Miss C Legg
Mrs G Altaf
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
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.
Luton Food Bank
Supporting the local community
https://lutonfoodbank.org.uk/Organisations which can help
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
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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:
- FLAG – a group for all families with children up to the age of 25
- DADS – specifically for dads and male carers
- CALM – for parents of children up to 7 years old
- CAUSE – Carers for Autism Support and Education
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.
