Families First Dates for Your Diary!

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 12th February 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:-

• View the latest training programme here (November 25)
  
  
• Take a look at the HSCP Learning Hubs.  You can sign up for sessions via the website.  HSAB and HSCP training and resources | Hertfordshire County Council. You can also view useful resources and 7 minute briefings on this link.
• View the HSCP Neglect Hub here:- Neglect Hub | Hertfordshire County Council
  
  
• To understand our thresholds a bit more, view the Continuum of needs (hertfordshire.gov.uk)

  • An information leaflet for families.

  • A one-page briefing to explain the process in Children's Services front door.

  • A flowchart about what happens to your referral.

• These compliment the new Children's Services online referral portal.

• The HSCP, Hertfordshire Community Trust and East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust have developed a guidance document for patients and carers relating to Child Protection Medicals. This can be found on our website, so you can signpost to patients/carers to explain the Child Protection Medical process if required.
  
  
• HSCP Practice Guidance Safeguarding Supervision Standards

Introduction to the SEND Local Offer website' webinar new dates

The Local Offer website lets parents, young people and professionals know what special educational needs and disabilities services are available in Hertfordshire, and who can access them. There is so much more than that, too.

A friendly face from the Local Offer team will take you through what’s on the website and how you can use it to find the right services and support.

www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/localoffer

(For professionals)  Monday 19 January 11am – 12pm  Introduction to the SEND Local Offer website webinar | Meeting-Join | Microsoft Teams

(For professionals AND parent carers)  Wednesday 21 January 8pm - 9pm Introduction to the SEND Local Offer website" webinar | Meeting-Join | Microsoft Teams

(For professionals)  Thursday 22 January 2pm - 3pm Introduction to the SEND Local Offer website webinar | Meeting-Join | Microsoft Teams

A quick note: The Local Offer website is different to Short Breaks (SBLO). We won’t be going into detail about SBLO.

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 

• HCC colleagues: Complete iLearn module at Course: Young Carers - Everyone's Business! eLearning Module
• External partners: Can access this via the Hertfordshire Children’s Safeguarding Partnership website, free of charge, by registering at eLearning : Young-Carers-e-Learning-Module

Let’s all play our part—complete the e-learning today and help ensure young carers get the support they need to thrive! 

New Year, New Training Opportunities – Book Your Free Place for Feb–Mar 2026 on My Baby's Brain training!

Support babies’ brain development by understanding how early relationships and everyday interactions shape their future. This free online training is designed for professionals working with families and children aged 0–3 across universal and targeted services:

🧠 My Baby’s Brain Universal training

Target Audience: Professionals delivering universal early years support.

What You’ll Learn: • Introduction to the Five to Thrive model • How everyday interactions support trauma recovery

🕒 3 February 2026 or 4 March 2026, 9.30am-3:00pm – Virtual via Zoom

🔗 Book Your Place on the Universal training: KCA: Reg form: My Baby's Brain Spring 2026 - Universal Services Workforce

 

🧠My Baby’s Brain Targeted Training

Target Audience: professionals supporting vulnerable families and children.

What You’ll Learn: • Attachment and developmental trauma • Trauma-informed practice • Practitioner wellbeing

🕒26 February 2026 or 17 March 2026, 9.30am-3:00pm – Virtual via Zoom

🔗 Book Your Place on the Targeted training: KCA: Reg form: My Baby's Brain Spring 2026 Targeted Services Workforce

 

For queries, contact CSStrategic.Partnerships@hertfordshire.gov.uk.

📢 Please also share this free training opportunity with colleagues & partners.

 

Money Advice Programme - Winter 2025/6

You can now download and view the Money Advice Unit Training Programme and booking form for WINTER 2025/6.

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.

 

Workforce Shadowing