Please read the following information about how to write and contribute to the Children and Families Newcastle website. If your content does not meet our accessibility and user guidelines, it will not be uploaded. Our team are happy to chat to you and support you so that you can create content that is useful and meaningful for families.
Use language that is easy to understand. Don't use acronyms, or specialised or technical terms. For example, instead of perinatal, say during and after pregnancy. If you have to use a specialist term, make sure you explain the meaning of it within the text.
When you are writing as Children and Families Newcastle, imagine you are talking to a friend or a family member. Don't assume the reader has prior knowledge of your service or what you do.
Make your descriptions of your service short and to the point. Bullet points can help you list all of the things you do, and are easy for people to read. Remember that when people are reading online, they skim and scan information, so the easier it is for them to get the important information, the better.
You need to describe activities in enough detail so that attendees know what to expect. If it is a messy play group, do they need to bring spare clothes and baby wipes? If it is a youth group, what type of activities do they normally do? Remember to include booking information and a contact for people to ask any questions.
Our preference is that you don't use stock images. Real people in our city is always best.
If you are providing images of your service or activity see Images of Children and Families below.
Otherwise, we have a bank of photos that we can help you look through.
If you do choose a stock image make sure it is representative of all of the different families we work with in Newcastle.
Process?
You must have written consent from everyone who appears in an image for the picture to be used on the website. A date needs to be recorded alongside the consent as it expires after a period of (IS THIS RIGHT?).
A person can withdraw their consent for an image to be used at any time. Please contact our team as soon as possible if this happens and we will remove the image.
Website users are far more likely to engage in the content of a video, than written text. Our preferred style for videos is 'talking heads', having a member of staff from your service talk about your offer, and give some useful hints and tips that could help a family immediately.
Videos need to have one of the following:
You can do this before you share your video by XXXXX to get in touch email newcastlesupportdirectory@newcastle.gov.uk
To make our building more accessible, and so that people can prepare for their visit, it is useful to have video walk throughs. If there is a location you use regularly, please get in touch with us and we can talk about the best way to make a video for your setting.
Videos need to have one of the following:
You can do this before you share your video by XXXXX to get in touch email newcastlesupportdirectory@newcastle.gov.uk
Pages will follow an 'F' shape layout. A few lines of information at the top, main content to the left, video or image to the right, and useful links at the bottom.
Make your descriptions of your service short and to the point. Ready our style guide. Write the description as if you are chatting which someone from your typical target group. How you would explain what you do to them
Bullet points can help you list all of the things you do, and are easy for people to read. Remember that when people are reading online, they skim and scan information, so the easier it is for them to get the important information, the better.
Google search uses the first 100 words on a page, so if the key words are in in your first 100 words the page will be harder to find.
You need to describe activities in enough detail so that attendees know what to expect. If it is a messy play group, do they need to bring spare clothes and baby wipes? If it is a youth group, what type of activities do they normally do? Remember to include booking information and a contact for people to ask any questions.
If there is a document you would like to include, please make sure that all of the content within the document follows the written content guidelines. Within a document for professionals, if it fine to include more specialised language but remember that other practitioners may have limited knowledge of your service.
Any document added to the site can be viewed by anyone so language about families, services and processes needs to be appropriate.
You can add training offers to the professional area. Make sure you include details of who the training is for, how to book, and who to contact for more information.