BDCFT School Nursing Special Needs Team

15/01/2026

15/01/2026

👉 SEND Support Finder...Families SEND Support Team

Bradford Council's Families SEND Support Team organise and run SEND training courses for parents and carers.

🌟 SEND Together Programme
For parents of children with SEND (no diagnosis required)
Covers sensory needs, communication, behaviour strategies, information to support he whole family and links to further support and services available.
4 x 3hr online sessions offered daytime or evening.

🌟 EarlyBird Programme
For parents of children under 6 .5 who have an Autism diagnosis or currently on the Autism assessment waiting list.
6x 3hr online sessions.
Focus on understanding Autism, sensory needs, communication, and behaviour.

🌟 Cygnet Core Programme
For parents of children aged 5–18 who have an Autism diagnosis.
7 x3hr online sessions, offered daytime or evening.
Focus on understanding autism, senses, social interaction, communication, and behaviour.

🌟 Following on from Cygnet, parents/carers have the opportunity to attend additional sessions on sleep and puberty, sexual well-being and relationships

Check out the link to the self-referral form in the comments below 👇 Tel: 01274 439500 or Email: sendsupport@bradford.gov.uk

15/01/2026

🔔Parents & Carers – HPV Vaccination🔔
You may receive a consent request for your child to get the HPV vaccine. Please respond as soon as you can – yes or no, we need a reply either way.

The HPV vaccine is offered to children in Year 8 (aged 12–13) and helps protect against a common virus that can sometimes lead to certain cancers, including:
▪Cervical
▪Anal
▪Mouth
▪Penile
▪Vulval
▪Vaginal cancer
It can also prevent ge***al warts.

Getting vaccinated at this age gives the best protection before any possible exposure to HPV.
Find out more here: https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/hpv-vaccine/

✅ Protect your child’s health – respond to the consent form today!

14/01/2026

👉 FREE SEND training for parents / carers with Contact - For families with disabled children

Contact is offering more of their Brighter Beginnings workshops, for families of children with SEND age 0-5, in England.

These workshops are for parent carers of children (aged 0-5) with additional needs or disabilities (with or without a diagnosis), in England.

Topics include:
• Understanding your child’s behaviour
• Toilet training
• Supporting your child’s speech, language and communication skills
• Early Years childcare and finances
• Supporting your child’s social communication skills
• Understanding your child's sensory differences
• Wellbeing for parents of children with SEND
• Money matters

Upcoming dates:
• Thursday 15 January, 7-9pm
• Wednesday 21 January, 10am-12pm
• Thursday 29 January, 7-9pm
• Thursday 5 February, 7-9pm
• Thursday 26 February, 7-9pm

Sign up to any of these workshops (booking link in comments below 👇 )

If parent carers want to keep updated on future workshops of interest to them (e.g. on a topic not listed above, or if they can’t make the dates currently available) they can join Contact's workshops newsletter (link also in comments).

14/01/2026

13/01/2026

☀️ Feeling low or more tired than usual this winter? You’re not alone.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that typically occurs during the darker months of the year. It can affect anyone, and symptoms can include feeling low, lacking energy, struggling to sleep, or losing interest in things you usually enjoy.

There are simple steps that can help manage SAD:
👟Get outside: Even a short walk in daylight can boost your mood.
🥾Stay active: Regular physical activity can help improve energy and reduce stress.
🗣Talk about it: Sharing how you feel with friends, family, or a health professional can make a real difference.
🗓Look after your routine: Try to maintain regular sleep, meals, and daily structure.

If you’re struggling, support is available. You don’t have to manage SAD alone. Visit https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services/
for advice, resources, and guidance on getting help.

Remember, looking after your mental health is just as important as looking after your physical health. Small steps can make a big difference. 💛

Find information and support for your mental health.

12/01/2026

🌿 Healthy Lifestyles at Beechcliffe Thackley🌿

Today we had a great time at Beechcliffe Thackley delivering engaging health promotion sessions focused on healthy lifestyles for children and young people.

Through small group discussions with students and staff, we explored a wide range of topics including:
🥗 Healthy eating
🥤 Sugar and caffeine levels in drinks – and healthier alternatives
⚖️ Weighing out the amount of sugar in different energy drinks to help visualise what’s really in them
💉 Immunisations (including upcoming HPV, SLB’s, MMR where relevant, and the flu)
🏃‍♂️ Exercise and staying active
😴 Healthy sleep routines
💬 Emotions and wellbeing
🦷 Oral health

We also talked about how everyday habits can influence our thoughts, feelings, and the choices we make.

The sessions were really positive, with lots of enthusiasm, great questions, and thoughtful conversations from both students and staff. It was fantastic to see such strong engagement and interest in staying healthy and well 💚

Thank you to everyone at Beechcliffe Thackley for such a warm welcome!

12/01/2026

Friends & Family Hub – Supporting Families of Children with Additional Needs 🌈
Do you have a child, young person, friend, or family member (0–25 years) with a learning difficulty or disability?
Would you like to connect with others, learn new skills, or get friendly support?
The Friends & Family Hub is here for you! 💛
✨ Join us for:
• Parent & carer support groups (face to face & online)
• Relaxed walks and chats
• Expert advice and guidance
• Online resources
• WhatsApp peer support groups
• Guest speakers & information events
No commitment needed — just come along when you need us.
📍 Hubs available in Bradford, Menston, Keighley & Online
📧 Find out more or get involved: friendsandfamily@thinkingbiguk.org
Let’s learn, connect, and be stronger together. 💙
Please find out more information in attached poster.

09/01/2026

📚 World Braille Day – 4 January 📚

On 4 January, we celebrated World Braille Day, honouring the legacy of Louis Braille and the tactile code he developed over 200 years ago. Braille removed barriers for people who are blind or visually impaired, allowing them to read, write, and communicate independently.

Some benefits of using braille included:
✅ Reading notes while talking
✅ Reading stories in your own voice
✅ Following along with peers in class or activities

Did you know?
🌟 The first World Braille Day was celebrated in 2019
🌟 Louis Braille was just 15 years old when he created it
🌟 The date marks Louis’ birthday, chosen by the UN

Many schools and communities take part in celebrating braille and raising awareness about inclusion and accessibility.

Learn more via the RNIB: https://www.rnib.org.uk/

If you're affected by sight loss, we're here for you

08/01/2026

🚨Passenger Transport Service (PTS) will not operate tomorrow, Friday 9 January, 2026. 🚨

*****An update from the Passenger Transport Service (PTS)******

The anticipated severe weather expected today did not materialise as forecast. We know that cancelling Passenger Transport Service causes a lot of inconvenience to the children, young people and adults who use them. The team took the decision to cancel the service today based on the best available information from a number of national forecasts that severe weather would cause major disruption and travel would pose a safety risk. We took the decision yesterday, alongside partners and neighbouring councils, so that parents and carers had as much notice as possible and to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

The nature of changing weather makes these decisions difficult, and we don’t underestimate the impact they have on our families. We want to be as clear as possible, and let you know that Passenger Transport Service (PTS) will not operate for any of today (Friday 9 January, 2026).

We anticipate that services will resume as usual on Monday, 12 January.

08/01/2026

👉 Does your child struggle to go to school due to feelings of worry or stress?

Get involved with the Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) support groups led by the friendly and supportive Educational Psychologist Team...

You’ll find a safe space to:
☑️ Share and listen to other parents and get ideas to help
☑️ Learn more about what you can do to support your child, and what you can expect from school

Spring Term 14th, 21st, 28th Jan and 4th Feb , 1-2.30pm, Bradford East Family Hub 365 Barkerend Road, BD3 8QX

You will need to be able to attend all 4 sessions.
Book: by e-mailing EBSA@bradford.gov.uk

Link in the comments below 👇 to the One Minute Guide to Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA)