BDCFT School Nursing Special Needs Team

29/05/2026

With the warmer weather comes increased risk of children and young people getting into difficulty in open water, which can have fatal consequences. This information from the Child Accident Prevention Trust can help keep young people safe in and around water:

💧 Even on a very warm day, open water can still be cold enough to cause cold water shock. This physical reaction makes it hard to control breathing or to swim, causing swimmers to panic.

💧 There are hidden dangers of swimming in open water like rivers, lakes and reservoirs - including strong currents, deep, cold water and things under the surface you can’t see.

💧Follow the RNLI's FLOAT TO LIVE guidance - which could save lives!

The best way to float is to tilt your head back with your ears submerged.
Try to relax and breathe normally.
Gently move your hands and legs to help you stay afloat.
Spread your arms and legs out to improve stability – and it's OK if your legs sink, we all float differently.
Once your breathing is under control, call for help or swim to safety.
Practise floating in a supervised location like a swimming pool.

You can watch the full video on how to FLOAT TO LIVE here:

Do you know what to do if you get into difficulty in the water? These five simple steps could save your life in an emergency. Learn how to float to live.

29/05/2026

💛 Bradford Family Hubs are here to support families every step of the way — from pregnancy and early years through to childhood and young people.

Family hubs bring a wide range of helpful services together in one place, close to where you live, making it easier for families to get the support they need.

Here’s just some of the support available right now 👇
👶 Midwife clinics, health visitors, breastfeeding support & school nurses
👨‍👩‍👧 Parenting support from birth to 18 (or up to 24 with a disability)
🌈 SEND support for children and young people with additional needs
🎨 Activities for children under 5
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Activities and targeted support for young people
📚 Help accessing early education & free childcare
❤️ Health advice for the whole family
🏡 Family key worker support, including support at home
⭐ Plus specialist services available at each hub

Find your nearest Family Hub and explore what’s available on the timetable using the link below ⬇️
https://fyi.bradford.gov.uk/bsfh/what-is-bsfh/family-hubs-latest-timetables/

29/05/2026

💙 WE ARE HIRING: Community Staff Nurse – School Nursing Special Needs Team 💙

Are you a dedicated Registered Nurse looking to make a meaningful difference for children and young people with SEND and complex health needs? Join our award-winning, supportive team at Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust!

Here is what you need to know:
📌Role: Community Staff Nurse (Band 5)
📍Location: Westbourne Green Health Centre, Bradford (with flexible working across home, office, and school sites)
💷Salary: £32,073 - £39,043 Per Annum
⏰Hours: Full-time, Permanent (37.5 hours per week)

Key Duties: Complete health assessments, create care plans, train school staff, and support immunisation programmes across special schools.

If you are an NMC-registered nurse with a passion for helping vulnerable children thrive in their school environments, we want to hear from you!

🗓️ Important Dates:
Closing Date: 21st June 2026
Interview Date: 30th June 2026

👉 Apply today

Vacancies across mental health, community, learning disability and children’s services in Bradford, Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven.

28/05/2026

Heading out this half term with your children? 🚗☀️

Please remember to keep road safety in mind whenever you’re out and about. Busy roads, car parks, and unfamiliar places can all pose risks, so taking a moment to talk to children about staying close, holding hands, looking out for traffic and reminded to stop, look, and listen before crossing. Always choose safe places to cross and avoid distractions.

A few moments of awareness can prevent serious accidents and help keep children safe 💛

28/05/2026

Following the tragic deaths of seven children and young people in open water related incidents over the bank holiday weekend (BBC News), the The Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) has issued a warning over the dangers of swimming in open water.

We'd like to share this information on keeping safe in and around water from the Child Accident Prevention Trust:

💧 Even on a very warm day, open water can still be cold enough to cause cold water shock. This physical reaction makes it hard to control breathing or to swim, causing swimmers to panic.

💧 There are hidden dangers of swimming in open water like rivers, lakes and reservoirs - including strong currents, deep, cold water and things under the surface you can’t see.

💧Follow the RNLI's FLOAT TO LIVE guidance - which could save lives!
The best way to float is to tilt your head back with your ears submerged.
Try to relax and breathe normally.
Gently move your hands and legs to help you stay afloat.
Spread your arms and legs out to improve stability – and it's OK if your legs sink, we all float differently.
Once your breathing is under control, call for help or swim to safety.
Practise floating in a supervised location like a swimming pool.

Follow the link for more information:

https://capt.org.uk/drowning/?fbclid=IwY2xjawSE3sVleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETBhbXNMUUc0QlVtdnZZVENLc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHg_BsvuZxx1PE1RdenSpeuWRkwvvW_a2CLs5mjj5yt1Ic0S4Q-y9YYoNejfy_aem_YWdncwA4_h0WqmG593PX0foT_xq5&brid=YWdncwFrjGQIIUsqPm9tz6l-CwJd

A drowning child can’t speak or control their arms. They slip quietly under the water. It’s only in the movies they splash about and cry for help. It’s a scary thought. Drowning happens silently. But once you understand how and where drowning happens, there are things you can do to prevent it....

27/05/2026

Wishing our families a joyful and blessed Eid ul-Adha!" from the School Nursing Special Needs Team!

27/05/2026

🌞With temperatures soaring in some parts of the UK, are you worried your child isn't drinking enough?

Children should drink 6-8 glasses of water-based fluid every day.

Drinking water is important for good bowel and bladder health, and for tackling daytime wetting, night-time wetting and poo problems like constipation, but we understand it can be hard to get kids to drink enough.

Here are a few tips on how to encourage your child to drink more:

🔵Make ice lollies using well-diluted squash. Don’t add sugar and avoid using blackcurrant squash, which can irritate the bladder.
🔵Jazz up their water with ice cubes, umbrellas and slices of fruit.
🔵Buy or customise your own funky straws.
🔵Let them choose their cup and fill it themselves.
🔵Make sugar-free jellies that contain the equivalent of one cup of water.
🔵Use our Wee Checker colour chart to see if your child is drinking enough. Print it out and put it on your bathroom door so that your child can learn to spot the signs of dehydration and be motivated to have another drink.

Find more tips on how to encourage your child to drink more on the ERIC website: https://eric.org.uk/childrens-bladders/how-to-get-kids-to-drink-more-water/

Let us know your tips or tricks for encouraging children to drink more in the comments!

27/05/2026

26/05/2026

Need trusted advice on health and wellbeing for young people? 💬🌟

Check out Health for Teens — an online space for young people aged 11–19 packed with simple, easy-to-read information to use anytime.

From mental wellbeing and physical health to relationships and growing up, it’s all broken down into bite-sized topics to help young people feel informed and supported 💙

Take a look here for more information:

Health for Teens offers a great choice of content and quizzes across all areas of your health, from sexual health to your feelings, growing up, lifestyle and much more.

26/05/2026

EBSA sessions for parents and carers

School anxiety – support for 'emotionally based school avoidance' (EBSA)

• Is your child struggling to go to school due to feelings of worry or stress?
• Are you unsure about what to do?

Emotionally based school avoidance, or EBSA, happens when children and young people have worries about school, leading to difficulties attending school.
If this is affecting a young person in your family, you as parent or carer can join the friendly and supportive Parent Support Group with the Educational Psychology 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.

The next group is starting on Wednesday 10th July . You still have time to sign up, but please book quickly to avoid missing out.

• Where: Reevy Hill Family Hub, Bedale Drive, Bradford, BD6 3ST
• When: Join us weekly from 1pm to 2.30pm from Wednesday 10th June to Wednesday 1st July. You must be able to attend all 4 sessions.

• Book: by e-mailing EBSA@bradford.gov.uk or by calling 01274 439444.
You can also find the session on the FYI website - Directory Search Page | EBSA

26/05/2026

Assistance with travel to school and college from home