Family Workers

Family Workers

We have a team of very friendly, helpful and supportive family workers, who are available to support families in many different ways. A range of events are held, enabling parents and carers to meet others and chat in an informal, relaxed atmosphere.

Details of forthcoming events will be added here. In the meantime, feel free to contact Cath Legg or Gulnaz Altaf by calling in to the family hut or by contacting the school office. Alternatively they can be contacted by using the email addresses listed below.

The family hut is situated at the rear of the main school building.

With the recent cold spell and rising fuel bills I wish to make you aware that there is a Warm Space Scheme run by Luton Borough Council. One of these is taking place at Keech Hospice. The space is absolutely free to use for anyone with drinks, healthy snacks, games, and a quiet space all available without judgement and completely anonymously. The aim is to allow people to have access to a heated space during the winter with the cost-of-living crisis, and the space will be available from 3:30-6:00 pm Tuesdays and Thursdays until the end of March 2023.

 

Dear Parents,

We are delighted to be able to share some exciting news from the Family Workers! We shall be starting up parent sessions in the Family Room again!

 

Toddler Time Stay and Play

Stay and Play on Mondays in the Family Room (end green hut) at 9.00am to 10.15am. This will run every Monday for the rest of the academic year. This is a session for parents and children from birth to pre-school age to meet, play and chat. Parents are to stay with their children for the session.

 

Epilepsy Service Coffee mornings

We currently host the Epilepsy Service Coffee mornings in school on the dates below. These are for parents who have children with a new diagnosis, ongoing complex seizures. It is a chance to meet the Epilepsy Nursing Team and ask questions and meet other parents with children who have epilepsy.

 

Kind regards

 

Miss Legg and Mrs Altaf

clegg@bramingham.net

galtaf@bramingham.net

Young Minds-School Anxiety
 
Young Minds have a guide around School Anxiety and School refusal. Please go to www.youngminds.org and look under the Parent tab.
 
 
 
 

Useful Websites

Parent Line

A confidential text messaging advice and support line for Luton parents and carers of children aged 0-19.

https://www.cambscommunityservices.nhs.uk/luton/childrens/services/0-19-service---children's/parentline-luton

 

Flying Start Luton

Flying Start seeks to provide the best outcomes for children and their families from pregnancy to their 5th birthday, as a foundation to a healthy future.

https://www.flyingstartluton.com/

 

Uniform Exchange Level Trust: Will be accessible as a free online shop from 3rd of August. Please visit www.leveltrust.org and you will be directed to the right site. Families who cannot access online will be able to call us on 07480 753905. To help us manage demand, we are encouraging all families who can to access us online.

 

We Are Luton

We are a team of organisations who have come together to support the children, young people and families of Luton in times of crisis.

 

https://www.weareluton.org/

 

Luton Food Bank

Supporting the local community

https://lutonfoodbank.org.uk/

Organisations which can help

Luton Access

Luton Access, the project which has brought together the town’s most trusted and established specialist, independent advice providers, will give you the help you need, when you need it. Free, confidential, expert advice and guidance is now available under one roof from the following organisations:

  • Citizens Advice
  • Luton Law Centre
  • Luton Rights
  • Bringing the organisations together means you won’t have to move from one location to another   around the town. Support is available on a range of issues including:
  • debt
  • welfare benefits
  • employment
  • housing
  • relationship breakdown
  • immigration

Adviceline Tel: 0344 245 1285
Open: Monday to Friday
9.30am to 12.30pm

Families United Network

Support for families of children with Special Educational Needs, medical or physical disabilities. Days out, school holiday activities and support. Contact 01582 420800 or see http://familiesunitednetwork.org.uk

Autism Bedfordshire

Support, information and activities for parents and children on the Autistic Spectrum.

http://www.autismbedfordshire.net

Luton Children and Families Information service

Information on a wide range of topics including school holiday activities, childcare and health

Directory of Services for parents and children

Free School Meals

Information on free school meals and eligibility.

Online directory of services in Luton
Luton Borough Council has developed the town’s most comprehensive and user-friendly online services directory – the Luton Directory.

Luton Wellbeing Service

The service offers free and confidential talking therapies and specialist support. The service covers many aspects of emotional well-being including low mood, stress, anxiety, panic attacks, health related problems, agoraphobia, post traumatic stress, phobias, obsessive compulsive disorder and bereavement. The support is available in a number of individual sessions, groups or courses depending on your needs. The service is self referral and their contact number is 01582 393130.
Food bank

As Family Workers we are able to refer to the Luton Food bank. They are able to supply a family with food for three days and there are up to five referrals per year. There are five sites across Luton which are open at various days and times. Please contact us for more information either by popping in to the Family room or call us on 509279.
Families in Luton Autism Group

The autism spectrum team (part of the Special Educational Needs Service) run the Families in Luton Autism Group (FLAG). This was formed to address the needs of families affected by autism after an initial survey highlighted the parents’ wishes to link with families in similar circumstances, have access to a sympathetic listening ear and user friendly information about the autism spectrum.
Each meeting provides parents with an opportunity to discuss issues with other families and carers, teachers, early years advisors and support workers – all of whom have had experience working with autistic children and those with Aspergers Syndrome.
The autism spectrum team can offer advice on how to develop children’s social interaction, communication and flexible thinking skills and discuss what support is available from educational, health and social services.
Meetings will often have a themed topic such as ‘Coping with Christmas’ or ‘Managing Transitions’ and we invite speakers from other services to share information about support available.
We aim to provide a relaxed atmosphere where everyone is welcome, even if just for a coffee and a chat – but unfortunately we are unable to offer crèche facilities. We aim to hold at least one meeting a month during term times and alternate between mid-morning and evening to fit in with parents’ schedules.
There are four groups in Luton for families of children and young people affected by autism you can visit the other group pages here:
  • FLAGa group for all families with children up to the age of 25
  • DADSspecifically for dads and male carers
  • CALMfor parents of children up to 7 years old
  • CAUSECarers for Autism Support and Education
Please contact the team on 01582 548151 for details of dates, times and venues.
Transition/New school checklist

The National Autistic society has compiled a useful checklist and “what to look for” list when choosing new schools or moving on to High School, college etc. It can be found on autism.org.uk and type school checklist in the search box. It is also useful for children with any kind of additional or SEN as often their needs and support can be similar.
Separated Parents Information- Co-Operative parenting when a relationship breaks down can be a challenge. There is lots of support, advice and courses available through CAFCASS. There is an information poster attached below.
Parent and Young people Health and Wellbeing directory.
 
The Parent and Young People quick guide is a directory containing services that support with health and wellbeing for families. The guide has been developed to raise awareness of service support and how these can be accessed if they are needed. An outline of what each service can provide along with methods for self-referral have been provided for ease of use.