Carousel Family Hub - Braintree District

12/06/2026

Are you a parent or carer of a young person with special educational
needs and disabilities (SEND) aged 0 to 25? Do you want to know
what support is available in your area? Come along to one of our
Essex SEND Local Offer Roadshows.

You can chat with teams from Education, Health and Social Care, as
well as local support groups and activity providers.

Come and see us at Silver End Village Hall, 3 Broadway, Silver End, CM8 3RQ.
Drop in between 9:30am and 12:30pm on Wednesday 17 June 2026.

Scan the QR Code for all the information, including dates and venues or visit the
Essex Local Offer at:
https://send.essex.gov.uk/i-think-my-child-needs-help/essex-send-local-offer-roadshows

12/06/2026

Come along to Acorn Family Hub Delivery Site, Beridge Road, Halstead, CO9 1JH on Weds 29th July 26 from 1pm - 3pm and learn some lifesaving techniques to keep your family safe.
This free Family First Aid session covers how to perform CPR, how to deal with choking, burns, poisoning and common childhood medical concerns. This course is for adults but babies may attend.
Please call 0300 247 0014 to book your place.

11/06/2026

Parents! Could YOU help improve the state of children's plates?

The Children’s Food Campaign is excited to announce that they will be expanding their Parent Ambassadors programme, giving more parents and carers across England the chance to help shape a healthier future for children’s food. They are keen to hear from parents with children in Years 6-11, and people from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds, whose voices are too often missing from decisions about school food, advertising and children’s health.

In September, the Government will expand free school meals to all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit, and we'd love to hear from parents or carers likely to be impacted by this change. With shorter lunch breaks and grab-and-go meals now the dominant option in many secondary schools and persistent inequalities in access to healthy, affordable food, it’s more important than ever that parents of older children are also heard in government policy making. Parent Ambassadors are at the heart of our Children’s Food Campaign. They help us make sure real family experiences shape national conversations and policy decisions on children’s food.

Applications are now open for Children's Food Campaign's Parent Ambassador programme. 

10/06/2026

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis or something that makes you feel severely unsafe, distressed, or worried about your mental health, you can contact your local crisis service in Essex by calling NHS 111 and selecting the mental health option 2.

https://www.eput.nhs.uk/in-crisis/

09/06/2026

Barnardo's Positive Identities Service works with children, young people and families and provides support with gender identity and sexuality.

Our direct support for children, young people and families is called Gender Space. Gender Space supports children and young people aged 13-18 who identify as trans, non-binary, or are gender questioning. We also support their families too and have a dedicated Parent/Carer group.

To be referred for support from this team- please contact our Family Support Practitioners on 0300 247 0014 and request a referral to Barnardo's Gender Space service.

Home Supporting LGBTQ+ children, young people and their families The Barnardo’s Positive Identities Service works with children, young people and families and provides support with gender identity and sexuality. We run different areas of support including direct work with children, young people an...

08/06/2026

**Sensitive Subject Warning**

With the World Cup starting this week we wanted to share this important information. Please reach out to someone you can trust.

Football should never be an excuse for abuse.
Evidence shows domestic abuse rises during major football tournaments, with incidents increasing by 38% when England lose and 26% when England play.
This isn’t just a statistic. It’s a reality for too many people.
If you’re worried about someone, or need support yourself, help is available.
Compass is our Domestic Abuse helpline for Essex call 0330 333 7 444 or visit essexcompass.org.uk

08/06/2026

Essex County Council have are putting on a FREE online session hosted by Charlotte Stirling-Reed, Baby & Child Nutritionist

17th June 7:30pm

During this 90-minute session, Charlotte will cover:

Why the early years are critical for long-term health
Balanced nutrition and portion sizes
Managing fussy eating
Practical ways to make mealtimes work for the whole family

07/06/2026

As Volunteer Week 2026 comes to a close, we would like to once again say the biggest thank you to all our amazing volunteers, past and present, who play a vital role in the Essex Child and Family Wellbeing Service. We simply couldn’t reach as many children, young people and families without you!

07/06/2026

It can take just 15 seconds for a young child to lose consciousness if they get tangled in a blind cord. And sadly they can die in just a few minutes.

Make your blind cord safe, secure it on a cleat hook or use a tensioner (safety devices that should come with all new blinds).

For help about making your blinds safe visit: https://capt.org.uk/blind-cords/

Child Accident Prevention Trust

06/06/2026

Would you like to be part of an amazing team and help support families in your local community. Click the link or scan the QR code to see what is available in your area.

www.barnardos.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer