Off to @local.gov.uk conf nxt week? #Liverpool. Join our PHIRST sessions @nihrlambethhdrc.bsky.social @helenmw66.bsky.social @dph-mashton.bsky.social @lauralamming.bsky.social @pvandergraaf.bsky.social @profkebrown.bsky.social @susiesykes.bsky.social @janedwills.bsky.social

Great to hear the emphasis on the voice of the baby in the #WhoIsHoldingTheBaby webinar from @parentinfantfdn.bsky.social today. I will be presenting our work on infant voice tomorrow at the Newcastle 1001 critical days conference for Infant Mental Health Awareness week #IMHAW2025 #IMHAW25 #IMHAW

New free paper on improving financial support services for users with complex health needs: a mixed-method economic evaluation of Social Navigators in South Tyneside. @nihr-phirst.bsky.social Fusion co-produced this evaluation with the local authority. 1/5 bmjopenquality.bmj.com/content/14/2...

Improving local authority financial support services for users with complex health needs: a mixed-method economic evaluation of Social Navigators in South Tyneside, UK

Despite social prescribing being promoted by the UK government for the last decade, the evidence supporting social prescribing remains weak and has mainly been confined to clinical contexts. Our study...

bmjopenquality.bmj.com

Great to have @parentinfantfdn.bsky.social comms pack for Infant Mental Health Awareness Week #IMHAW2025 Includes a link to commissioning support toolkit parentinfantfoundation.org.uk/professional... I co-developed with the Foundation & @karenjbateson.bsky.social funded by @arcnenc.bsky.social

Serious fun! Working together to identify solutions to barriers to involving and engaging children & young people in research. An energising day in Liverpool yesterday for the Children and Young People’s Public and patient Involvement and Engagement National Collaborative meeting #CYPPPIENatCol

“integrated early years services, done well, are cheaper than they initially seem once their benefits are taken into account.”

The Guardian@theguardian.com · last yr.

Sure Start centres saved UK government £2 for every £1 spent, study finds

Catch up with our latest PHIRST seminar youtube.com/watch?v=Nv9h... discussing: 👶helping parents bond with their baby 🍔young people's views on food advertising & 🧠supporting mental health of 16-25yr olds

PHIRST Seminar, Children and Young People, May 2025

YouTube video by NIHR PHIRST

youtube.com

Sign up for the next PHIRST seminar: Public health evaluations with children + young people 📅Wednesday 14 May, 2-3.30PM phirst.nihr.ac.uk/seminar-chil...

Ahead of the next PHIRST seminar 📅 14/05/25 2PM - read Yvanna Todorova's blog on making an animation to share the voices and views of young people involved in a #SchoolStreets evaluation phirst.nihr.ac.uk/blog-from-qu...

From questions to cartoons: sharing research with young voices in Newcastle - NIHR Public Health Interventions Responsive Studies Teams (PHIRST)

Blog describing the creation of an animation for the NIHR PHIRST Newcastle School Streets evaluation to explain findings to younger audiences

phirst.nihr.ac.uk

Public health interventions with babies, children and young people - want to know more? Registration is now open for the next @nihr-phirst.bsky.social seminar phirst.nihr.ac.uk/seminar-chil...

The new PHIRST EoI call has reopened and will close on 17 June 2025. www.nihr.ac.uk/funding/publ...

UK parents with babies in neonatal care gain right to paid leave

UK parents with babies in neonatal care gain right to paid leave

Measures hailed as lifeline for parents will allow people with sick babies to take up to 12 weeks’ leave Parents with children in neonatal care will gain a day-one right to paid leave and pay in a move hailed as “a lifeline for parents” with sick babies. From Sunday, the measures will allow eligible parents to take up to 12 weeks of leave and pay, on top of maternity and paternity leave. Continue reading...

theguardian.com

One of my favourite things from this week has been a walk and talk meeting with a colleagues - @newcastleuni.bsky.social campus looking lovely in the sunshine. What has been your favourite thing from this week?

Enjoyed presenting our @nihr-phirst.bsky.social Fusion embedded researcher model in Innovation Zone @local.gov.uk Public Health conference today - delighted to be joined by Jane Hemuka talking about her experiences Find out more in Jane’s blog phirst.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/u... #LGAPublicHealth25

Our Vice President Alice Wiseman in a panel discussion #LGAPublicHealth25 on tackling health inequalities and supporting children and young people. "We must be advocates for children and young people and their voices must be embedded in everything we do in setting policy."

Really pleased to be working @nihrsphr.bsky.social in partnership with @peopleshealthtrust.bsky.social to evaluate this new programme to support young people

People's Health Trust@peopleshealthtrust.bsky.social · last yr.

Almost 1m young people are not in work or education. We've heard directly that this is both a cause and consequence of poor mental health. Today we launch a pioneering programme to break the cycle of poor mental health & unemployment for young people. www.peopleshealthtrust.org.uk/news/stories...

Depending on which region of the UK they live, as many as 1 in 5 young people (Wales, London, West Midlands) are unemployed. In the North West, 40% of unemployed people are age 16-24 Our new programme aims to break the cycle of mental health problems and youth unemployment

People's Health Trust@peopleshealthtrust.bsky.social · last yr.

Almost 1m young people are not in work or education. We've heard directly that this is both a cause and consequence of poor mental health. Today we launch a pioneering programme to break the cycle of poor mental health & unemployment for young people. www.peopleshealthtrust.org.uk/news/stories...

Do you work in Local Government and have a #PublicHealth scheme in need of evaluation? The PHIRST scheme is now accepting Expressions of Interest ➡️ nihr.ac.uk/funding/publ... @local.gov.uk @adphuk.bsky.social @cosla.gov.uk @nhswalesexecutive.bsky.social @nihrarcs.bsky.social

Looking forward to our session on building research capacity and capability in local government through the PHIRST Fusion Embedded Researcher model Register now to hear about the experiences of some of our embedded researchers across a range of evaluations

NIHR PHIRST@nihr-phirst.bsky.social · 2y ago

Very happy to be presenting our innovative approaches to #publichealth intervention evaluation at this conference @triciajessiman.bsky.social @broniaarnott.bsky.social @profkebrown.bsky.social @afwellings.bsky.social Book your place lgaevents.local.gov.uk/lga/frontend...

@bencurran.bsky.social and @childrennortheast.bsky.social met with @sharonhodgsonmp.bsky.social recently to talk about their 'Little Minds in Mind' parent-infant relationship service and the Start for Life programme. Sharon also heard how important local services are from local families.

"Isabella's voice or her lived experience was not seen at all during the last month of her life…” www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Isabella Jonas-Wheildon was 'invisible' to authorities - report

Agencies in four counties missed chances to save Isabella Jonas-Wheildon, a review finds.

bbc.co.uk

This is the illustrated Call to Action by "the children and young people of Newcastle" (on p.39 of the report) - including PLAY!, more parks, more buses on time.

Alison Stenning@alisonstenning.bsky.social · 2y ago

Been looking at the recently-published annual report by Alice Wiseman, Director of Public Health in Newcastle (and Gateshead), titled (and focused) on "It takes a city to raise a child". Lots to think about, including from the perspective of play & mobility. new.newcastle.gov.uk/budget-polic...

I read this report with interest too. Much to reflect on including how places, spaces and communities support the best start in life, and the role of children’s rights and participation in these approaches

Alison Stenning@alisonstenning.bsky.social · 2y ago

Been looking at the recently-published annual report by Alice Wiseman, Director of Public Health in Newcastle (and Gateshead), titled (and focused) on "It takes a city to raise a child". Lots to think about, including from the perspective of play & mobility. new.newcastle.gov.uk/budget-polic...

“If you improve the conditions in which people live, they won’t need public services so much… If we can enact policies that improve those conditions… services like social care won’t be needed as much. Which is better for everybody” www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

One in four children in England need social care services by 18, study reveals

New research shows scale of crisis, sparking fears over impact of poverty and funding cuts on young people

theguardian.com

New blog post: hearing from a community co-researcher In a post for Blackpool Researching Together Community blog Sharon shares her reflections on @arcnenc.bsky.social @fuseonline.bsky.social @nihr-phirst.bsky.social peer research community of practice event www.blackpool.gov.uk/Your-Council...

How well does your Holiday Activities & Food offer meet family needs? Our @nihr-phirst.bsky.social evaluation of Southwark #HAF spoke to children & parents & found offer could be improved by: Increased awareness Improved booking Enhanced signposting www.frontiersin.org/journals/pub...

Frontiers | How do families access holiday activities and food programmes and other support? Learnings from the Borough of Southwark holiday activities and food club’s evaluation

frontiersin.org

📢 New publication from PHIRST Fusion on their evaluation of @lb-southwark.bsky.social Holiday Activities and Food programme. Find out about the evaluation on the PHIRST website phirst.nihr.ac.uk/evaluations/...

Dr Bronia Arnott@broniaarnott.bsky.social · 2y ago

How well does your Holiday Activities & Food offer meet family needs? Our @nihr-phirst.bsky.social evaluation of Southwark #HAF spoke to children & parents & found offer could be improved by: Increased awareness Improved booking Enhanced signposting www.frontiersin.org/journals/pub...

How well does your Holiday Activities & Food offer meet family needs? Our @nihr-phirst.bsky.social evaluation of Southwark #HAF spoke to children & parents & found offer could be improved by: Increased awareness Improved booking Enhanced signposting www.frontiersin.org/journals/pub...

Frontiers | How do families access holiday activities and food programmes and other support? Learnings from the Borough of Southwark holiday activities and food club’s evaluation

frontiersin.org

'We don't just teach - we clothe the kids, feed them and brush their teeth' www.bbc.com/news/article...

Nearly half of schools give families financial help, teachers say

A survey of teachers in England suggests lots of schools are having to provide extra help for families.

bbc.com