Support in the Early Years
Wakefield Families Together has lots of information on services and support available in Wakefield. This includes guidance on starting childcare, supporting your child's learning, development and care, and preparing for school age, helping families access the right information at every stage of their child's early years journey.
Better Health-Start for Life is the new home of Start for Life. You will find NHS advice on pregnancy, babies, and toddler development, along with additional information on childcare and educational support.
Contact has a Support in the Early Years guide which explains the support available for children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) from birth to age five. It provides information on how early years settings identify and support children's needs, work with families, and help prepare children for a successful transition to school.
The National Autistic Society provides information on the use of Visual Support to help children understand routines, communicate more effectively, and make sense of the world around them.
ICAN Charity can provide ideas on developing speech, language and communication.
Helping families to gain the confidence and skills to help their children. If you are concerned about your child's speech and language development Speech and Language UK can help.
Ambitious About Autism gives lots of tips, ideas and support for children with or who may be showing indicators of autism.
Wakefield Homestart is an under 5's support service that may be able to help you. It is a local community network of trained volunteers and expert support helping families with young children through challenging times.
50 Things To Do helps parent/carers develop their home learning environment, suggesting a wide range of low-cost and no-cost local activities. The 50 Things approach improves early language and literacy, motor skills and resilience. As a result children thrive cognitively, physically and emotionally, and will be more ready for primary school.
If you or your child have a disability or long-standing illness that affects everyday tasks at home, Wakefield Council Adaptions Service may be able to help.
Te service can:
- give advice, provide equipment and/or adapt your home to help you.
- advise you or your child on moving to a more suitable home.
- offer advice about financial help with major adaptions.
For mor information please visit Adaptions Service.
Bookstart helps families share books, stories and rhymes with their children from an early age. Every child in England and Wales can receive a free Bookstart pack before they are 12 months old, helping to support early language, communication and a love of reading.
Bookstart also provides additional needs packs for babies and toddlers, as well as black-and-white booklets for newborns and dual-language books.
Visit the Bookstart website to find out more.
Wakefield Imagination Library is a partnership between the Dollywood Foundation, Spectrum CIC, and Wakefield Council.
The library provides free books to eligible children, delivered to their home from birth until their fifth birthday. These books help children develop language, confidence, curiosity, and a love of reading, bringing families closer together.
You can sign up for the Imagination Library by:
- Calling Spectrum on 01924 311400
- Visiting Airedale, Castleford Central or Pontefract Library
- Registering online on the Spectrum Community Health CIC website
Find out what childcare support you could get, how much childcare might cost and search for providers near you Childcare & Early Years Education - Best Start in Life
For more information on Early Years Free Entitlement you can visit Early Years Free Entitlement – Wakefield Families Together.
We are looking for parents and carers with children aged 0 – 5yrs to join us for HENRY. This is a free programme running from three of the Wakefield Family hubs.
The free 10 course around Health, Exercise and Nutrition for the Really Young to help your child/children get off to the best start in life. Everyone who attends the programme will receive a free parenting pack and resources for use at home including story books, reward charts and soft ball.
You can learn about the HENRY approach and discover healthy recipes on the HENRY website
If you are interested in joining us and want to find out more or book your place onto the HENRY programme, call or pop into your nearest HENRY delivery family hub:
Lupset Crescent
Wakefield
WF2 8RH
01924 302333
WFTSunbeamFamilyHub@wakefield.gov.uk
@SunbeamFamilyHub
Rookhill Road
Pontefract
WF8 2DD
01977 722644
WFTPomfretFamilyHub@wakefield.gov.uk
@PomfretFamilyHub
Barnsley Road
Hemsworth
WF9 4PU
01977 722215
WFTCedarsFamilyHub@wakefield.gov.uk
@CedarsFamilyHub
Portage is a home-visiting educational service for pre-school children with SEND and their families.
Portage aims to:
- work with families to help them develop a quality of life and experience, for themselves and their young children, in which they can learn together, play together, participate and be included in their community in their own right.
- play a part in minimising the disabling barriers that confront young children and their families.
- support the national and local development of inclusive services for children
You can find out more by visiting
A group for all families/carers with children (under 5) who have an identified additional sensory or communication need or who are currently going through a referral.
The session will give an opportunity for children to play, use their senses and allow them to explore a range of toys and resources.
This group runs on a Wednesday afternoon 1-2:30pm, of which are bookable blocks during Term Time only.
Please contact Kendal Family Hub to book your place.
Kendal Drive
Castleford
WF10 3SP
01977 723543
WFTKendalFamilyHub@wakefield.gov.uk
@KendalDriveFamilyHub
Wakefield Families Together are a group of people and services who are working together to make it easier for you to find and access the support you need, at the earliest opportunity.
The Team Around Early Years (TAEY) brings together professionals from Wakefield Families Together who can support with worries and concerns around child's development, speech language and communication, physical health, emotional wellbeing, and behaviour.
Team around Early Years (TAEY)
Families working with the TAEY team have access to support from:
- Childcare providers (nurseries, pre-schools, childminders)
- Early Years Children First Coordinator
- Area Early Years Special Educational Need Coordinator (SENCo)
- Health Visitors
To find out more about the TAEY visit the webpage here.
Transition is when something changes. Transitions in the early years include starting at a childminder, nursery or preschool.
Find out more by visiting our transitions page.
Triple P is a Free parenting programme with support available online as well as courses available at certain Family HUBs across the district.
Is Triple P Online for Baby right for my family?
- Online support for parents-to-be and new parents (of babies up to 12 months old)
- Promote your baby’s social and cognitive development
- Learn a variety of strategies to cope with frequent crying
- Understand baby sleep patterns and healthy sleep habits
- Take better care of your own emotional and mental health
- Improve your relationship with your partner / other family members
- Enjoying life as a new parent!
Find out more on the Triple P website
Find and contact your local Family Hub for more information on which of the following parenting course they provide
Early Years Parenting
For parents/carers of children aged 0-5 years. This is a 5-week programme that looks at play and interaction, child development, routines, boundaries, behaviours and strategies.
Baby Triple P
This is a parenting programme that will help you prepare for parenthood and the first year with your baby. It will help you develop a positive relationship with your baby, and support your baby’s development