glosfamiliesdirectory.org.uk

Search tips
    Subject categories
    Keyword search
    The results page
    Improving your search results
How the Family Advice Service can help you further
For Providers, Practitioners and Professionals
Problems / suggestions
Print this Help page

Search tips

You can find information on the directory by using the keyword <Search> box, or by selecting one of nine subject categories or zones.

Some records will feature in more than one category. For example, information about special educational needs is likely to be categorized under both <Education> and <Disability>.

If you are in any doubt from which category to base your search, we recommend you start your search from the home page. Any search term entered from the homepage will scan the entire directory for matches.

Subject categories

• On the left-hand side of the directory's pages you will find a list of the nine main subject categories in the directory. These buttons are the same as those listed in the main body of the home page.
• Once you have clicked on one of these subject areas, you will see a list of all matching records. You can use the <Search for> box to search within this category (and narrow your search).
• Before clicking on a category button, you can use your mouse pointer to reveal what sort of information you can expect to find within a given subject area. Once the yellow banner message has disappeared from the screen, you can have it displayed again by simply returning your mouse pointer over the category button.

Keyword search

• When using the <Search> box, just type in what you want to find. This may be a type of activity or service, or an organisation's name. Then, click on the <GO> button next to it. This will produce a search results page made up of all matching records.
• You can narrow your search results by clicking a category button. This will list all records for that category in numeric and alphabetic order. A keyword search can then be entered within the chosen category.
• You can limit or localise your search results by entering a search term in the <Search for> box and typing full postcode in the <Where (postcode)> box.
• You can also take distance into account by specifying a radius, based on miles from a specified postcode, using the <Within> drop down menu. This can be set to a radius of either 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10 or 15 miles or <Any distance>.
• If you do not know the postcode, you can include an area in your search. For example, 'childminder stroud' in the <Search for> box.

The results page

• Once you have entered your search terms and clicked <GO>, the results page will appear.
• The title of the record is listed, along with the start of its description. The results page lists all the records that match your search terms. Much like Google or any other search engine, the results are based on relevance (so are not presented in alphabetical order).
     For example, you might be looking for a 'farm park' so the results page will list every record with ANY reference to the words 'farm' and 'park' or 'farm' or 'park'.
• If you have more than 10 matching results, you can click on the page numbers at the foot of the screen to view more records. As well as clicking forward or backward, you can select the first or last page of results.
• If you want to find out more about any of the organisations listed, click on the title or <View Record> link to see more details.

Improving your search results

If the results returned do not meet your requirements:

• If you are presented with lots of results or none, try removing, adding or rephrasing your search terms. You can limit your search by entering a post code and radius.
• You may get more matching results searching for 'nursery' than for 'nurseries', as 'nursery' is more likely to be in the organisation title.
• Contact us at the Family Advice Service if you are still experiencing difficulty - we are here to help.

How the Family Information Service (FIS) can help you further

There are number of ways we can help you - the information you require...

• may be in the directory and you need assistance in retrieving it.
• may be in the directory and we may be able to raise the 'profile' of that record and make it more accessible to you and others.
• may not be in the directory but is accessible from another website or information source.
• is not in the public domain but with the organisation and / or individual's consent, we can arrange to have this information added to the Service Directory.

Based on your particular circumstances, we can...

• Provide you with advice and / or information
• If we are unable to support you, signpost you to the relevant Council service or provider

For Providers, Practitioners and Professionals

If you work for an organisation that provides activities or services for children, young people and their families and would like to be included in the directory then please use the new entry form. New entries are audited before going live on the directory.

Problems / suggestions

If you come across any problems using our website or need to report errors, broken links, missing information etc. then please email us at: cypservicedir@gloucestershire.gov.uk.

If you have any comments or suggestions about anything you would like to see, or ways of developing this directory further, please use the feedback form.