Oldham Best Start Family Hubs

10/10/2026

Happy World Mental Health Day 🫶

For support with your emotional health and wellbeing that you can access 24/7, make sure you check out Togetherness NHS. Its online learning pathways have been developed by NHS clinical psychologists and health professionals, and they are recommended by more than 90% of parents who have completed them.

And, if you’re an Oldham resident, you can use the code DAISY to gain access to the pathways for free ☺️

Start your learning journey today by going to togetherness.co.uk 🌼

09/10/2026

Today marks the start of Baby Loss Awareness Week, an opportunity to give anyone touched by pregnancy and baby loss a safe and supportive space to share their experiences and know that they are not alone. We're sending lots of love to all families affected by this 🩵

You may find the links below helpful:
• A list of supportive organisations that form the Baby Loss Awareness Alliance is available here: https://babyloss-awareness.org/support/
• To learn more about Pennine Care NHS Talking Therapies, visit: https://www.penninecare.nhs.uk/oldhamtalk
• Ellie's Gift is an app providing 24/7 access to baby loss support information. Find out more here: https://www.ellies.gift

Next week, you can join the global ‘Wave of Light' by lighting a candle at 7pm on 15 October, the last day of Baby Loss Awareness Week. This can be done individually or in a group, at home or in a communal space. Wherever you do this, you will be joining a 'Wave of Light' with parents, families and friends around the world, in memory of all the babies gone far too soon but always remembered.

Take care of yourself, and please know that you are not alone 🩷

08/10/2026

Do you want to help us give children in Oldham the best start in life? We'd love to hear from you!

We're looking for Best Start in Life Early Years Quality Practitioners to join our team. To learn more and apply, please go to the link in the comments (copy and paste it into your browser) before Tuesday 13 October ☺️

👨‍👩‍👦NEW OPPORTUNITIES | Best Start in Life Early Years Quality Practitioner (x5 Roles)

Do you want to help children in Oldham achieve the best possible start in life? We'd love to hear from you! ❤️

Oldham Council's Early Years Team is recruiting 5 Best Start in Life Early Years Quality Practitioners to help improve outcomes for babies and young children from pre-birth to age five.

✨ In this rewarding role, you will:
⭐ Supporting early years settings, schools, childminders and Best Start Family Hubs to improve the quality of provision and outcomes for children aged five and under.
⭐ Promoting early identification of children's strengths, developmental needs and emerging concerns, supporting timely intervention and access to appropriate services.
⭐ Working collaboratively with families, partner agencies and communities to improve children's learning, development, wellbeing and school readiness.
⭐ Delivering training, mentoring and workforce development activities to build practitioner confidence, knowledge and skills.
⭐ Using assessment information, local intelligence and outcome data to evaluate impact and target support.

✅ We're looking for candidates with:
➡️ A relevant Level 3 qualification in Early Years, Childcare, Education or a related field, with evidence of continued professional development.
➡️ Experience working with young children and families and supporting improved outcomes through evidence-informed practice, partnership working and targeted interventions.
➡️ Knowledge of child development, the Early Years Foundation Stage, safeguarding, inclusion and the impact of disadvantage on children's outcomes, with the ability to support and influence practice across a range of settings.

💡 A passion for improving outcomes and supporting school readiness.

📍 Location: Oldham
📅 Closing Date: 13 October
📝 Interviews: 23 & 27 October

If you're passionate about making a difference in the lives of children and families, this could be the perfect opportunity for you.

🔗 Apply here: https://ow.ly/SCae50ZVLIk

Please like, share and tag someone who may be interested! 🙌

07/10/2026

More Parent Voice Coffee Mornings in Failsworth and central Oldham this month ☕️

As well as free drinks and cakes, and colouring to do for kids, you can chat with other parents and meet teams that can help you. And, you can find out how you can help us make our Best Start Family Hubs even better 🍰
​
Come and have a brew with us:
• Monday 12 and 26 October, 9.30–11.30am, at Failsworth Town Hall
• Tuesday 27 October, 10–11.30am, at Positive Steps

We'll see you there!

06/10/2026

Calling parents and carers of children aged 2 to 5: help us shape support for children's wellbeing 🫶

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority is running a two-year project to better understand and support the mental health and development of children aged 2 to 5. By filling in the short, anonymous survey, you can help develop support for families like yours.

To take part, scan the QR code or copy and paste the link in the comments into your browser. The survey will be open until this Friday (9 October) 📱

04/10/2026

Dates for your diary: come and chat to the Oldham Parent Carer Forum 👋
​
Oldham Parent Carer Forum, supported by the POINT Charity, is holding more free SEND drop-in sessions in our Best Start Family Hubs in October. Come along for advice, support, or just a friendly chat 😊
​
Let the team know you're coming to the sessions by going to the links in the comments below.

02/10/2026

Come and meet our Better Communication Team at select Stay and Play sessions in October 💬

Our Speech and Language Therapists will be attending Stay and Play sessions throughout October, chatting to families and giving advice 😊

To book onto the Stay and Play session you’re interested in, please call the Best Start Family Hub hosting it and mention that you’d like to chat to the Better Communication Team. For the session at Northmoor Library, you can just drop in 🩵

29/09/2026

Bedtime routines don't have to be a nightmare 💤
​
Now your kids are back at school, it's really important for them to get a good night's sleep. Our Parenting Support team are running a free two-hour discussion group next week all about bedtime routines, especially for parents and carers of children aged 2 to 9.

It's a chance for parents to talk about typical situations they may experience at home, and learn skills that they can use to manage these situations more positively 😊
​
• Thursday 8 October
• 9.30–11.30am
• Mayfield Primary School (Mayfield Road, Derker, Oldham, OL1 4LG)
​
To register, please email [email protected] 📧

23/09/2026

Happy International Day of Sign Languages 🤟

Did you know there are over 300 Sign Languages in the world? For many Deaf people in the UK, British Sign Language is their first language. But more than 90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents, who may be completely new to deafness.

Togetherness NHS has an online course with bite-sized content called "Understanding your deaf child for hearing parents". It has been designed for hearing parents and carers of deaf children aged 6 months to 19+ years. The learning pathway covers topics including sign language, and how you can help your child develop their communication skills and emotional wellbeing 🫶

Access it for free with the code DAISY by going to the link in the comments 🌼

For support, advice and information on being deaf, hard of hearing or visually impaired, you can drop in and chat to the Sensory Team at the Link Centre every Wednesday, from 9.30am to 1pm.

22/09/2026

Our next newsletter goes out on Friday: sign up by going to the link in the comments 🫶🏻

Get the latest news from Oldham Best Start Family Hubs by signing up to our newsletter 📩

We send out two newsletters a month, full of guidance and important information from our Best Start Family Hubs.

To sign up, click the link in the comments 🩵