The latest news
Hertfordshire’s Families First Partnership Programme update
The Families First Partnership Programme has welcomed a new project sponsor at Hertfordshire County Council, as Janet Jones has been appointed as the new Director of Children and Families, with a with a remit to oversee the delivery of the national children’s social care reforms in Hertfordshire, in addition to leading the council’s services which work to keep children safe and support families to stay together.
One of Janet’s primary tasks on coming into the role has been to appraise the delivery model being put forward to implement the national reforms in Hertfordshire. “This programme presents a once in a generation opportunity to strengthen how we work together to support children and families,” Janet reflects. “Great progress has been made already within the programme, under complex and shifting circumstances, that has laid strong foundations to build upon. I’m looking forward to working closely with partners over the coming year to deliver a sustainable model of seamless support for Hertfordshire’s families.
As part of the appraisal process, Janet has been taking time to understand the detail of the programme’s development and the modelling underpinning the arrangements for the Multi-Agency Child Protection teams and transfer points for children.
Our programme Subject Matter Experts are currently working to map out details around how to deliver on the multi-agency element of the social care reforms. Subject Matter Experts are organisational leads from health, education, children’s social care and police who work collaboratively in the multi-agency programme team. Their role is to co-design local children’s social care and safeguarding arrangements to reflect the national reform requirements, feeding in views, perspectives and ideas in and from their professional communities.
This involves leading communication, engagement and consultation with their own agency colleagues, and contributing to the programme’s decision-making about new models and ways to working which help and protect children. The SMES are:
For more information about the Families First Partnership Programme, contact your organisational SME.
New Step by Step Videos to Support Contact Submissions to Children’s Services
As part of our work this year in the Gateway, we have developed a new set of short instructional videos to support partner agencies when submitting contacts to Children’s Services.
I’m delighted to share that these videos are now live on our council website. They provide simple, step‑by‑step guidance and are designed to make the submission process clearer, quicker, and easier.
You can find the videos here
New eating and body image difficulties awareness campaign
Encourage young people and families to get help for eating and body image difficulties early.
With the help of Hertfordshire’s young people and healthcare professionals, Herts Children and Young People’ Mental Health Services (CYPMHS) system is on a mission to bust the myths and encourage the county’s young people to ask for help with eating and body image difficulties as soon as they notice any change.
Hertfordshire launched the new CYPMHS HertsHub website at the end of last year (2025). It has a dedicated section for eating and body image difficulties.
Links to local and national psycho-education and other useful resources and quizzes
The Be Body Positive website is an initiative from the NHS using interactive online modules aiming to support young people in developing a positive relationship with food and their bodies and addressing any difficulties related to eating and body image. The site has useful sections and modules for parents, carers and professionals too.
Animations about Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
Short films to help with understanding the signs and symptoms of ARFID and where to go for advice and help for children and young people in Hertfordshire who are struggling with what they are able to eat.
Children’s Wellbeing Practitioner Service: spring programme
The spring programme of workshops from Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust's Children's Wellbeing Practitioners is available now.
Teenagers and parents and carers of children aged 5 to 19 can book on to the free online workshops supporting adolescents’ and children’s emotional wellbeing and mental health. Topics include managing anxiety, improving sleep, supporting self-esteem, and building emotional resilience.
The workshops are delivered by Children’s Wellbeing Practitioners and run through to March.
No referral is needed – families can book directly but they must have a child or young person who attends a school or is registered with a GP in Hertfordshire.
Find out more and book at: Children’s Wellbeing Practitioners service page.
Please like and share the information via your organisation's Facebook here.
University of Hertfordshire has invited you to respond to their survey: HSP Partner Survey 2026
Invitation to complete HSP Partner Survey 2026
As a key partner, we value your views and would be grateful if you could please take 10 minutes to provide your feedback on working with Herts Sport & Physical Activity Partnership (HSP) over the past 12 months.
The purpose of this survey is to support HSP with our approach to understand and build upon the strength of our relationships, to seek to achieve shared goals with shared accountability and to demonstrate that we value and act upon your feedback.
The deadline for submission is Friday 27th February 2026.
If you have any issues accessing the survey, please get in touch Chris Samways (c.samways@herts.ac.uk)
Respond to this survey
Ubunto referral pathway for Families First
Barnardo’s Ubuntu Project, funded by The National Lottery UK Fund, operates across Hertfordshire, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. They support communities by connecting voluntary and statutory organisations that support children, young people, and families seeking sanctuary in the UK. We use this term as we support regardless of the path taken to seek protection, including those seeking refuge and those claiming asylum.
Services offer includes:
· Youth Voice Networks
· Young Peoples Wellbeing Support
· Signposting and onward referrals to partners
· Parenting Support - One to One (holistic family support)
· Parenting Groups and Courses
· Antenatal and Perinatal Support
· Family Transitions - Support for families moving in and out of county.
· Practitioner Networks - Peer support and collaboration.
· Community Programme Development Support - sharing information, guides, myth busting sessions.
Download the Leaflet for Practitioners
Download the Leaflet for ParentCarers
Beezee Families, a FREE heathy lifestyle programme
Beezee Families, is a FREE heathy lifestyle programme that their nutritionists deliver across Hertfordshire. The 12-week programme supports families to build healthy habits around food, physical activity, and how to have fun while doing so!
The current programmes are in full swing but you can secure your FREE spot now for April. Places fill up fast so make to book soon! If you can’t wait to get started on your healthy lifestyle journey, you can learn at your own pace over on our Academy. Visit our website for more details
If you have any questions, we’d love to hear from you.
Visit our website for more details
Relationship Support Offer Professionals Survey 2026
In October 2023, we ran a survey to identify gaps in the relationship support offer and to understand any training needs. The survey highlighted the need for mediation services and SEND‑specific courses for parents and carers. It also noted the need for wider promotion of the offer and available training.
Of those who responded (156), 36% had accessed parental conflict training, and 59% felt confident in identifying parents experiencing conflict.
In response, a range of training opportunities was delivered, including access to an i‑learn module, the One Plus One digital intervention training, and bespoke awareness‑raising sessions. Mediation services were commissioned to support referrals from Children’s Services teams, and Family Lives was commissioned to deliver bespoke courses for parents and carers of children with SEND.
We would now like to revisit the survey to understand how well the current offer is meeting needs, identify any remaining gaps, and understand future training requirements to help shape the relationship support offer for 2026–27.
Complete the survey here:- Relationship Support Offer Professionals Survey 2026
Check out Hertfordshire's Spring 26 Parenting and Relationship Courses
You can view the Spring 2026 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
News from Services for Young People
Services for Young People enables young people to achieve their aspirations
SfYP offers a range of employability programmes which include work experience opportunities to help young people make a successful transition into adulthood. SfYP practitioners work with young people who are not in education, employment or training, giving them all the support they need to fully engage in the programmes and then use the knowledge, skills and confidence they gain to secure paid employment that’s right for them.
In 2025, SfYP worked with Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council and the sustainable energy and facilities management company Equans, to provide two week-long work experience and training programmes for 11 young people. The practical experience and qualifications they gained enabled them to confidently apply for jobs in the construction industry.
SfYP Supported Internship Project Officer wins national award
SfYP Supported Internship Project Officer, Carly Knowler, won the 2025 British Association of Supported Employment (BASE) Learner of the Year Award. The BASE Supported Employment Awards highlight the best practice taking place across Great Britain to enrich the lives of disabled, neurodivergent and disadvantaged people through high quality employment.
Supported Internships are for young people aged 16-25 with additional needs who want to work but need support to do so. Carly works with parents and young people, professionals who work with young people and employers by hosting Q&A sessions and the SEND Employment Forum, as well as offering one-to-one information, advice and support. She also coordinates the placement of interns at Hertfordshire County Council.