As another month comes to a close, South Tyneside Family Hubs is looking back on October 2024 – the start of our breastfeeding campaign, and a day to remember as BBC Tiny Happy People visited Boldon Colliery.

Local business makes Breastfeeding Friendly Pledge

A range of businesses made the Breastfeeding Friendly Pledge, highlighting their commitment to welcome and support mothers to breastfeed.

The Customs House were the latest organisation to make the pledge, with South Tyneside Council  actively encouraging businesses to sign up to the initiative and become breastfeeding friendly venues.

“Signing up to the Breastfeeding Friendly Pledge was quick and easy to do and is a great way to ensure that parents can feel confident visiting our premises,” said Chief Executive of the Customs House, Kelly Anders.

“The Customs House is well regarded in the borough for being a family friendly venue and we offer a range of services to ensure our events are accessible to all.”

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Families celebrate Asda stay & play event in Boldon Colliery

BBC Tiny Happy People’s Asda stay & play event which promotes communication through play saw over 200 families enjoy a range of activities.

Families received a special visit from CBeebies presenter Cat Sandion, as the television presenter provided a hands-on experience for the children through role-play.

One parent said: “The activities got both parents and kids involved and we all had a wonderful time.

“It was very informative with lots of great ideas on how to have fun while helping with my child’s development.”

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Take 10 to Read campaign see families come together for World Mental Health Day

Halloween can be an exciting time of year for children, dressing up and going out after dark. But, whilst Halloween is supposed to be spooky, there are some horrors that families will want to avoid.

So, here are our top tips for a safe Halloween that you can remember for all the right reasons.

Remember Halloween costumes are highly flammable

Many fancy dress costumes are not manufactured to the same safety standards as normal clothing, meaning they can ignite almost instantly and burn far faster.

That’s why it is crucial to ensure children wearing Halloween costumes are kept well away from naked flames and other heat sources at all times.

Try to buy costumes from a reputable store or website

It may mean spending a bit more but buying from a reputable store or website will be safer. Cheap costumes may not meet UK safety standards.

Check costume labels for a UKCA or CE mark

These labels don’t mean a costume won’t catch fire. But it has been tested for fire safety so it should burn more slowly.

Also, The British Retail Consortium has introduced stricter fire safety tests for children’s dressing-up costumes. Look for a label that says: “This garment has undergone additional safety testing for flammability”.

Encourage children to layer up

If children wear clothes under their dressing-up costumes, there is a layer of protection between the costume and their skin. This can help protect their skin if their costume catches fire.

Teach children to Stop, Drop and Roll

Ahead of Halloween, make sure children know what to do if their clothes catch fire. The instinct is to run. So, encourage them to practice stopping, dropping to the ground, covering their face with their hands, and rolling over a few times to put out the flames.

Keep candles well out of the path of trick or treaters

Candles and lit pumpkins create a fantastic spooky atmosphere but can be dangerous. Keep them well out of the path of trick or treaters and away from any Halloween decorations that might catch light.

Remember not to put candles on a surface that may burn. And, in all the excitement, don’t forget to blow them out when you’re done.

Consider switching to battery-powered candles

You may want to switch to LED / flameless battery-powered candles to reduce the fire risk. But, be sure the battery compartment is secure. Many LED lights, and the remote controls for them, contain button batteries which can badly hurt or kill a small child if they swallow one and it gets stuck.

Be visible

Visibility is important all year round. However, after the clocks go back, it gets dark much earlier. By Halloween it will be dusk by 5 o’clock, just when children are out trick or treating.

Reflective tape can make a fun addition to Halloween costumes and make children more visible to drivers at twilight, as it is picked up in car headlights.

Fluorescent glow sticks and glow jewellery can make good costume accessories and can also help make children more visible to drivers.

If you’re going out earlier with little ones, then bright or fluorescent clothing is better for daytime visibility.

Stay safe near roads

Masks can make it harder for children to see or hear traffic. So, save the special masks for indoors and use face paint for trick or treating.

Encourage children to put mobile phones away when they are out trick or treating and crossing roads. Instead of using the phone as a light, carry a torch.

Children under 12 are best accompanied by an adult. Agreeing a pre-planned route for children over 12 and having a way of contacting a trusted adult if they need to offers freedom with less risk.

Carve carefully

Carving pumpkins has become a great Halloween tradition. If your child isn’t old enough to handle a sharp knife safely there are plenty of ‘no-carve pumpkin’ ideas all over the internet. Just do a quick search on Pinterest. You will be amazed at the creativity.

Watch out for treats that might be a choking hazard for young children

Lollipops, hard candy and mini eggs in particular can pose a serious choking risk. Plus, remember it’s best to avoid eating while walking or running, so you may want to save up all the treats to enjoy back at home.

Be wary of button batteries

Light-up decorations such as pumpkins, cauldrons, torches and wands are fantastic for creating a spooktactular atmosphere. But many of these items are powered by button batteries which can badly hurt or kill a child if swallowed.

That’s why it’s so important when buying button battery-powered Halloween novelties that you check the battery compartment is secured with a screw or similar fastener to prevent children gaining access.

We hope you have a safe and spooktacular Halloween!

The Customs House in South Shields is the latest organisation in the borough that has signed up to support breastfeeding families.

The South Tyneside Pledge organisation has joined a range of cafes, leisure centres and community venues to make the Breastfeeding Friendly Pledge – ensuring they welcome and support mothers to breastfeed.

As part of the initiative the arts venue will provide a clean and comfortable environment for breastfeeding mothers where they will not be asked to leave or move; and will be offered a free glass of water and table service (where possible).

South Tyneside Council recognises that breastfeeding offers lots of benefits to mother and baby. We are actively encouraging businesses and organisations to sign up to the initiative and become breastfeeding friendly venues for both staff and visitors.

Kelly Anders, Chief Executive of the Customs House said: “The Customs House is well regarded in the borough for being a family friendly venue and we offer a range of services to ensure our events are accessible to all.

“Signing up to the Breastfeeding Friendly Pledge was quick and easy to do and is a great way to ensure that parents can feel confident visiting our premises.”

Councillor Paul Dean, Lead Member for the Voluntary Sector, Partnerships, and Equalities, at South Tyneside Council said: “The Customs House were one of the founder signatories of the South Tyneside Pledge, so it is heartening to see them get on board to support this local initiative.

“The South Tyneside Pledge is about local organisations taking small steps to collectively help the borough thrive, and this is just one simple way an organisation can contribute.”

For more information and to sign up to the scheme visit Join the Breastfeeding Friendly Scheme – South Tyneside Council

Following a memorable summer at South Tyneside Family Hubs, we’re back with an Un-BOO-lievable week of Halloween fun.

Our schedule sees all 12 Family Hubs playing  host to a range of fang-tastic activities, with Science Buddies and Williby Roc’s also giving your child a chance to experiment and create magical memories.

Take a look at some of October’s line-up below:

Halloween Hunt – Join us at Horsley Hill Family Hub as we hunt for hidden clues around the Hub, with prizes on offer to all those who attend. Families can also enjoy a range of arts and crafts. Feel free to dress up for Halloween. (Booking required)

Learning with Play (Halloween Storytime) –  What’s a ghost’s favourite book genre? Spooky fiction! Treat yourself to an hour of spooky stories and a good scary tale ending.

Learning with Play (Autumn Messy Play) – Prepare to get messy exploring our themed play stations including pumpkins, wiggly worms and all things autumn!

Spooky Spectacular Session – Enjoy a range of activities at Bede, Biddick and Boldon including sensory, Halloween arts and crafts, a mini disco, and many more. (Booking required)

Science Buddies – Science Buddies are back with bigger and better experiments than ever before. Join them for some Halloween fun this October. (Booking required)

Williby Roc’s – Families can enjoy Halloween themed eco-friendly arts and crafts, nature-based sessions and more. Explore your imagination, make wonderful creations and create magical memories. (Booking required)

Check out the full schedule below:

Riverside, All Saints, Marine Park

Bede, Biddick, Boldon

Hebburn, Jarrow, Primrose

Horsley Hill ,Ridgeway ,Whitburn & Marsden

South Tyneside families participated in Take 10 to Read on Thursday 10 October to mark World Mental Health Day as part of the annual campaign from the National Literacy Trust.

Take 10 to Read encourages people of all ages to drop everything and read for just 10 minutes at 10:00am and experience the wellbeing benefits of reading.

Research from the National Literacy Trust shows that reading for enjoyment can help you relax and boost your mood, as well as supporting the vital literacy skills needed to succeed at school, work and in life. However less than half (44.6%) of children in the North East enjoy reading, and only 3 in 10 read daily in their free time, with thousands missing out on these benefits.

This year, South Tyneside Family Hubs teamed up with South Tyneside Libraries, who provided a unique educational experience to children across various Family Hub locations.

Families were encouraged to wear yellow at Learning with Play groups to raise awareness and show children and young people they’re not alone with their mental health.

Angela Gelston, Active Libraries Engagement Officer, expressed her delight after a very successful week of delivering activities: “It was lovely to share some of the books that South Tyneside Libraries have on the shelves with the parents, carers and children.

“The stories (A Busy Day for Birds, Monkey Puzzle, The Splendid Spotted Snake) were well received by all. Everyone joined in, singing and dancing, ending on an enthusiastic rendition of ‘If you’re happy and you know it’.

“It’s always great to see babies and young people enjoy being read to with the added bonus that we know there is a link between reading for pleasure and positive mental wellbeing. Reading together, even for just 10 minutes, gives you that chance to slow down and bond with each other.”

Linzi Winn, Project Manager at National Literacy Trust North East, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to South Tyneside Family Hubs for supporting our Take 10 to Read campaign.

“Collaborating with the community is at the heart of we do, and it’s inspiring to see so many local families participating in reading and storytelling activities. Just 10 minutes of reading a day can ignite a lifelong love of books, promoting better wellbeing and opening up brighter future prospects for children.”

The Take 10 celebrations continued in 27 schools across the region, where 3,329 children joined three bestselling authors in virtual events aimed at inspiring a love of books and reading.

To get further ideas for supporting your child’s communication and development, visit our website and check out our First Words Together and Early Words Together programmes.