The latest news
Congratulations to all our Families First Awards Winners!
On Wednesday 12 November, we proudly hosted our bi-annual Families First Awards which is a celebration of the outstanding early help work delivered across the partnership.
These awards provide a valuable moment to pause and recognise the incredible contributions made by teams and individuals in supporting families.
Quote from a judge:-
“I'm awestruck by the incredible work that teams across Hertfordshire are doing for children and families, and every single individual and team nominated deserves an award! It was really difficult to narrow down each category”
View more photos here
We received an exceptional range of nominations, making the selection process challenging. Our winners truly exemplify dedication and impact, delivering remarkable support to children, young people, and families over the past year. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to them once again for their inspiring work.
A special thanks also goes to our host of the event Gary Mallett from the Children's Services, L&D team.
Individual Awards
Collaborative Worker of the Year: Lara Carvalho, Pastoral Leader, Beechfield School
Partnership School of the Year : Laurance Haines School
Key Worker of the Year: Dion Lewis, Intensive Family Support Team, Watford & Three Rivers, Children's Services, HCC
Admin Support Worker of the Year: Ella Young, South West Herts Partnership
Manager/Team Leader of the Year: Sally Lee, Intensive Family Support Team Stevenage and North Herts, Children's Services, HCC
Unsung Hero Award: Emma Hicks, Marlborough Science Academy, St Alban's
Team Awards
Creative Early Intervention (programme or initiative): The Bridge Building Confidence and Resilience in Young People and their Families, Intensive Family Support Team: Welwyn Hatfield & Hertsmere, Children's Services, HCC
Services to young people team of the year: ARC Rapid Response, Children's Services, HCC
Services to Families team of the year: Kaotic Angels
Collaborative Team of the Year: Hertfordshire Sports & Activity Partnership - HAPpy Delivery Team
Early Years Team of the year: NHCVS Breakaway North Hertfordshire
Special Recognition Award - Early Help Impact Award: Karen Dorney, Supporting Families, Children's Services, HCC
You can view the presentation here, which contains all the shortlisted nominations:-
You can View more photos here
A final big thank you to Hampergifts.co.uk who very kindly donated a chocolate hamper to our parent speaker.
Plan for Children & Young People 2026-2031
The Plan for Children & Young People 2026-31 was launched on 19 November; Cllr Rowlands has recorded a short video which will appear on our social media feeds. Please cascade this update to your teams so that they are aware of the Plan, how it relates to your work and to Hertfordshire Families.
The Plan sets out Hertfordshire County Council's Ambitions for improving outcomes for children and young people and how those Ambitions will be enabled. The Vision is to support all children and young people to feel they belong and are happy, healthy, and safe so they can thrive with their families and community.
The Ambitions outline what services will do to support children and young people to achieve positive outcomes:
- Ambition 1: Deliver the education and early help children, young people and families need to thrive together.
- Ambition 2: Help keep children and young people safe from harm, at home, where they live, and outside in their wider neighbourhood, community and online.
- Ambition 3: Provide help to children and young people within their family networks and local communities.
- Ambition 4: Support children and young people to live in stable homes and build relationships which equip them for the future.
Following feedback from families, we have created a Plan on a Page and an animation which share key information about the four Ambitions and what these mean to young people. These are hosted, along with full Plan, at Hertfordshire's plan for children and young people 2026-31 | Hertfordshire County Council.
Thank you to all those who have contributed to the development of the Plan over the last few months. Your feedback has helped us to understand what services are most needed, and has shaped our Annual Priorities. It has been an absolute pleasure to meet so many people and hear your views.
Early help support for eating and body image difficulties via First Steps ED
5-18-year-olds in Hertfordshire can access free early help for eating and body image difficulties via First Steps ED and they don’t need to be physically unwell, it’s far better to ask for help early. Go to: Make a Referral | First Steps ED to find out more and look out for Hertfordshire’s new campaign, aiming to dispel the myths about eating and body image difficulties and raise awareness of the wide range of resources and services available to help.
Community Supermarkets Now open
The community supermarkets are now open to self referral which may be useful for families your services support.
Everything in-store is priced under £1, and you can pick up to 20 items per visit.
Open across 8 locations in Hertfordshire
Find out more here:- Community Supermarket
BeeZee January programmes - Sign Ups now Open
- HENRY programmes support babies and young children to have a healthy start for a brighter future. Parents and carers of children under 5 years gain the confidence and skills to adopt healthier lifestyles, long-term. A free creche is available throughout the 8-week programme!
- Beezee Families is an award-winning 12-week programme for 5 – 15 year olds and their families. Our team of nutritionists focus on making small, sustainable changes around food and physical activity – and have fun while doing so! Families can also learn at their own pace for six months over on our Academy. Alternatively, they can access our 1:1 support throughout the year.
- Beezee Youth is aimed at young people aged 13-17. This 8-week programme is co-produced by participants and helps them discover practical strategies to improve their physical, mental and social wellbeing in a non-judgemental environment ONLINE. Young people can also learn at their own pace over on the Academy for six months, accessing content specially designed for them
Support is available in-person and online. Professionals can refer families and young people to these programmes, or families and young people can sign up directly.
Best Start in Life National Website
We’re excited to share the launch of the new Best Start in Life website; a central resource aimed at helping families access vital information and support during the crucial early years of a child’s life.
Key Features for Families
The website features a comprehensive Childcare & Early Years section that provides clear, up to date guidance on:
- The different types of childcare funding available
- Eligibility criteria for support
- How to access funded places for 2, 3, and 4-year-olds
- Choosing a childcare setting that fits the needs of each family
- This section also integrates the Childcare Choices platform, enabling parents and carers to easily search for suitable childcare settings and compare what’s available in their area.
Why This Matters for Partners
This is a valuable resource for professionals working with children and families. Whether you’re in early years, health, education, or family support, signposting parents to this website can help them make informed decisions, reduce barriers to accessing support, and improve early outcomes.
We encourage all partners and practitioners to familiarise themselves with the site and share it with families and colleagues across your networks.
For further resources or promotional materials, feel free to get in touch with your local early years lead or communications team.
Visit here:- Homepage | Best Start in Life
Care Leavers Christmas appeal 2025 – deadline Sunday 7 December
If you can, please help make a difference to our young people. Following the success of the last five years of Christmas appeals, we have decided to ask for voucher donations once again to the value of £10 or £20 for either Asda, B&M, Tesco, or The Range. You can either email them to: CareLeaversChristmas@hertfordshire.gov.uk or leave in donation boxes at Farnham and Apsley offices. We will use these vouchers to purchase items that are individual to the young people in time for Christmas so they can have a box full of goodies.
Thank you for helping to make a difference to our young people.
News from Services for Young People
Free Adventure Days at Hudnall Park
Between November 2025 and March 2026, Services for Young People (SfYP) is offering free adventurous outdoor activity days for groups of eligible young people aged 11–18. Young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) can take part up to the age of 25.
Taking part in an Adventure Day at Hudnall Park is a fantastic opportunity for young people to get outdoors and enjoy new experiences while developing their confidence and resilience and discovering their potential. They will learn skills that will last a lifetime and improve their overall wellbeing.
Read the full story to find out what activities are on offer and who is eligible
Hertfordshire Health and Wellbeing Survey for young people with SEND
SfYP is working with Public Health Hertfordshire to run a survey about the health and wellbeing of young people with SEND in the county. The survey is now live and will be open until 6 February 2026.
By taking part, these young people can share their views on important health and wellbeing topics that affect their lives. This valuable information helps schools, commissioners, and a range of agencies and service providers better understand and support the needs of young people with SEND and their families. The survey contributes to HCC’s wider SEND improvement strategy and in particular SEND children and young people’s voice.
Read the full story for more details, including the topics covered and a link to the survey
Amplifying young people’s voices with SEND social media takeover day
SfYP is supporting the Voices of Hertfordshire children and young people with SEND social media takeover day, which is happening on 3 December 2025 to coincide with International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Content contributed by children and young people with SEND from across Hertfordshire will be shared on HCC and Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust social media channels to help them get their voices heard. Young people can also get involved by posting on their own social media using the hashtag #SENDtakeover2025. There will also be two live Q&A sessions on Voices of Hertfordshire Instagram with HCC leaders and health professionals taking place on the day.
Herts Domestic Abuse Helpline - here to help this Christmas
HAPpy camps are back this winter!
Please help us promote that the Happy Camp bookings are now open!
Hertfordshire County Council is once again launching its free winter activity camps for children and young people in Hertfordshire.
Fully funded holiday activity camps return for the festive break, providing eligible children and young people with the chance to meet friends, learn new skills and enjoy nutritious food.
The HAPpy programme is funded by Hertfordshire County Council and the Department of Education (DfE) via the government’s Holiday Activity and Food programme and coordinated by Herts Sport and Activity Partnership and the Hertfordshire Community Foundation.
Camps are running from 22 – 31 December (selected dates) and places can be booked via the Herts Sports Partnership’s website
Parents/carers can ask their school office, if their child is eligible and they have not received their code.
Check out Hertfordshire's Autumn 25 Parenting and Relationship Courses
You can view the Autumn 2025 Parenting and Relationship Support Offer Newsletter which will provide you with information and details on Parenting Courses and Relationship Support offer. Please can you ensure you cascade to your teams. If you have any questions please email CSStrategic.Partnerships@hertfordshire.gov.uk .
We have listed a few of the current courses below, but please visit the Hertfordshire Directory for the full listing.
Is your Service listed on the Hertfordshire Directory?
Providers, services, groups and individuals can request a login and once approved, they can create a comprehensive listing and receive direct referrals if they wish. This can include key information such as what they do, who they support, when and where they work and their website for more information.
There are some short YouTube videos to help people get started:
There’s also a How to step-by-step guide online
If you have any questions, queries or feedback about the Directory, or need support accessing it, please email:
anne.ardley@hertfordshire.gov.uk or web.team@hertfordshire.gov.uk
Learning & development
Families First Dates for Your Diary!
There are many ways to stay updated with Families First News, including events, webinars, induction days, and partnership meetings. Discover what’s coming up here
Monthly Families First Keeping in Touch Sessions
These sessions are a short informal update on service news, training offers and parenting courses delivered by one of our service managers. Please email familiesfirst.support@hertfordshire.gov..uk if you would like an invitation to join.
- Thursday 8th January 2026, 9am-9.30am
Join a Families First Induction day - ideal for new starters
We host Families First online Induction days 4 times per year, where various early help services give a 20 minute whistle-stop tour of their service and are attended by new internal CS staff and external partners. The next dates are:-
- Wednesday 18 February 2026 via Teams
Please email: familiesfirst.support@hertfordshire.gov.uk if you have any questions on the above or would like an invite sent to you.
Families First quarterly district partnership meetings
In addition, many of you are regular attendees at our partnership meetings, which are a great way of keeping up to date with new services, updates and make connections. You can find out more about the groups here and email familiesfirst.support@hertfordshire.gov.uk if you would like to join.
Working Together in Early Help Events
Next round of events will take place in late Spring 2026 - watch this space!
HSCP Learning & Development Programme
HSCP provide a wide variety of learning programmes and workshops across Hertfordshire to develop skills for safeguarding children, young people and adults. We use this page to give you some quick links through to the HSCP learning programmes:-
New Free Young Carers e-learning module
📢 Young Carers Are Everyone’s Business – New e-learning Module Now Live
To mark Carers Week (9–15th June), Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) has launched a new free, accessible e-learning module to help professionals across Hertfordshire better understand and support young carers.
👧 Who Are Young Carers?
A young carer is someone under 18 who helps care for someone with a physical illness, mental health condition, disability, or substance misuse issue.
❗ Why This Matters
The Carers Trust estimates that 1 in 5 school-aged children could be young carers. Yet in Hertfordshire:
- The January 2025 School Census:
- Found that 60% of schools reported no known young carers
- Identified only 1,483 young carers out of approx. 200,000 pupils
- The 2021 Census recorded just 2,525 young carers aged 5–17
These figures show many young carers remain hidden and unsupported.
💡 About the Module
This 30-minute course helps staff:
- Recognise signs a child may be a young carer
- Understand the impact of caring on their wellbeing
- Know how to signpost to support in Hertfordshire
👥 Who Should Complete It?
This module is for anyone working with children, families, or vulnerable adults—whether in adult care, libraries, youth services, health or education. Young carers are everyone’s business.
🔗 How to Access
Let’s all play our part—complete the e-learning today and help ensure young carers get the support they need to thrive!
Workforce Shadowing
The vision for Families First training and development is to create a skilled, confident and resilient multi-agency workforce that supports whole family working.
Workforce shadowing provides a great opportunity to find out more about other services, what they do and how they might be able to support you in your work. It also enhances communication across agencies and helps strengthen and develop professional relationships, building local networks.
If you would like to organise a workforce shadowing placement for either yourself or a team member please complete the form on this page stating the service you would like to shadow and the preferred district and we will match you to a shadowing opportunity.
The following services have offered to host shadowing opportunities in either in person or virtually:-
- Citizens Advice (Broxbourne/St Albans/North Herts)
- Childcare provision
- CGL (drug & alcohol support)
- District Council, ASB Team, Three Rivers
- District Council, Housing Support, Broxbourne
- Domestic Abuse Support
- DSPL (Delivering Special Provision Locally) - All areas
- Families First Panels Team
- Family Support Service, Family Centre
- Herts Mind Network
- Herts Sports Partnership
- Home-Start (Watford & Three Rivers)
- MIND in Mid Herts
- ASB Team, District Council, Three Rivers
- Housing Support, District Council
- Intensive Family Support Team (IFST)
- Local School Partnerships
- Police
- Public Health Nursing
- Re-Intergration, Virtual School
- Schools Early Years Provision
- Specialist Adolescent Services Hertfordshire (SASH)
- Services for Young People
- Supporting Families Practice Team
Additionally, if you would like to add your service to the above list, again please email us with your contact details, service and district.
Familesfirst.support@hertfordshire.gov.uk
Please take a look at the page, bookmark and share with teams, where appropriate.
Workforce development (hertfordshire.gov.uk)
My Teen Brain – training for practitioners
Strategic Partnerships Commissioning are pleased to announce the next My Teen Brain Online Training courses that are due to be delivered on Friday 5th December 2025.
This FREE 1-day CPD course, from 10am – 3pm is for Hertfordshire practitioners working with parents of teenagers and/or working with teenagers or young people in Hertfordshire. It provides an opportunity to understand teenage brain development and the adolescent developmental process and consider both risk and resilience. It includes ideas and strategies for professionals working with teenagers and their parents to help them cope with challenging feelings and behaviour and to support young people in an emotionally healthy context. The day brings together the latest understanding from neuroscience and developmental psychology and the principles of The Nurturing Programme from The Centre For Emotional Health.
Please find below the booking link for you to reserve your place on to one of our courses. This training is a very popular and is beneficial to all practitioners who work with Hertfordshire children and families.
If you are interested in booking on to the course , please ensure that you ONLY reserve your place if you have the capacity to attend the training on your preferred day and for the entire duration of the session, from 10am – 3pm.
5th December - My Teen Brain Online Training - Dec | Hertfordshire County Council
If you would like further information about the course or alternative dates, please email CSStrategic.Partnerships@hertfordshire.gov.uk
My Baby’s Brain – training dates available
📢 Do you work with young children and their families? Free My Baby’s Brain Universal Training in December
Support babies’ brain development by understanding how early relationships and everyday interactions shape their future.
🧠 My Baby’s Brain Targeted Training
This free online training is for professionals supporting vulnerable families (e.g. Family Safeguarding, Specialist Services, specialist midwifery) with children aged 0–3.
What You’ll Learn:
- The importance of attachment and how early adversity can lead to developmental trauma
- Introduction to the Five to Thrive model for promoting secure relationships
- The impact of trauma and principles of trauma-informed practice
- Opportunities for reflection on practitioner vulnerability when working with traumatised individuals
📅 Upcoming Dates:
- Thursday 11th of December 2025, 9:30am–3:00pm
💻 Delivered via Zoom by KCA
• Interactive format – camera & mic encouraged
• Materials sent 48 hours before
• Certificate awarded on completion
🔗 Book Your Place: KCA: Reg form: My Baby's Brain Autumn 2025 - Targeted Services Workforce. Any queries, contact CSStrategic.Partnerships@hertfordshire.gov.uk.
Money Advice Programme - Winter 2025
You can now download and view the Money Advice Unit Training Programme and booking form for WINTER 2025.
All the courses are free of charge but please note, we will only accept bookings from organisations in Hertfordshire. Due to demand, we only allow a maximum of two participants from each organisation per course.
If you want to book for more than one person, please complete a separate booking form for each person.
Once you return the completed booking form(s) to us, the attendees will receive a booking confirmation email within 5 working days. Please check your junk folder as sometimes our emails go to the junk folder straight away.
Difference we're making
Families First - Performance Data Report
You may be interested to view our Families First Performance Data report for the period October 2024 - September 2025.
The report looks at Families First Assessments that took place within the period and highlights the presenting needs and outcomes broken down by district along with information about other support for families.
Families First Case Studies
Following on from a programme of Celebrating Excellence in Early Help sessions run in Children’s Services, which aimed to highlight the Families First approach and also included contributions from some of our partners, we are sharing some of the recent case below:
Case Study 1 - Intensive Family Support / Local Borough Council
Scene Setting
The Intensive Family Support team (IFST) began supporting this family of nine in Spring 2021.
As support got underway the third youngest child Tia* was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour and the family are struggling coming to terms with Tia’s diagnosis and her life expectancy of one year. Tia is 11 years old.
On learning of Tia’s prognosis and following discussion with Keech Hospice an Occupational Therapist (OT) appointment was arranged for the family’s home. This assessment identified that the three-bedroom home was not suitable for end-of-life care and was not suitable for adaptation as the access was too narrow and steep for a ramp.
The Family Intervention Worker (FIW) made contact with the local Borough Council’s Aids and Adaptions Team for support.
READ MORE
Case Study 2 - Families First Assessment
Scene Setting
This case study provides some insight into the journey of Fran* and her family. Fran is an eight year old girl who worries about her mum, she knows mum is different when she is with her drinking friends. Fran’s Mum has a diagnosis of unstable personality disorder and has previously used drugs and alcohol as coping strategies, she has been in a cycle of poor mental health and whilst their wider family network have been supporting Fran and her mother they sought out some external support via a Families First Assessment.
READ MORE
Case Study 3 - Employment Adviser/IFST
Scene Setting:
This case study provides some insight into the support provided to Sanz* from one of our Employment Advisers. Our Intensive Family Support Teams include Employment Advisers who provide tailored support in areas such as employability; taking time to understand skills and experiences, any barriers or challenges preventing employment, identification of any training to support employability, preparation of supporting statements and CVs and job search support, including mock interviews.
Our Advisers can also provide guidance on how to navigate the benefits system, including benefit entitlements and claims, as well as how changes in circumstances impact benefits.
They work in parallel with Family Intervention Workers. This case study summarises support given to Sanz, the mother, to support with employability and benefits.
READ MORE
Case Study 4 - Local Schools Partnership
Case Study 5
This case study follows a mum who suffers from depression and anxiety. She was distrusting of professionals due to a negative experience with Children's Services in another local authority. Dad had recently moved out of the family home so she cares for her three children alone. Read more about the support the family received and the tools mum now takes forward in her parenting skills.
READ MORE
Please share anonymised case studies highlighting how early help and partnership working has provided support to local families with us at familiesfirst.support@hertfordshire.gov.uk. Please ensure you have consent from the family.
Walk for 16 Days of Action Against Domesic Abuse
IFST Stevenage and North Herts supported SADA, IMPAKT and other services such as the local Police on a walk from Fairlands Park to Stevenage Football Club to raise awareness of domestic abuse. Flyers and stickers were handed out during the walk. Here are some photos from a very successful walk:-
