3:42 pm, Friday, 24th June 2022
SEND Newsletter- Friday, 24 June 2022
Learning Disability Week 2022
This week, 20 to 26 June, is Learning Disability Week.
The campaign is all about making sure the world hears what life is like if you have a learning disability.
The theme for 2022 is ‘Living Life with a Learning Disability’.
Mencap leads the annual campaign.
They said: “This year, we want to show how people with a learning disability are reconnecting with friends and their communities.
“We also want to talk about the issues many people still face after the end of COVID restrictions, like still having to isolate or dealing with poor mental health and anxiety.”
Find out what life is like with a learning disability. Read first hand stories on Mencap’s website.
Learning Disability Week 2022 | Mencap
Follow the campaign on social media, #LDWeek22.
Kooth
Kooth is a web-based, confidential and anonymous support service available to young people in North East Lincolnshire.
Kooth offers young people the opportunity to have a text-based conversation with a qualified counsellor.
When students register with Kooth they will have support available to them now and in the future.
Support can be gained not only through counselling but articles, forums, and discussion boards. All content is age appropriate, clinically approved and fully moderated.
FASD Awareness Session
This Thursday, 23 June parent carers joined professionals for an online FASD awareness session.
Courtney is a local parent carer with first hand experience of parenting a child with FASD. She joined the session to share her experience.
She said: “My name is Courtney and I live with my wife and two adopted children who both have FASD, one is formally diagnosed, and the other is awaiting a diagnosis.
“When I was asked to put together a little piece about being a parent of children with FASD, I was happy and excited to share my perspective on the ups and downs of everyday life, however, I found I struggled on where to start.
“But after a long pause and dealing with a phone call from school I decided to give you a glimpse of what it’s really like living with FASD in the family.
Every day is different.
There are always different challenges from their behavioural symptoms, and the emotions that go with that.
Imagine this, your child is nine years old, five feet tall and wears clothes of a 16 year old.
They can, at any time regress to a distressed toddler and then display the attitude of a teenager and mimic risk-taking behaviours.
They can become heightened and aggressive both physically and verbally because they simply cannot process something as quick as other people.
They can be extremely creative as well as being very funny, and they also have many other great qualities like any other child.
This is a tiny example of living with a child with FASD, the invisible disability.
Just like any parents we have moments of great pride as well as worries, and we are learning every day. Our story is a little different to most. We appreciate that we have a chance to share it.”
Train to work with children and young people
Would you like to train to work with children and young people?
Take Makaton training, SEND training, and first aid training, all for free.
There are additional courses and distance learning including understanding SEND, mental health, and to support teachers in the classroom.
Distance learning is free subject to eligibility.
Find out more. NELC SEND Local Offer | Train to work with children and young people (nelincs.gov.uk)
Education- June SENCo forum
The SENCo forum took place on Monday 20 June.
Prepare for your EHCP Annual Review
Is your child’s EHCP Annual Review coming up?
- Two weeks prior to the meeting date, information should be circulated which consists of information gathered from parents, child, and professionals about the EHCP.
- Prepare. Read your EHCP plan which will be on the EHC Hub or you can request it from your coordinator.
- Voice of the child. We encourage you to read the EHCP with your child so they can feel confident sharing their thoughts and we can capture their views.
- SENDIASS provides impartial advice and support for education, health and social care. They can help you plan for meetings and reviews like this. What questions might you like to ask? Where can you find the information that you need ahead of the meeting or after based on your conversation? SENDIASS can attend with you if you feel you need support to communicate with the SENCo.
- Feedback. EHCP Annual Review feedback form. It helps us to improve the process and experience for yourselves and others. EHCP Annual Survey Review | QuestionPro Survey
Young people get involved in SEND green paper review
Get involved in something big. Make lasting change.
This week the SEND Young People’s Advisory Group (YPAG) met to give their view on the Governments SEND and AP Green paper.
If you are a child or young person with SEND and would like to share your thoughts, please email clare.linfitt@nelincs.gov.uk before 5 July 2022 when we will be sending the views of children and young people, families, schools and the local authority through to The Department for Education.
NELPCF drop-in session
Join the NELPCF parent carer drop-in session.
Meet other parent carers and find out what they are doing.
Join us on Thursday 7 July from 10am-12pm at the Carers Support Centre, Town Hall Square, Grimsby, DN31 1HY.
Visit their website. NELPCF
SENDIASS
SENDIASS is hosting a drop-in session at the Community Shop for parent carers on Tuesday 28 July from 9am – 1pm.
Community Shop is an award-winning social enterprise, building stronger individuals and more confident communities.
Learn more- Community Shop Group
We love hearing about new places that you’ve found that are accommodating to those with SEND. Share what you’ve found by emailing lauren.thompson2@nelincs.gov.uk.