VIP Magazine Spring 2011 - Young Southampton

Very Important ParentsFREEPlease takeoneSpring 2011Inside this issue:Peppa Pig WorldMoney MattersDisability NewsBuzz NetworkWINPAULTONS PARKTICKETS!See inside formore detailsFor all parents and carers in Southampton

Special featureAutumn 2010414-15AskAndreaLet’s talk in SouthamptonResearch shows that children who start to start to talk at alater age than most other children are more likely to haveproblems with behaviour, making friends and learning toread. These children are often referred to as late talkers.Learn to dive FREE… to the final printed issue of the Very ImportantParents magazine - a termly newsletter forall parents and carers in Southampton. Thismagazine aims to tell you about what is happeningin Southampton for children aged 0 – 19 years,including leisure, education, childcare and health.In this issue we take a sneak preview at thenew Peppa Pig World and discover all the otherattractions that Paultons Park has to offer. We take acloser look at what impact the budget will have foryou and your family in our “Money Matters” featureand as usual, Andrea answers your questions in ourregular Ask Andrea section.to contribute to future editions or comment on thisissue, please contact:Claire Hall, Stakeholder Engagement Manager023 8083 7717claire.hall@southampton.gov.ukIMPORTANT NEWS!All future issues of VIP will be e-bulletin only, tocontinue to receive updates, please email cypis@southampton.gov.uk with your name and addressand tell which newsletter you would like:Pre-School age (0-5’s)School age (5-16yrs)Children with disabilitiesYou can subscribe to as many as you want and allrequests received by 30 April will go into a drawto win a family ticket for 2 adults and 2 childrenworth £80 from Paultons Park.Contents12 Healthy Start3 Let’s talk4-5 News update6-7 Peppa Pig World8 Reading news9 Disability news10-11 You and your money12 Healthy start13 School attendance matters14-15 Ask Andrea16-17 A day in the life of anInformation Officer18 English as an additionallanguage19 Employment lawfor children20 CYPIS updateThe Pathfinder project in Southampton is part of a national projectthat is focused on finding ways to solve this problem. You mayalready have heard about the project if you are the parent of a childunder the age of five in the city, as we have been conducting a lot ofresearch for some time.Our research findings have shown us that helping children to learnto talk and listen as early as possible could help to avoid theseproblems in the future.How we did it?We gathered information from all the services that supportchildren’s talking, including Sure Start, Portage, Speech andLanguage Therapy and the Health Visiting team. We then examinedpublished evidence about children who have Speech, Languageand Communication Needs (SLCN) to find out how many children inSouthampton are later talkers.We looked into the support available to help these children to learnto talk, carried out short interviews and discussions with 150 parentsand carers at Sure Start centres to find out their views, and alsolistened to and spoke with children who have been affected.We then met with over 300 professionals who work with childrenabout how the available services could be improved. We found outwhat support and training they wanted in the future and also askedfor any ideas they had to reduce the waiting times for childrenneeding special support.We found out• Some late talkers do not get help early enough. These childrencan then struggle with their learning when they start school.• Some parents and carers are not sure about how to help theirchild with talking.• Many parents and carers are not sure how or where to get helpwhen their child is late to start talking.• Some staff in playgroups and preschools need more trainingto help children to catch up with talking in playgroups andpreschools.What we hope to change• To identify more late talkers at two years old, so we can helpthem to catch up before they start school.• To try ‘drop in’speech andlanguage advicesessions in Sure Start children’s centres across the city.• To make sure that more information is available for parents of latetalkers on how to get the right help to support their child to talk.• To run more activities that help with talking in Sure Startchildren’s centres, playgroups & pre-schools.Introducing new measures to improve the situation will take time toput into practice. Therefore, some are planned to start in April 2011but others may take longer as they also depend on the availabilityof funding.How do I know if my child is ok?All children learn to talk at different rates. By a child’s secondbirthday, you can typically expect them to:• Use at least 50 words in their home language.• Have started to put some words together like “bye-bye mummy”or “milk gone”.• Use words without an obvious meaning and ‘baby words’ like“mi” for milk , “dar” for car or “wack wack” for duck.What can I do if I am worried?If you are worried about your child talking at a later age thanexpected, please talk to your health visitor, whose phone numberis at the front of the red book you were given when your child wasborn. If you do not know who your health visitor is, Sure Start staffor your GP (Doctor) can give you their contact details.The website www.talkingpoint.org.uk has lots of good advice andsome video clips showing how to help children learn to talk.The Speech and Language Therapy Service can help children withdisabilities and with problems that are taking longer to sort out.They can be contacted on 023 8071 6686.Further informationIf you are interested in finding out more about the project pleasecontact Phil Lovegrove on phil.lovegrove@scpct.nhs.uk.VIP magazine Spring 20113

NewsNewsLearn to diveDaisy Dip winsDo you want to try something different? If you are aged between6 and 17 years, then come along to one of our FREE tasterdiving lessons! Children between the ages of 6 and 13 years andteenagers between the ages of 14 and 17 years are being offeredthe opportunity to take part in a FREE springboard/highboarddiving lesson at The Quays Swimming and Diving Complexduring March and Easter holidays.The Quays Swimming and Diving Complex, which is home toOlympic Gold medalist Peter Waterfield and CommonwealthGold medalist, Max Brick, is one of only four high performancecentres for diving in Great Britain. The purpose-built pool boastsnine diving boards and has state of the art training equipmentincluding water rigs and bubble machines.for FREE!The Southampton Diving Programme caters for both competitiveand recreational diving, and is suitable for those who aspire toexcel in the sport as well as those who want to dive for fun.We offer a first class coaching structure working alongside elitedivers and olympians.To take part in a FREE taster diving session,please contact the diving office on☎ 023 8072 0922 or emailJamila.Gibson@activenation.org.uk.For more information on The Quays Divingand Swimming Complex, please visitwww.activenation.org.uk.The Quays on ☎ 023 8072 0900People’s Millions grantThe Daisy Dip play area in Swaythling will soon be transformed into anexciting multi-use games area with a skateboard park, picnic areas andadditional seating, thanks to a grant from the Big Lottery Fund.The scheme was successful in getting the most public votesof all runner up projects in The People’s Millions Big LotteryFund, a grants competition run in partnership with ITV.The £50,000 award is being matched by Southampton CityCouncil, giving a boost to the project which is set to transformthis large open green space between Swaythling andBassett. In addition to the multi-use games area for sportsactivities, improvements will also be made to the surroundingmarshland so that it can be used for educational purposes.Jim Cappleman, Chairperson for Flower Roads Residents andTenants Association said: “We are very excited about thiswonderful news and I am very grateful for everyone who votedU Turn Projectfor our project. This grant, matched by thecouncil, will make a world of difference tothe kids in the area and benefit the wholecommunity.”Proposed developmentat Daisy Dip.The People’s Millions competition has been run every yearsince 2005 and nearly £22 million has been awarded to over380 projects.For more information on the Daisy Dip project bid and ThePeople’s Millions Big Lottery Fund, visit www.peoplesmillions.org.uk/2011-finalists/meridian-west/enhancing-daisy-dip.Book to Share Award 2011Children’s author and illustrator, Nick Sharratt, was the winner of Southampton's FavouriteBook to Share for the second year running. His book Shark in the Dark has pages which glowin the dark and is a sequel to Shark in the Park which won the award last year.Southampton parents, carers and children voted for their favourite book from a shortlist ofsix books picked by a panel of children's librarians, early years professionals and parents.The competition runs from May to August every year and this year over 4000 people voted!Southampton Libraries buy 70 copies of each title, children's librarian, Alison Biczysko said, “We know that they aregood books because the books go into stock straight after the competition finishes and you would be hard pressedto find a copy of any one of them on the shelves! The feedback from parents is very positive and in many early yearssettings the Favourite Book to Share gives an established literary focus to the year.”City Limits have launched the U Turn Project, which aims toget young people into accredited training, paid or voluntarywork on a full or part time basis. The project works throughone to one support, helping young people with CV’s, helpto find voluntary or work experience and support withinterviews and job applications.The project, which has been funded through the HousingDepartment at Southampton City Council is for people livingin the Flowers estate, or surrounding areas, and is runninguntil July 2011.Francesca Prior, project leader, said “we are really excitedabout this project, U Turn is an excellent chance for us tosupport young people who may have been overlooked inthe past. We hope to become familiar faces on the estateand to inspire local residents to realise their ambitions. Weare the only employment agency in the city to offer one toone support to our clients. We have lots of links with localemployers and organisations, and can help young peopleinto some really interesting andvaried work experience or voluntarywork! Our aim is to enable all ourU Turn young people to reach theirfull potential.”Are you or do you knowsomeone who is:• 16 – 25 years old?• Unemployed or working under15 hours a week?• Living in Flowers estate, or just out of it?• Motivated to consider making a positivechange to life?Then call Francesca on ☎ 023 80917585,text 07811 165129 or emailfrancesca.prior@southampton.gov.ukand Turn Ur life around!4 VIP magazine Spring 2011VIP magazine Spring 20115

Special featureSpecial featureUnfortunately, I did not bump into Peppa and her brotherGeorge on my visit, but they will make regular appearancesonce the park is fully open. There will be plenty of photoopportunities and you can pick up a great photo souvenir ofyour visit at Pedro Pony’s photo kiosk.Way too much fun for one dayPaulton’s Park is not just a theme park, it has some beautifulgardens which are home to a large variety of birds and otheranimals and features a large water park, as well as a river walk,a short forest trek back in time through Land of the Dinosaursand plenty of picnic areas. There are designated areas foryounger children, such as the Tiny Tots Town play area, WaterKingdom (a splash park featuring more than 20 different waysto get wet!) and many animated attractions, such as the MagicForest where young visitors can make nursery rhymes comealive by the press of a button. There are a whole selection ofrides that they can also enjoy, including my son’s favourite“Digger Ride”, the Jumping Jack and Trekking Trackers.COSTChildren under 1 metre high are FREE! Tickets cost £21 on thedoor for anyone over this height, tickets are cheaper if youbuy online and print your tickets from home. There are specialrates for groups of 15 people or more. The cost includes entryto the whole of Paultons Park and to the majority of rides andattractions. There are additional charges for some amusements,such as the Go-Karts and other coin-operated attractions.Entry into Peppa Pig World is INCLUDED in the entry price!OPENING TIMESThe park opens daily from 1 April until 11 September and is openmainly weekends and school holidays outside of this time.To check opening times, call the 24 hour information line on023 8081 4455 or visit www.paultonspark.co.ukSEE PAGE 2 FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN AFAMILY TICKET TO PAULTONS PARKSneak Peek at Peppa’s WorldIn just over a month, Peppa Pig World will open at Paultons Park. This is a worldfirst and exclusive to Paultons in the UK! It features 11,000 square metres completelydedicated to the TV character, which if you have a young child, you will probablyknow about. I was lucky enough to get a sneak preview before it opens on 9 April.As I walk into the world of Peppa Pig, I imagine my three yearold’s face and am instantly excited– it is like being transportedonto the set of the popular animation. There are models ofPeppa’s camper van, buildings to see and explore, includingMadame Gazelle’s School House, the library and Peppa Pig’shouse where you can catch Peppa and her family havingbreakfast. There is even a duck-pond complete with animatronicpaddling ducks. Seven new rides include Grandpa Pig’s LittleTrain, Daddy Pig’s Car ride and two exhilarating aerial ridesfrom which you are able to see over the whole of Peppa Pigworld. I think my daughter will particularly enjoy riding in a‘cloud’ around Windy Castle!The attention to detail is fantastic, the buildings have beenrecreated as they are in the TV show – watch out for the bendypillars and wonky walls – and a custom made exclusive PeppaPig soundtrack is played through speakers hidden all aroundPeppa Pig world. There is an amazing grass roofed buildingwith the world’s largest Peppa Pig shop, Daddy Pig’s Big TummyCafé and the spectacular George Pig’s Spaceship Play Zone. Thisis one of the best indoor soft play areas I have visited – I alsohave a 21 month old son, so I’ve been to a few! I won’t spoilall the surprises for you, but there are some really lovely andexciting touches to the four play areas that cater for all agesand abilities. I am particularly looking forward to playing in thesensory “musical instruments” area and in the recycling centre…The building itself has been designed to be as environmentallyfriendly as possible, the grass insulates the building in colderweather and the chimney vents are wind catchers that keep thebuilding cool in a sustainable way during the summer.If you have not had enough of Peppa, George and her friendsand family by this time, then you can chill out in the largecourtyard and enjoy an ice cream from Miss Rabbit’s Ice CreamParlour, before exploring Mr Potato’s playground. Thereare plenty of other rides and attractions, George’s DinosaurAdventure will take you past two “active” volcanoes, youcan take a peek at Granny and Grandpa Pig’s house, and ofcourse, jump in muddy puddles at Peppa Pig World’s own miniwaterpark!Something for allthe familyFor those seeking moreadventure, you canride one of the park’srollercoasters or makea splash on the mightyRaving River Ride logflume – you will get wet!If you are feeling really brave, you can try the EDGE, which spinsyou through the air on a giant disk. I can assure you this isdefinitely not one for the faint-hearted!Daily penguin feeding sessions also take place throughout theyear, featuring an entertaining keeper talk which gives visitors achance to learn more about these unusual and often humorousbirds. Paultons Park is a family owned park with an amazingvariety of things to see and do, with more than 60 rides andattractions set within 140 acres of beautiful parkland.Learning through playPaultons Park also offer educational visits for children from theFoundation Stage up to Key Stage 4 and have a Learning Outsidethe Classroom Quality Badge. Visits can be self-guided or partof the park-led education programme and include FREE teacherplaces. Programmes can be tailored to provide learning forteachers and other professionals.VISITORS WITH DISABILITIESPaultons Park is accessiblefor wheelchair users (allthe attractions in Peppa PigWorld are ramped or havewheelchair platform lifts)and wheelchair users areFREE! There are restrictionson some rides for healthand safety reasons, however,the park operates a “queueassist” scheme for others withdisabilities who may requirethis support.EDUCATIONAL VISITSContact Caroline Smith,Education Officer at education@paultons.co.uk or 023 8081 4442or visit the website at www.paultonspark.co.uk/educationDIRECTIONSPaultons Park is just off exit 2 of the M27, follow the browntourist signs. You can also catch the X7 Salisbury – Southamptonbus service (Mon – Sat except public holidays) which stops at theVine Inn, which is a short walk to the park entrance. The closeststations are Romsey or Totton, which are a short taxi ride away.Sat Nav postcode = SO51 6AL6 VIP magazine Spring 2011 7VIP magazine Spring 2011

Special featureSouthamptonWinners of the Southampton Libraries’ wildlife art competition 2010 with Chris PackhamChildren from all over the area submitted artwork with awildlife theme. The event was held at the Central Library andChris spent time speaking to families and children and wasphotographed with the winners.Chris, who was born and grew up in Southampton is thepresident of many local wildlife charities, including theSouthampton Natural History Society, was really enthusiasticabout the competition and hopes to be involved in any futureevents like this.The award ceremony coincided with the end of another ofSouthampton Libraries successful events, Space Hop. This wasa Summer reading challenge, where children who read atleast one book a week over the holidays were presented withIn October 2010, Chris Packham,star of countless wildlife televisionshows, including “Springwatch”,recently returned to his hometownof Southampton to judge a wildlifeart competition.a medal from the Mayor. Almost 3000 children took part in thechallenge this year across all the City’s libraries – well done toall who took partspace hopThe wildlife art competition event took place on thesame day as the celebration of all children successfullycompleting Space Hop: the Summer Reading Challengein Southampton libraries and all children who readsix books received their medal from the Mayor. InSouthampton almost 3000 children took part in theSummer Reading Challenge in libraries this year-Hooray and Well Done!Short breaks fordisabled childrenThe first time you leave your child to be lookedafter by someone else is nerve wracking enoughfor any parent or carer. But imagine that yourchild also has a disability of some kind, andneeds special care and attention. How muchharder would that be? How would it affect yourrelationship with any other children you care for?Pauline Bubb is a parent of four year old twins and sevenyear old Spencer, who has a diagnosis of attention deficithyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and has been using the shortbreak service provided via the Buzz Network since July 2010.This scheme was set up using Aiming High funding and enablesparents and carers of children with disabilities the opportunityfor short break respite, using a support network from variousspecialist organisations.The process of signing up to the Buzz Network is very simple,parents/carers complete a short form, which can also be doneover the phone, and soon after receive a pack in the post.There are five organisations that offer one-to-one support,all specialising in different areas, and at present the level ofsupport equates to two hours a week. Pauline told us howit worked for her “we use an organisation called Smile andonce we were fully signed up, they sent us staff profiles to lookthrough to help choose a support worker. At first Spencer saidnone of the people looked “cool” enough, so we were sentsome additional profiles, one of which had a photo of a manwith tattoos and piercings, Spencer’s comment was “Yes! He’scool”. I asked for male workers, as he responds well to maleattention. Our worker came to visit and he and Spencer clickedstraight away”The short-break funding can be used for any activities orsupport, from helping parents and carers on a family day trip,taking a child or young person out or providing support withinthe home. Hours can be used flexibly, for example, four hoursevery fortnight, or eight hours a month. Over 300 families inSouthampton are signed up to the scheme and as well as oneto-onesupport, membership links families in to reduced rateholiday playschemes, such as those run by Mencap, Rose Roadand Sonus.Parenting and caringjust some of the activities children onthe Buzz network are enjoyingThe Bubb family have used their time for Spencer to goswimming every week with his one-to-one worker. This hasbeen very successful, Pauline said “It is so nice that Spencerwas fully involved in all the decisions and he has a new routinein his week that he really benefits from. He is very excited onMondays as he knows it is his night and he looks forward to it.Spencer’s Support Worker has told me how his confidence inthe water has grown and now goes under water. If he had goneto swimming lessons, it wouldn’t have had the same effect,because he wouldn’t have liked the structure. It has also givenme and his sisters a break”Pauline said this would never have been possible before as “Iam a single parent, so any activities I do, I have to take them allat the same time and its very difficult to cope on my own. NowSpencer has someone’s full attention for something that is ageappropriate. He loves his Support Worker because he almostlike an older brother to him”The Buzz Network is a partnership between Southampton CityCouncil and the A-buzz Parent Forum (for Southampton parent/carers of disabled children). Katherine Kerr is the co-ordinatorfor the scheme and said “The Buzz Network provides muchneeded short breaks and activities for disabled children inSouthampton. Many of our parents and carers rely on theservices to remain in work or to recharge whilst they take abreak from caring.”If you are responsible for a child with disabilities/special needs or would like furtherinformation on the Buzz Network, please contact Katherine Kerr on ☎ 023 8083 20698 VIP magazine Spring 2011VIP magazine Spring 20119

Parenting and caringParenting and caringHow the budget affectsyouYou may have heard a lot about changes to money available for families announcedby our new Government, but how will it affect you? Here’s a basic guide to what iscurrently available and the main changes:Child Benefit• The amount paid will stay the same for the next 3 years fromApril 2011. It is currently £20.30 a week for the eldest childand £13.40 a week for each additional child• No Child Benefit will be paid to families with a higher ratetax payer (at least one person earning more than £43,875per year) from January 2013Child/Working Tax Credit• The baby element of £545 per year for families with a childunder one year old will be stopped from April 2011.• The child element paid for each child up to the age of 16 (18if your child is disabled) will be increased by £150 from April2011 and by a further £60 in 2012• No Child Tax Credit will be awarded to families earning morethan £40,000 per year from April 2011• The backdating of new claims and changes of circumstanceswill be reduced from three months to one month from2012-13• The childcare element of Tax Credit will be reduced from80% of eligible childcare costs to 70% from April 2011• The rate at which tax credits are withdrawn as yourhousehold income goes up will be increasedHealth in Pregnancy GrantThis one off payment of £190 was stopped in January 2011Sure Start Maternity GrantThis one-off payment of £500 for families on a low income willstill be paid, but for the first child onlyChild Trust FundChildren born from January 2011 onwards have not qualifiedfor a Child Trust Fund account at all. The additional £250(£500 for children from low income families) for those whoalready have Child Trust Funds is also being stopped forchildren whose 7th birthday is after 31 July 2010. No additionalpayments will be made for children entitled to Disability LivingAllowance from April 2011Income Support/Lone parentsFrom October 2010, lone parents with a child over the ageof seven are no longer entitled to Income Support solely onthe grounds of being a lone parent and will be required totransfer to Jobseekers Allowance or, if the ability to work islimited by a disability or health condition, Employment andSupport AllowanceDisability Living AllowanceThe government will introduce a medical test to claimDisability Living Allowance from 2013. People have to take thetest whether they are a new or existing claimant. The test willreplace the current application formsEducational Maintenance AllowanceThis payment has stopped for new claimants as of January2011. Any young people currently receiving this will continue toget it for the rest of the academic yearFor more information visit the Direct Gov website at:www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/index.htmIf you would like to speak to someoneface-to-face, there are several organisationsthat can help:Southampton Advice and RepresentationCentreFor support or advice on any aspect ofwelfare benefits or employment law, (SARC)have drop in sessions:Woolston (Main Office, 11 Porchester RoadWeekdays 9am – 4.30pm (appointments only)☎ 023 8043 1435Thornhill, “The Natterbox”, 382 Hinkler RoadMondays 10am – 12 noon (no appointment needed)Newtown, Neighbourhood Advice Centre,“The Ropewalk”, 53 Derby RoadTuesdays (appointments only) ☎ 023 8033 9206Lordshill, Lordshill Library, Lordshill PrecinctWednesdays 10am – 12 noon (no appointmentneeded)Weston, Surestart Weston, 60 Foxcott Close1st & 3rd Wednesdays 1.30pm – 3pm (noappointment needed)Citizen’s Advice BureauThe advice available helps people toresolve their debt, benefits, housing, legal,discrimination, employment, immigration andconsumer problems, and other problems.• Drop in to: 3 Kings Park Road,Southampton, SO15 2ATMonday 9:30am - 11:30am and 1:30pm - 6pmTuesday to Thursday 9:30am - 11:30am and1:30pm - 3:30pmFriday 9:30am - 12noon• Helpline: ☎ 23 8022 1406 or 023 8033 3868(Monday to Thursday 9:30am - 12 noon and1:30 - 4pm, Fridays 9:30am-12 noon)• Visitwww.citizensadvice.org.ukFor Southampton City Council Tenants only:Welfare Rights and Money Advice UnitFloor 1, Southbrook Rise, 4-8 Millbrook Road EastSouthampton , SO18 1YG☎ 023 8083 2339welfarerights.advice@southampton.gov.ukwww.southampton.gov.uk/welfarerightsVolunteers needed!You can make a difference. DAIN and A–buzz are working together to promote the take up of Disability LivingAllowance (DLA) for sick and disabled children and young people up to the age of 16 years. The service, coordinatedand managed by DAIN, will provide support and assistance to parents in completing DLA applicationforms. To help provide this service:VOLUNTEERS ARE REQUIRED!We are looking for committed volunteers NOW as we hope to be up and running around the 1st of April 2011.We need people to give their time for at least 8 hours a month. We expect the initial six month pilot to run fromthe end of March 2011 to the end of September 2011. You will need to have good listening, written and verbalcommunication skills.You will be based with the team at the DAIN Offices, Unity 12, Rose Road, Southampton, SO14 6TE. Followingsuccessful recruitment we would expect you to come into the office for approximately 4 hours every fortnight, withextra time given for attendance at monthly team meetings.If you are interested and for further information, please contact the Project Co-ordinatorLinda Moon at DAIN 023 8020 265310 VIP magazine Spring 2011 11VIP magazine Spring 2011

Parenting and caringSpecial FeatureAre youmissing out?You may be eligible for FREE food, drink and vitamins for you and your childrenthrough the Healthy Start scheme. If you are pregnant or have children under theage of four and receive the following you can get help from Healthy Start:• Income Support• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance• Child Tax Credit with an income of £16,190 a year or less(but not Working Tax Credit unless their family is receivingWorking Tax Credit run-on only*)• All pregnant women under the age of 18 whether or not theyare on benefit* Working Tax Credit run-on is the Working Tax Credit receivedin the 4 weeks immediately after stopping working for 16hours or more per weekHow does Healthy Start work?Once you join the scheme, you will receive a set of vouchersthrough the post every four weeks. Each voucher is worth £3.10and can be exchanged for any combination of milk, fresh fruit,fresh vegetables and infant formula milk in registered shops.If you can also get vitamin supplements, this will be printed onthe letter attached to the vouchers. You should bring this letterwith you to claim your vitamins from the distribution points.The new scheme:• includes fruit and vegetables as well as milk and infantformula milk• supports breastfeeding• promotes uptake of vitamin supplements• encourages earlier and closer contact between healthprofessionals and families from disadvantaged groupsAnyone who thinks theyare eligible should apply.The scheme is availablethroughout England,Scotland, Wales andNorthern Ireland.How many vouchers can I get?• Pregnant women and children aged between one and fourwill receive one voucher per week, worth £3.10, for eachchild/pregnancy• Babies under one year old will receive two vouchers, wortha total of £6.20• Babies who are born before the estimated date of delivery(EDD) will receive two vouchers until one year after theirEDD. Babies who are born after the EDD will receivevouchers for one year from the date of deliveryAs well as vouchers, you will also get lots of health adviceabout healthy eating, breastfeeding, infant feeding and usingthe vouchers.How so I apply?You can check if you qualify at www.healthystart.nhs.uk/en/qualifier/Default.aspx and print an application form outdirectly from the website. You can also call 0845 607 6823 andask us to send you the leaflet and application form (code HS01)or pick it up from your midwife, health visitor or at your localdoctor’s surgery.You will need complete the form and then ask your midwife orhealth visitor to sign it as well. There is a FREEPOST address tosend the completed form to.Healthy Start contact detailswww.healthystart.nhs.ukTel: 0845 607 6823You can also pick up a leaflet andapplication form at Southampton’s Childrenand Young People’s Information Service,contact them on freephone 0800 169 8833or email cypis@southampton.gov.ukSAM helpskids learnSouthampton’s school attendance matters mascot SAM is part of a new poster campaignto highlight that children who do not attend school regularly are missing out. This is partof a city wide campaign to improve the school attendance of pupils in Southampton,which is amongst the lowest in the country.Regular school attendance is linked to good exam results andthe development of the life skills needed to study further, gainemployment and build relationships. Southampton schoolshave seen their key stage two and GCSE results improve andhigher attendance rates have contributed to this.Did you know?A 90% attendance rate equates to four weeks or one half daya week of missed learning during the school year. An 85%attendance rate represents six weeks of missed learning and80% equates to a full eight weeks loss of school learning days.Learning that has been missed often cannot berepeated and pupils often find it difficult to settleback in with their friends at school after time off.This is why parents are asked not to take theirchildren on holiday during term time or make nonurgentappointments, such as the doctor or dentist,during school hours.What if my child is ill?Your child’s school is used to dealing with minorailments so be assured that they will make anappropriate judgement and contact you if your childneeds to be taken home from school. In some cases,a child may genuinely be too unwell to attend schoolbut if you are unsure the school can advise on whetherthey should attend or not.Please remember that early morning aches often pass,so don’t keep your child at home ’just in case’ whenthey could be learning in class.Persistent illness or absence may be a sign of your childwanting to avoid school. The child could be worried aboutany aspect of school life – all things which the school cansupport you to deal with.Talk to your child to find out what is wrong and take steps tosort out any issues with your school. They will be happy tohelp. For more information visit: www.youngsouthampton.org/parentsandcarers/childrenshealth/schoolabsence/.12 VIP magazine Spring 2011VIP magazine Spring 201113

A day in the life of…Information OfficerWendy Lay has worked for the Children and Young People’s Information Service for eightyears and is the first point of contact at the shop, which is currently on Commercial Road,opposite the train station. Here we look at what her role involves and Wendy gives us anexample of what her day might look likeWhat is the Children and Young People’s InformationService?A one stop shop for parents, carers and professionals,offering information and advice relevant to young peopleaged 0 -19.When was it set up?Over 10 years ago, when the registration and inspectionof childcare passed from the local authority to Ofsted. Wewere originally called the Children’s Information Service(CIS) and rebranded in 2010.What kind of information does it have?We cover a whole range of subjects, including;• Details of childcare providers in the city• Parent and toddler groups and activities for pre-schoolchildren• Information on health, benefits, legal help• Advice on parenting and support for parents• Information specifically for parents of children withspecial needs• Activities for older children and all the family• Initial information about working with childrenWhat else do you do?We work closely with the Children’s Centres, health visitorsand other professionals dealing with children and areoften asked to go along to meet parents and carers atexisting groups, as part of our outreach programme. We areresponsible for keeping the details of registered childcareprovision up-to-date and receive regular information fromOFSTED to make sure this happens. We provide professionaltraining events and workshops for professionalsThe Bookstart programme is also operated through theChildren and Young People’s Information Service and we alsohold a vast amount of information on our database, whichfeeds into our website.What kind of queries do you get?We used to get mainly questions about childcare, but aspeople now have access to the internet and are able to lookthis information up themselves via our website, we tend toget asked about more complex subjects. A good example ofthis is families who want information on paying for childcare,particularly as the Tax Credit and other benefit entitlementscan be complicated to understand. Families also ask us aboutpre-school places, managing their child’s behaviour and otherissues that require me to spend a little more time with themhelping them to get the answers they need.How can I contact you?☎ FREEPHONE 0800 169 8833☎ LOCAL 023 8083 3014cypis@southampton.gov.ukVisit www.youngsouthampton.orgUntil 16 March, you can also pop into ouroffice at 68 Commercial Road,Southampton, SO15 5GD. After this time, wewill be relocating, but you will still see theInformation Officers around and about inthe city, as we become more locality based.Every day is different and here’s what one of them may look like:8.15amArrive at Office, pick up any emails or phone messagesand reply. Today there is an enquiry about becominga childminder, so I contact the appropriate localitydevelopment worker (Early Years Development Team) andpass all the contact details onto to them.8.30am - 12pmOur freephone line is now open, so I answer any callsthat come in and send out information. We get a lot ofcalls and emails about children’s activities, as well aschildcare and our database is able to search for providerswithin a certain area from your home or work address.Childminder searches also take into account what vacancieschildminders (and other providers) have and what ageranges different providers offer care for. I produce severallists for customers which I mostly I email, but there are afew that would like the information posted, so I ensure theirletters are put in the post tray to go out this afternoon.Each day we receive an automatic update from Ofstedabout any changes to registered care, and new or proposedregistrations. I check the details against the current recordsand amend them accordingly. I email other members of theteam to let them know that another Southampton Nurseryhas received an outstanding grade in their last inspection.I make sure I have all the leaflets and things I need for myvisit to a first time parents group at a Sure Start Children’sCentre this afternoon and pack my car up.12 - 12.30pmLunchtime! I chat with other members of the team andcatch up on their family news.12.30 - 1.30pmTeam meeting, in additional to the regular agenda, wediscuss all the outreach visits planned over the next month,there is a new toddler group starting next week who haveasked us to drop in to pass on information to parents; I amasked to attend.1.30 - 4pmOn my way to the Sure Start centre, I deliver the outgoingpost to the nearest Council building, it needs to be at thepost room by 2pm to make today’s post. Once I get to theCentre I set up a table with information about childcare,activities in the local area, support groups and leafletson a whole range of issues that may affect new parents.I meet with staff and parents and chat about what theChildren and Young People’s Information Service canoffer and answer questions. One new parent asks forinformation on returning to work and tax credits, I giveher basic information and take her details so I can emailfurther information tomorrow. Some ask about free nurseryeducation sessions and so I explain about what is currentlyoffered to three and four year olds and how important itis to put your child‘s name down for a setting well beforethey are three. I tell the parents we can supply lists of theirnearest settings.I generally give out specific leaflets suited to them, forexample, weaning or potty training, and tell them about thedifferent aspects of what we can offer.4 - 4.30pmI drop all resources back in the office and feedback to theother Information Officers. I pick up outstanding emails andflag them up so I can deal with them first thing tomorrow.16 VIP magazine Spring 2011 17VIP magazine Spring 2011

FeatureSpecial featureNew English classis great success!Families in the city are now able to communicatein English with their children thanks to a newand exciting English for Speakers of OtherLanguages (ESOL) course running in the East ofthe city. The courses were very well attendedand enabled families to learn English in afriendly environment with other similar people.The course ran on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, andthe learners were at different stages with their English, someat level 1 and some level 2, which allowed everyone to worktogether and support each other well. Families came from alldifferent backgrounds, with many different home languagesand included mothers and fathers. The parents helped todesign the flyer and poster, helping with the wording andpunctuation. They also helped to promote the course to theirfriends in the area. The tutor from Itchen College gave parentsplenty of different exercises to try and parents were also ableto engage with other groups and training sessions. Manyfriendships were made and at the end of the course everyonebrought in food and enjoyed their last session together.A crèche was provided on site which allowed parents to havequality learning time, whilst their children were safely caredfor in a secure environment by Sure Start crèche workers.For some children this was the first time they had spent timeEaster Fun for all!away from their parents and helped them grow in confidenceand learn to play with their peers. The children settled in welland even taught the play team some basic words, such asapple, toilet and nappy in different languages! The course alsohelped staff to become more engaged with families from othercultures and able to understand difficulties when moving to anew country.The project was run by Sure Start and jointly funded by CLEAR(City Life Education and Action for Refugees) and the MigrationImpact Fund and was an excellent example of partnershipworking at its best, coming together for the benefit of parentswho don’t have English as a first language. Feedback wasextremely positive, families said they enjoyed it and that theirEnglish had improved. They felt this helped them get betterjob opportunities and to support their children in school. Oneparent said the course had given her such confidence, thatshe had enrolled at Itchen College for a bookkeeping course,which she would never had have the courage to do before.If you would like to find out more, pleasecontact Jackie Richardson, Project Workerfor training and employment at CutbushChildrens Centre, Townhill Park on☎ 023 8091 5480 or emailJackie.richardson@southampton.gov.ukManor Road Pre-School is celebrating 40 years of success with a Easter Fayre to be held on 2 Aprilfrom 10am – 2pm. Past and present leaders of the pre-school will be there, as will Shirley Goble,Lead Practitioner, who recently celebrated her 20th year in post. Many local businesses will also besupporting the pre-school and there will be an Easter bonnet parade, bouncy castle and much more.If you would like more information or to book a place for your child at the pre-school, pleasecontact Shirley on 023 8057 6300 or 07751 259312 or speak to a member of staff at the fun day.Come along and join the Easter fun from 10am – 2pm on Sat 2 April atthe Methodist Church Hall, Manor Road North, Woolston, SO19 2DU.Children at workthe factsIf your child is aged 13 or above, they are able to work,however, you may not know:• Children aged 13 may only work in the following:o Delivery of newspapers, journals and other printedmaterialso Shops, including shelf stackingo Hairdressing salonso Office worko Car washing by hand in a private residential settingo In a café or restauranto In riding stableso Domestic work in hotels and other places that offeraccommodation• Children over 14 can have “light work”, details of this canbe found at www.southampton.gov.uk/living/childrenlaw/chiemp.aspx or by calling 023 8083 3646• Children who work MUST have a work permit, which theemployer completes, this must be done within a week of thejob starting and must be done for each new job the child has• There is no minimum wage for children who work until theyreach the compulsory school age registration limit, which isthe last Friday in June of their GCSE school year (even if their16th birthday is not until the July or August)Specific Hours of Work allowed13 – 14 years oldMaximumper weekMaximum perday Mon-FriMaximum perday Saturday• Once children are over compulsory school age registrationfor work, they no longer need a permit and will be entitledto minimum wage for 16-17 year olds, which is currently£3.57 per hour (or £2.50 for Apprentices on the NationalApprentice Programme)• Young workers (those over compulsory school ageregistration, but under 18) are only able to work 8 hoursmaximum a day, for 40 hours per weekMaximum perday SundayRestrictionsTerm TimeHolidays1225255522On school days, the maximum two hours mustbe worked after 7am and before 7pm, either asan hour before school or two hours after schoolA one hour break must be taken after four hourscontinuous work15 – 16 years oldMaximumper weekMaximum perday Mon-FriMaximum perday SaturdayFor more information on child employmentin Southampton, contact the JuvenileEmployment Officer at:child.employment@southampton.gov.uk☎ 023 8083 36468th Floor, Marland House (off Civic Centre Road)Southampton, SO14 7PQFor information on rights and responsibilitiesfor young people, visit the Direct Gov website:www.direct.gov. uk /en/YoungPeople/Workandcareers/Yourrightsandresponsibilitiesatwork/DG_174530You can also call the Pay and Work RightsHelpline: ☎ FREEPHONE 0800 917 2368Maximum perday SundayRestrictionsTerm TimeHolidays1225288822On school days, the maximum two hours mustbe worked after 7am and before 7pm, either asan hour before school or two hours after schoolA one hour break must be taken after four hourscontinuous work18 VIP magazine Spring 2011VIP magazine Spring 201119

SouthamptonChildrenand YoungPeople’sInformationServiceWHAT DO WE DO?The Children and Young People’s Information Serviceis a treasure trove of information! From children of0 to 19 years old, we’ve got it covered and hold lotsof FREE information, advice and support services forparents and carers in Southampton.• Things to do – everything from abseiling to tumble tots• Support services for parents, including informationon maternity rights, parenting courses, bullyingand much more• Childcare in Southampton, including information onwhat’s available, what to look for in good qualitychildcare, and paying for childcare• Jobs working with children in Southampton• Information on the Bookstart scheme in SouthamptonComments“Always happy to help or find information with asmile with a nice wide range of helpful leaflets”“It helped me to find a few agencies for my son,who is disabled, to access activities through theBuzz network”“We have always had positive experiences, wethank them very much. A fantastic resourceto have”Opening timesMonday - Friday 8.30am - 4.30pmWHO ARE WE?Andrea Farnworth – Senior Information OfficerI have worked here for 11 years since the CYPInformation Services’ inception. Prior to this, I was aschool secretary at a local infant school for six years.During these periods my own children have grownfrom pre-schoolers into students and beyond. I fullyunderstand the issues affecting parents and carerswho are trying to juggle raising children with thestresses of modern living.Wendy Lay – Information OfficerI have worked at the CYP Information Service foreight years. Prior to this, I trained to be a primaryschool teacher and previously worked for the PreschoolLearning Alliance in Hampshire, both as adevelopment worker and tutor. I have two grownupchildren of my own and therefore have a goodunderstanding of issues affecting parents and carers.Jenny Winmill – Information Officer / BookstartCo-ordinatorI have worked at the CYP Information Service for eightyears, before this I worked for Southampton LibraryService for over 25 years. Currently, I organise theoutreach programme for the team, which involvesvisiting various settings throughout the city anddeliver the Bookstart packs to pre-school children incooperation with local health visitors and libraries.The Children and Young People’sInformation Service is moving!From 18 March, we will be moving to Bitterne.You will still be able to reach us on our usual number –0800 169 8833, and remember you can search online atwww.youngsouthampton.orgAlthough we won’t have a ‘shop front’ at our newlocation, we will be out and about in the City as usual,meeting and helping our customers. Watch out formore information about where and when…The service will be closed on the Friday 18 and Monday21 March while we move.0800 169 8833www.youngsouthampton.org1.11.22877Contact 68 Commercial Road, Southampton SO15 1GDuntil 17 March 2011☎ Freephone 0800 169 8833@ cypis@southampton.gov.ukwww.youngsouthampton.org