Events and training
Find out what has been happening and have a look at what events and training are coming up.
Planned events and training
Join us for a friendly chat over a coffee and a biscuit.
Our sessions are held twice a week during term time.
Join us for a friendly chat over a coffee and a biscuit.
Meet other parents and carers of children with SEND, discuss issues, and share insight and ideas.
Our sessions are held twice a week during term time.
Monday
Central Family Hub,
Edward Street,
Grimsby,
DN32 9HL
9:30 – 11:30am
Thursday
Nunsthorpe Family Hub,
Sutcliffe Avenue,
Grimsby,
DN33 1AR
9:30 – 11:30am
We are holding regular pop-up events with professionals from SEND services, health and social care.
Our approach is based on strong evidence that when parents and carers have a good relationship with their child’s school/setting and services and are involved in their learning and experiences, life chances and outcomes for children and young people are improved.
Past events
Yarborough Academy
We had a successful pop-up event at Yarborough Academy on Friday 6 May.
There was a great turn out of parent carers who met with services from across the borough.
This included the school SENCo and support staff, SENDIASS for impartial advice and support for SEND across education, health and social care, an EHCP Coordinator, the SEND Engagement Team, Compass GO, and Sharon Gest from the Specialist Advisory Team.
Phoenix Park Academy
We had a great event at Phoenix Park Academy, Harold Street, Grimsby.
Parent carers from Academies in the Wellspring Trust met together with the SENCo’s, staff, and services across education, health and social care as well as the environmental youth group, Green Influencers.
Students volunteered their time to serve tea, coffee, and home made baked goods.
Parent carers found it useful to have several key services in one place. Some were introduced to new services that they thought would be helpful.
Read more
NELC SEND Local Offer | Successful SEND pop-up event at Phoenix Park Academy (nelincs.gov.uk)
Parents and carers are invited to attend a free sleep workshop online, funded by Humber Transforming Care Partnership.
Following feedback from parent carers the sleep workshops can now be completed over one session.
Sleep Workshop for Parent/Carers
- Monday 25 April 2022 10am-2pm
- Tuesday 17 May 2022 10am-2pm
- Friday 27 May 2022 9.30am-1.30pm
- Monday 6 June 2022 10am-2pm
- Tuesday 21 June 2022 10am-2pm
To book a place please email Claire.Earley@kids.org.uk
Find out more about services to help your child to sleep. NELC SEND Local Offer | Social, emotional and mental health (nelincs.gov.uk)
Makaton is a unique language programme that uses symbols, signs and speech to enable people to communicate.
Find an accredited Makaton Trainer. Find Training (makaton.org).
Can you learn the Makaton sign ‘To Understand’?
Find other free resources and information about Makaton Home (makaton.org).
Training
SENDIASS training has been postponed.
You can view recorded sessions of the training on their Parents and Carers page.
Parents and Carers | Barnardo’s (barnardossendiass.org.uk)
Events
Parent practitioner steering group
It is really important to us that parents who have used SENDIASS can help us shape the service and, being part of the steering group, is an opportunity to do this.
The steering group meets for about two hours, four times a year; we have a mix of professionals/practitioners, a member of NELPPF (the parent forum), and parents who have used the service. (We also have a separate young people’s steering group.)
If you would like to become involved with the Parent Practitioner Steering Group, please call us us on 01472 355365 or email nelincs@barnardos.org.uk
More for parents and carers from SENDIASS, Barnardo’s, Parents and Carers | Barnardo’s (barnardossendiass.org.uk)
Groups and sessions from 16+ weeks pregnant.
Focus on baby and child development, weaning, behaviours, diet, sleep, dental health, walking, getting ready for nursery and learning, completing nursey applications, communication, language, health, and more.
- Stepping Stones Triple P- One to one (0-12 years)
- Stepping Stones Triple p- Group (0-12 years)
- Parents Supporting Parents
- Sensory rooms
- Language through listening
- Parenting drop in
- Parenting puzzle (0-5 years)
- Sleep tight
- Counselling for parents
- Young carers
Read more about these courses and how to sign up on the Early years page under Early help and support.
Parent/Carer Workshops
Young Minds Matter provide parent and carer workshops to help increase their understanding of mental health issues and build confidence in supporting children and young people in the family home.
Parent and Carer Workshop Overview :: Young Minds Matter (lpft.nhs.uk)
These are totally free of charge, online and able to be taken at a time that suits you.
Learn about:
- ADHD
- Anxiety
- Autism
- Health Anxiety
- Low mood/depression
- self-harm
- social anxiety
- What is mental health
Autism in Girls and Women Training
We have a limited number of places on the Autism in Girls and Women training from the National Autistic Society.
The course is held online and takes about two hours. We have covered the cost for you to take it. Find out more about the course. Women and girls (autism.org.uk)
We have had a varied range of people sign up to the training including professionals from schools, health and social care, parent carers, grandparents, volunteers, childminders and more.
After you sign up, why not tell your child’s favourite teacher or support staff that they can take this training?
We’ve had 60 people sign up and have about forty places left.
Sign up
If you’d like to take this online training, please contact us at StrategyPolicyandProjects@nelincs.gov.uk and include the following details
- Your name
- The school or organisation you work for
- The email address you would use to set up an account on the National Autistic Society (NAS) website (needed to access the training)
We’ll then send you a code which you enter on your National Autistic Society account to access the training.
We’ll also ask to let us know when you’ve completed the course and to send in a copy of your certificate.
Autism in Schools Parents Forum
Parent carers meet during the forum to stay up-to-date and help to shape the offer. There is one forum every half term.
Infants and Primary Schools
St Joseph’s Catholic Primary Voluntary Academy,
Philip Avenue,
Cleethorpes,
DN35 9DL
Tuesday 17 May, 9:30-11:30pm
Secondary Schools
Grimsby Town Hall, Town Hall Square, DN31 31HU
Tuesday 17 May, 1-2:30pm
Infants/ Primary and Secondary Schools
Grimsby Town Hall, Town Hall Square, DN31 31HU
Tuesday 5 July, 9:30am-1pm
Learn more about Autism in Schools. NELC SEND Local Offer | Autism in Schools (nelincs.gov.uk)
EarlyBird Plus
EarlyBird Plus is a programme for parents and carers of young people aged 4-9 with a diagnosis of an Autism Spectrum Disorder. The programme is delivered to between four and six families at a time. It is held weekly and consists of eight sessions, each of which are two and a half hours long. Families are also offered two home visits to discuss the programme in more detail and be supported to individualise and personalise the content.
Family support (autism.org.uk)
Who delivers the programme?
EarlyBird Plus is delivered by experienced autism professionals who are employed by North East Lincolnshire Council. They have been trained and licensed by The National Autistic Society to run the programme for families in their local area.
What are the aims of the programme and what will parents/carers learn?
The EarlyBird Plus Programme aims to empower parents/carers by building confidence and developing resilience. Every session includes discussion and participation during which parents/carers are encouraged to consider how the techniques and strategies discussed could be used with their individual child.
Topics covered include:
- understanding autism, sensory differences, and communication
- supporting and developing interaction
- understanding, interpreting, and supporting behaviour
- socialisation and self-awareness
An EarlyBird Plus Programme book will be provided for each family to accompany the programme.
How much does it cost to attend?
This programme is free of cost to parents/carers and accompanying professionals
How can parents/carers access the programme?
Parents / Carers wishing to express an interest in participating in the EarlyBird Plus programme please email EPtraining@nelincs.gov.uk to request an Expression of Interest Form.
Schools and Other Professionals:
Please support your parents and carers wishing to express an interest in participating in the EarlyBird Plus programme by emailing EPtraining@nelincs.gov.uk on their behalf.
Teen Life Autism Programme
The Teen Life Autism Programme is for parents and carers of children and young people aged 10-16 who have autism. It is currently being delivered online.
CDC e-learning courses
The Council for Disabled Children has developed a suite of online training for CDC members and affiliated organisations and services. The courses have been developed to improve knowledge, understanding and practical skills and support in range of key areas that impact children and young people, particularly those with special educational needs and disability.
eLearning courses include:
- Introduction to Mental Health
- Introduction to Children’s Social Care
- Information, Advice and Support
- Holistic Outcomes in Education, Health and Care Plans
- Delivering Quality Annual Reviews *New
- Focus on Health Advice *New
- CETRs and DSRs – to be published in Autumn
- Supporting Children and Young People with SEND and their families: Improving skills and understanding for Health colleagues – to be published in Autumn
Each module takes between 30-45 minutes to complete. The training is free to complete online from any computer/tablet. You can complete it at your own pace.
Take a course- E-Learning (councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk)
Contact is a leading UK charity. They offer information, guidance, and support for families with disabled children.
Family workshops and events | Contact
Brighter beginnings including:
- Speech Language and Communication
- Anxiety
- Toilet training
- Money Matters
- Handling meetings
- Encouraging Positive Behaviour
- Education workshops
- Speech and language
- Sleep workshops
- Siblings workshops
- Growing up workshops
- Wellbeing workshops
Does your child have regular hospital appointments or stays in hospital? Come along to one of our virtual Coffee & Chat drop-ins!
You will meet the Hospital Parent Advisers from our By Your Side team and other parents to share experiences and get advice. Our advisers can help with a range of topics, including benefits, education, sleeping, encouraging positive behaviour and more.
Check their website for upcoming topics.
Online support sessions for adult siblings of people with learning disabilities – Sibs
Catch up with past events.
- Being a sibling carer (held April 13th)
- Feeling confident about safeguarding, with Lisa Curtis, Ann Craft Trust (held June 2nd)
- Mental capacity with Carol McBride (held 28th June)
- Advocacy part 1 with Liz Wilson and Annie Fergusson, Dimensions (held 13th July)
- Self-care (inc mindfulness) with Claire Garthwaite, With Mindfulness (held 21st July)
- Advocacy part 2 with Liz Wilson and Annie Fergusson, Dimensions (held 13th Sept)
- Caring from a distance with Clare Whitfield, Caroline White and Jane Wray, University of Hull (held 27th Sept)
This group brings together parents, carers, and professionals to work together on the Access Pathway.
Contact Harriett Stenton for more information, harriett.stenton@nelincs.gov.uk.
The new date for the SEND Awards is Friday 8 July, 2022. All previous seat holders will be contacted shortly.
The SEND Award Ceremony is an exciting event that was requested by local children and young people who wanted something positive, lively, and empowering to celebrate SEND.
The event has been planned by the local Young Peoples Advisory Group (YPAG).
This just goes to show how much influence you have as a child or young person with SEND. What you say really makes a difference.
There have been many grateful messages from winners, nominees and their families saying how delighted they are to have been recognised. We are equally as proud of those who have helped to make it a reality.
Special guests on the judging panel said: “We loved being a part of this. We need more of it.”
Read the SEND Award nominations.
NELC SEND Local Offer | SEND Award winners and nominations (nelincs.gov.uk).
All of the training opportunities for professionals are now on the ‘Professionals’ page.