• DSPL2 Professionals Calendar

• DSPL2 Family Calendar

• DSPL2 Weekly News Highlights

• DSPL2 LHNF Panels

• DSPL2 SEND Information

• VSEND in Early Years

• DSPL2 Resource Library

Support babies’ brain development by understanding how early relationships and everyday interactions shape their future.

This free online training is designed for professionals working with families and children aged 0–3 across universal and targeted services.

Whether you work in health visiting, midwifery, family centres, safeguarding, or specialist support—there’s a session tailored for you.

Free My Baby’s Brain Targeted Training 

Thursday 26 February 2026 from 09:30-15:00
Tuesday 17 March 2026 from 09:30-15:00

Help build strong foundations for babies’ development by exploring how early relationships and everyday interactions shape the brain. This free online training is for professionals working with vulnerable families and children aged 0–3. You’ll have the opportunity to reflect on practitioner vulnerability when working with traumatised individuals. 

Book your place now via the KCA registration form: Reg form. For any questions, please contact CSStrategic.Partnerships@hertfordshire.gov.uk.

Free My Baby's Brain Spring 2026 - Universal Services Workforce

My Baby’s Brain Universal: 1-day virtual training for professionals

About: My Baby’s Brain introduces practitioners, who work with children aged 0-3 years old, to the key principals of neuroscience and how they can help parents, children and babies form strong attachments that will encourage healthy development.

This training day is for any practitioners delivering universal support to children and families in the early years, including Health Visitors, Midwives, Family Centre workers and Early Years professionals. (If you have booked onto the Targeted Services training which is for practitioners delivering targeted services to children and families, you will not need to do this training as well)

This training has been redesigned and includes:

• An introduction to the Five to Thrive as a model, helping parents to understand the impact they have on the developing brain of their child.
• A focus on trauma and its impact, and how recovery from trauma is promoted in our day-to-day interactions.

When:

- Tuesday 3 February 2026 from 9.30am to 3.00pm
- Wednesday 4 March 2026 from 9.30am to 3.00pm

Where: The training will be delivered virtually by KCA via the Zoom platform.

Book your place now via the KCA registration form.  For any questions, please contact CSStrategic.Partnerships@hertfordshire.gov.uk.

Playskill supports children with physical disabilities and delays, and their families in Hertfordshire.

We support children from birth to five years where there are concerns over their physical development*. This could be due to a medical diagnosis, e.g. physical disability, cerebral palsy/birth injury, Down Syndrome, genetic condition, global development delay, visual impairment, Spina Bifida or a delay with any of the physical milestones* for an undiagnosed/unknown reason.

*Physical milestones:

This could be rolling, sitting, crawling, standing, walking, feeding themselves, holding on to objects, using both hands together.

0-5's offer

Information on the 0-5's offer is attached below. 

Step 2 referrals and queries

• Step 2 are very willing to speak to schools, and want to do more to actively encourage referrers to email in or call to arrange duty calls to discuss cases they have questions about.
• Step 2 welcome ‘pre conversations’ about potential referral is made, ensuring that the right children get support at the right time.

Next steps

If you have any queries about referrals which are not accepted, please email hct.step2@nhs.net or call 01438 730570 to arrange a duty call. They run duty calls on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You may need to wait a week for a slot, but they will definitely book you in.

In the meantime, Step 2 will be providing information/presenting at the summer/autumn DSPL meetings so that we can share this information with as many schools as possible. We’ll also be sharing guidance in the EMWiE newsletter.

Find a selection of resources on children’s bowels and bladders – including on potty training – that may be helpful for early years settings. There are more helpful resources available across our website.

Free helpline: 0808 801 0343 Mon to Thur, 10am - 2pm

eric website

Webinar recordings of high quality material from our REACHout East of England Early Years Stronger Practice Hub.

See the Early Years Noticeboard - for courses

NHS Children & Young Peoples Speech and Language Therapy Service more information and resources.

FOLLOW:  An easy-to-use set of simple ideas to help support your child's speech and language at home.  You'll find top tips on using the key strategies in everyday activities, such as going for a walk, getting ready to go out and feeding the ducks!

https://www.stevenagedspl.org.uk/page/?title=Support+Links+for+Families&pid=36

TRACKS is a specialist early years provider for autistic children and those showing neurodiversity.

TRACKS Autism