SEND Newsletter: Issue 3
Dear Parent and Carers,
Welcome to the third edition of the Herefordshire SEND newsletter. This newsletter is co-produced by Herefordshire Council, Parent Carer Voice Herefordshire and Herefordshire Integrated Care System (ICS). This newsletter aims to provide easy access to key information and updates for families of children and young people with SEND, as well as an opportunity to hear from each other about experiences.
Please give us feedback on this newsletter so that we can make it work for you and find out what articles or information you would like to see in future editions. You can send your suggestions about the newsletter to the editor, Emma Kelly, by email: localoffer@herefordshire.gov.uk
- Parent Carer Voice Herefordshire, Annual Parent Carer SEND Survey 2022
- What is Co-production?
- Herefordshire and Worcestershire SENDIASS, Free Training for Parents/Carers
- Are you registered as a Parent Carer at your GP Surgery?
- Annual Health Checks (14+ years)
- National Autistic Society, The Autism Reality Experience Bus is coming to Hereford!
- Autism West Midlands Community Autism Support Service 16+
- Herefordshire Library Bookstart - Inclusive Sensory Book Collection
- Cam's Blog
- Local Offer Updates
- Herefordshire's Learning Disability Partnership Board
Parent Carer Voice Herefordshire
Annual Parent Carer SEND Survey 2022
PCV have co-produced a parent carer survey with Herefordshire Council and the Integrated Care System to gain an overview of the 'State of SEN' for families in Herefordshire who have a child with any disability or additional need (aged 0-25 years) and would appreciate your comments and input. It shouldn't take longer than 20 minutes to complete and it’s set it out with lots of tick box options.
They have included questions regarding core health, social care, education and community and also to find out about gaps in services.
This will help PCV to feedback into services and providers and to help understand what is important to you and your family. Please answer the form for each child with SEND in your household.
Take the survey to have your say!
What is Co-production?
In Herefordshire, partners including PCV Herefordshire, Herefordshire Council, Herefordshire Integrated Care System (ICS), Herefordshire and Worcestershire NHS Trust, Wye Valley NHS Trust and SENDIASS have developed an updated Co-production Charter that sets out our working agreement and commitment to co-production of SEND services.
Wherever you see our Co-production tree logo, it means that the event, training or documentation was created in a co-productive way with PCVH, Herefordshire Council and the ICS.
You can find out more about our Co-production journey on the PCV Co-production page.
Herefordshire and Worcestershire SENDIASS
Free Training for Parents/Carers
The Herefordshire & Worcestershire Special Educational Needs/Disabilities Information Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) offer FREE training to local parents/carers to increase knowledge around Special Educational Needs/Disability (SEND).
Workshops currently available:
Special Educational Needs Support & the Graduated Approach in schools- HW SENDIASS
What does a good Education Health & Care Plan (EHCP) look like? – HW SENDIASS
Who are SENDIASS and how can they support me? Online Information Session- HW SENDIASS
Workshops run monthly and all sessions are interactive, enabling participants to ask questions.
Book your place online through the SENDIASS website.
Or contact SENDIASSTraining@worcestershire.gov.uk for more information.
Website
Herefordshire & Worcestershire SENDIASS are keen to ensure that the content and layout of their website http://www.hwsendiass.co.uk meets your needs. They are continually reviewing their website and value your feedback in helping them to improve it. If you are able to, they would appreciate you taking the time to complete their HW SENDIASS website survey.
Contact SENDIASS
For free, impartial information, advice and support on matters relating to children and young people with SEND contact SENDIASS on 01432 260955 Monday-Friday 8.30am-4pm or email sendiass@herefordshire.co.uk
For regular Special Educational Needs/Disabilities (SEND) updates, sign up to the SENDIASS mailing list by clicking the sign-up link on their homepage www.hwsendiass.co.uk or follow them on social media:
Are you registered as a Parent Carer at your GP Surgery?
It is a really good idea to register as a carer at your GP surgery. If your doctor knows you are a carer, they can ask you about any physical or mental health issues you may have because of caring. They can also be more flexible when finding you appointments. If your doctor and surgery know that you are a carer, they can:
- support you with any physical health issues related to your caring role, like tiredness
- make you aware of the carer’s flu jab each year
- talk to you about your mental health and the impact of your caring role
- provide you with general information and advice
- refer you to helpful organisations and services that can improve your caring situation
- give you flexible appointments at times that suit you
Is your child or young person on the Learning Disability Register at the GP?
The learning disability register is a list of all the people with a learning disability that the GP surgery looks after. It helps the doctor and healthcare staff know what support your child or young person needs. The surgery will know how to make things easier for you and your child to attend appointments. You and your young person will be invited for Covid booster vaccines and also get a free flu jab.
Registering your child on the learning disability register also means they will be invited for an annual health check every year once they are 14 years old. Find out more about annual health checks below.
Mencap have created Easy Read guides about the learning disability register which you can access on their website.
Annual Health Checks (14+ years)
All young people over the age of 14 with a learning disability should be offered an annual health check. The young person does not have to be ill to have a health check – they should have an annual health check even if they are feeling well. An annual health check helps people with a Learning Disability to stay well by talking about their health and finding any problems early, so they get the right care and prevent further problems.
An Annual Health Check should include an opportunity to talk about anything which is worrying the young person about their physical or mental health. Some appointments may be over the phone, online video consultations or face to face. Young people can talk to your GP about what type of appointment is best for them and any help they need to attend the appointment. Annual Health Check appointments usually last around 30 to 40 minutes.
Mencap have created an easy read guide to annual health checks. You can also read more about annual health checks for people with Learning Disabilities on the NHS website.
National Autistic Society
The Autism Reality Experience Bus is coming to Hereford!
Saturday 29 October 2022 at Old Market, Hereford
Enter the Autism Reality Experience to discover, at first-hand, the sensory processing difficulties faced by people on the autism spectrum. The experience is fully immersive, interactive and is a must for anyone who lives or works with someone on the autism spectrum.
This feature enables you to experience what sensory overload might feel like using specialist equipment and a simulated environment. Your actions and behaviours during the experience will be carefully monitored and analysed by specially trained facilitators and will help shine a light on the practical changes you can make to improve the lives of those you care for, support or teach.
Come along to Old Market, Hereford on 29 October from 10am to embrace this unique opportunity to immerse yourself!
Autism West Midlands Community Autism Support Service 16+
Autism West Midlands, in partnership with Brightfire CIC (Hereford), is offering post diagnosis support packages to people who live in Herefordshire and Worcestershire and who are over the age of 16 years. This service is for autistic adults, who live in the area and have received their autism diagnosis since 1 August 2022.
Services include:
*Advice, information and signposting by phone or email
*1:1 Support sessions
*Autism Confident Personal Development Programme
The initial offer is on-line/phone support. However, there is the opportunity to request on the referral from in-person (face-to-face) support. Please note you will need to wait a little longer for face-to-face support.
To apply for any of these, you can use the referral form provided at your diagnosis. Once we have received your referral, we will contact you using your preferred contact method which you can choose on the referral form. If you need to request a new referral form, you can do this through our website.
If you require any support completing your referral form, please call us and we will be able to support you with this.
For more information email: herefandworcs@autismwestmidlands.org.uk or call 01432 801687.
Free Online Autism Training for Parents & Carers
Herefordshire and Worcestershire ICB have commissioned Autism West Midlands to deliver free online training for parent carers whose child is on the assessment pathway or has an ASD diagnosis.
Monday 7 November 9:30 – 11:00 Autism and Communication
Monday 21 November 9:30 – 11:00 Autism and Behaviour
Monday 12 December 9:30 – 11:00 Autism and Anxiety
(Registration on these sessions includes a recording to watch later)
To book, parent carers should visit Autism West Midland’s events page: https://autismwestmidlands.org.uk/events
Herefordshire Library Bookstart - Inclusive Sensory Book Collection
Bookstart is a national book gifting programme. It encourages parents to share books with their children from an early age and helps promote the benefits of libraries to families. In Herefordshire your child will receive their first Bookstart baby pack from a health visitor. At three-four years old they will receive the second, Treasure Book Pack, from their nursery or other early years setting. If you prefer you can request either pack from your local library.
Among our preschool titles we have an inclusive sensory board book collection for children. By feeling different textures and finding surprises under flaps or behind doors, reading becomes a multi-sensory experience. Included in the collection are Braille-adapted books developed in partnership with the Royal National College for the Blind (RNC). A Braille-imprinted acetate is inserted over book pages so books can be enjoyed by the whole family. You can order the following packs:
- Booktouch Baby Pack – blind / partially sighted (0-1 years old)
- Booktouch Treasure Pack – blind / partially sighted (3-4 years old)
- Bookshine Baby Pack – hearing impaired (0-1 years old)
- Bookshine Treasure Pack – hearing impaired (3-4 years old)
- Bookstar Fine Motor Support – (3-4 years old)
If you can't get to Hereford or Leominster Library, you can reserve books from this special collection online or from your nearest library. As with all our library service children’s books, no fines or charges will be incurred on late, lost or damaged books.
Order your Bookstart pack today.
Cam’s Blog
Disability rights campaigner and local blogger Cameron Wood writes about disability, accessibility and youth voice. A former Paralympic torch-bearer and local campaigner, you may recognise Cam as he has recently made local news after successfully campaigning to have dropped kerbs installed on Plough Lane and Harrow Road in Hereford. Hear more about what Cam has to say in his blog, Cam’s Blog, or follow him on Twitter for his latest updates
Local Offer Updates
Improvements to the Local Offer are well underway, driven by a focus group that includes Parent Carer Voice, Herefordshire Council, SENDIASS, Health partners, local SENCOs and other professionals that support children and young people with SEND. There are new developments taking place behind the scenes to improve the look and feel of Herefordshire SEND Local Offer which we will be able to share soon. If you would like to give your feedback on any aspect of the existing Local Offer site, let us know about broken links or request particular information is added, please let us know by emailing localoffer@herefordshire.gov.uk or calling Emma Kelly on 01432 261741.
Do you ever wish someone would just listen to you? Well, Herefordshire's Learning Disability Partnership Board wants to hear what you have to say.
The Learning Disability Partnership Board is a group of people who are working together to make Herefordshire an excellent place to live. Some people on the Board have learning disabilities, some have relatives or friends with learning disabilities, and some work for Herefordshire Council or for organisations that support people with learning disabilities.
The Learning Disability Partnership Board would really like to hear what you think about the services and activities you take part in so that we can try to make them better.
Here is the latest very short survey from the Learning Disability Partnership Board.
It is about changing where you live. If you have views on where you would like to live in the next five years please tell us! The deadline for the survey is Friday 18 November so make sure you have your say now.