Introduction

Welcome to the third issue of this

newsletter.

This issue takes us right up to the end of

March - we hope everyone had a very

happy new year!

How to contact us

North Area

Stretford Children’s Centre: 0161 912 5020

Old Trafford Children’s Centre: 0161 912 5542

oldtraffordandstretfordcc@trafford.gov.uk

www.facebook.com/otscc

West Area

Partington Children’s Centre: 0161 912 2122

Urmston Children’s Centre: 0161 912 3274

partingtonandurmstoncc@trafford.gov.uk

www.facebook.com/puwacc

South Area

Altrincham Children’s Centre: 0161 912 5821

saleandaltrinchamcc@trafford.gov.uk

www.facebook.com/salealtcc

Central Area

Sale Children’s Centre: 0161 912 2431

saleandaltrinchamcc@trafford.gov.uk

www.facebook.com/salealtcc

Trafford Information Service

www.trafford.gov.uk/servicedirectory 0161 912 1053 Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm

Children’s Centres Website

www.trafford.gov.uk/childrenscentres

Children's centres are service hubs where children under five years old

and their families can receive seamless integrated services and

information.

Register with us

If you are not a member, or are unsure if you are registered with us, then

you can ask at any of our activities, or call in, or register online at

www.trafford.gov.uk/childrenscentres

Festivals

January 1st New Year’s Day

February 14th Saint Valentine’s Day 19th

Chinese New Year (Year of the Ram) Chinese New Year is the longest and most important celebration in the Chinese calendar. The new year begins on the first day of the Chinese calendar and the festivities continue for 15 days. At Chinese New Year people wear red clothes, give children “lucky money” in red envelopes and set off firecrackers. Red symbolises fire, which the Chinese believe drives away bad luck. Family members gather at each other's homes for extravagant meals. The New Year ends with a lantern festival - people hang decorated lanterns in temples and carry lanterns to an evening parade under the light of the full moon. The highlight of the lantern festival is the dragon dance. The dragon - which can stretch a hundred feet long - is typically made of silk, paper and bamboo.

March 1st Saint David’s Day On 1st March each year, Welsh people we celebrate their patron Saint, Dewi Sant or St David who died on that day in 589AD. Dewi founded religious centres across Wales and England. He even travelled as far as Jerusalem, where he was made an archbishop. He eventually settled at Glyn Rhosyn (now St Davids), in south west Wales, where he established a religious community. To mark the day, Welsh people around the world wear one or both national emblems - a daffodil or leek - and celebrate at special concerts and processions. 8th International Women’s day 15th Purim starts (Jewish) Purim is one of the most entertaining Jewish holidays. Purim commemorates the time when the Jewish people living in Persia were saved from extermination by the courage of a young Jewish woman called Esther. It is customary to hold carnival-like celebrations on Purim, to perform plays and parodies, and to hold beauty contests. Gragger (rattle) and traditional Purim cookies called hamantashen. Americans sometimes refer to Purim as the Jewish Mardi Gras. Purim is not subject to the restrictions on work that affect some other holidays; however, some sources indicate that Jews should not go about their ordinary business at Purim out of respect for the festival.

17th Holi (Hindu) Holi is a festival celebrated in north India. It marks the coming of Spring. Some families hold religious ceremonies, but for many Holi is more a time for fun than religious observance. Holi is a colourful festival, with dancing, singing, and throwing of powder paint and coloured water. Bonfires are lit and roasting grains, pop corn, coconut and chick peas are thrown on by Hindu families. The next day, people of all ages go into the streets for fun and paint-throwing. Everyone gets involved - with no distinctions between caste, class, age or gender. Hindus have fun by smearing each other with paint and throwing coloured water at each other, all done in a spirit of celebration 17th Saint Patrick’s Day Saint Patrick's Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick (Irish: Lá Fhéile Pádraig, "the Day of the Festival of Patrick"), is a cultural and religious celebration occurring annually on 17 March, the death date of the most commonly-recognised patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick (c. AD 385–461). The day commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, as well as celebrating the heritage and culture of the Irish in general. Celebrations generally involve public parades and festivals, céilithe, and the wearing of green attire or shamrocks. Christians also attend church services, and the Lenten restrictions on eating and drinking alcohol are lifted for the day. Saint Patrick's Day is a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Newfoundland and Labrador and Montserrat. It is also widely celebrated by the Irish diaspora around the world; especially in Great Britain, Canada, the United States, Argentina, Australia and New Zealand..

School-age children

At this age children are starting to be

influenced by factors outside the family.

Their friends’ behaviour will start to influ-

ence their own.

Most parents may experience some diso-

bedience and ‘answering back’ when they

ask a child to do something which will

take them away from something they find

more appealing.

Your child is starting to assert their inde-

pendence by showing you that they have

thoughts, needs and a mind of their own.

While these qualities may cause you

problems, they are ones which your child

will need in adult life.

Always explain exactly what you want

your child to do. Give them clear reasons

why you want them to do as you say.

Don’t give too many orders. Lots of “dos”

and “don’ts” might make your child think:

“I’ll always get it wrong, so I might as well

do what I want”.

Listen to what your child has to say. Be

alert for any worries they may have

which may change their behaviour. Talk

about areas where there may be conflict.

Praise your child and always tell them

why you are praising them. Try to ignore

minor misbehaviour.

If you have to criticise your child’s behav-

iour, try not to criticise him or her too

much. Only criticise the behaviour, not

your child.

Try not to get yourself trapped in point-

less arguments. Calmly repeat what you

expect your child to do.

Try to explain to your child what their

actions may lead to if showing your disap-

pointment or mild disapproval hasn’t

worked to change a behaviour. For exam-

ple, if your child has made a mess of their

bedroom, or left their toys lying out in the

garden, tell them they must tidy up after

themselves.

Never smack your child. This will set

them a bad example about how to man-

age strong emotions. It may make them

angry and hostile towards you, damaging

your relationship with them.

Babies

Crying is a baby’s way of saying that

they need something. They can’t go to a

parent to ask them to meet their needs,

they have to bring the parent to them.

Crying is how they attract attention.

As babies get older, they are more able

to communicate their likes and dislikes.

For example, they might smile, wave

their arms and rock their legs when they

eat something they enjoy, or spit food

out that they dislike. They are not doing

this to annoy you. They are just telling

you what they like and dislike, in the only

way they can.

Always be loving and comforting with

your baby. You will feel them adjusting

their body to yours when you pick them

up.

Introduce routines into daily life.

With older babies who are starting to

crawl, use distraction by pointing out

something happening elsewhere when

they do something you don’t want them

to do. For example, when they reach for

the TV handset on the coffee table,

gently swap it for a toy. It’s generally a

good idea to move things out of your

baby’s reach throughout your home.

Let your baby know that sometimes you

have to set limits. If your baby is on your

lap and tries to reach for your glasses,

stop them doing it by gently holding their

hand.

Always be consistent in managing your

baby.

Never smack, shake or shout at your

baby.

Toddlers

At this stage in their development, - the

‘terrible two’s’ - toddlers are learning to be

independent and want to explore their

surroundings.

They will test limits. What parents call

‘naughty’ in toddlers is just part of their

normal development.

They will probably cry and have tantrums

when they don’t get their own way. Most

parents will experience this behaviour at

some time. It’s not just you.

Have clear, simple rules and routines that

are easy for your toddler to understand.

Praise all your toddler’s good behaviour

and ignore minor misbehaviour whenever

possible. This will mean that the behav-

iour you don’t like is less likely to be re-

peated.

Avoid giving orders. They can seem

harsh to a toddler.

Try not to use the word ‘no’ too often.

Think of other ways of getting your mes-

sage across. You could use ‘later’, ‘soon’

or ‘shortly’.

Always be consistent in managing your

toddler’s behaviour.

Try to stay calm when your toddler is

having a tantrum. Before responding,

take a deep breath and silently count to

three.

Don’t smack your toddler. It will make

their behaviour worse and might even

make them afraid of you.

Teenagers

Teenagers experience pressure to follow the behaviour patterns of their friends. They are also bombarded by the media about teenage expectations, needs and desires.

All this is going on at a time when teenagers are expected to do well at school, and while they are developing their attitudes and choices about alcohol, smoking, drugs and sex.

It’s no wonder that relationships with your teenage child or children can become difficult. Parents often forget what it felt like to be a teenager.

Try to remember how you behaved as

a teenager – how you felt, what

pressures you were under, and how

hard it was to gain independence and a

sense of identity. Don’t take your

teenager’s behaviour personally.

Keep communications open with your

teenager. Don’t make them feel you

don’t care about them. Remember,

your teenager still needs your love,

support and respect.

Try not to judge your teenager’s

behaviour too harshly. Remember your

own fashion disasters and mistakes!

Accept that there may be some

conflict, but try not to use threats and

orders. Talk to your teenager.

Negotiate solutions when there is a

disagreement.

Be consistent in managing your

teenager’s behaviour.

Never hit a young person. Physical

punishment will only make your

teenager’s defiant behaviour much

worse.

Appropriate punishments you could

use might be to withdraw a privilege,

cut pocket money or refuse to allow

your teenager out for a specific time or

purpose. Be realistic with the timescale.

A couple of days can seem like a

lifetime to a teenager.

Always remember that the teenage

years will pass and your ‘difficult’

youngster will grow into an adult you

like and respect.

From brushing their first tooth to their first trip to

the dentist, here's how to take care of your

children's teeth.

A regular teeth-cleaning routine is essential for good dental health. Follow these tips and you can help keep your child's teeth decay free:

Start brushing your baby's teeth with fluoride toothpaste as soon as the first milk tooth breaks through (usually at around six months, but it can be earlier or later). It's important to use a fluoride paste as this helps prevent and control tooth decay.

All children can use family toothpaste containing 1,350-1,500ppm fluoride as long as you supervise brushing until the age of seven and make sure they don't eat or lick toothpaste from the tube.

Children under the age of six who don't have tooth decay can use a lower-strength toothpaste if you prefer, but make sure it contains at least 1,000ppm fluoride. Check the toothpaste packet for this information or ask your dentist.

Below the age of three years, children should use just a smear of toothpaste.

Children aged between three and six years should use a pea-sized blob of toothpaste. Check the toothpaste packet for this information or ask your dentist.

Brush your child's teeth for about two minutes twice a day: once just before bedtime and at least one other time during the day.

Encourage them to spit out excess toothpaste but not to rinse with lots of water. Rinsing with water after tooth brushing will wash away the fluoride and reduce its benefits.

Supervise tooth brushing until your child is seven

or eight years old, either by brushing their teeth yourself or, if they brush their own teeth, by watching how they do it. From the age of seven or eight they should be able to brush their own teeth, but it's still a good idea to watch them now and again to make sure they brush properly and for about two minutes. Making sure they brush properly

Guide your child's hand so they can feel the correct movement.

Use a mirror to help your child see exactly where the brush is cleaning their teeth.

Make tooth brushing as fun as possible by using an egg timer to time it for about two minutes.

Don't let children run around with a toothbrush in their mouth as they may have an accident and hurt themselves. Taking your child to the dentist

Take your child to the dentist when the first milk teeth appear. This is so they become familiar with the environment and get to know the dentist. The dentist can help prevent decay and identify any oral health problems at an early stage. Just opening up the child's mouth for the dentist to take a look is useful practise for when they could benefit from future preventative care.

When you visit the dentist, be positive about it and make the trip fun. This will stop your child worrying about future visits.

Take your child for regular dental check-ups as advised by the dentist.

NHS dental care for children is free. Prevent tooth decay by cutting down on sugar Sugar causes tooth decay. Children who eat sweets every day have nearly twice as much decay as children who eat sweets less often. This is caused not only by the amount of sugar in sweet food and drinks, but by how often the teeth are in contact with the sugar. Sweet drinks in a bottle or feeder cup and lollipops are particularly damaging because they bathe the teeth in sugar for long periods of time. Acidic drinks such as fruit juice and squash can harm teeth, too. This is why it’s better to dilute them well and give them at mealtimes, not in between. The following measures will help you reduce the amount of sugar in your child’s diet and prevent tooth decay.

From the time your baby is weaned, encourage them to eat savoury food. Check if there's sugar in pre-prepared baby foods (including the savoury ones), rusks and baby drinks, especially fizzy drinks, squash and syrups.

Only give sweet foods and fruit juice (diluted one part juice to 10 parts water) at mealtimes.

Don't give biscuits or sweets as treats. Ask relatives and friends to do the same. Use items such as stickers, badges, hair slides, crayons, small books, notebooks, colouring books and bubbles. They may be more expensive than sweets but they last longer.

If children are having sweets or chocolate, it’s less harmful for their teeth if they eat the sweets all at once and at the end of a meal rather than eating them little by little and/or between meals.

At bedtime or during the night, give your baby milk or water rather than baby juices or sugar-sweetened drinks.

If your child needs medicine, ask your pharmacist or GP if there’s a sugar-free option.

Avoid drinks containing artificial sweeteners, such as saccharin or aspartame. If you do give them, dilute them with at least 10 parts water to one part concentrate.

It’s OK to use bottles for expressed breast milk, infant formula or cooled boiled water. However, using them for juices or sugary drinks can increase tooth decay. It’s best to put these drinks in a cup and keep drinking times short.

Between six months and one year, you can offer drinks in a non-valved free-flowing cup.

Check your whole family’s sugar intake, and look for ways of cutting down.

Sugar is not always labelled as sugar. Sucrose, glucose, dextrose, maltose, fructose and hydrolysed starch are all sugars. Invert sugar or syrup, honey, raw sugar, brown sugar, cane sugar, muscovado and concentrated fruit juices are all sugars. Maltodextrin is not a sugar, but can still cause tooth decay. Beakers and cups for babies Using an open cup or a free-flow cup without a valve will help your baby learn to sip rather than suck, which is better for their teeth. Comfort sucking on sweetened drinks is the biggest cause of tooth decay in young children. If you use a bottle or trainer cup, don't put anything in it other than infant formula, breast milk or water. Choosing a baby beaker or cup It’s important to choose the right kind of beaker or cup. A beaker with a free-flow lid (without a non-spill valve) is better than a bottle or beaker with a teat. Drinks flow very slowly through a teat, which means that children spend a lot of time with the teat in their mouth. As soon as your child is ready, encourage them to move from a lidded beaker to drinking from a cup.

Information taken from the NHS website at:

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/dentalhealth/Pages/Careofkidsteeth.aspx

8

All Areas

Do you need a

helping hand to

find work or

training?

Our Employment &

Training Officers

have become a

widely used

Employment

Support Service.

They deliver what

jobseekers need; a

friendly helping

hand. Most

importantly this

service is free,

convenient, and

effective!

Contacting us:

For your own

personalised

support, call your

local children’s

centre and ask to

speak to the

Employment and

Training Officer.

Or are you interested in Volunteering?

Volunteering with us means that you can help us to

make a difference in the lives of young children in your

community.

It will also give you experience, access to training,

references, and will be something really positive to put

on your CV!

What people have said so far

“I have now come off benefits and I work in two

roles at my local school as a Midday Assistant

and also as a Classroom Cleaner.”

“I would also like to thank the Children’s Centre

Workers and the ETO Terry for all their support

(and nagging) when advising me to attend the

courses.”

“Thank you. I've really enjoyed helping out and

thank you for the opportunity you have given

me. “

9

All Areas

10

All Areas

0161 912 1053

fis@trafford.gov.uk

www.trafford.gov.uk/servicedirectory

@traffordFIS

www.facebook.com/traffordFIS

for children, young people and their families

You may be able to get

up to 15 free hours per

week for your child

There are some day

nurseries, preschool

playgroups and childminders

who have places available

immediately

So don’t delay, apply today!

Free places may also be available for disabled children / children with additional needs

Contact us for more information:

www.trafford.gov.uk/servicedirectory | 0161 912 1053 | Monday to Friday | 8.30am – 5pm

You are eligible to apply for a free place if you receive one of

these benefits

Income support

Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)

Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

The guarantee element of the State Pension Credit

Extra working tax credit relating to a disability

Child tax credit and your annual income does not exceed £16,190

Asylum seekers receiving support under Part VI of the Immigration and

Asylum Act 1999

11

All Areas

You can use your library card to borrow books and story tapes at any Trafford library. Our friendly staff are waiting to help you.

Services include books, (paper, audio and ebooks), self issue machines, computer and internet

access, Access Trafford services, monthly police meetings, activities for parents and children such as story and rhyme times, councillor advice surgeries, archives and local history, talking book

service, readers groups, film clubs and more!

For more information on things to do at your local library, pop in or visit the For Residents section at the council’s website at www.trafford.gov.uk

For times and dates of activities for parents and young children at Trafford Libraries Trafford Family Information Service 0161 912 1053 Trafford Service Directory www.trafford.gov.uk/servicedirectory Some activities are term time only. Many libraries run extra things during the school holidays for children of all ages. Toy Libraries Coppice Avenue, Davyhulme and Lostock Libraries. There is a charge of 50p per toy, for a three week loan.

12

All Areas

We use symbols on our posters to let people know whether they

are going to be able to access our services or not. This is what the

symbols mean.

You can easily get around in a wheelchair

Accessible toilets are available

Information can be requested in large print

Information can be requested in Braille

Assistance dogs are welcome

A hearing loop system is available

Sign language used

Staff have had disability awareness and equality training

There is accessible car parking on site

Blue badge parking spaces close by, or parking can be booked in advance

There is a public car park close to the venue (within 200 yards)

There is an accessible changing room available

All our children’s centres have been awarded Levels 1, 2 and 3 in the

Inclusion Friendly Stamp. This helps us make sure that all our services

are delivered in places that disabled people - both adults and

children - can get into and move around comfortably in.

If you ever have any problems at any of our services (someone may

have parked in the accessible parking space, for example), please

let us know so we can make the changes needed.

13

North

Stretford | Lostock | Gorse Hill |

Old Trafford | Firswood

Stretford Children’s Centre * 0161 912 5020

Old Trafford Children’s Centre * 0161 912 5524

Old Trafford Library / Children’s Centre

The library on Shrewsbury Street has now

closed, and there is a temporary library in

Old Trafford Youth Club, just inside

Seymour Park at the end of St Hilda’s Road.

The children’s centre has a reception desk

in the library, and we will be running a story

and rhyme time for ten weeks in the

children’s library area on a Thursday

afternoon (see the What’s On pages for

more information).

Other services that used to be based at the

library are now being delivered at other

venues - the list of those is on the next

page.

The plan is for the new community centre on

Shrewsbury Street to be built and open by

2017.

For more information, go to Trafford

Housing Trust’s website at

www.traffordhousingtrust.co.uk

The full link is;

www.traffordhousingtrust.co.uk/your-

community/old-trafford-master-plan/

shrewsbury-street

The Parent Satisfaction Survey for children’s

centres in Trafford took place in September

2014. Those who responded to the survey

were given the opportunity to enter a prize

draw to win vouchers - first prize was £100,

second prize £50 and third prize £20.

Ann Marie Nicholson, pictured above with

Michelle Morris, won first prize and was

presented with £100 worth of vouchers at

Stretford Children’s Centre!

14

North

15

North

Baby Massage

“Long before babies are able to speak, or even respond to sounds and

sights, they communicate with the world around them through touch.”

www.nct.org.uk

Massage is a lovely way for you to express your love and care for your baby

It can soothe your baby and help her to sleep

It is a great way to bond with your baby, and you may find it relaxing, too

Benefits of Baby Massage

improves weight gain

aids digestion

improves circulation

eases teething pain

strengthens bonding and attachment

improves circulation and immune system

increases confidence in handling your baby

improves muscle tone. Greater sense of body

awareness

develops gross motor skills

improves sleeping and feeding patterns

is enjoyable and special time with your baby

can reduce constipation, colic, crying and fretfulness

“Baby massage

helped me and

my child with

bedtime

routines”

“I have learnt

different ways

to soothe my

baby”

“It has helped

me to make

friends and

become more

confident”

Baby massage

is great for dads

too and we

would love to

see more dads

coming to our

courses!

We run Baby

Massage courses

on a regular

basis at all

children’s

centres. Contact

your local centre

of check the

Family Services

Directory to find

out more!

16

North

What’s On This Term

*Not all of these services are provided by the children’s centre

9:30 am - 11:00 am Mum’s The Word Old Trafford Community Academy 9:30 am - 11:00 am Mum’s The Word Salvation Army, Stretford Mum’s the Word is a chance to meet other mums and share your experiences and an opportunity to talk to a health visitor or Sure Start worker about being a parent. Learn about your baby’s health and development. Have your baby weighed. Understand how your baby communicates with you and what your baby is telling you. Find out how your baby develops and what they like to play with. Get support with your child’s behaviour 10:00 am to 11:00 am Story / Rhyme Time

Old Trafford Library

Run by library staff.

10:00 am to 12:00 noon Delly Babies (0 - 1 Years) Delamere Health Centre 0161 864 0300 1:30 pm - 3:15 pm

Volunteer Group Old Trafford Community Academy Get involved in a range of events!

9.30 am to 11.00 am Baby Club / Baby Massage Stretford Children’s Centre Drop in sessions for you and your baby - 6 weeks to 6 months. Sorry, we cannot accommodate older children/siblings. These sessions run alongside each other so you can drop in to play with your baby and/or participate in baby massage sessions. Please contact the centre for further information on 0161 912 5020 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm Learn As You Play

Old Trafford Community

Academy

Parent and toddler drop-in session

9:15 am to 10:15 am & 10:30 am - 11:30 am Toddler Gym Seymour Park Primary School Everyone welcome! Fun activities for babies and toddlers - gym equipment, colouring, songs. In the Assembley Hall - via main reception. Contact Jacqui 0161 872 1150 Term time only, £1 9:30 am - 11:00 am

Health Visitor Drop In

10:00 am -11:00 am Baby Massage Drop In Both at Old Trafford Community Academy Running alongside the Under 5’s Parent & Child Drop-In Play Session and Coffee Stop 10:00 am to 11:30 am Stay and Play Stretford Children’s Centre Parent and toddler drop-in session run by local volunteers. We are always on the lookout for more volunteers to help run this session. 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Messy Wednesday Old Trafford Community Academy Come and enjoy a range of messy activities with your under 5!

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY

17

North

What’s On This Term

*Not all of these services are provided by the children’s centre

9:00 am – 11:00 am Ladies Morning Old Trafford Community Academy A general chat and breakfast - Contact Sarah Doyle or Carol Rodrigues for more information on: 0161 912 4875

9:15 am to 11:15 am

Childminder's Group

Stretford Children’s Centre

Drop-in session for Child-

minder's to meet each other

and bring the children in their

care to enjoy a range of

activities including outdoor

play.

1:15 pm to 3:00 pm

Gorse Hill Grow and Play

The Lodge Scout Hut

Parents and young children

playing, learning, reading,

dancing, singing, exploring,

digging together, indoors and

out - we even have our own

allotment available!

Term time only

1:45 pm – 2:30 pm

Story / Rhyme Time

Old Trafford Library

(22 Jan to 26 Mar)

Run by Children’s Centre

Workers, for parents with

young children to discover the

new library in the Youth

Centre in Seymour Park.

(10 weeks, term time only)

9:00 am to 10:30 am Share Seymour Park Primary School Community Centre Everyone welcome! A fun and relaxed morning for babies, toddlers, parents, grandparents and carers. Tea, coffee, snacks, stories, crafts, playtime and songs. Contact Jacqui 0161 872 1150 Term time only, 50p 9:30 am to 11:30 am Tiny Talkers The Leathwaite Centre Baby clinic with additional play and language focused Activities. Term time only. 9:45 am to 11:45 am Pop Tots Stretford Children’s Centre Parent and toddler drop-in session run by local parents, where parents and children can meet each other to enjoy a range of activities including outdoor play. 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Breast Feeding Support Group Stretford Children’s Centre Peer support group aiming to support mothers in breast feeding their babies for as long as they want to. There is up to date information and advice on latching on, expressing breast milk, storage, going back to work, weaning etc.

Mon / Tue / Wed / Fri 9:00 am – 11:00 am Under 5’s Parent & Child Drop-In Play Session and Coffee Stop Old Trafford Community Academy Everybody welcome | tea and toast available Friday Young Bumps Lostock Youth Centre This is a group for pregnant teenagers, delivered in partnership with Trafford Youth Service. Contact the Children’s Centre for more information.

Thursday Friday Plus...

For more information on

services available for families,

don’t forget that you can

check the Trafford Information

Service at

www.trafford.gov.uk/servicedirectory

0161 912 1053

18

North

Venues If you are reading this on a computer, tablet or smart phone that is connected to the internet, click on the postcodes to

go to the Google Map for each venue.

Contact details are for information on sessions advertised in the What’s On pages in this newsletter.

Address Contact Postcode

Stretford Children’s Centre 9, Poplar Road

Stretford

Reception 0161 912 5020 M32 9AD

Old Trafford Children’s Centre c/o Old Trafford Youth Centre

St Hilda's Rd Old Trafford

Reception 0161 912 5542 M16 9PQ

Old Trafford Library c/o Old Trafford Youth Centre

St Hilda's Rd Old Trafford

Reception 0161 912 3189 M16 9PQ

Delamere Health Centre Delamere Avenue

Stretford

Reception 0161 864 0200 M32 0DF

The Lodge Scout Hut 22, Beresford Rd

Gorse Hill

Stretford Children’s Centre 0161 912 5020 M32 0PY

The Leathwaite Centre 229, Winchester Road

Lostock

Stretford Children’s Centre 0161 912 5020 M32 9PT

Old Trafford Community Academy Malvern Street

Old Trafford

Sarah Doyle / Carol Rodrigues

0161 912 4875 M16 9AD

Seymour Park Primary School Northumberland Road

Old Trafford

Jacqui Hanrahan 0161 872 1150 M16 9QE

Salvation Army Brunswick Street

Stretford

Stretford Children’s Centre 0161 912 5020 M32 8NJ

Lostock Youth Centre Selby Road

Stretford

Stretford Children’s Centre 0161 912 5020 M32 9PL

19

North

North area children’s centre families have

benefitted from Key 103’s toy appeal!

One family told us the children - a girl aged 11, and three boys aged 9, 5 and 2, enjoyed the presents and were all very grateful for the kind thoughts and generosity.

They said their daughter is still so excited about playing with her “Girlie things” including a doll among other items.

One of the boys received a pair of training shoes which had been donated by Adidas. He has been so excited that they have pride of place on the shoe stand and as soon as he comes home from school he changes straight into them.

They also got some board games and jigsaws which they have all played together, with the older children teaching the younger children some of the words in English, as they all speak Arabic at home.

Another parent told us;

“My son was very happy with the toy rocket he received from the Key 103 toy appeal via the children’s centre. He plays with this every day and I would say it has become his favourite toy. He also loves to play with the spinner, chasing it round the room when it spins.

We were so grateful with the toys as I don’t have a lot of money and tried to get him something but couldn’t really afford it. The fact he had something to open on Christmas day was really nice.

Thanks so much”

Family Support Feedback

A mum with a 16 month old boy, who is new to the area, without friends or family close by, who has been accessing family support from the children’s centre following the birth of her first child told us:

“With visits from the children’s centre staff I felt connected with different events/courses and help e.g. food bank vouchers and Key 103 Christmas presents. It helped my confidence grow and also allowed my child to interact with other children and have access to toys and activities we didn’t have at home.

Attending groups made me feel more confident and also made me feel that I had the knowledge to do something, especially the ‘Keep Me Safe’ course. It made me feel that I would be able to help if I needed to.

Attending various courses helped me grow in confidence and made me feel that I was still learning and not just spending time at home with my child. It also got me out with other adults”

Baby Massage Feedback

20

West

Partington | Carrington

Urmston | Davyhulme | Flixton & Woodsend

Partington Children’s Centre * 0161 912 2122

Urmston Children’s Centre * 0161 912 3274

Venues If you are reading this on a computer,

tablet or smart phone that is connected

to the internet, click on the postcodes to

go to the Google Map for each venue

Partington Children’s Centre

Central Road, Partington

M31 4FL

Partington Library / Wellbeing

Centre

Central Road, Partington

M31 4FL

Partington Community Centre

Central Road, Partington

M31 4EQ

Ear 4U

Moss Lane, Partington

M31 4FA

Urmston Children’s Centre

Acre Hall Primary School

Irlam Road, Flixton

M41 6NA

Woodsend Scout Hut

Crescent Road, Urmston

M41 8AD

Urmston Library

Golden Way, Urmston

M41 0NA

St. Mary’s Primary School

Cornhill Road, Urmston

M41 5TJ

St. Mary’s Church Hall

Davyhulme Road, Urmston

M41 7BU

Christ Church

Lostock Road, Davyhulme

M41 0TD

Davyhulme Library

Hayeswater Road,

M41 7BL

The West area team took part in the annual Save the

Children Christmas Jumper Day. We raised a massive

£57:00.

A great big thank you to everyone for taking part.

21

West

Incredible Years course

The course started on 29th September and

was held at Urmston Children’s Centre

Deirdre and Esther welcomed 5 people onto

the course, these 5 included 4 mums and 1

grandma

The families all had children of various ages

ranging from 5 months up to grown up and

with their own children

The group was well attended each session

and we all shared the events of the past

week with the rest of the group. Revisiting

strategies that we had learnt and offering

advice and reminders to each other about

how to deal with situations as they arose.

The Incredible Years course is a behaviour

management course based around play and

all of the families said how they had realised

that play is so important in children’s lives.

Everyone said how they had seen a change

and an improvement in their child’s

behaviour as they had started playing with

them more and more as well as praising

positive behaviour and implementing

routines into their children’s day. The

attendees all stated how much they had

enjoyed the course and how helpful it was to

meet each week and to be able to discuss

strategies etc with families who were in

similar situations

5 people started the course and 5 people

finished – well done to all who attended,

contributed and completed!

Volunteers A group of Partington residents have signed up to a 6 week volunteer course due to finish in early January. They have been trained in the skills needed to run Stay and play sessions at Partington Children’s Centre. Without these volunteers, we would not be able to continue to run the sessions. A big thank you to the dedication of these ladies, who will no doubt progress to gainful employment as most of our other volunteers have. Being a volunteer for Trafford means that you will receive free high quality training: from basic Maths and English to higher recognised qualifications, improving your chances of finding your dream job. Some of our volunteers have gone on to complete degrees and now run their own private Nursery.

New Student We have an eager student from Edge Hill university who has come to join us on placement at Partington Children’s Centre. Jade, who is studying for a degree in early years leadership, organised a successful messy play activity on the 16th December which was well attended. Watch out for more messy play activities in the new year delivered by Jade!

Work Experience

We had eight girls from Flixton High School on eight weeks work experience. They learned about the set up and layout of a club for parents and babies, interaction and communication between parents and babies and other parents and the benefits of a children’s centre service like the baby club for parents and babies. They also learned about natural resources and rhyme times and the uses of resources in assisting babies’ physical, sensory, visual and communication development. The girls showed assertiveness and involved themselves with the parents and babies well. They have been a great help to me in setting up and tidying away the group while we have no volunteers to help us.

Rhianwyn Corke, Children’s Centre Worker

22

West

Top Tip for Christmas

Don’t throw away your big boxes! Young children are often more interested in the box than the present. This is because a simple box is a non specific toy - meaning that there is no right or wrong way to play with it. This opens up your child’s imagination without any boundaries, rules or restrictions.

Partington Children’s Centre at Tesco Express Opening

Tesco invited Partington Children’s Centre to help open their new store in the Partington

Shopping Centre, a new development in this area. Tesco were originally contacted by the

centre in the summer when we were providing a mark making activity in the summer school

holidays, they kindly donated resources to support this activity for parents and children. Tesco

have adopted our centre as their charity in the local area & donated £500 which they gave at

the stores opening on 9th Dec. The opening was attended by the mayor and the leader of the

council. Also present at the ceremony were a number of volunteers, parents and children from

the children’s centre and a group of young children from the onsite nursery. Tesco informed

us that 20 people from the local area have been employed by the store. The centre plans to

use the donated money to buy outdoor children’s play equipment and mark making resources.

The manager from the local store informed the centre that they would like to continue working

with us to provide healthy incentives and events for families in Partington.

23

West

The babies and their mums enjoyed messy Christmas crafts sessions throughout

December at Urmston’s weekly breast feeding support drop-in.

West area breast feeding support drop-ins

Come and join us at our weekly breast feeding drop-in support sessions.

Meet our friendly experienced La Leche League breast feeding peer supporters

and enjoy a hot drink and toast. Jackie Hall (infant feeding coordinator) also visits

the session to offer support and advice.

Urmston Children’s Centre

Breast feeding support drop-in

Friday 9:30 - 11:30.

Jackie Hall attends 2nd

and 4th Friday.

Partington Children’s Centre

Breast feeding support drop-in

Friday 1:00 - 2:30

Jackie Hall attends the 1st Friday.

Baby Incredible Years

Do you have a baby under

6 months?

Would you like to attend

our fantastic Baby Incredi-

ble Years programme?

Jan 19th

1-3pm At Partington Children’s Centre

Open to parents in Partington, Urmston, Davyhulme, Flixton,

Stretford.

Please ring to book a place 0161 912 2122

24

West

What’s On This Term

*Not all of these services are provided by the Children’s Centre

9:30 am - 11:30 am

Play & Stay

Partington Children’s Centre

£1.00 per family | volunteer run |

M31 residents only

9:30 am - 11:30 am

Childminder’s Playgroup

Urmston Children’s Centre

9:45 am - 11:15 am

Tiny Tots Play & Stay

Woodsend Scout Hut

£1.00 per family | volunteer run |

term time only

9:30 am – 4:00 pm

Creative Corner Shop

Partington Children’s Centre

10:30 am - 11:30 am

Storytime

Davyhulme Library

1:30 pm - 3:00 pm

Parent & Toddler Group

St. Mary’s Church Hall

£1.00 per family | volunteer run |

term time only

1:30 pm

Baby Massage

St. Mary’s Church Room

Ring 912 2122 to book a place.

Baby Club

Acre Hall Primary School

Run by Health Visitors | HV

invitation only.

9:00 am – 12:00 noon Midwife’s Clinic Urmston Children’s Centre

9:30 am - 11:30 am Play & Stay Christ Church, Davyhulme £2.00 per family | volunteer run

| Term Time Only

10:30 am - 11:00 am

Rhyme Time Woodsend Library 10:00 am - 12:00 noon Baby Massage Partington Children’s Centre

By invitation 1:30 pm - 2:00 pm Rhyme Time Urmston Library

9:15 am – 3:00 pm Midwife’s Clinic Partington Children’s Centre

Registrar Partington Children’s Centre

Last Wednesday of every month to register new births 9:15 am - 11:15 am Childminder’s Group Partington Children’s Centre

9:30 am – 4:00 pm Creative Corner Shop Partington Children’s Centre

2:15 pm – 2:45 pm Story Time Urmston Library 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Job Club Partington Library & Wellbeing Centre

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY

25

West

What’s On This Term

*Not all of these services are provided by the Children’s Centre

9:30 am - 11:30 am Grandparent’s Stay & Play Group Urmston Children’s Centre

Drop-in | Fortnightly from 15th Jan 10:30 pm - 11:00 pm Rhyme Time Partington Library & Wellbeing Centre 12.30 pm Toddler Gym Urmston Library Ring 912 2122 to book a place 16 to 36 months old 1:30 pm - 2:00 pm Rhyme Time Urmston Library 1:45 pm - 3:00 pm St. Mary’s Play & Stay 2.00 pm Toddler Gym Urmston Library Ring 912 2122 to book a place 16 to 36 months old 2:00 pm - 2:30 pm Story Time Woodsend Library

9:30 am - 11:30 am

Breastfeeding Support

Group

Urmston Children’s Centre

10:15 am & 11:00 am Rhyme Time Davyhulme Library 10:30 am - 11:30 am Baby Club (up to 18 months) Urmston Library Please note new times | £1.50 charge | Term time only 9:30 am – 4:00 pm Creative Corner Shop Partington Children’s Centre 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm Breastfeeding Support Group Partington Children’s Centre 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Adoptive Parents Group

Urmston Children’s Centre

Fortnightly | Ring Urmston Children’s Centre for further information 2:00 pm - 2:30 pm Rhyme Time Woodsend Library

COURSES Referrals via Health or Family Support Workers HENRY (Healthy Lifestyles) Incredible Years (Toddler & Baby) Small Talk Keep Me Safe Employment & Training Support and advice from our Employment & Training Officer on CVs, Job Applications, Interviews, Job Vacancies, Adult Learning, e.g. Confidence building, computer skills, literacy, numeracy - available daily. For further assistance please ring 912 2122 or 912 3274 or call in and see Terry at Partington Children’s Centre each Thursday 9:00—1:00 pm Soft Play Room and Sensory Room at Partington Children’s Centre Open daily Please ring 912 2122 for availability Parent’s Voice (Forum) Have your say on Children’s Centre services and future developments. Please ring if you need a crèche space. Urmston Children’s Centre Mon 23rd February 2015 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm Partington Children’s Centre Tue 24th February 2015

Thursday Friday Plus...

26

South

Altrincham | Timperley | Broomwood | Hale

Hale Barns | Dunham | Broadheath

Altrincham Children’s Centre * 0161 912 5821

Venues If you are reading this on a computer, tablet or

smart phone that is connected to the internet,

click on the postcodes to go to the Google

Map for each venue

Altrincham Children’s Centre

Broadheath Primary School

Sinderland Rd, Broadheath

WA14 5JQ

Heyes Lane Primary School

Crofton Avenue, Timperley

WA15 6BZ

Altrincham Library

Stamford New Road,

Altrincham

WA14 1EJ

Broomwood Community

Centre

Mainwood Road, Timperley

WA15 7JU

Timperley Library

405 Stockport Road, Timperley

WAI5 7XR

Hale Library

Leigh Road, Hale

WA15 9BG

Laura was the lucky

winner of our Parent

Satisfaction Survey

2014

27

South

“I liked all the positive energy and all the support provided”

“I liked most the discussions amongst the mums and the expert group leaders (Mandy and

Helen). We never feel embarrassed or shy to ask them any questions, they always help with

their experience and it works (A big thank you).”

“I would like more than 11 sessions”

“I’ve learnt a lot and because of this I feel much more confident. I liked listening to other

parents stories and learning something new every week. To be honest I didn’t dislike anything,

really enjoyed my time on the course. It was perfect.”

“Everything has been great, I have learnt a lot, also got my husband involved in reading the

book and notes”.

Toddler Incredible Years—September to November 2014

Broomwood Primary School

28

South

What’s On This Term

*Not all of these services are provided by the Children’s Centre

9:00 am - 10:00 am

Health Visitor Drop In

(Monday - Friday)

10:00 am - 10:45 am

Baby Massage

Altrincham Children’s Centre

ring 0161 912 5821 to book

10:30 am - 12:00 am

Broadheath Buddies

Altrincham Children’s Centre

1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Toddler Incredible Years

Altrincham Children’s Centre

9:30 am - 11:00 am Baby Club Heyes Lane Primary School 10:00 am - 12:00 noon Parentcraft Classes Altrincham Children’s Centre ring 0161 912 5821 to book

9:30 am - 1:00 pm

Employment and Training

Advice

Altrincham Children’s Centre

9:00 am - 10:00 am

Well Baby and Child Clinic

Altrincham Children’s Centre

Breastfeeding Support 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm Altrincham Children’s Centre Weekly with a Peer Supporter PLUS: Wed 7th Jan 1:00 - 3:00 pm Early days/weeks with a breastfed baby Wed 28th Jan 1:00 - 3:00 pm Preventing and overcoming common breastfeeding hurdles Wed 25th Feb 1:00 - 3:00 pm Early days/weeks with a breastfed baby Wed 4th Mar 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Preventing and overcoming common breastfeeding hurdles

Wed 25th Mar

1:00 - 3:00 pm

Early days/weeks with a breastfed baby

Monday Tuesday Wednesday

9:00 am - 10:00 am

Toddler Gym

Broadheath Primary School

(term time only) THE LAST

SESSION WILL BE

THURSDAY 12TH FEB 2015

9:00 am - 10:45 am

Well Baby and Child Clinic

Altrincham Children’s Centre

9:00 am - 1:00 pm

Midwife Appointments

Altrincham Children’s Centre

ring 0161 912 5821 to book

10:00 am - 11:30 am Twins Group Altrincham Children’s Centre

9:00 am - 1:00 pm

Midwife Appointments

Altrincham Children’s Centre

ring 0161 912 5821 to book

9:30 am - 1:00 pm Employment and Training Advice Broomwood Wellbeing and Community Centre

Thursday Friday

Toddler Incredible Years Altrincham Children’s Centre Mon 12th Jan - Mon 23rd Mar 2015 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Baby Savers Broomwood Primary School Mon 26th Jan 2015 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Booking Now call for more information

29

South

Case Study

Sophie Embrey Apprentice Participation Worker

Sophie’s story:

“I had been searching and applying for jobs

for quite a while before I came across this

job vacancy. I also used to have regular

appointments at Connexions who would help

me with searching and applying for jobs.

I looked at lots of different apprenticeships

as I wanted to gain a qualification, I had

previously done an apprenticeship in

Hairdressing after leaving school but I didn’t

enjoy it so after I had my daughter, when I

was aged 18, I decided not to go back into it

as it wasn’t for me, it was then that I decided

I would like to do some work around

children.

I would regularly check for job vacancies

online including on the Trafford Council

jobsite which is where I came across this

vacancy, I read the job description and I

liked the sound of the job, it was something I

would like to do and I knew I would enjoy it,

so I started to fill in the application form and

took it to my next visit with Louise so she

could have a look and help me with filling it

in.

The application form took me a while as it

was quite long but I finally got it finished and

sent off.”

Where did the journey take me?

“Since starting the Apprenticeship on 20th

August 2012 I have completed my NVQ

Levels 2 & 3 in Children and Young People’s

Workforce.

I have taken part in lots of different things to

help me gain my level 2 such as: I work with

the participation workers doing things like

organising fun days/ helping with parent

forums/ getting children’s centre

registrations and many more things, I

work with the mobile crèche team 2 days

a week working on crèches looking after

children aged 0-5 while their parents

access children’s centre groups. I also

work a day supporting the butterflies’

young parents group which is run by the

youth service for young parents under

the age of 20 years old to offer them

information, advice and support, and to

meet other young parents.”

Personal comments from –

Nia (Young Parents Coordinator)

“Sophie is an amazing addition to our

young parents’ team.”

Joanne ( Crèche Manager)

“Sophie has been working with the

crèche team for over a year now and has

grown in her confidence, skills and

knowledge.”

Lorraine (Early Help Co-ordinator)

“Sophie has shown incredible flexibility

during her time in our service I feel that

this demonstrates Sophie’s determination

to succeed, professionalism and

adaptability. I continue to hear positive

comments regarding Sophie and her

work. “

Sophie now works in a nursery in

Trafford.

30

South

We had a very busy and successful Christmas party at St

Albans Church, Broadheath.

The activities included:

A bouncy castle

Face painting

Hand printed calendars

Baby area

Healthy snacks

Raffle

“Brilliant, so much more than I was

expecting. Both my children

enjoyed it (2years 11 months and 7

months). Fantastic resource to

have in Trafford – would happily

have paid to ensure this children’s

party continues.“

“We have had a lovely

afternoon. The craft,

bouncy castle and food

were very well organised

and arranged. The staff

were very friendly, and the

toy from Santa was much

appreciated. Thanks for all

your hard work. 10/10”

31

Central

Sale | Sale Moor

Sale West | Ashton on Mersey

Sale Children’s Centre * 0161 912 2431

Venues If you are reading this on a computer, tablet

or smart phone that is connected to the

internet, click on the postcodes to go to the

Google Map for each venue

Sale Children’s Centre

Coppice Library,

Coppice Avenue,

Sale

M33 4ND

St. Francis Church

Budworth Road,

Sale

M33 2RP

Sale Library

Sale Waterside,

Town Centre, Sale

M33 7ZF

Sale West Youth /

Community Centre

Newbury Avenue, Sale

M33 4QW

Sale Talkshop

Tatton Road,

Town Centre, Sale

M33 7YH

In partnership with Coppice Library, Sale

West and The Genesis Group at St. Francis

Church, Sale Moor we held two Christmas

parties. Fun activities included meeting

Santa, hand printed calendars, singing and

healthy snacks.

‘Found the advice on looking for childcare to be a

great help! Thank you’ x

‘I’ve enjoyed this afternoon, been busy but fun. Kids

had a great time’ x

32

Central

Free food from around the world

Make your own fruit kebab and healthy take-away pizza

Free children’s activities

Free raffle

Community Learning course information & sign up

33

Central

Melanie’s story:

“The local children’s centre introduced me to Trafford College delivering courses in my local area

and I started with Positive Parenting at Altrincham Children’s Centre a few years ago which

introduced me to the idea of learning locally and then asked about other courses.

As a number of these courses were run at my local children’s centres in Sale and Altrincham, I was

encouraged by staff to consider any of the courses the thought would be of benefit to me, both to

develop my skills and also to help me find work in the future. My initial hesitancy was overcome by

the opportunity to learn in a small group with some other mums I got to know from the children’s

centre. As well as learning something new and developing my skills I enjoyed meeting new people

and talking to them. Alison, the tutor was also very supportive and encouraged me with my

learning.”

“I have now come off benefits and I work in two roles at my local school as a Midday Assistant and

also as a Classroom Cleaner.

My achievements have also inspired my eldest son to attend training and he has completed SIA

training and now works for Event Security in Manchester.”

What would you say to someone who is thinking about doing a new course?

“DO IT!!!!!...The hardest part is taking the first step, but enrolling on a local course either in the

community or at either of Trafford College’s Campus can change your life and that of your family, it

did for me.

I would also like to thank the Children’s Centre Workers and the ETO Terry for all their support (and

nagging) when advising me to attend the courses.”

Melanie Sharp

34

Central

What’s On This Term

*Not all of these services are provided by the Children’s Centre

10:00 am - 12:00 noon

Employment and Training

Advice

Sale West Community Centre

(in the Sunshine Café)

1:15 pm - 2:45 pm

Baby Massage

Sale West Community Centre

ring 0161 912 2431 to book

9:30 am - 1:00 pm Employment and Training Advice Sale Children’s Centre 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm Breastfeeding Support St Francis Church, Sale Moor

1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Baby Club

Sale West Youth Centre

Monday Tuesday Wednesday

Booking Now - call for more information

Baby Incredible Years:

Venue: Sale Children’s Centre

Date: Fri 16th January - Fri 13th March 2015

Time: 9.30 - 11.00 am

Baby Savers:

Venue: Sale Children’s Centre

Date: Tuesday 10th March

Time: 1:00 - 3.00pm

Venue: Sale Moor Dates and times and venue to be confirmed. Please call the children’s centre for further details or check on our facebook page.

9:30 am - 11:30 am

Breastfeeding Support

Sale West Youth Centre

1:00 pm – 3: 00 pm

Employment and Training

Advice

Sale Moor Community

Learning Centre

Thursday Friday

9.30 - 11.00 am

Baby Incredible Years

Sale Children’s Centre

35

Central

“It has been an absolute brilliant programme - I’m

so glad I could be a part of it, well done Sure Start”

“Thanks again for all your help and time!”

“Great course, I really enjoyed the interaction and

meeting new people”

Do you want to enhance your

employability, improve your

skills, meet new people and

become a valuable member of

a team in a childcare setting?

Why not join the

Inspire Programme

4 Volunteers

at Sale Children’s Centre, Coppice

Avenue Library

M33 4ND.

(Please enquire about crèche

availability)

***

Programme Dates Volunteer Programme

Mondays (5 weeks)

12 January - 9 February

1:00 - 3:00pm (Prepare for a Volunteer Placement,

Equality & Diversity, Effective Customer

Relations, Interpersonal Skills and

Conflict Resolution)

CIEH Level 2 Food Safety

Monday 23 February

9.30 - 3:00pm

Emergency First Aid at Work

(Level 2)

Monday 2 March

9.30 - 3:00pm

How to Book Your Place

Call 0161 886 7445 to register

your interest.

Book Your Place on Thursday 8

January at 9.30am.

(no fees with an eligible benefit).

Stretford & Old Trafford Children’s Centres

www.facebook.com/otscc

Stretford: 0161 912 5020

Old Trafford: 0161 912 5542

North Area

Partington & Urmston Children’s Centres

www.facebook.com/puwacc

Partington: 0161 912 2122

Urmston: 0161 912 3274

West Area

Altrincham Children’s Centre

www.facebook.com/salealtcc

0161 912 5821

South Area

Sale Children’s Centre

www.facebook.com/salealtcc

0161 912 2431

Central Area

Design, content & Layout: Toni Scandella / Val Gray 2015