Family Action Bradford Survive and Thrive Integrated Children’s Service

30/07/2026

💡 Terminology Spotlight! 💡

This week's term is: Financial Abuse 💰

Financial Abuse is when someone uses money or finances to control another person. It is a form of Domestic Abuse and can occur within any relationship.

Financial Abuse might look like:

🪙Controlling how money is spent and what it is spent on.
🪙Preventing someone from working or studying.
🪙Taking someone's wages or benefits.
🪙Running up debts in someone elses name.
🪙Restricting access to bank accounts or financial information.
🪙Making someone ask for money or request purchases.

Financial Abuse can make it feel very difficult to leave a relationship by creating a dependence and limiting a persons choices.

Everyone deserves to have independence, dignity and the freedom to make decisions about their own finances.

💜 If you or someone you know is experiencing this, this is Domestic Abuse. Support is available and you are not alone.

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, always call 999. If it's not safe to speak, you can use the Silent Solution by calling 999 and pressing 55 when prompted.

29/07/2026

📚Books We Love! 📚

Welcome to our new "Books We Love" series. Here, we will be sharing some of our favourite, most used and most loved children's books recommended by our therapists. Books that encourage conversations about emotions, feelings, relationships and family dynamics.

Our first recommendation is from our Triage and Assessment Lead:

☀ Huge Bag of Worries - by Virginia Ironside ☀

The story follows Jenny, whose worries start off small but gradually, over time they grow bigger and heavier until they feel like huge bag that she has to carry everywhere.

Many children can relate to this feeling - worries can feel overwhelming, especially when they are kept inside.

One of the key messages in this book is:

💚Talking about worries, can make them feel lighter💚

📗At Survive and Thrive, we know that children don't always find it easy to put their feelings into words. We use creative approaches to help express themselves, including our much loved Worry Monster.

Using the Worry Monster - children can draw, write or tell their worries to the Worry Monster, helping them share thoughts that might otherwise feel too difficult to say out loud. Sometimes, giving worries somewhere to physically go can be the first step towards feeling heard.

As you read together, you might explore:

💜What worries do you think Jenny is carrying?
💜Have you ever had a worry that felt really big?
💜Who helps you when you are worried?

There are no right or wrong answers to these questions - just gentle curiosity. Listen, connect and help the child to know that they don't have to carry their worries on their own.

Often, the most powerful message to a child can be:

💜Every worry matters, no matter how big or small 💜

28/07/2026

🧸The Power of Play 🧸

Play is so, so much more than "just" playing, fun and games.

💜For children, play is one of the most natural ways to communicate, to explore their feelings and to make sense of the world around them.

When words feel difficult to find, play can help children to express their thoughts and emotions in a safe way.

For children who have experienced Domestic Abuse, play can:

🧸Help them process difficult emotions and experiences.
🧸Build trust and strengthen relationships with key adults in their lives.
🧸 Encourage creativity and confidence.
🧸Support their emotional wellbeing and healthy development.

The best part about Play is that it doesn't need to be expensive, you don't need new stuff, you don't even need to plan. Sometimes the most important work happens on the floor.

It could be as simple as:

💜 Building a tower together.
💜 Drawing or painting together.
💜 Exploring your local park - going on a bear hunt!
💜 Sharing a story together.
💜 Pretend play with figures and toys.

Spending just 10 minutes following your child's lead - without distraction's can be an incredible exercise in connection.

💜At Survive and Thrive, we understand the important role that safe, positive relationships and play can have in supporting children who have experienced Domestic Abuse.

Play is powerful!

24/07/2026

🌿Sensory Regulation 🌿

Sometimes, our bodies need time to feel adjusted, comfortable, calm, focussed and ready to engage. And that's okay.

During our sessions with children and young people, we use a range of sensory items to help children and young people explore what works for them and helps them to regulate. Not everyone likes the same sensory inputs.

Some of the things we explore are:

🎈Balloons - touch, smell, exhale, blow out.
🫧Bubbles - blow, pop, smell.
🫱 Fidgets - stretch, fiddle, twist.
🕯 Smelly candles - smell, calming scents. ..and more!

Sensory items can provide something to focus on, they can ground us and help release energy.

There is no right way to regulate and every person is different.

At Survive and Thrive, we recognise this and ensure that during their sessions, children and young people have a wide range of materials to explore.

Sometimes, this might start as something small. Sometimes it looks like talking, or movement or simply having something to hold.

We all need support to feel regulated at times, and children and young people need this too.

23/07/2026

💡 Terminology Spotlight! 💡

This week's word is: Boundaries ❌

Boundaries are the limits that we set around what we feel comfortable with and how we expect to be treated by others.

Healthy Boundaries might look like:

💜Saying "no" when you don't feel comfortable with something or don't want to do something.
💜Asking for space, or time alone.
💜Choosing what you do and what you don't want to share.
💜Feeling able to change your mind.
💜Respecting other peoples boundaries too.

Remember; having clear boundaries doesn't make you rude, selfish or difficult.

A healthy relationship or friendship should allow you to exercise your boundaries without the fear of feeling pressured, threatened or made to feel guilty.

❗Remember: No, is a complete sentence. ❗

At Survive and Thrive, we believe that every child and young person deserves to feel safe, respected and able to have their voice heard.

22/07/2026

💙School’s out for Summer! 💙

☀️☀️Join the Family Hubs across the district for a packed programme of free family activities! ☀️☀️

💙There’s something for all ages but if you have children starting school in September, our summer activities are a great way to help them be ‘reception ready’ through fun, play based learning!

☀️ It’s all free!

💙 Our first session starts tomorrow!

☀️ Some sessions require you to book, so please do read the details.

See the comments box below for a link to all the events taking place

Keighley and Shipley Family Hub
Bradford South Family Hub
Bradford West Family Hub
Bradford East Family Hub

22/07/2026

🌞🚌Free bus travel this August: making summer a little more accessible for families in Bradford!🚌🌞

💚At Survive and Thrive, we know that the Summer Holiday's can bring extra financial pressure plus addition pressure of wondering how to fill those weeks.

Good news!

🚍From the 1st to the 31st August, 2026, children aged 5-15 years will be able to travel for free on participating local bus services across England!

💛We know that for families in Bradford, this could make it significantly easier to access many of the free or low-cost thing happening in and around Bradford this summer.

Here's some of those great things happening:

🌳 Free Family Fun Day's in local parks - Bradford Councils Summer program includes sports, dance, arts, crafts, inflatables and more at locations including Roberts park, Lister park, Cliffe castle, Lund park, Wibsey park, West park, Peel park and Horton park.

📚Bradford Libraries Summer Reading Challenge - free activities for children aged 4-12 years with reading, awards and activities taking place across the district.

🎨Museums and Culture - explore places like the National Science and Media Museum, Bradford Industrial Museum, Cartwright Hall and Cliffe Castle Museum. There are specific activities and events taking place this summer.

🌲Remember, sometimes all that is needed is a free bus journey, a packed lunch, and a new park to explore and discover!

Free bus travel can help to remove one barrier to make it a little easier for children, young people and families to access some of these opportunities this summer.

📌 Free bus travel runs throughout August 2026. Check local bus operator information before travelling, as the scheme applies to participating services.

Find out more information here:

From 1 August to 31 August 2026, kids aged 5 to 15 years will benefit from free bus travel in England.

17/07/2026

✏️For many, today marks the last day of the school year ✏️

The end of the school year can often bring a lot of emotions for children and young people, and their families....often all at the same time.

💚Excitement for the Summer Holidays
💚Relief after a long and tiring term
💚Pride in everything that has been achieved
💚Sadness about saying goodbye teachers, friends and familiar routines

For some, the transition into the holidays can feel really daunting.

The structure of school has come to an end. Routines have changed. There are lots of unknowns. Expectations can feel difference and uncertain.

There may be more time at home, there may be more busy days. There may be trips out or longer stretches of unstructured time.

At Survive and Thrive, we know that for children and young people who have experienced domestic abuse in their lives, this can all feel particularly overwhelming.

Some children and young people may feel excitement about having more time to play and spending time with their families, but for others, these changes might bring worry.

So, as the school year comes to an end, it is important to remember:

🌿 Every feeling is okay - it's totally fine to not feel as excited as someone else
🌿 Excitement and worry can exist at the same time
🌿 Not every child will be "ready for a break"
🌿 Some need time to adjust, and some more than others
🌿 Maintaining small routines and familiar moments can create a sense of safety

Freedom and adventure for some might feel like uncertainty and overwhelm for others.

💚Whatever your summer holidays look like, remember to be gentle with yourself and with the children and young people around you. 💚

Bradford Council is offering FREE family fun days across the district with activities including sport, dance, arts, crafts, adventure play and more! Find out more here:

Free summer of family fun activities in the parks

16/07/2026

A great opportunity for children and young people aged 11-19 years across the Bradford District 👏

Find out more here:

https://fyi.bradford.gov.uk/directory-search-page/directory-search-tab/?id=2dcdbec4-4e51-4d4e-ad14-b48200a61042&searchParams=

Age 11 to 19? Try something new this summer - meet new people, get active, get outdoors and get creative.

Find Your Thing is a free wellbeing activity for young people aged 11 to 19. It is all about helping you explore different activities, build confidence and find something you enjoy.

You’ll have the chance to take part in sports and games, creative activities, community projects, and supported trips to green spaces and local places of interest.

Sign up using the link on the FYI website - places are on a first come, first served basis.

Come along, meet others and give things a go.

Bradford East Family Hub
Keighley and Shipley Family Hub
Bradford South Family Hub
Bradford West Family Hub
Invictus Wellbeing

16/07/2026

Did you know Family Action have a free helpline?

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, worried or upset about any aspect of your family life, whether here in the present or something from your past, FamilyLine is here for you. We offer free emotional support, information and guidance on family relationships – including siblings – conflict, parenting, caring, financial worries and more.

Open Monday-Friday, 9am to 7pm (closed on bank holidays).

Callers must be 18+.

📞0808 802 6666
📱Text: 07537 404 282
💬Online chat
✉ [email protected]