Useful Links

Healthy Eating & The Eatwell Guide

Healthy eating habits instilled in early years can lead to better dietary choices and a lifelong relationship with food.

By promoting healthy eating, parents and caregivers can support children's physical and mental well-being, setting them up for a healthier future.

The Eatwell Guide is a UK government tool designed to promote a healthy, balanced diet. It illustrates the recommended proportions of different food groups, including fruits, vegetables, starchy carbohydrates, proteins, and dairy, to help individuals achieve a balanced diet. Launched in March 2016, it replaced the previous eatwell plate and serves as a visual guide for daily food intake.

For further detailed information please click on the link below

The Eatwell Guide - NHS

Government Information

Best Start In Life

As part of this government’s commitment to making the lives of parents easier, the new Beststartinlife.gov.uk website has now launched.

Beststartinlife.gov.uk replaces the Childcare Choices website as your main source of information for early education and childcare support. It brings together trusted information and tips to help you to support your child grow and develop.

You can still access information and check your eligibility on childcare support, but now with a wider range of resources. These include support for families from pregnancy through to starting school and beyond, a map to check what schools offer free breakfast clubs, and a checker to find your local Best Start Family Hub.

Main website link: www.beststartinlife,co.uk

Childcare & Education link: www.beststartinlife.gov.uk/childcare-early-years-education

Local Information

The Families Information Service Hub (FISH) can offer a wide range of information, advice and support to parents and carers across the East Riding.

The friendly, helpful FISH team operates a helpline offering free, impartial information for young people, parents and carers and professionals who have a role in supporting families.

FISH is a 'one-stop-shop' where you can get details of services in the East Riding for children and young people aged 0-20 years.

https://www.eastriding.gov.uk/living/children-and-families/the-family-information-service-hub/

Online Safety

With more and more children having access to devices, it is more important than ever to ensure safe online experiences. It is crucial to protect their well-being, both mentally and physically by equipping them with the knowledge and skills to navigate the digital world responsibly.

This includes setting boundaries, having open communication, and helping children develop responsible digital habits.

For advice on online safety please see the links below.

For a unique educational resource and training programme produced by Safety Net in collaboration with Home Office PREVENT and the West Midlands Police Crime Commissioner, please click the following link:

https://safetynet.skipseducational.org

For a comprehensive guide for parents to online safety, compiled by Internet Matters, please click the following link:

https://www.internetmatters.org/advice/0-5/#checklist_for_preschool

For a guide to broadband parental controls and internet safety for children, compiled by GoCompare, please click the following link:

https://www.gocompare.com/broadband/parental-controls/

Child Safety

https://capt.org.uk/

"We’re the UK’s leading experts in child accident prevention, offering safety alerts, safety advice, training and free resources to help secure a safer world for all our children.

Our Child Safety Parents’ Pack contains bite-sized facts and safety tips on the main accident risks to children. Allowing you to make simple changes that can fit into busy routines."

https://capt.org.uk/resources/parents-pack/

Safeguarding

East Riding Safeguarding Children Partnership

Information, guidance, training and support for the safeguarding of children in the East Riding

The East Riding Safeguarding Children Partnership (ERSCP) oversees and coordinates all of the work undertaken within the East Riding to keep children safe. It is a partnership between the East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Humberside Police and the NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board working alongside other relevant agencies.

To read more about the ERSCP please click on the link below:

https://www.erscp.co.uk/

Starting Reception

Your child’s journey to school starts at home.

We understand that all children develop at their own pace, and that we’re all learning from birth. When it’s time to start school, some children will need more help than others.

There are key skills that schools expect children to be learning before their first day. Practicing these will make your child’s journey to Reception as positive as possible.

If your child is already at nursery, in pre-school, or with a childminder, those professionals will work with you and your child to help get them ready.

There’s lots you can do at home to build your child’s confidence and independence, helping them feel emotionally and practically prepared to start school.

A coalition of early years organisations has come together to create Starting Reception, a clear, practical definition of school readiness that parents can use to ensure their child is ready to start reception.

Please click on the link below to access a pdf version of the guide:

https://startingreception.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Starting-Reception.pdf