1. General
o Being Healthy, Eating Habits and Developmental Milestones
o Practical Information – Childcare and finance
2. Mental Health
o Social Media and Online Bullying
o Warning signs for mental health struggles and bullying
o Services to support emotional wellbeing.
o Promoting Wellbeing for parents and carers
3. Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
o Identifying SEND
o SEND Early Help / Provision and Support
o SEND Activities in Warrington
o Support and assistance for Children with physical impairments.
4. Emergency Resources and Helplines
General
Being healthy, eating habits and developmental milestones
Being Healthy and Eating Habits
Maintaining a balanced diet is key to overall wellbeing and helps both you and your child feel your best. For tips on promoting healthy eating on a budget, visit Healthy eating
If your child has additional needs, visit Feeding and eating for additional needs for tailored guidance.
Helping your child maintain a healthy weight as they grow is important for their fitness, confidence, and learning. Children at a healthy weight are often healthier, more confident, and better able to learn. For advice on supporting healthy weight management, visit Advice for parents of healthy-weight children - NHS
For eligibility for free healthy school meals visit - Warrington Borough Council – Registration for free school meals
Vaccination information
Vaccinations are one of the best ways to protect your child from diseases and prevent their spread. Vaccines are free in the UK and can be booked through your GP.
Learn more about why vaccination is important at Why vaccination is important and the safest way to protect yourself - NHS
Visit Vaccinations for children - Start for Life - NHS for timings and recommendations.
Developmental Milestones
It is important to approach discussions about topics like periods in a supportive and open way. Children can start their periods as early as 8, so it is important to make the conversation feel safe and comfortable. UNICEF offers a helpful guide on how to talk about periods with your child - Talking about periods at home | UNICEF Parenting
Oral Health
Good oral health is essential for children, helping to prevent tooth decay and supporting their ability to eat, speak, and learn comfortably
To find a dental practice in Warrington, visit Find a dentist - NHS
The Oral Health Improvement Service offers various programmes, including supervised tooth brushing, toothbrush distribution, and oral health training. For more information, Visit Warrington Oral Health Improvement Service – Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Practical Information – Childcare and finance
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
DLA can help with extra costs for children under 16 who have difficulties walking or need more care than a child of the same age without a disability. For eligibility visit eligibility requirements.
For more information on DLA for Children visit https://www.gov.uk/disabilityliving-allowance-children
Childcare Options
Cookies Link Club: A link club for Barrow Hall Lane and Park Road community schools (terms only, no holiday clubs).
Contact: Jackie Cook - 07929 264 886cookieslinkclub@googlemail.com Website www.cookieslinkclub.com
Wasps Link Clubs: Offering before and after school care and holiday supervision for children aged 3-14 across Warrington. For more details, visit Link Clubs | Wasps | Childcare
Mental Health
Social media and Online bullying
Source: 2019 OECD Report, What do we know about children and technology?
As children and young people spend an increasing proportion of time on social media, it is important to understand how this may impact upon their wellbeing. To read about mentally healthy social media use, visit - Internet and social media : Mentally Healthy Schools
To safeguarding children’s social media use effectively, it is important to understand the platforms they are using and the age restrictions in place. For a parent friendly social media guide, visit - Social media guides - UK Safer Internet Centre
• 5–7-year-olds: 5% have a smartphone; 67% spend 9.5 hours online per week; 4% have a social media account
• 8–11-year-olds: 35% have a smartphone; 93% spend 12.5 hours online per week; 18% have a social media account
• 12–15-year-olds: 83% have a smartphone; 99% spend 20.5 hours online per week; 69% have a social media account
Warning signs for mental health struggles and bullying
Recognising the warning signs of emotional distress or bullying is the first step in taking positive action. If you notice changes in your child’s behaviour, it may indicate struggles with mental health or bullying
• To recognise signs of mental health issues in children, visitSigns That a Child Is Suffering From Mental Health Issues | NSPCC
• For the warning signs of school or online bullying, visit Warning Signs for Bullying | StopBullying.gov
Services to support emotional wellbeing.
Visit Mental health - NHS to find information and support for mental health and to access information on:
• Warrington talking therapies.
• Feelings, Symptoms and Behaviours
• Self-help
• Advice for life situations and events
Visit Mental Health Foundation | Everyone deserves good mental health to learn more about evidence-based advice and resources for preventing poor mental health and building and protecting good mental health.
Warrington Youth in Mind – At Warrington Youth Zone Warrington Youth Zone offers a free, confidential drop-in service for children and young people aged 7-19 who are struggling with their emotional wellbeing. The service is available 7 days a week with no appointment or referral needed. A 15-minute consultation helps create a personalised support plan.
For more information, visit Youth In Mind - Warrington Youth Zone
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
CAMHS provides mental health services for children and young people in partnership with Warrington Clinical Commissioning Group.
To make a referral, download the CAMHS referral form CAMHS_Warrington_referral_form_May_2024.docx , or call the CAMHS advice line at 01925 575904 (9am - 5pm).
St. Joseph’s Family Centre Warrington
St. Joseph’s Family Centre in Warrington works in partnership with CAMHS to provide person-centred counselling to children aged 6-18 who are registered with a Warrington GP.
Their mission is to help children understand their feelings and develop positive self- management tools to encourage better mental health and wellbeing. Referrals to this service come through the schools Mental Health Support Team, CAMHS Warrington, GP’s, and recognised professionals. Self-referrals can be made through CAMHS by calling 01925 575904.
To contact St. Josephs, Visit Contact Us – St Joseph's Family Centre
My Happy Mind
My Happy Mind is an innovative digital mental health programme that aims to equip children with the knowledge, skills, and tools to thrive. My Happy Mind offers tailored programmes for parents and families to help create a culture of positive mental wellbeing.
To learn more about the programme, Visit myHappymind - Empowering Children's Mental Health & Wellbeing
The My Happy Mind App can be downloaded through the App Store or Google Play. The Access Code can be requested through school.
The cybersmile foundation
The Cybersmile Foundation is a leading anti-cyberbullying organisation. Their mission is to promote kindness, tackle online abuse, and create a safer digital community
Access their Help Center | Cybersmile Support for advice on social media, mental health, gaming, and online safety.
Everybody Counts (EBC)
Everybody Counts offers a 12-week programme for young people and families, focusing on physical activity, mental wellbeing, and nutrition. Experienced health managers and lifestyle coaches lead the programme, aiming to provide access to nutritious food, positive mealtime experiences, and break down stigmas around physical and mental health.
For more information, please visit Every Body Counts Any young person aged 5 to 16 can sign up by completing the form Attendee sign-up - Upshot
Promoting Wellbeing for parents and carers
Warrington Parents and Carers (WarrPAC)
WarrPAC is a supportive group of volunteers who have lived experience of caring for children with disabilities and additional needs. They offer information and run sessions where parents can connect, share experiences, and have their voices heard to improve services for children with special educational needs and disabilities in Warrington. For more information, visit Support for parents and carers | warrington.gov.uk
DAD Support through OFFLOAD @ Halliwell Jones
Offload is a mental fitness and wellbeing project run by Rugby League Cares. It focuses on tackling depression and anxiety in the sporting community. Offload has gained recognition for its positive impact on men's mental health through workshops and ongoing support. Sessions are held weekly with no need to sign up. For more information, visit- OFFLOAD
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
At Park Road Community Primary School, we are committed to ensuring that every child, regardless of their individual needs, has access to a nurturing and inclusive learning environment.
Should you wish to discuss any matters with our Special Education Needs and Disabilities Coordinator (SENDCo) then please contact Mrs Sweeny, via our school office.
There are four main categories of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND):
• Communication and Interaction
• Cognition and Learning
• Social, Emotional, and Mental Health Difficulties
• Sensory and/or Physical Needs
For guidance on identifying SEND, visit the SEND: guide for parents and carersGOV.UK
SEND early help / provision and support.
• Living Well Warrington – Local Offer
The purpose of the Local Offer is to provide information for parents and young people, to help them understand what services families can expect locally, including cross‐authority boundary and how to access them. The Local Offer also includes guidance for parents and young people when they need to speak with practitioners and professionals, information on giving feedback, raising concerns, and making complaints.
The Local Offer has two key purposes:
• To provide clear, comprehensive, and accessible information about the provision expected to be available.
• To make provision more responsive to local needs and aspirations, by directly involving children and young people with SEN, parents and carers, and service providers in its development and review.
Please find below the link to the Warrington Local Offer, through Living Well Warrington
Living Well Warrington - Living Well Warrington
Warrington SENDIASS (Information, Advice and Support Service)
Warrington SENDIASS offer a free, impartial, and confidential service offering information to young people with SEND and to their parents and carers.
Contact: 01925442978 Email: infosendiass@warrington.gov.uk
Website: www.warrington.gov.uk/warringtonsendiass
ADDvanced Solutions
ADDvanced Solutions are a community-based group that offers free programmes and learning opportunities that support the families of neurodivergent children, who may have specific learning difficulties or associated mental health needs.
For more information, Visit Families in Warrington - Addvanced Solutions
Education, Health, and Care (EHC) Plans:
An Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plan is available for children and young people who require more support than what is provided through standard SEN support.
How to Request an EHC Needs Assessment:
• Speak to your school SENDCo first, as they will have the evidence of your child’s assessed SEN.
• A referral can be made at any time, but the school can provide evidence of the support measures in place and the impact on your child.
For more information, visit EHC needs assessments | warrington.gov.uk
Request Referral Forms:
EHCReferralAndResourcesPanel@warrington.gov.uk
The
SEND register
The SEND register records children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in Warrington. Signing up is voluntary, but we encourage it to keep you informed about available services and any changes that may affect your child.
More information - What is the SEND Register? | warrington.gov.uk
Parents and carers can register on behalf of their children by completing the attached form and emailing SENDCommissioning@warrington.gov.uk
SEND register form (1.19 MB)
SEND activities in Warrington.
Warrington has six children’s centres offering a range of play-based learning activities for young children and their families.
Information is available on their Facebook - Warrington Children’s Centres | Facebook
Families United supports families of children and young people with disabilities in the Warrington area, offering a variety of engaging events and subsidised activities for the whole family to enjoy. For more information, visit Families United Warrington | Helping Warrington Children
Warrington Play and Sensory Centre is a purpose-built activity centre for disabled children and those with special needs.
SEND play and sensory centre Warrington - – Warrington Play and Sensory Centre | warrington.gov.uk
Support and assistance for children with physical impairments.
Children with disabilities Social Work Team (CwD) *
The CwD team provides services for children and young people aged 0-18 who have disabilities or medical conditions that impact daily life.
Visit Care and support for children and young people with SEND | warrington.gov.uk for more information.
Referrals for this service can be made through professionals or via the Children and Families Request for Support - My Warrington
Contact: Duty and Assessment Team: 01925 44 34 00
Out of hours referrals: 01925 44 44 00
Email: childreferral@warrington.gov.uk
Children’s community Nursing Team Warrington
The Children’s Community Nursing Team provides care for children with complex health needs, both in home and school settings.
For more information, visit Children’s Community Nursing Team – Warrington –Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
NHS Continuing Care *
For children with complex needs, the NHS offer a Continuing Care package. This support that goes beyond typical services, helping children live as ordinary a life as possible
Resources required can vary depending on your child’s needs, but they may include:
• Support at home
• Support in the community
• Short breaks
• Other relevant support to meet the child's needs as identified.
For more information, please visit NHS continuing healthcare - Social care and support guide - NHS
Or contact the team on 01925 843697.
Sensory Support Services Warrington
Hearing impairment support *
Hearing health Support - The Hearing Impairment Team in the Sensory Support Service supports children and young people who are deaf or have a hearing impairment.
The team also provides support to parents/carers and the school/settings.
Services include:
• Specialist assessments of need including hearing tests and speech tests.
• Testing of audiological equipment, e.g. hearing aids and microphone transmitters.
• Training and advice to staff in schools and settings.
• Personalised, practical, and emotional support to families on how to help their child learn and develop.
Visual impairment support *
Visual Health Support – The Warrington Visual Impairment Team in the Sensory Support Service supports children with visual impairment from diagnosis or referral throughout their educational life.
Services include:
• Assessment of functional vision
• Recommendations to support visual needs.
• Environmental audit and suggestions for improving access.
• Direct work with pupils including teaching specialist skills.
For a full list of services, please visit Sensory Support Team - Living Well Warrington
Sensory Support Contact information:
Telephone: 01925 442917
E-mail: sensory-education@warrington.gov.uk
Children’s Speech and Language Therapy Warrington
Warrington Speech and Language Service offers a high-quality service provided by a specialist team. Their goal is to support young people in improving their communication skills and participating fully in education, at home, and within their community.
For more information on what to expect from the service, visit Children’s Speech and Language Therapy Warrington – Our local offer – Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Referrals are accepted through an open referral system, which can be made via website referrals page or by contacting the office on 01925 946686.
* Specialist services are accessed via professional referral
Emergency Resources and Helplines
Childline
Phone: 0800 1111
A confidential helpline for children and young people, offering support for a range of issues including abuse, bullying, and mental health.
Samaritans
Phone: 116 123
Provides emotional support to anyone in distress, available 24/7.
NSPCC Helpline
Phone: 0808 800 5000
Support for anyone worried about a child’s safety, including advice for parents and professionals.
Mental Health Crisis Line (Warrington)
Phone: 0800 051 1508
Immediate support for young people and families dealing with a mental health crisis.
Warrington Domestic Abuse Support
Phone: 01925 243359
A confidential helpline offering support for victims of domestic abuse.
