SEND weekly parent and carer update

EHCP Review prep. A young persons guide

Amy, a member of Council for Disabled Children’s youth advisory group FLARE, has created an incredible resource to support children and young people who have an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP).

Amy has made a leaflet that will help you understand this meeting, what you should do, how you could prepare, and where you can find free independent advice and support about it.

It’s really important that young people understand what these meetings are and how to prepare for them so they can get their thoughts and experiences across.

Amy has given some suggestions on how young people can prepare to share their views for their annual review meeting.

Amy’s Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP) resource (councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk)

Sleep

Parents and carers are invited to attend a free sleep workshop online, funded by Humber Transforming Care Partnership.

The workshop consists of two, two hour sessions that are held over two weeks. Please chose one set of sessions.

Sleep Workshop for Parent/Carers

Monday, 10 and Monday 17 January, 2022 from 10am-12pm

Tuesday 1 and Tuesday 8 February, 2022 from 10am-12pm

Thursday 17 and Thursday 24 February 2022 from 12pm-2pm

Tuesday 22 February and Tuesday 1 March 2022 from 10am-12pm

Saturday 5 and Saturday 12 March 2022 from 9.30am-11.30am

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) 

Linkage and Tesco

Check out this great local project. Linkage has teamed up with Tesco and a local homeless shelter to contribute to local people in need, while developing their skills in cookery with the help of our generous public.

“[Linkage] uses the surplus food to train the young people here and empower them. Then they create a meal and take it down the road to the local homeless shelter.”

What a great local project! Yum. Check out the video.

📣 Our annual Tesco Food Collection is starting this week from Nov 18-20th and for every donation you make we'll top up with an extra 20%. We visited @LinkageCT in Grimsby to find out how donating a can, jar or packet can empower and support communities across the UK. pic.twitter.com/HFv8E6xPgz

— Tesco (@Tesco) November 15, 2021

Preparation for adulthood

Parent Representatives needed

Parent representatives are needed to get involved in our work across education, health and social care preparing young people for an adult life that enables them to live the lives they want to in their communities, including employment, being independence, friends and social activities.

The preparing for adulthood group meets monthly at 1.30pm on the first Thursday of the month. If you would like to join to drive and shape our developments to improve outcomes for young people with SEND aged 14-25 so they have full and fulfilling lives.

Please contact Angie Kershaw to learn more and get involved, Angie.Kershaw@nelincs.gov.uk.

Online Q&A

Learn more about the importance of supporting all young people with SEND to prepare for adulthood.

This event is part of a series of events to help professionals understand the key steps and responsibilities they have.

It is our role as professionals to help young people to move into adulthood with opportunities to participate in our local community while maintaining their health and wellbeing and with doors open to employment or independence that suit them.

The online event is on Tuesday, December 14 from 10:30am-11:30am.

Book your place on the ‘Preparing for adulthood, professionals session‘.

Understand our local offer with speakers from Linkage College and Focus (adult social care).

There will be a brief overview of the importance of supporting all young people with SEND to prepare for adulthood.

Focus will also be joining to tell you about how they support young people, discuss their eligibility criteria, and transitioning to their service.

There will be a live question and answer session at the end.

Parents and carers and children and young people are also invited to learn more about how they can be supported through this exciting next step.

Health- vaccinations

For up to date information regarding eligibility for COVID-19 vaccinations and booster doses please visit the NHS Website COVID-19 Vaccination page.

Book or manage a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Support for children and young people to be vaccinated

We appreciate that for some children and young people attending a vaccination appointment can be daunting and they may require additional support to prepare in advance for this.

If you require any adjustments to be made such as centre access arrangements, specific appointment times at quieter times of the day, photographs of centre facilities and staff to support with preparation for an appointment please do not hesitate to contact our vaccination sites directly or contact Sarah Harding the Designated Clinical Officer (SEND) who will be happy to support with this.

Email, designatedclinicalofficer@nelincs.gov.uk.

Autism in Schools

Parents and carers from the 10 schools involved in the Autism in Schools project were invited to an introduction session to learn more about the project and how they can be involved.

The team for Parents Supporting Parents is being led by Nicola Chappel and Abi Fleming, also involved are, Annette Darnell from the Children’s Disability Service, Leanne Cook from Compass Go and Teresa Washington from the Carers Centre.

Regretfully, the first sessions had to be cancelled. The professionals who were eager to meet you fell ill with Covid. The sessions are being rescheduled for after the Christmas break.

We would like to thank the parents and carers who have already shown an interest in the the project. Our team look forward to working with you, and children and young people on this project.

Merry Christmas and happy New Year from Nicola, Abi, Annette, Leanne, and Teresa.

Background information

The following schools have been selected to be a part of the Autism in Schools project.

Primary schools

• Bursar Primary Academy                             
• Littlecoates Primary Academy
• Queen Mary Avenue Infants
• Signhills infants Academy
• St Josephs Catholic Primary
• Weelsby Academy
• Woodlands Academy
• Wybers Wood Academy

Secondary schools

• Havelock Academy
• Ormiston Maritime Academy

The programme is part of a pilot in partnership with NHS England called ‘Autism in Schools’. The aim is to provide an uplift in support across the academic year, creating a more autism-friendly ethos and changing the approach to autism across the entire school system with coordinated funding, specialist practitioners and awareness raising.

The team coordinating the project will be arranging introductory sessions to explain more about the project and how parents/carers can be involved in making positive changes by working with their child’s school.

The project is aimed at a Child or Young Person (CYP) between 5-18 (25) years and in mainstream education settings. This project will focus on the following elements:

• Autism in schools’ approach and support programme (including alternative CAMHs)
• Parents Supporting Parents Forums (school-based)
• Understanding Myself engagement work with CYP and young carers
• Autism & Neuro training offer

Please check back with your school or the Local Offer for updates.

A break during the break

Please remember that some of our projects run during term time.

Coffee mornings

The last coffee mornings will be Monday, 13 December, and Thursday, 16 December. They will resume on Monday, 10 January.

Check the Events and training page for more. NELC SEND Local Offer | Events and training (nelincs.gov.uk)

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

SEND Newsletter

This SEND Newsletter is also distributed during term time based on the conversations we have with parents, carers, and professionals during our regular weekly meetings.

The final newsletter for this term will be published on the Local Offer and emailed out next Friday.