SEND weekly parent/carer update

Speech, language and communication

This week we were joined by Donna Redhead, Service Manager for NEL CCG and Lead of the current review on Speech, Language and Communication Needs in North East Lincolnshire.

This project brings together services and stakeholders from all areas to produce a shared vision of what this offer should look like.

Further to this there will be groups for specific areas like Children Who are Looked After, Youth Offending, Early Years, and school age children.

If you have an experience of this area and would like to share your views, please contact Donna at donna.redhead@nelincs.gov.uk.

More than just SEND

The impact of having a child with additional needs has been an ongoing topic of discussion.

As a result, the parent run Facebook group, NEL SEND Support invited other parents and carers to share their experience through a survey. It asked questions like how having a child with SEND affected family life, social life and career.

Professionals who have seen these results were able to better understand the wider impact of having a child with SEND.

We cannot emphasise enough the importance of your first-hand experience.

We want to make sure all professionals can understand SEND from the parent/carer point of view. This way we can explore new ways that we can support families.

We are grateful to have the insight and experience of as many parents and carers as possible. If you want to share your experience please contact Lauren Thompson, lauren.thompson2@nelincs.gov.uk or call 01472 323337.

See the results of the NEL SEND Support survey.

Q1. Are you a parent/carer of a child with SEND (diagnosed or not)?

Answers
11 people answered this question

• 11 (100%) answered ‘Yes’
• Zero people answered ‘No’

Q2. Are you a single parent?

Answers
11 people answered this question

• 3 (27.27%) answered ‘Yes’ and were female
• 1 (9.09%) answered ‘Yes’ male
• 7 (63.64%) answered ‘No’

Q3. Did your relationship fail due to having a child or children with SEND?

Answers
10 people answered this question

• 3 (30%) answered ‘Yes’
• 7 (70%) answered ‘No’

Q4. Did your partner leave you and what was the main reason?

Answers
11 people answered this question

• 2 (18.18%) said, ‘Couldn’t cope with the demands’
• Zero said, ‘Blamed you for having a child with SEND’
• Zero said, ‘Denied there was a problem’
• 1 (9.09%) said, ‘Didn’t want a child like that’
• 8 (72.73%) Other (please specify)

Other (please specify)

Answers

• 4 people said this didn’t apply to them
• 1 person said, ‘I asked him to leave’.
• 1 person said, ‘She passed away.’
• 1 person said, ‘Domestic abuse’

Q5. Since having your child with SEND have you given up your job or career?

Q6. Since having your child with SEND have you lost friends?

Answers
11 people answered this question

• 5 (45.45%) answered ‘Yes’
• 6 (54.55%) answered ‘No’

Q7. Since having your child with SEND have you lost family?

Answers
10 people answered this question

• 2 (20%) answered ‘Yes’
• 7 (70%) answered ‘No;
• 1 (10%) answered ‘Other (please specify)
  
  Other (please specify)

Answers to ‘Other (please specify)’

1 person answered, ‘don’t see them often’.

Q8. Since having your child with SEND have you stopped getting event invites. i.e. BBQ’S or parties?

Answers
10 people answered this question

• 4 (40%) answered ‘Yes’
• 5 (50%) answered ‘No’
• 1 (10%) answered ‘Fewer invites’

Q9. Is your child with SEND treated differently to their siblings?

Answers
10 people answered 10

3 (30%) answered ‘Yes’
4 (40%) answered ‘No’
3 (30%) answered ‘Other (please specify)

Other (please specify)

Answers (Other please specify)

• 1 person answered- ‘With some things’
• 1 person answered- ‘Maybe gets slightly more attention due to his tantrums and aggression
• 1 person answered- ‘Only child’

North East Lincolnshire Parents Participation (NELPPF)

School

Have your say! EHCP Annual Review Feedback

Let us know about your EHCP Annual Review. There is a feedback form on the Local Offer and it only takes a few minutes to share your valuable experience.

Give us your feedback on the EHCP Annual Review Feedback form.

You can also find this form where it says ‘EHCP Annual Review feedback’ on the Parent and carer page, as well as the Children and young people page.

When you share your experience with us we can improve what we can offer to you and others.

Health

If you need advice regarding access to health services or feel your child needs additional support in school due to their medical needs please email Sarah Harding, the Designated Clinical Officer for SEND at designatedclinicalofficer@nelincs.gov.uk.

Useful contacts

The Sector Support ‘Community Service Fact Sheet’ has an extensive list of community support available for money, food, wellbeing, welfare and more.
See the Voluntary Sector Alliance COVID-19 updates page for more on financial support, health and wellbeing, local updates, COVID updates, community safety, volunteering and more.
• Report a concern online or call 01472 326292 (opt. 2)
• Support for those isolating without anyone to support them for supplies and more call the Council (01472) 313131
• Health – if you are struggling to manage your symptoms, call 111. If you are in urgent need of medical assistance, call 999
• Domestic Abuse (women and men). NEL Women’s Aid (01472) 575757, and Men’s Helpline, 0808 8010327
• Wellbeing– if you are struggling with your mental health, call (01472) 256256
• Carers’ Support Service (support for informal carers). Go online or call (01472) 242277

Alcohol

Parents/carers are aware that at this anxious time some families have reported struggles with mental health and sought support for the overuse of alcohol.
Alcohol change UK offers COVID tips on alcohol and mental health.
We Are With You provides support for drugs and alcohol. You can also get in touch if you are worried about someone else’s drinking or drug use. Chat online or call- 01472 806890. Local charges apply. They also have information on their Facebook, @wearewithyoucharity.

What’s new on the Local Offer?

There’s lots changing to the Local Offer every week.

• Trainee ELSA School Support Staff meet face-to-face for the first time
• Creative Connections competition winners announced ahead of book launch! Did your child enter?
• See the positive feedback from our work during Covid. Our response during COVID-19