Primary age (5 – 12 years old)

Find out about the different types of eczema, treatments and triggers, and download our booklets and factsheets. https://eczema.org/information-and-advice/

Asthma is the most common long-term medical condition in children in the UK, with around 1 in 11 children and young people living with asthma. The UK has some of the highest prevalence, emergency admissions and death rates for childhood asthma in Europe. Outcomes are worse for children and young people living in the most deprived areas.

Click on the link to get to the asthma resource section supporting children, young people, families, and everybody else involved in looking after them.

Our Health Visitors will support you in getting your child ready for primary school. They will provide guidance on arranging pre-school immunisations and advice about healthy eating, toileting, hand washing, etc. At five years your child moves to the care of our School Nurses.

School Nurses are qualified nurses who have specialist training in Public Health and offer support to children and their families throughout the school year as part of the Healthy Child Programme 5-19. Some screenings and immunisations are provided through schools. If your child is home educated and you would like some advice from the school nurse, please do contact us.

Public Health Nurses are qualified nurses that work alongside Health Visitors, School Nurses, Community Nursery Nurses.

Community Nursery Nurses have a variety of qualifications and skills in child development and have expertise and knowledge supporting children and families. They work with the Health Visitors, School Nurses and Public health Nurses in the 0-19 service.

If you have concerns about your school age child you can speak to a School Nurse by either phone or by attending a local drop-in session. Contact our advice line (see below for details) or visit one of our Drop in’s. Dates, times and venues in our what’s on section. Your School nurse can provide advice and support on issues including:

• Behaviour
• Emotional health and wellbeing
• Continence issues e.g. soiling and enuresis
• Developmental concerns
• Advice, information and signposting to sexual health and contraception services
• Growth and weight concerns
• Advice and information in relation to lifestyle concerns including smoking, drugs or alcohol
• Supporting pupils and their families/carers with newly diagnosed medical conditions

What if I want advice outside of school?
You can either phone our advice line on 0300 333 5352 (Monday – Friday 9am to 5pm) or email us publichealthnursing.torbay@nhs.net which ever is easier.

Refer to 0 to 19 Torbay

Kids need to be physically active for 60 minutes a day, with 30 minutes of that activity taking place outside of school. From our fun 10 Minute Shake Up games to information about active hobbies and sports, here’s everything you need to get your family moving!

For children in year 6 we will take your child’s weight and height in line with the National Child Measurement Programme. This will take place in your child’s school and you will receive information about it.

Information from the NHS about why eye checks are important and how to spot eye problems in children.

Routine hearing tests are offered to newborn babies and children to identify any problems early on in their development.

Head lice and nits are very common in young children and their families. They do not have anything to do with dirty hair and are picked up by head-to-head contact.

The four most common allergies in children are food allergy, eczema, asthma, and hay fever. Find out information and advice from Allergy UK

“How much should my child weigh?” is a common question for parents. Children are weighed regularly as babies, but as children grow and develop at different rates it’s not always easy to tell if they are a healthy weight. Find some great advice here.

It can be tricky deciding whether or not to keep your child off school, nursery or playgroup when they’re unwell. Here’s a guide from the NHS showing common childhood illnesses and advice for when you should keep your child off nursery or school.

Head lice and nits are very common in young children and their families. They do not have anything to do with dirty hair and are picked up by head-to-head contact.

The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) measures the height and weight of children in Reception and Year 6 in schools across England. The information collected allows services to plan how to support families to lead healthy lives.

Information and advice if you or someone you know things they might have an eating disorder.

A regular teeth-cleaning routine is essential for good dental health. Information, advice and tips to help keep your kids’ teeth decay-free.
Children aged 7 and over should be able to brush their own teeth, but it’s still a good idea to watch them to make sure they brush properly and for about 2 minutes:
• Brush at least twice daily for about 2 minutes with fluoride toothpaste.
• Brush last thing at night before bed and at least on 1 other occasion.
• Use fluoride toothpaste containing between 1,350ppm and 1,500ppm of fluoride (check label).
• Spit out after brushing and don’t rinse – if you rinse, the fluoride won’t work as well.

Find out how you can keep your child’s bowel and bladder working properly from birth. Clinically approved information, videos and resources to help you and your child.

If you’re having sleep problems, there are simple steps you can take to ease those restless nights. Find out how to get to sleep and how to sleep better.

Bedtime, naps, and the questions that keep us awake at night. Get sleep advice from our parenting coaches.

Most people experience problems with sleep in their life. In fact, it’s thought that a third of Brits will have episodes of insomnia at some point. This short test from Sleepio will give you a ‘sleep score’ plus practical tips and advice for improving your sleep.

Information and support to sufferers and their families. Leaflets, fact sheets and regular newsletters are available. In addition they run a help line and support groups throughout the country.

Devon parents/carers can download a free locally developed app to help them manage some of the common childhood illnesses, with advice from child health professionals at their fingertips.

You’ll find all the information you need about which vaccinations your baby will be offered and when in the Red Book (your child’s personal health record).

Childhood vaccinations – or jabs have been around for over 200 years starting with the first smallpox vaccine.  Different vaccinations are given out at different times across childhood.  But don’t worry if you or your child has missed out you can catch-up.  Vaccines work by teaching your immune system how to create antibodies that protect you from diseases.  Think of antibodies as your body’s defence system.  It’s much safer for your immune system to learn this through vaccination than by catching the diseases and treating them.  Once your immune system knows how to fight a disease, it can often protect you for many years.

Vaccines all have different names depending on what disease they are helping to protect you against.  The diseases they cover may be in their medical term rather than how we know them so whooping cough has the medical term pertussis!  They may also be reduced down as their long name is a bit of a tongue-twister – so Hib stands for Haemophilus Influenzae type b.

They can also be delivered to different sites – thigh, upper arm or into the nostrils.

Below lists the standard routine childhood immunisations with when you should have expected to have them, what they are for and where you will receive them.

Routine Childhood Immunisations poster

Frequently Asked Questions:

I think I’m missing some of my childhood vaccinations – how do I find out?
First step is to find out whether you have a completed red book which includes a section on your vaccination history.- You can also check your vaccination history via the NHS app.

I know I am missing some of my childhood vaccinations – how do I access them?
Contact your GP surgery to find out the best way to book in for your missed vaccinations.

I’m not sure if my child is up to date with their childhood vaccinations – how do I find out?
First step is to check your child’s red book which includes a section on your vaccination history.
If you’re not sure you took this with you to the vaccination or you can’t find it. The next step is the NHS app from here you can also view your child’s vaccination record. If you’re child has not been added to your account, please contact your GP surgery.

I know I my child is missing some of their childhood vaccinations – how do I access them?
Contact your GP surgery

Are vaccines important?
Yes! Vaccines can help prevent you or your child becoming infected. The side-effects of these diseases can cause painful and/or permanent disabilities. Vaccines also help to protect the community, we see less of these nasty infections because of the majority of the population is vaccinated – something referred to as herd immunity. This also helps to protect those who can’t get vaccinated or have low immune systems for example those undergoing cancer treatment.

Some of the vaccines such as the HPV vaccine help to also reduce the risk of cervical cancer later in life.

If you’re a young person and would like to catch up on any vaccines you have missed, these can still protect you as you head into adulthood. They’re not just for when you’re young!

Useful sites:

• Vaccination tips for parents.
• Why Vaccination is safe and important

Spotlight on Measles: This is an infection that can spread easily for example through the sharing of utensils, towels, clothes or bedding. 

It can appear like a cold with symptoms like a high temperature, runny or blocked nose, sneezing and a cough.  It can include red, sore, watery eyes – which means at the first stage you may not know it is measles. 

The rash will appear a few days later. 

Measles can lead to more serious problems such as pneumonia, meningitis, blindness and seizures – this is why the vaccine is key to protect the community. When a child or adult has measles they can’t attend nursery, school or work for at least 4 days after the rash appears.  They need to avoid close contact with babies, people who are pregnant and people with weakened immune systems.  Catching measles in pregnancy can cause miscarriage or still birth, premature birth or having a baby of low birth weight.

From brushing their first tooth to their first trip to the dentist, here’s how to take care of your children’s teeth.

How do I brush my child’s teeth? (6 months to 7 years)

The NHS website – How to find an NHS dentist

Teeth grinding (also called bruxism) is often related to stress or anxiety. There are things you can do to help and treatments available from a dentist or GP. Find out more from this NHS website

Ideally little ones should visit the dentist by aged one – then visit every six months or as advised by your dentist. If your child hasn’t visited the dentist yet, then make an appointment as soon as you can. If you do not have an NHS dentist you can find out how to register here.

Regular Brushing
Your child should be brushing their teeth twice a day. Try using star charts to remind and encourage them. You will need to supervise and give your child a hand to brush until they are around seven.

Help your child to;

Use a pea sized blob of fluoride toothpaste once they are 3 years old (just a smear is needed before this).

Use the ‘spit don’t rinse’ rule. This keeps the fluoride on the teeth as long as possible.

Brush for two minutes – you can use timers or play songs to help keep to time. Have a look at the BrushDJ app.

Make sure your child sees their carers taking care of their teeth too. Being a good role model makes a big difference.

Toddlers
Use a small headed, soft bristled toothbrush.

Allowing your child to choose their own toothbrush may encourage them to be involved in regular brushing.

Older children
Children will still need help and supervision with tooth brushing until they are at least 7 years old.

Avoid using an electric toothbrush until a good brushing technique has been learnt.

Toothbrushes should be replaced about every 2 to 3 months – or before, if they begin to look worn.

The most important thing to think about when choosing toothpaste is that it contains fluoride. This is written on the back of the tube or box.

Fluoride is a mineral that plays an important role in preventing tooth decay. When children use toothpaste from an early age it is harder for plaque to stick to the tooth enamel and decay is reduced.

Toothpaste should contain a fluoride level of 1350ppm (parts per million). Family or adult toothpaste is completely safe for children of all ages. Children’s toothpastes have become more popular but you do not need to use them.

If using children’s toothpaste makes brushing easier and it contains no less that 1000ppm fluoride, then it is fine to use. Just ensure you switch to family toothpaste as soon as possible.

Dentists can apply a ’fluoride varnish’ to your child’s teeth which protect them even more.

It is important that children are helped to make tooth friendly choices;

As a family try and eat ‘lower sugar’ foods. Visit NHS Healthier Families for information on healthy eating.

Drink tap water or milk – using an open cup not a bottle or a beaker with a valve.

Always brushing teeth before bed and one other time every day.

There are a few easy things you can do to help protect your child’s teeth and gums and reduce the risk of tooth decay.

Reduce the amount of sugar in your child’s food and drink. Every time we have something sugary, the bacteria in the dental plaque in the mouth will produce acid that will attack the teeth. The more often we have sugary foods and drinks, the more ‘acid attacks’ we will have and this causes teeth to decay.

As soon as you see that first little tooth appear, brush twice a day:

Use a fluoride toothpaste containing 1350-1500ppm fluoride (you can find this on the side of the tube)
If your child is under 3 years, just use a smear of toothpaste, but if they are 3-6 years use a pea sized amount of toothpaste
Brush their teeth or supervise them brushing their own until they are at least 7 years old to make sure that they’re doing it well
All the surfaces need to be cleaned, making sure that the gum line is cleaned as this is where a lot of the plaque forms
Choose a toothbrush with a small head and medium texture bristles
Brush for at least 2 minutes
When you’ve finished brushing, encourage them to spit out the toothpaste, but don’t rinse with water, as this will rinse away the fluoride
Always brush your child’s teeth at bedtime as this will protect their teeth while they’re sleeping
Start taking your little one to the dentist as early as possible! Take them along with you for your check-ups to get them used to the experience and environment so that it’s familiar to them. Once their first tooth has appeared, take them to see the dentist and then take them every 6 months. When your child is 3, you can ask your dentist about a fluoride varnish, which is a coating that can be applied to protect their teeth. Remember, dental treatment is free for children (and mothers from the start of pregnancy until your child is one year old).

Quite simply, too much sugar is the main culprit of tooth decay. Some foods naturally have a high amount of sugar in them. The sugars that are in unsweetened fruit juices, honey and syrups and the sugars that are added to food and drinks are sometimes called ‘free sugars’. Children aged 4-6 should not have more than 19g per day.

Don’t give your child drinks sweetened with sugar such as squash, fizzy drinks and juice drinks
Limit unsweetened fruit juice or smoothies to only one glass (150mls) a day as even unsweetened fruit juice/smoothies are sugary
Always serve sweet drinks and any sweet foods, such as dried fruit, with a meal as this can help to reduce the risk of tooth decay
Avoid adding sugar or honey to any drinks or food
If your child is unwell and needs medicine, you can ask to have this sugar free
Never give sugary drinks or food just before bedtime
Sugar is also hidden in lots of shop-bought foods, including savoury foods, to make them taste nicer. Check food labels as items such as pasta sauces, ready meals and ketchup can have a lot of sugar and salt added to them
Regardless of whether sugar is brown, white, unrefined or in the form of honey, sugar is sugar and no one type is ‘healthy’
Find out more

Visit Better Health food swaps to see what healthy foods you could swap sugary foods for.

Download the ‘Change4Life Food Scanner’ app and find out how much sugar shop-bought foods contain. You’ll find it at the bottom of the Better Health Food Facts webpage.

Help your child cut back with great sugar swap ideas and discover easy ways to make a swap when you next shop.

The following tips will help to make family mealtimes happy mealtimes. Top tips for happy family mealtimes.

Find out about nutrition and diet information to help make sure your child is well prepared for their school years.

Advice and activities to support children and parents with their mental health and emotional wellbeing.

Torbay Young Carers Service are a friendly team based within Torbay Council’s Children’s Services. We provide a range of support and opportunities to young people who are in, or likely to take on a caring role.

What do we mean by Young Carer?

Torbay Young Carers Service works with young people aged up to 18, whose lives are affected by caring.  The person being cared for may have a disability, a serious or long-term illness, mental ill-health or be affected by addiction issues.

The person being cared for is usually a parent, sibling or other family member.

The care tasks young carers may be involved in include:

• Practical care – Cooking, Cleaning, Shopping.
• Personal care – Washing, dressing or toileting.
• Family responsibilities – Managing money and household budgets, Completing forms and/or household responsibilities.
• Medical care – Reminding the cared for to take medication, administering medication, giving injections etc.
• Emotional care – Listening and/or talking to the cared for person about their feelings, concerns and difficulties.
• Care of younger siblings – Helping to look after a sibling because their parent/s are unable to, or need assistance at times.

Young carers may be the sole carer, or they may be supporting another family member in care tasks

What support do we Provide?

The support plan will vary depending on the individual needs of the young carer or their family, but examples include:

• Information and advice
• Young Carers Groups
• In-school support
• Activities and outings
• Individual support
• Family events
• Advice on making services accessible to young carers
• Training and awareness events around young carers

Contact Us:

• By telephone on 01803 208100
• By email at youngcarers@torbay.gov.uk
• www.torbayfamilyhub.org.uk

If you’re being bullied, whether it’s online or at school, university or work, it can be really difficult and leave you feeling hurt – but you are not alone. Advice on how you can tell someone and get help.

Bullying can happen anywhere and be about anything. We’ve got advice about different types of bullying, and how you can get help and support.

You can find more support and information here

• Young Minds, coping with bullying 
• Anti-Bullying Alliance 
• Anti-Bullying Network
• Childline: Bullying advice and getting help:
• Childline: types of bullying
• Young Minds – feelings and symptoms: 

Whatever’s on your mind, we’re here to listen

Free digital mental wellbeing support for adults across the UK

www.qwell.io

Watch video to find out more

During bereavement, it can help a child to talk about the person who’s died, whether it was a grandparent, parent, brother, sister or friend. Direct, honest and open communication is more helpful than trying to protect your child by hiding the truth.

Information and advice on supporting a bereaved child

Relationships can make you feel amazing. But they can also leave you feeling stressed out and upset. Get advice if you’re having problems with relationships. 

https://parents.actionforchildren.org.uk/stages-development/?topic=social-emotional-development

Advice and activities to support children and parents with their mental health and emotional wellbeing.

Your online mental wellbeing community, free, safe and anonymous support

We give straightforward support for problems that young people might be facing.

We provide help to young people aged 8–18 across Torquay, Paignton and Brixham. We can speak to you on the phone, online or face to face. We can help you overcome the challenges that hold you back. Achieve the things that matter to you. Give you skills and strategies to help you move forward.

Everyone needs a helping hand from time to time, we help hundreds of young people every year. If you need it, we are here.

To refer to Checkpoint, please scan the QR code

Children and young people can get depressed too.
It’s important to get help early if you think your child may be depressed. The longer it goes on, the more likely it is to disrupt your child’s life and turn into a long-term problem.

Find out how you can help a child to have good mental health, including knowing how to talk to a child about their mental health, and when to spot signs they might be struggling.

Advice and activities to support children and parents with their mental health and emotional wellbeing.

Pressure to do well in exams can be overwhelming and affect your mental health. Here’s some advice if it’s all getting a bit too much.

When you’re living with a mental health problem, or supporting someone who is, having access to the right information – about a condition, treatment options, or practical issues – is vital. Mind can help.

A therapeutic mobile game to help 7-12 year olds learn to self-manage their fears and worries.

Making sure all young people get the best possible mental health support and have the resilience to overcome life’s challenges.

If you or someone you know self-harms there is always a listening ear available from the Samaritans.

Poor mental health impacts every area of a child’s life, the relationships they build, their academic performance and their physical health. So, our NHS-recognised therapies deliver a real difference to children who need it. It doesn’t matter what challenge a young person is facing. The Wave Project is here to help them change their lives for the better.

The Hub of Hope is a first of its kind, national mental health database which brings together organisations and charities, large and small, from across the country who offer mental health advice and support, together in one place.

There are lots of way to feel calmer. It’s about finding what works for you. Try some of CalmZones breathing exercises, activities, games and videos to help let go of stress.

The Torbay Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service provides emotional and mental health assessment and treatment to children, young people, aged 0-18 years, and their families/carers within Torbay.

CAMHS (child and adolescent mental health) provide assessment and treatment for children and young people who are experiencing emotional and mental health difficulties. Treatment options include; crisis/self-harm assessment, CBT, EMDR, Family therapy, trauma work and Eating Disorder work. CAMHS also provides consultation support to professionals within social care, health, education and the voluntary sector.

Referrals can be made through your GP, Health Visitor, School Nurse, Social Worker, or by self-referral.

Early intervention support is offered through the Mental Health in Schools Team.

Teaching your children about money from a young age helps them develop the skills they’ll need as adults. We can show you how to talk to 3- to 11-year-olds about money. This doesn’t need to be complicated – children can learn about money from being involved in everyday activities.

Children’s brains develop fastest and are at their most ‘plastic’ or adaptable in the womb and early years of life. During this time, many millions of neural are made and then pruned. This builds the architecture of the brain upon which other forms of development will rest.

Right from birth, every time you play with your child, use silly voices, or even sing, you’re not just bonding, you’re building their brain. Find brain building tips from the NSPCC here

Building young brains with the Big Little Moments. Babies and toddlers are growing and learning every day and the little moments you share can make a big difference. From morning time to bedtime, waiting for the bus to playing together, every moment is a chance to help build a child’s brain.

The Brain Story is about how experiences shape our brains. It is a story for everyone, as we all depend on those around us for the experiences that build our brain architecture. This forms the foundation on which our future learning, behaviour and health is built. Read more from the Oxford Brain story.

Building a healthy brain. The world in which a young child grows up shapes the way their brain develops. The key to a healthy future, is a healthy start. The world around a child has a significant influence on their development so valuing the role of parents, carers and families is crucial. Find out more from the Royal Foundation, Centre for Early Childhood.

Early experiences affect the development of brain architecture, which provides the foundation for all future learning, behaviour, and health. Just as a weak foundation compromises the quality and strength of a house, adverse experiences early in life can impair brain architecture, with negative effects lasting into adulthood.

Serve & Return Interaction Shapes Brain Circuitry

A serve and return interaction is when an infant or young child babbles, gestures, or cries, and an adult responds appropriately with eye contact, words, or a hug. This responsive interaction builds and strengthens neural connections in the child’s brain that support the development of communication and social skills, as well as lifelong learning, health, and well-being.

Check out this video to learn more about serve and return and dive into the science behind it from the Center on the Developing Child.

5 Steps for Brain-Building Serve and Return

This how-to video from the Center on the Developing Child breaks down serve and return into five simple steps that are easy to do at home, or pretty much anywhere!

Download this flier from your 0 to 19 Torbay team.

Advice for understanding and supporting your child in their social, physical, and speech development.

The most fundamental life skill is the ability to communicate. Speech, language and communication needs is the term used to describe difficulties with:

• producing speech sounds accurately
• stammering
• voice problems, such as hoarseness and loss of voice
• understanding language (making sense of what people say)
• using language (words and sentences)
• interacting with others, for example, difficulties understanding and using the non-verbal rules of good communication, using language in different ways to question, clarify or describe things or taking into account other people’s perspectives.

Some difficulties are short-term but others will be more permanent and remain throughout childhood and adult life. 

Everyone with SLCN is different and may have difficulty with one, some or all of the different aspects of speech, language or communication at different times of their lives.

Find out more about the common features of SLCN.

Makaton is a unique language programme that uses symbols, signs and speech to enable people to communicate. It supports the development of essential communication skills such as attention and listening, comprehension, memory, recall and organisation of language and expression. Find out more about Makaton here.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/joinin/something-special-what-is-makaton

Remember, not all children develop at the same rate but during this time I will:

• take turns in much longer conversations
• use sentences that are well formed, for example, “I had spaghetti for tea at Jamilia’s house”
• be learning more words all the time as well as thinking more about the meanings of words, such as describing the meaning of simple words or asking what a new word means
• be able to re-tell short stories I have heard in roughly the right order and use language that makes it sound like a story
• use most speech sounds. However, I may have some difficulties with more difficult words such as ‘scribble’ or ‘elephant’ and some speech sounds such as ‘r’ and ‘th’ may still be difficult
• enjoy listening to stories, songs and rhymes and will start to make up my own
• ask relevant questions or make relevant comments in relation to what I’ve have heard
• understand spoken instructions without stopping what I’m doing to look at who is speaking to me
• understand more complicated language such as ‘first’, ‘last’, ‘might’, ‘maybe’, ‘above’ and ‘in between’
• understand words that describe sequences such as “first we are going to the shop, next we will play in the park”
• choose my own friends
• use talk to take on different roles in imaginative play, to interact and negotiate with people and to have longer conversations
• use talk to help work out problems to organise my thinking and take part in activities

My parents might want to speak to a Health Visitor or GP if:

• As above +
• I have poor understanding of spoken language.
• Strangers cannot understand much of my speech.
• I have difficulty with abstract ideas such as size or time.
• I cannot identify the words to be able to say what I want.
• I struggle to organise my words into an order when I talk, e.g. I might miss connecting and describing words – I might say ‘playing ball’ instead of ‘Jake is playing with the ball’.

For more information or if you have concerns
Talk to your school nurse team, call the advice line 0300 333 5352 (Monday – Friday 9am to 5pm)
GP or talk to your school

Child and Family Health Devon All age Advice line 0333 321 9448 (Mon-Fri 2pm-4.30pm)

Remember, not all children develop at the same rate but during this time I will:

• Understand the key points they need to focus on in order to answer a question or follow an instruction and begin to ignore less important information
• Be aware of when a message is not clear and ask for an explanation
• Understands complex 2 to 3 part instructions
• Use newly learnt words in a specific and appropriate way
• Use speech that is consistently clear and easy to understand
• Use sound and letter links to read and spell unfamiliar words
• Ask lots of questions to find out specific information including ‘how’ and ‘why’ Use an imaginative range of descriptive words in sentences
• Use more complicated grammar including using different ways to join phrases to help explain or justify an event
• Begin to be aware of what the listener knows already and make checks while telling a story
• Take turns to talk

For more information or if you have concerns
Talk to your school nurse team, call the advice line 0300 333 5352 (Monday – Friday 9am to 5pm)
GP or talk to your school

Child and Family Health Devon All age Advice line 0333 321 9448 (Mon-Fri 2pm-4.30pm)

Helping your child’s speech and language development

Remember, not all children develop at the same rate but during this time I will:

• Listen to information, work out which elements are key
• Seek clarification when they haven’t understood
• Infer meaning and make predictions
• Use a range of words related to time and measurements
• Use a range of verbs to express their thoughts
• Use complex sentences to communicate in different ways
• Understand the interests of the listener
• Use language for different reasons

For more information or if you have concerns
Talk to your school nurse team, call the advice line 0300 333 5352 (Monday – Friday 9am to 5pm)
GP or talk to your school

Child and Family Health Devon All age Advice line 0333 321 9448 (Mon-Fri 2pm-4.30pm)

Helping your child’s speech and language development.

Remember, not all children develop at the same rate but during this time I will:

• Understand and enjoy simple jokes
• Understand different question types
• Know that words can have two meanings and them appropriately but can’t always explain how they’re connected
• Use long and complex sentences
• Use questions
• Use everyday language in detail about experiences that may have happened some time ago or are planned for the future
• Negotiate and collaborate

For more information or if you have concerns
Talk to your school nurse, Advice line 0300 333 5352 (Monday – Friday 9am to 5pm)
GP, school/setting practitioner

Child and Family Health Devon All age Advice line 0333 321 9448 (Mon-Fri 2pm-4.30pm)

Information about the development of speech, language and communication, what to expect.

Children’s language development and parenting advice – BBC Tiny Happy People
Visit Site

Young children love it when you chat, play and read with them, even if you think they’re too young to understand. Tips to help with speech development for 3 – 5 year olds from Start for Life.

A great series of videos on learning to talk, here’s an introduction from Dr. Tanya Bryron

A series of videos on why chatter matters, here’s an introduction to Chatter Matters.

Information, resources and advice for parents to help you help your child learn to talk and support any speech, language and communication needs from Speech and language UK

Information about the development of speech, language and communication – what to expect:

Children develop their talking and understanding of words at different rates. However, knowing what is typical can help you identify speech and language problems early.  You can also find out how to help your child learn to talk and understand words.
Visit Site

The ages and stages of children’s communication development.
Universally Speaking birth-5yrs
Universally Speaking 5yrs-11yrs

Speech & language Uk progress checkers provide short questions you can answer to see how your baby or child is getting on with their talking and understanding of words
Visit Site

Choose the perfect book for your child with these book lists

CEOP helps any child or young person under the age of 18 who is being pressured, forced or tricked into taking part in sexual activity of any kind. This can be something that has taken place either online or in ‘the real world’, or both.

Understanding online safety is tricky for all ages. We have advice to help you learn about staying safe online as a family.

A practical guide for parents and carers on how to keep children safe online.

Road and pedestrian safety, fact sheets and more information and advice from the Child Accident prevention Trust

Prevention is key, so get down to your child’s level to check what they can see and reach. You’ll also need to do this when you visit new places. The Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) has information on garden sfaety, preventing burns, button batteries, poisioning and lots more

Free child safety advice to parents and carers, support professionals working with children and families, support senior professionals and policy-makers and advise the government and organisations on child safety.

The beach is a fantastic place to go, but it can be dangerous. If you’re heading to the seaside, take a look at the RNLI’s top five tips to help you and your family stay safe.

Provides information, advice, resources and training, and is actively involved in the promotion of safety in all areas of life – at work, in the home, and on the roads, in schools, at leisure and on or near water.

What do if your child has an accident and the latest safety advice.

We are pleased to be able to share with you the upcoming Winter/Christmas holiday provision available to children and young people who are eligible for benefit related Free School Meals in term time (and our EHE cohort of course).

There are 19 holiday clubs in total – 9 in Torquay, 7 in Paignton and 3 in Brixham. There are 600 paid places, but we always hope to reach more children and young people. Several of the holiday clubs are hoping to have Father Christmas visit them, and some will be providing hampers and/or activity packs.

The ‘Healthy Holidays’ activities commissioned for the Winter/Christmas period are detailed on the word document attached to this email and can also be found via the Healthy Holidays page of the Torbay Council website Holiday Activity and Food Programme – Torbay Council or https://www.torbay.gov.uk/children-and-families/early-years/healthy-holidays/

The information outlines what is being offered in each town, who will be delivering this, the times and dates of the activities and the instructions for parents/carers on how to book places.

We would very much appreciate your engagement in promoting these activities and where possible ensuring that parents/carers that may require some additional assistance to book their children on to these activities are supported where possible.

For children and young people who might live in Devon but go to school in Torbay, please see the Devon HAF Programme. They will contact us in Torbay to check the FSM eligibility status, but will look to offer a space where it is closer to the home address; HAF providers map -Education and Families (devon.gov.uk) or https://www.devon.gov.uk/educationandfamilies/haf-map/

Home Learning is for everyone, whatever your age or your stage.  Whether you are at school or are Electively Home Educated, we hope the following information is helpful.

For further information about Elective Home Education please see Elective Home Education (EHE) – Family Hub (torbayfamilyhub.org.uk) and/or Elective Home Education – Torbay Council

Please see the sections below for resource weblinks you may find useful. All of the links for each section will be revealed if you click on the arrow.

We are aware that there are also a wide range of online forums that we have not included links to, but,  that you may wish to explore yourself.

Childcare is available in Torbay through a variety of providers including childminders, pre-schools and out of school care such as breakfast clubs, afterschool clubs and holiday play schemes. Here you will find information on different types available.

All children in reception, year 1 and year 2 automatically get free school meals but you should still register your child to receive free school meals if you are eligible. By doing this your child’s entitlement can be checked on a regular basis so that their school can receive valuable additional funding for every child receiving a free school meal.

Information for families Electively Home Educating in Torbay

The law requires every child of statutory school age to be educated, either by regular attendance at school or, if parents choose, at home, providing the child receives an efficient full-time education suitable –

(1) to their age, ability and aptitude, and

(2) to any special educational needs they may have.

If you choose to make your own arrangements to educate your child at home you will be fully responsible. The Local Authority does not provide any assistance with examination costs, curriculum materials or additional resources.  The decision to educate your child at home is a big step; it will take a considerable amount of your time, energy and money. Please read through the guidelines booklet below if you are considering elective home education.

Home Education Guidelines – A guide to help parents/carers understand what may be involved if they are considering electively home educating their child outside the school system

If you decide to electively home educate and your child currently attends a school, it is important to inform the school by writing to the Headteacher.

If you are electively home educating in Torbay, please complete the voluntary registration form and return this to ehe@torbay.gov.uk.  This can be downloaded by clinking on the tab below.

Download the home education voluntary registration form

Once the local authority is aware that a child is electively home educated, the EHE Team will contact parents to request information on the education at home.

Please also be aware that if you chose to electively home educate a child who already has an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP) this will continue to be monitored and reviewed via Annual Review meetings. The health and/or social care support for a child with an EHCP should not be affected by you choosing to electively home educate your child.

Torbay Elective Home Education Team contact information:

Email:  ehe@torbay.gov.uk                       

Tel No:  01803 206473 Business Support, Elective Home Education Team

Postal address:  Elective Home Education Team, Torbay Education, 2^nd Floor, Electric House, Castle Circus, Torquay, TQ1 3DR

EHE Lead Professional:  David Bevan

Senior Head of Vulnerable Students Team:  Dan Hamer

A copy of the Elective Home Education Policy and Procedures document can be requested by contacting the Elective Home Education Team. 

See Home education useful websites

Torbay Council work hard to provide our customers with the best possible service.  Many people wish to compliment us on what we do for example where a member of staff has been particularly helpful or polite or where a service has exceeded expectation or where a policy has resulted in great customer satisfaction.  Sometimes, however, we are unable to meet our customers’ expectations, and as with compliments, when we have done something well, we use any complaints as learning points to try and improve our services.  Any complaint about the Elective Home Education Team, should be through the central councils complaints procedure, which can be found at https://www.torbay.gov.uk/feedback/

At South Devon College we run a very successful and popular Elective Home Education programme, which is designed to meet the needs of the home educating community in South Devon.

If your child is registered with your Local Authority as home educated and will be in school year 10 or 11 in September, you can apply for a place on our course. 

Home Learning is for everyone, whatever your age or your stage.  Whether you are at school or are Electively Home Educated, we hope the following information is helpful.

For further information about Elective Home Education please see Elective Home Education (EHE) – Family Hub (torbayfamilyhub.org.uk) and/or Elective Home Education – Torbay Council

Please see the sections below for resource weblinks you may find useful. All of the links for each section will be revealed if you click on the arrow.

We are aware that there are also a wide range of online forums that we have not included links to, but,  that you may wish to explore yourself.

If you decide to enter your child into private examinations, you will hopefully find the following guidance helpful.

Setting up a pathway for examinations when electively home educating (EHE) is the biggest challenge for our families in Torbay, however, over the past 5 years (excluding the two COVID years!) a small number of parents have been successful in entering their children for GCSE’s.

The most important thing to arrange, in the first instance, is where a child can ‘sit’ their final examinations.  A child can only ‘sit’ an examination at a registered ‘centre of examination’.  Schools are registered ‘centres of Examinations’, however, very few schools offer this provision to ‘private candidates’ and your son or daughter, as an EHE child is known as a ‘private candidate’.  A few years ago, I believe, that The Spires College were one of the only schools that did accommodate ‘private candidates’ in Torbay, however, this is no longer the case.  If you wish your child to complete examinations, they will be expected to sit examinations at an accredited examination centre, in the normal way.  So it is important to investigate appropriate examination centres at the earliest opportunity.

There are other centres located in Devon, these can be found on Examination Board websites.  You will then need to check with the centre if they offer the course or subject you require.  A list of examination boards can be found at GCSE Exam Boards (projectgcse.co.uk) You can then google each examination board to check out the examination information.  For example, AQA page is found at AQA | Student and parent support | Private candidates

Transport and planning ahead are essential to ensure a successful examination takes place.  I recommend discussing your requirements early with your chosen ‘examination centre’ so that late examination fees are avoided.  There is no funding made available, therefore, all arrangements and costs are organised and funded by parents privately.

You will want to align the examination subject chosen, the examination board, course code and syllabus, to match any tutoring your son or daughter receives.  A good quality teacher, tutor or online provision, should be able to teach to the course requirements if this is initially known in advance.  Check that online schools support examinations.  Most online schools, still expect parents to arrange and pay for any examinations.

Some GCSE courses are unavailable to private candidates, just because they cannot practically be achieved, such as, some GCSE Science courses which require completion of coursework and practical examinations, therefore, it is important to investigate the most popular courses that EHE children access and complete.  Many families choose IGCSE courses for this reason.

It is important to discuss any arrangements with the chosen examination centre at the earliest opportunity to avoid disappointment.

These links may be useful:

•  EHE Resource Bank Ages 12 and Upwards (shinetraining.co.uk)
• How to Sit GCSE Exams Privately: The Extensive Guide – Think Student
• Faregos Home Education Exam Centre – Home | Facebook
• Private Candidates – JCQ Joint Council for Qualifications  Use this to also check and search for an examination centre.
• Educational Resources – Education Otherwise

It is also worth posting a request for information from the local social media EHE support groups.  Often there are similar families who have already made the arrangements and are willing to assist.

• Private Candidate Exam Centre – AQA – EDEXCEL – OCR – Cambridge (tutorsandexams.uk) Very well recommended. A new centre being offered and already some good feedback from Torbay parents Taunton Exam Centre – Tutors & Exams (tutorsandexams.uk)
• Trinity School | An Independent Day and Boarding School
• 3A Tutors Ltd | A Private Examination Centre & Tutorial College in Bristol.
• I did hear that Riviera Tutors may be considering becoming an ‘examination centre’, you can contact them at Riviera Tuition Torquay | KS1 & KS2 | GCSE | A-Level | Tuition for all ages for more information, however, this may only be for Maths and English, at Functional Skills level.
• Online School UK | Online secondary school | GCSE & A level education (kingsinterhigh.co.uk). (Unclear if they are actually providing examinations, therefore, it is important to clarify this with the organisation)
• Best Homeschooling Online Courses | Wolsey Hall Oxford (Unclear if they are actually providing examinations, therefore, it is important to clarify this with the organisation)
• Learn Laugh Play | Online Home Ed Classes | Making home education fun and affordable GCSE courses delivered, however, they recommend and use ‘Tutors and Exams UK’, as details in 1, for the examinations.

When considering the use of external centres for examinations, you may find it useful to look at this list that includes centres for examinations that EHE families have used.

It is important to be aware of legislation when it comes to being involved in any employment, work placed learning or vocational experiences that may take place in work environments.

Electively Home Educated children can do work experience, but it must only be for a short period only, or it may be considered to be employment and require a work permit.  Where young people are ‘Elective Home Educated’, and as part of their learning programme are involved in work experience or work environments, we recommend that you check all legislation is in place regarding health and safety, insurance and safeguarding.  This is so young people of ‘Statutory School Age’, which includes all children until the last Friday in June of their final year 11 educational school year, can safely and legally take part in these learning experiences. 

The Elective Home Education Team do not want to discourage wider learning activities from taking place, however, where children are involved in work related activities, as part of their wider education, ‘Child Employment Guidelines’ must be followed.  These guidelines outline the activities children can participate in, and the hours that can be worked.  No child is permitted to be involved in any work activities during the school day, even when they are Electively Home Educated, unless they have commenced their Year 10 academic school year.  Ongoing work experience, for Electively Home Educated children is only permitted in the school day once a child has entered into Year 10 and Year 11.  Where this is the case, these opportunities should complement and not hinder the overall quality of the home educational programme, so that other essential areas of learning are maintained and not pushed out. 

If a child is involved in any permitted work experience or work employment, who is Electively Home Educated, the parent must obtain a ‘Child Work Permit’.  This is for any child involved in these work related activities, even if this is outside of their education programme at home.  An Elective Home Education Officer will be able to sign and authorise a Child Employment Permit on the agreement that the child, the employer and the parents are following the guidelines in place. 

You can find out further guidance at Apply for a work permit certificate – Torbay Council where you can download the application, and also scroll down and click on the appropriate age, to see the activities young people are permitted to take part in.

Please remember that it is illegal for young people under 13 to work, other than in television, theatre, or modelling. Children working in these areas will need a performance licence which is issued by the local authority.  Young people must also not work before 7.00am, after 7.00pm, or for more than two hours on a school day or a Sunday. They cannot do any job that may affect their health and safety or interfere with their education.  Young people may also not work in any business, including the family business, without the employer notifying the local authority and obtaining a work permit.

If you would like to speak to the Local Authority Officer who oversees the Child Work Employment and Licensing in Torbay, please contact,

Email: licensing&permits@​torbay.gov.uk or telephone: 01803 207588