvent the wheel'.

We're also dedicated to helping organisations and health teams 'get the language right' around dads, as mentioned above, and we have further invested our profits to encourage and enable other charities and 'dadvocates' to develop their own projects. For example, over the past couple of years we have:

worked with Mark Williams to help him share his message by:

sponsoring the production of the book of his life story - Daddy Blues - into a film, and

working with him to compile, edit and publish his ground-breaking ten-year report, which we also sponsored in full;

sponsored Alright Mate? CIC's Cally Hayes' production of an audio series to help new dads hear about how mental health is affected when transitioning to fatherhood.

Alright Mate? CIC's fatherhood installation: Fatherhood and Mental Health

In addition to all of this - and even though we're not set up to provide direct advice to individuals - we also do our best to offer ad hoc support and/or ideas for referrals or signposting to the health pros, families and individual dads who contact us.

Finally, our mission is to enable dads' (and partners') voices to be heard: for those surrounding them to know what they need and how to fully support them as they transition to parenthood. We aim to do this on a daily basis, as we speak with dads, with our 'dadvocate' contacts, with frontline health professionals, with commissioners and even - occasionally - with politicians and the media. Our new app platform will further help us to 'hear' from those dads, and to share their message wide and far.

The ideal solution?

So imagine, then, if every new dad is given access to the DadPad app (and/or a copy of the DadPad) as he leaves his first contact with a perinatal professional... Immediately, some of the key established barriers to 'dad-engagement' are being broken down. As he begins and continues to engage with the DadPad content, specifically written for his needs, he will not only be gaining in key knowledge and skills, which will enable him to become a supportive and involved co-parent and father, but will also be being encouraged to engage and build a relationship of trust with the healthcare professionals surrounding him and his family. This will give him the confidence to seek out answers to the important questions that he has, and to raise his worries without fear, in order to get the best support possible. At the same time, the healthcare professionals will be gaining a fuller and more true picture of the family dynamic, equipping them to give that new unit the utmost in tailor-made support and continuity of care, all of which will give baby the very best opportunity for the best start in life.

Perinatal services therefore need to play their part in the engagement process, too, and working in collaboration with us at DadPad - gaining from our collective expertise and experience (both internally, from within our team, and externally, from our links with other areas and professionals across the country) and 'listening bank' insight from dads, dad-workers and healthcare professionals - is at the very heart of our offer, growing and learning together with you to better support dads and partners, which we have all wanted to do for so long.

To find out more about DadPad and how it could work for you, in your area, please get in touch with us for a no-pressure, exploratory chat: hello@thedadpad.co.uk.

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Why DadPad | About DadPad | Support for new dads

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If you're not sure whether it's worth investing in DadPad as a resource for your health trust, we hope that this article might help you...

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Meditation or relaxation activities are a great way of connecting to a range of senses and providing time for your child to calm and focus on a shared activity. In this video, Blanca explains some of the techniques and resources we use in school to create a multisensory meditation experience. If you have some relaxing scents, massage creams and lights at home, this is a simple activity to share with your child.

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Meditation or relaxation activities are a great way of connecting to a range of senses and providing time for your child to calm and focus on a shared activity.

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Mark-making is a term used to describe pre-writing activities which encourage children to take notice of the marks they are making and start to experiment with a range of different marks and materials.

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There are so many opportunities for practising maths concepts at home and in the community.

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An introduction to a sensory, soothing, regulating, calming, grounding box by Dr Karen Treisman

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Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust

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What is the Sensory Service?

The Sensory Service is a multi-disciplinary team based at the Ryegate Children's Centre in Sheffield. We aim to help parents, carers, school staff and young people to have a better understanding of sensory processing and how this impacts on every day life. We provide information and advice on how to adapt activities and the environment to support children's sensory needs. The team includes Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Clinical Psychology, Speech and Language Therapy.

What is sensory processing?

Sensory processing is the way that our body takes in and makes sense of information. Our senses include hearing, vision, touch, taste and smell, as well as vestibular processing (which helps with balance and movement), proprioception (which is the awareness of our body in the space around it), and interoception (our awareness of our internal body feelings). We use our senses every day to interact with the world.

What might happen when sensory processing becomes a problem?

Children might find sensory information overwhelming and they might struggle to cope with certain sensory experiences. They may try to avoid certain things, people or places.

Children might find everyday tasks difficult to tolerate, such as showering, wearing certain clothes, eating or teeth-brushing.

Children may seek out sensations to help them to regulate in a way that creates a problem in another way, (for example, needing to move a lot during lessons).

When children are overwhelmed by sensory information it can make it more difficult for them to communicate their needs.

Sensory sensitivities can lead to higher stress and anxiety levels in a child. This in turn can mean they're more tuned into sensory information and can become overwhelmed more easily.

Children may present differently from one day to the next and their sensory needs may be context specific or be influenced by other factors, such as mood, tiredness or stress levels.

Who is the service for?

The service is for any child aged 3-16 years, living in Sheffield, who is having day to day difficulties because of the way that they process sensory information. Children known to the CAMHS Learning Disability service will be re-directed to CAMHS Occupational Therapy, if needing support beyond Universal Provision.

What is the Virtual Therapy Area?

The Virtual Therapy Area is our universal provision, the first level of service for all families. It aims to provide parents and carers with knowledge, ideas and strategies to support your child or young person with sensory needs that may be impacting on their every day life. These resources are primarily aimed at supporting children who are neuro-divergent; for example, your child may have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) or a combination of these. However, your child may not have any diagnosis, but may present with sensory needs that are creating challenges in everyday life. Or your child might have a different diagnosis and also have sensory needs that are impacting on their day to day life.

The Royal College of Occupational Therapists states "The term Sensory Processing Disorder is not recognized as an independent diagnosis...and should be avoided" (RCOT Informed View, 2021). Therefore, at the Sheffield Sensory Service, we do not formally assess or provide diagnosis of Sensory Processing Disorder. Our focus is to offer sensory interventions that support a child's sensory needs by adapting tasks or the environment, and by improving a child's capacity for self-regulation.

In addition to the virtual resources, our multi-disciplinary team deliver sensory training to Sheffield schools and educational establishments, and we are aiming to support all schools in Sheffield to be 'sensory accessible'.

If you need these resources in a different language, look at the bottom of the page for a guide to Google Translate.

How to use these resources

Translating information to your home language: Google Translate

1) Click the Google Translate button:

2) Click on your home language. The text will then change

Google Translate may not translate all words correctly. Please contact us on 0114 271 7645 if you have any questions about the text.

Translating information to your home language: subtitles

1) Click the subtitles icon

2) Click the settings icon then ' subtitles/CC'

3) Click Auto-translate

4) Choose your language

You need to turn on the subtitles for all the videos.

The subtitles are translated through YouTube. Some words may not be translated correctly. Please contact us on 0114 271 7617 if you have any questions about the videos. We can arrange a telephone call with an interpreter if needed.

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Sensory processing difficulties - Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust

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What is the Sensory Service? The Sensory Service is a multi-disciplinary team based at the Ryegate Children's Centre in Sheffield. We aim to help parents, carers, school staff and young people to have a better understanding of sensory processing and how this impacts on every day life.

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Positive action

Regardless of SEN, many children find paying attention a key challenge. A number of proactive strategies can help, such as allowing the use of sensory-rich resources to provide feedback; providing quiet spaces to sit in calmly and take time out; minimising other distractions; and using attractive resources to encourage less-preferred activities (Christine Mcintyre, 2005). As with all children, it is a case of understanding each individual to discover the types of resources or activities that will best captivate them. Appropriate sensory stimulation increases children's concentration and focus, helping them to self-occupy. It can also develop muscle tone and is inclusive because there are no right or wrong ways of playing, appealing to children with different learning styles and abilities. For a child who needs proprioceptive feedback - from touching ribbons or other tactile resources - in order to sit still, this needs to be understood in the same way that a pair of spectacles or a wheelchair would be. Many children develop stims (self-stimulations) like flapping their arms or rocking. These individual coping mechanisms help them deal with the problem, giving respite from a world of bombardment. If inappropriate, children can be helped to develop more socially acceptable coping mechanisms with professional support, and should not be denied this opportunity for self- expression.

Many children with autism benefit from being in a "just right" state, where they are neither over nor under-stimulated. Accessing a "diet" of appropriate sensory-rich play and learning opportunities throughout the day can help children achieve this (Patricia Wilbarger and Julia Wilbarger, 1991). A sensory room, low-cost "sensory den," ball pool, gym or aqua pool are great for providing a real sensory workout or "main meal". But sensory stimulation also needs to take place in between these times, in non-specialised environments, involving little or no specialist planning or provision. "Sensory snacks" are opportunities for children to play with sensory-rich resources in situ, making them perfect for use in early years settings, mainstream schools and in the home. So what might a sensory-rich learning environment look like in practice?

The sensory room - a sensory "main meal"

The sensory room (or a lower-cost smaller/portable version) is an all-singing, all-dancing sensory environment with much to offer children with SEN. The coloured lights, dark and calm environment, sounds and sights of bubbles and water all have a key role to play and can be controlled to make a real difference to children's lives, providing a respite form constant sensory overload. Like aqua pools and gyms, this all-encompassing provision can offer large-scale sensory experiences, albeit at a price and on a scale that may limit provision to specialist schools.

Although multi-sensory by name, the resources in a typical sensory room can be predominantly plastic or fabric, offering little in the way of sensory stimulation to the tactile sense, so this may be something to consider if the children who will be accessing the room benefit from tactile stimulation.

Treasure baskets - a "sensory snack"

A treasure basket is an example of a sensory-rich and highly portable resource, making it a perfect "sensory snack". Within an enabling environment children can investigate objects, experiment, or be guided with activities. The sensory stimulation and hands-on approach is great for brain and memory development, gross and fine motor skills and strength. With no right or wrong ways of playing, they can appeal to children with different learning styles and abilities.

To avoid sensory overload some children may need to be offered the "treasures" individually or just a few at a time. Other children may need heavy items to be removed (to avoid potential danger from throwing) or more robust alternatives to be provided instead. Still others may need to be supported in moving play on to avoid overly repetitious play.

The outdoor environment - a "main meal" or "sensory snack"

With an emphasis upon access to play opportunities outdoors, making a distinction between formal learning indoors and "running around" outdoors would be to seriously limit the real play and learning potential of the outdoor environment, marginalising it as simply a place to "let off steam". With flexibility, the outdoor environment can come to offer both a "sensory snack" and "main meal", avoiding much of the sensory overload likely to be so difficult for children with sensory processing problems.

A study of the effects of green space upon mood and self-esteem revealed that even five minutes exposure generated positive effects, with the presence of water increasing this still further. Research also suggests that "exposure to greenery" benefits children's ability to pay attention, with children with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) significantly reducing their symptoms. Interestingly, the greener the environment, the greater the change was evident ( American Journal of Public Health, September 2004; Barton, J. & Pretty, J. 2010). Follow-up studies of children with ADHD taken on a 20-minute walk in the park revealed similar elevated attention levels to a dose of Ritalin. Furthermore, simply providing views of green areas increased attention and reduced impulsiveness among those without ADHD, particularly girls - proof of the positive benefits of access to a sensory-rich environment ( Montessori International, April-June 2011).

In a research project carried out by Redcliffe Children's Centre in Bristol six children aged three to four years with wide ranging additional needs were taken on weekly visits to a wild space in a local wood. Over a period of nine months the challenge, calm, space, freedom from loud noises and other sensory irritants, as well as the changing environment increased children's confidence, communication, cognitive development and attitude to risk.

"The forest environment seemed a wonderful place to stimulate all of the senses in a natural and balanced way. Sensory integration appeared to work very effectively and all children showed that they were able to process whether a sensation was from their own body or from the environment."
- Jeanette Hill, EECERA, 2010

Implications for adults

Staff too, at Redcliffe experienced a learning journey, gaining a better understanding of children's capabilities and pushing the boundaries of what they felt was acceptable in terms of risk and challenge. While watching a child struggle to scale a hill, practitioners questioned the process, but once achieved, the pride, satisfaction and pure joy of the child convinced them of the value of children experiencing challenge and risk. An observation of teenagers playing with a treasure basket in a special school revealed similarly surprising results. The children freely engaged with the objects and to the surprise of practitioners, examples of sensory regulation (using objects to achieve a "just right" state) and imaginative play emerged. One boy discovered a tin designed to look like a mini-postbox and proceeded to put objects in it saying he was posting them. He then got into the role of a postman, making deliveries to people around the room. Imaginary play and using an object to represent something else are not typically associated with children on the autistic spectrum and so was particularly noteworthy for the practitioners observing this session.

Examples like these emphasise the importance of the senses and the fact that some children's responses to sensory stimulation can impact upon their ability to participate in play and learning. Equipped with this knowledge we can better understand and effectively plan for children's needs, raising our expectations of what children with SEN can achieve within an enabling environment. Sensory resources like a treasure basket can also be a valuable aid in identifying potential problems. Take this example of four babies under eight months sat around a treasure basket. Three of the four were eager, excited and exploring the objects, while the fourth, a very passive baby, did not take part. She was later diagnosed with severe developmental delay (Katrin Stroh et al., 2008).

Since all learning starts with our senses, sensory-rich play opportunities should be a natural ingredient in any enabling environment. As we discovered in chapter three, for typically developed children, multi-sensory play is great. However, for children with SEN we need to be aware of the very different impacts of sensory stimulation to ensure that with careful support we can help give children "the best start in life" as well as lots of fun!
Excerpted from Sensory Play (pp. 48-51), by Sue Gascoyne. Published by Practical Pre-School Books; used with permission of the publisher.

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Sensory play for children with SEN | Community Playthings

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Regardless of SEN, many children find paying attention a key challenge. A number of proactive strategies can help, such as allowing the use of sensory-rich resources to provide feedback; providing quiet spaces to sit in calmly and take time out; minimising other distractions; and using attractive resources to encourage less-preferred activities.

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Resources - Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Sensory Processing Service

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Resources and short video demonstrations to support a range of daily activities such as dressing, teeth brushing and sleeping.

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The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)

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The Picture Exchange Communication System, or PECS, allows people with little or no communication abilities to communicate using pictures.

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'Play a little, learn a lot' are a collection of play session videos aimed at children with SEN (special educational needs) but they can also be shared and enjoyed by preschool children of any age.

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Tiny Happy People is here to help you develop your child's language skills. Explore our simple activities and play ideas and find out about babies and toddlers' amazing early development.

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Children’s language development and parenting advice - BBC Tiny Happy People

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A chatty child is a happy child, so Tiny Happy People is here to help you develop your child’s communication skills through simple interaction and play.

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Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives

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Skip to content

Our guide to the typical stages of speech and language development in babies, children and young people.

Children develop their speech, language and communication skills at different rates. However, knowing what is typical can help you identify speech and language problems early. You can also find out how to help your child learn to talk and understand words.

Our progress checker will provide short questions you can answer to see how your baby or child is getting on with their talking and understanding of words.

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Ages and stages - Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives

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Our guide to the typical stages of speech and language development in babies, children and young people.

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Find out how you can help your child with their speech & language development. If you have any concerns, talk to your doctor or health visitor.

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Visual supports can help to:

provide structure and routine

encourage independence

build confidence

improve understanding

avoid frustration and anxiety

provide opportunities to interact with others.

They can make communication physical and consistent, rather than fleeting and inconsistent like spoken words can be.

Types of visual support

A wide range of items can be used as visual supports. For example:

These can be real objects, printed images, or on a smartphone, tablet or computer.

Uses of visual supports

Visual supports can be used in a range of ways, for example:

as a single message, eg the person takes a yellow card from their pocket when they need to go to the toilet, or a puts purple card on the board when they're feeling stressed

in combination to create a daily timetable, schedule, sequence or reward chart

to make a choice, eg the person can put the trampolining symbol in the 'afternoon' area of the board

to illustrate a social story or comic strip conversation.

Examples of visual supports

Make visual supports  portable, durable, easy to find, personalised and consistent.

Portable

Make the visual supports portable by:

using a visual supports app on the person's tablet

storing photos and pictures on the person's smartphone

putting symbols, pictures and schedules in a folder for the person to carry with them.

Durable

Laminate printed visual supports

Back up any app, photos and pictures you use on a smartphone, tablet or computer.

Easy to find

Ensure that visual supports are easy to find, for example by:

placing them in prominent places at eye level

putting them on an actual object

putting a single symbol in the person's pocket

distributing them throughout particular environments, eg objects and areas in the classroom and at home could be labelled

putting a shortcut to them from a tablet home screen

attaching symbols to boards so that people know where to go to look at them - you could also use Velcro strips to attach symbols to a board, meaning schedules can be easily altered, eg activities removed once completed.

Personalised

Visual supports are very personal and what works for one person may not work for another. Use the person's special interest, eg make a visual timetable in the shape of a rocket.

Remember that some autistic people have difficulties generalising, eg they may not realise that a Hula Hoop packet symbolises all crisps.

It can sometimes be helpful to use more than one type of visual support, but always introduce visual supports gradually. Start with one symbol and then build up a collection.

Consistent

If using pictures, once you choose a type or style (for example, line drawings), use it consistently. Ask family members, friends, teachers or support workers to use the same visual supports consistently.

Useful resources

There are lots of pictures you can download or buy as printed images and apps that you can use. Some examples are listed below. Inclusion does not mean that the National Autistic Society has endorsed them. You can search our Autism Services Directory or ask the community for suggestions of others.

You should always check the terms and conditions relating to the use of images that you download and any costs involved.

More information

Gerhardt, P, Cohen, M. (2014) Visual supports for people with autism: a guide for parents and professionals. Woodbine House

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Visual supports are a communication tool that can be used with autistic people. They can be used in most situations, and are adaptable and portable.

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Make your own symbol materials

Widgit software titles have been used in classrooms, healthcare settings and at home for more than 30 years to create a wide variety of symbol materials. Join thousands of teachers, parents and professionals and start creating your own symbol materials with one of our easy to use titles.

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Widgit Software | Widgit Symbols Help Communication

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Widgit software titles have been used in classrooms, healthcare settings and at home for more than 30 years to create a wide variety of symbol materials. Join thousands of teachers, parents and professionals and start creating your own symbol materials with one of our easy to use titles.

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Active North Tyneside aims to get residents of North Tyneside to be more physically active and feel the benefits of living a longer, healthier life. Telephone: (0191) 643 7171

The Alan Shearer Centre is a specialist respite, residential and social facility for people with complex disabilities and acute impairments. Telephone: (0191) 264 8925

Autism better together Regular drop-in sessions are held for those who are autistic and their families and care givers in North Tyneside. Email: waynetaylor@autismbettertogether.org

Beach Access North East provides free-hire equipment to support people with physical disabilities, which allows them to enjoy as much freedom and independence as possible. Telephone: 0300 999 4444

Beacon Hill Arts is a multi-award winning training and production organisation for filmmakers who have learning difficulties, autism and additional needs. Telephone: (0191) 580 7000

The Calvert Trust provides a wide range of outdoor activities situated at Exmoor, Kielder and the Lake District. Telephone: 0159 876 3221 (Exmoor) | 0143 425 0232 (Kielder) | 0176 877 2255 (Lake District)

Cinema Card - The CEA card is a national card scheme developed for UK cinemas that enables a disabled cinema guest to receive a complimentary ticket for someone to go with them when they visit a participating cinema.

Danceplex Inclusive dance classes for children and adults across North Tyneside - Email: stephdanceplex@outlook.com or Telephone: 07841373232

Hadrian Leisure Centre Additional needs swim sessions on Saturdays 5-6pm

Inclusion Sports Foundation (Hadrian FC) - Football for all at Tyne Met Gymnasium, NE28 9NL. Sessions: Thursday 6 - 7 p.m. for 5 - 15 year olds and Wednesdays 6 - 7 p.m. for 16 years + Email: derek@inclusionfootballuk.com or Telephone: 07832860789

LD North East supports people from birth to older life with a learning disability and other needs to live life to the full. Our support helps people to keep healthy and active and feel included in the community. We can support with volunteering, to improve health and wellbeing, Manage everyday tasks at home and in the community, meet up with friends and an opportunity to take part in activities. Telephone: (0191) 262 2261

Living Well North Tyneside Help for residents to find out what's happening in their local area and help them access information, advice, support as well as events and activities to help them live well. access social media by searching @ LivingWellNT

MOVErs and Explorers pre-school support group at Percy Hedley School providing a range of fun, nurturing, sensory based programmes. It utilises Movement Opportunities Via Education and aims to work in partnership with parents to provide high quality early years education to develop their child's physical, cognitive, social and communication skills via explorative play.

Newcastle United Disabled Supporters Association (NUDSA) represents the interests of the disabled supporters of Newcastle United Football Club. They aim to promote interest in football and improve the facilities and transport available to disabled supporters.

Newcastle United Foundation is an independent registered charity supported by Newcastle United Football Club. They are committed to helping people of all ages achieve their goals through the local passion for football. Telephone: 0844 372 1892

North East Autism Society - Parent & Toddler group for children 5 and under going through the diagnostic process or with a diagnosis of autism. Contact: Rebecca Welch on 07468861933 or email Rebecca.welch@ne-as.org.uk

North Tyneside Disability Forum is a registered charity that aims to ensure disabled people are able to participate on equal terms in society as able decision makers. Telephone: (0191) 466 1667

Out Of Sight Supporting Visually Impaired Children and Families in North Tyneside providing free of charge, crafting and sensory events and short-break holidays (limited to members who have children aged 0-18 with a visual impairment living in North Tyneside) Telephone: 07966097662 or 0191 4477360

Pathways 4 All / Tim Lamb Centre is a 'parent-led' charity that provides leisure and social opportunities for children with disabilities and additional needs in North East England. Telephone: (0191) 266 5233

Parasport aims to encourage disabled people to take up sport by providing information about sports and sporting opportunities in local areas in a clear, easy-to-use format. Telephone: (020) 7842 5789

Purebuzzin Beekeeping workshops where you can delve into the world of honeybees and take an active role as a beekeeper at their community apiary. Based at the Meadow Well Connected centre in North Shields.

Quadrant Leisure Community Pathway programme offers a variety of SEND focused activities for children and young people aged 8 to 25 with mild to moderate additional needs or Disabilities.These include our SEN HUBS for young people to meet, socialise outside school, form new friendships, and acquire the skills necessary to become more confident and independent.SEN Fitness Sessions: aimed at helping all young people improve the physical wellbeing by attending our gym facility with a special SEN Fitness Package.SEN Kitchen Workshops giving young people experience of catering and a taster of a job in the food/hospitality industry. Telephone 07886 750916

Ramsey's Theatre Stars Exploring the art of performing for the stage and screen. Based in Wallsend & Tynemouth we do have a specific SEND class, that is structured with more of a set routine and visual prompts. Telephone: 07917206673

Shiremoor Adventure Playground is a community-based inclusive adventure playground, catering for children and young people of all abilities. Play sessions for children with additional needs and their families take place every Sunday, and also on Mondays in school holidays. Check the Shiremoor Playground Facebook page for up to date information and to book a session. Telephone: (0191) 643 8300

Sleep Clinic At any given time up to 40% of adults and 50% of children (this rises to 80% with a SEND diagnosis) have difficulties with their sleep. Yet in a recent survey, almost 60% of adults felt there was a lack of support for sleep issues. Sleep problems can leave people feeling isolated and lonely. Our free helpline is run by trained sleep advisors, many of whom are specialists in working with SEND. We can talk to young people directly, or parents (we can also talk to adults, including older people, about their sleep issues). The helpline is open 5 nights a week, Sunday to Thursday, 7-9pm Telephone: (03303) 530 541

Smile Through Sport is a non-profit organisation that combines the services of inspirational speaking, training courses and disability sport development to provide a bespoke service to suit every need.Telephone: (01670) 457 757

Spectrum Holidays specialise in providing autism friendly holiday accommodation around the UK. They work with existing holiday home owners and providers to make their properties more accessible to families with autistic dependants. Each holiday home is provided with a Spectrum Pack of sensory toys and resources along with everything you need to make your holiday a success for all the family.

Support for Parents living with Autism and other Related Conditions (SPARCS) is a support group for parents/carers and families living with autism and other related conditions. The aim of SPARCS is to run regular events and activities in the local community for parents and carers to attend with their children, in line with their individual interests and stages of development. Activities include youth clubs, outdoor activities a, day trips and stay and play sessions email sparcs@yahoo.com

Take 5 and chat is a cafe drop-in for parenting of additional needs. They provide a safe space for parents and carers, a place where you can surround yourself with "people who get it".

The Parks Sports Centre provides a range of activities including:

Archery - Tuesdays 12.30-14.00, no booking required, just turn up. These sessions have registers so an ease card may be required or some personal details to upload to the register. £3.60 cost.

Rebound - Thursdays 13.30-15.00, no booking required, just turn up - no pre-booking or ease card required. £3.60 cost.

Sensory - Open from 9 a.m. daily - no pre-booking required although it can be pre-booked. £5.50 per hour.

Well-being walks - Monday's 10.30am - walks vary in length, registration required when attending your first walk.

The Twisting Ducks Theatre Company is a North East charity that aims to change the lives of people with learning disabilities and autism through the arts.

The Story Frog Preschool 3-4 years SEN session. Stories, rhymes, phonics, mark-making skills in a safe environment. A smaller class at a slower pace for children that feel overwhelmed in a larger group.

True Colours Theatre is an inclusive theatre school for children and young people that live in the North East. The majority of members have additional needs such as Autism, ADHD, anxiety disorders and physical and life limiting conditions and various mental health issues. True Colours want everyone to enjoy being able to express themselves in a structured, and supportive way, without fear of judgement, or criticism, and where differences are celebrated. For further details email: mail@truecolourstheatre.co.uk

Tyneside Access Cinema offer friendly screenings for people with autism, learning disabilities and additional needs. Access cinema provides these screenings in a low sensory environment. Telephone: (0191) 227 5500

Views Group Newcastle are a unique self-help group for visually impaired people 16 plus in the North East of England. We aim to promote inclusion of our members into their local communities and empower them to be more independent and self-confident. Views is one of only a few groups in the North East whose activities take place outside of work/college time giving our members more chance of taking part.

Waves additional needs swimming sessions - Wednesday 6:20pm-7:20pm, Sunday 5:00pm-6:00pm - Normal admission costs apply.

Wild Science - Animals and Experiments We bring animals from across the world to you for the children to touch, hold and interact with. We cover a wide range of popular topics to choose from but can also build a session based on your exact requirements. Launched in 2021 is our range of Science Demonstrations. Our 'Nutty' Professor will start your children on a journey through the exciting world of science. Already our Science Experiments are amazing children across the country.

Wizzybug FREE powered mobility for under 5's - for indoor and outdoor use, with adult supervision. Children use Wizzybugs at home and at pre-school, and in outdoor spaces such as parks, gardens and playgrounds.Designed for physically disabled children. This includes children living with cerebral palsy, spinal muscular atrophy, spina bifida or muscular dystrophy, as well as children with amputations or other conditions that affect their ability to walk.

YMCA is a North Tyneside charity that help people reach their full potential in mind, body and spirit. They provide a varied range of activities from access to music studios to youth clubs and activities. Telephone: (0191) 257 5434

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Find out about leisure activities and things to do for children, young people and families.

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Where to get information, advice and support for children in their early years.

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Working for the common good by enabling people to develop to their personal potential. Welcome The Alan Shearer Centre is a highly specialist, respite, residential and social facility for people with complex disabilities and acute sensory impairments. Situated in its own grounds on the outskirts of Newcastle, the Alan Shearer Centre comprises three specialist facilities...

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Home - LD:NorthEast - Registered Charity in North Tyneside

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LD:NorthEast are a local charity supporting adults and children with learning disabilities to live life to the full and be part of their community.

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Although we largely support families, we also work with a number of special schools in the area, in addition to a range of other local charities and community organisations that work with disabled children too.

Pathways 4 All offer a range of services including family-focused events and seasonal parties; supervised youth activities for children, teens and young adults, plus very popular Easter and Summer holiday playschemes.

Pathways 4 All also work with wider family members too, providing family carers with the opportunity to come together for parent-to-parent support at our regular term-time coffee mornings.

We know that having a disabled brother or sister can impact on family life, so we offer support to siblings through social activities just for them.

The majority of our services operated from our specialist play and leisure provision, the Tim Lamb Children's Centre.

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Welcome Making a Difference in Disabled Children's Lives Pathways 4 All is a parent-led charity, providing play and leisure services for disabled children and young people, situated at the Tim Lamb Children's

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We are here to represent the collective voices of Parent Carers

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Information about health visiting and school health services.

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Advice and support for parents and carers.

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Where to get information, advice and support for children in their early years.