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Children and family care

These pages contain useful information on help and support available for families. For out-of-hours emergencies use the Council's Emergency telephone number 0845 1111 137.

Adoption

Adoption is a way for children who cannot live with their birth parents or other members of their extended family to become part of another family. It is a legal process and a lifelong commitment.

Child protection

The Council works with other organisations to protect children from abuse. If you have an enquiry about child protection or a referral, contact details for the First Response Team can be found here.

Childcare providers

Search for childcare providers in Calderdale and guidance on how to choose from the many options available to parents and carers.

Childcare sufficiency assessment

The Families' Information Service regularly surveys parents, providers and employers to establish their views on the childcare situation in Calderdale.

Childminding

Childminding can be a rewarding, worthwhile career. This section provides helpful advice and guidance, including details of short and informal information sessions about the best route into childcare.

Children's centres

Children's Centres offer an integrated approach to services for children and families, providing early years education and childcare, health services and family support, all under one roof.

Children, young people and maternity services

This plan has been developed to promote a clear and consistent way forward for the commissioning of children and young people’s services which will help us to work better in partnership with service users, carers, providers and other key stakeholders whilst achieving best value and ultimately resulting in better outcomes for children, young people and families.

Disabled children

These pages contains information on help and support available for parents of disabled children.

Family services directory

This directory provides access to information about a wide range of services for children and young people and their families living in Calderdale.

Fostering

Fostering is when a child is looked after in a family that is not their birth family. Children and teenagers come into care for a variety of reasons and from all sorts of backgrounds and cultures and urgently need the security of a caring environment.

Improvement notice

The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) has issued an Improvement Notice to Calderdale following the inspection of Looked After Children and Safeguarding services in January 2010.

Information sharing and assessment

Information Sharing and Assessment is a multi-agency project to support services to work more closely and identify potential problems, faced by children and young people, more effectively by sharing information appropriately.

Out of hours support

Out-of-hours and emergency contact number for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People's Services.

Private fostering

If a child or young person who is not your close relative lives with you for over 28 days the law says you must register as a Private Foster Carer.

Sure Start

Sure Start local programmes aim to improve the health and well-being of families and children from before birth to four, so children are ready to flourish when they go to school. Find out more here.