Windhill Children’s Centre Network

These sessions are for parents/carers who have children with additional needs.

This is a local Parenting Support Group run by parents for parents and is supported by Aspects Family Support Workers & PACT (Parents & Children Together). Support can be given: Parental help, advice and reassurance around the ‘statement’ process, share experiences of services and professional bodies, rights, roles and responsibilities, information and advice sharing, confidence building, positive parenting. Help and advice on temper tantrums, benefits advice and support with applications, carer’s information, resources and fact sheets, guest speakers. This is a safe place to ‘say how you feel’. No diagnosis needed. Tea and understanding people always on hand.

Bookable via the Child Health Department at Herts & Essex Hospital

Theses checks are carried out on an appointment basis by the Health Visiting Team.

These sessions are aimed at all registered childminders& nannies across the network, who are ‘minding’ children 0 – 4yrs.

These sessions aim to support Childminders who are professionals, delivering good quality home hosted childcare across the Children’s Centres Network. At these sessions minded children will get the chance to experience group activities, whilst the Childminders can network and share experiences that the role can bring. There will always be a good range of quality toys and resources available. A member of the Children’s Centre staff will support these sessions. Childminders are encouraged to plan and monitor these sessions to enable them to build their own portfolio. There is also access to termly Network Meetings. 

This free Family First Aid course is a  2 hour session over a 3 week period which will cover both adult and paediatric first aid.  The next course will run from the 15th of January until the 29th of January from 10am-12 noon at Little Hadham Primary School SG11 2DX.  To book your place please call Jackie at Windhill & Little Squirrels Children's Centre on 01279 696853.

This free 7 session course is an opportunity for parents of children aged 0-11 years to share feelings and experiences and discover solutions to problems based on what works - not what's meant to work!  The next course runs from Monday 14th of January - Monday 4th of March 2013 (no session on 18th February) from 7.00-9.00 pm at Windhill & Little Squirrels Children's Centre, Bishop's Stortford, CM23 2NL.  To book your place call Jackie on 01279 696853.

A weekly focused support group (by invitation only from the Communication Disorder Team) providing sessions for Early Years children. 

A welcoming environment for you and your baby to enjoy new experiences together.  A variety of age appropriate toys and activities will be provided each week, including sensory toys, treasure baskets and general household items.  You will discover new ideas to stimulate and entertain your child at home.  There will be calming music playing during sessions and each session will end with songs and/or rhymes.  It is a wonderful chance for you to meet other new parents and carers and for your baby to make some 'First Friends'.

First Parents is a 5 week course run by Health Visitors for new parents to share experiences and learn about play and development, sleep, resuscitation, minor ailments and information about local services.  By referral from your Health Visitor, bookable via Windhill & Little Squirrels CC on 01279 696853.  

The aim at Fun with Drums and Music is to start your child's musical journey. Day 'o' Drums are an educational group, developing listening and musical skills through fun filled sessions where learning takes place subconsiously. Rhythm, beat, harmony, texture, style and instruments are introduced in all activities using a variety of musical styles and genres. Children use all their senses to experience music in the Fun with Drums way. We play, listen, dance, sing, jump, act and explore the world we live in. Come, learn and have fun!

This session is suitable for children aged 4 weeks to approximately 6 months.

Gentle strokes for tiny folks! A unique bonding experience for you and your baby. These sessions are run by a qualified IAIM instructor (International Association Infant Massage). You will learn techniques that will enable you to respond to your baby appropriately.

In the early months how many dads can attend classes and spend quality one to one time with their little one?  The good news is that these baby massage classes are run by a qualified IAIM (International Association of Infant Massage) instructor are a wonderful way for dads to get that special bonding time with their baby.  You and your baby can enjoy the baby massage while giving Mummy a bit of 'me time' too.

These sessions are suitable for babies from 16 weeks and are bookable via Windhill & Little Squirrels CC on 01279 696853

Advice and support from the Health Visiting Service on all aspects of starting your baby on solid foods. See latest activity programme for dates and venues.

These monthly drop ins are incorporated into our Friday Stay & Play sessions at Havers Community Centre. Our local Job Centre Plus Advisor is on hand to give you information, advice and support on all aspects of returning to work and benefits you are entitled to.

These drop in sessions are ideal for families who need advice and support with concerns about their child’s communication skills, additional needs or disability held at the Herts & Essex Hospital, Bishop's Stortford, CM23 5JH.

A fun and enjoyable session building on skills and knowledge of what you know about food and cooking.  In these sessions we will be showing you how recipes can be adapted for one to five year olds, provide you with ways to support fussy eaters and cooking healthy food from basic ingredients. A group for parents only (it will not be possible to bring children along to this group). 

These Saturday morning sessions for dads, grandads and male carers are a chance to enjoy play, fun and learning with your children (0-5 yrs).  The session includes free play, singing, dancing, craft activities and even an opportunity to relax and read the newspaper whilst enjoying a cup of tea and a bacon butty!  It is a session for the male role models in your children's life to come along and enjoy the fun, whilst you take a break!  The Children's Centre Team support the Community Church in delivering these sessions.

Community Midwives and Children's Centre staff will be on hand to offer support and advice at these clinics

An early learning intervention strategy for the under 5s

The PEEP Learning Together Programme focuses on how to make the most of the learning opportunities in everyday life at home – listening, talking, playing singing, sharing books and having fun! PEEP supports parents and carers in their role as first educators of their children. All Children’s Centre sessions include elements of the PEEP programme. Please talk to a member of the Children’s Centre Staff if you would like more information.

Please look out for details of parenting courses which run throughout the year, often in Partnership with Extended Schools (ASPECTS). If you feel you need support with any aspect of parenting, please speak to a member of the Children’s Centre Staff, your Health Visitor or Early Years Setting.

This free 10 week parenting programme is for parents and carers of children aged 0-10 years and is provided with funding from Hertfordshire County Council Children's Services.  Over the 10 weeks topics such as understanding why children behave as they do, recognising the feelings behind behaviour (ours and theirs), exploring different approaches to discipline, finding ways to develop co-operation and self discipline in children and the importance of looking after ourselves.  The next course starts runs from 17th January-28th of March 2013 at Little Hadham Primary School, Stortford Road, Little Hadham, Herts SG11 2DX from 10 am-12 noon.

An opportunity for you to learn new rhymes that you can enjoy at home. Your child will begin to take an active role in singing, actions and music making. Songs on CD and musical instruments are introduced.

An opportunity for you to learn new rhymes that you can also enjoy at home. Your toddler will enjoy songs with you and as part of a group and learn to hear the rhythm and rhyme of speech. Songs on CD and musical instruments are introduced.

These sessions are aimed at children aged 0 – 4 yrs

Our Stay and Play sessions are created for you to share your children’s play time and join in with their play activities. We encourage you to use all the toys and resources along with your little ones. There is an active area, a baby area and a book corner all aimed at supporting your child’s development and learning... you can even pick up some ideas of what you can do at home! There is a drink and healthy snack at the end of the session, before everyone helps with the tidying up. These sessions will end with singing and rhymes.

Fancy breakfast, the papers and a time to play with your children?  Then why not come along with the whole family (as long as the children are under 8 yrs) for an hour and a half of fun?  There will be crafts, books, activities, games and outside play.  This will be your very own Saturday Stay & Play session.

This session is suitable for children aged 18 to 27 months

Terrific Toddlers is a more structured session for your toddler. Throughout the 6 week programme you will both be encouraged to participate in a range of planned activities which are linked to the Early Years Foundation Stage. In addition, each week will incorporate a period of outdoor play and a story and rhyme session. We anticipate as parents/carers you will be very involved in supporting your child’s development and take away ideas and strategies to reinforce at home. The aim is to have fun and learn through play!

A drop in session run by the Health Visiting Team held at the Charis Centre in Bishop's Stortford (CM23 2JZ) on a Wednesday morning from 9.30-11.00 am which offers new mums the opportunity to see their Health Visitor, have their baby weighed and receive breastfeeding advice and support if required.  A member of The Children's Centre Team also attends these sessions to offer additional support.

Although we are not currently running a Young Parents Group at Northgate Youth Centre (watch this space for further details) Young Parents will continue to be supported by the Outreach Team at Buttercups Children's Centre on 01279 508759.