Summer 2015 Special Educational Needs Reform · cinema screenings, museum events and additional...
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Local Offer Website Y www.croydon.gov.uk/sendoffer • As part of Croydon Councils web revamp the Local Offer is now more visual and easier to navigate. • It was suggested in feedback from our Local Offer questionnaires to have a page with ‘up and coming events’, ‘changes’ or ‘notifications’. We have since created a new page on our website called the ‘What’s New and Useful Information’ page. Here people can find details of local upcoming events and activities; and useful information. We recently had voting information available but this has now been replaced with a really inspirational anti-bullying video from the Council for Disabled Children, Anti Bullying Alliance and Bensham Manor School. Another amendment to the ‘What’s New and Useful Information’ page is the current list of RAP summer leisure activities available for children and young people. For more information please visit the Local Offer website listed above. • Parents in Partnership stated that feedback from parents, carers and young people suggested a need for more information about Personal Budgets. We have since researched self-help guides and also loaded these onto the Local Offer Website under the ‘Money’ section. • Again feedback suggested a need for an abbreviations list so discussions were held with PIP, Education Welfare and the SEN team to name just a few and the list is now available on our ‘What’s New and Useful Information’ page and our ‘SEN Overview’ page. • The Education Health and Care Plan Review Group which is made up of various professionals, special schools and parents met and reviewed the EHCP’s. These were modified and are now available on the Local Offer under ‘Special Educational Needs’ and then ‘Education, Health and Care Plan’. Special Educational Needs Reform NEWSLETTER Summer 2015 • Updates from the SEN Reform Team • What’s happening locally • Feedback from Local Events • Croydon’s Got Talent IN THIS ISSUE Welcome to the second edition of the Special Educational Needs Reform newsletter. It provides a mix of national and local updates forparents, carers and professionals.
Transcript of Summer 2015 Special Educational Needs Reform · cinema screenings, museum events and additional...
Local Offer WebsiteY www.croydon.gov.uk/sendoffer
• AspartofCroydonCouncilswebrevamptheLocalOfferisnowmorevisualandeasiertonavigate.
• ItwassuggestedinfeedbackfromourLocalOfferquestionnairestohaveapagewith‘upandcomingevents’,‘changes’or‘notifications’.Wehavesincecreatedanewpageonourwebsitecalledthe‘What’s New and Useful Information’page.Herepeoplecanfinddetailsoflocalupcomingeventsandactivities;andusefulinformation.Werecentlyhadvotinginformationavailablebutthishasnowbeenreplacedwithareallyinspirationalanti-bullyingvideofromtheCouncilforDisabledChildren,AntiBullyingAllianceandBenshamManorSchool.Anotheramendmenttothe‘What’s New and Useful Information’pageisthecurrentlistofRAPsummerleisureactivitiesavailableforchildrenandyoungpeople.FormoreinformationpleasevisittheLocalOfferwebsitelistedabove.
• ParentsinPartnershipstatedthatfeedbackfromparents,carersandyoungpeoplesuggestedaneedformoreinformationaboutPersonalBudgets.Wehavesinceresearchedself-helpguidesandalsoloadedtheseontotheLocalOfferWebsiteunderthe‘Money’section.
• AgainfeedbacksuggestedaneedforanabbreviationslistsodiscussionswereheldwithPIP,EducationWelfareandtheSENteamtonamejustafewandthelistisnowavailableonour‘What’s New and Useful Information’pageandour‘SEN Overview’page.
• TheEducationHealthandCarePlanReviewGroupwhichismadeupofvariousprofessionals,specialschoolsandparentsmetandreviewedtheEHCP’s.TheseweremodifiedandarenowavailableontheLocalOfferunder‘Special Educational Needs’andthen‘Education, Health and Care Plan’.
Special Educational Needs Reform NEWSLETTER
Summer 2015
• Updates from the SEN
Reform Team
• What’s happening
locally
• Feedback from Local
Events
• Croydon’s Got Talent
IN THIS ISSUE
Welcome to the second edition of the Special Educational Needs Reform newsletter.It provides a mix of national and local updates forparents, carers and professionals.
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Local Offer Leaflets12ofthe17LocalOfferLeafletsarebeingamendedtoensureinformationavailableisaccurateandup-to-date.ThemajorityoftheadjustmentscamefromfeedbackandcommentsfromCroydonparentswhichwegreatlyappreciate.Acommonconcernforsomeparentswasthelackofopportunitiesavailabletoyoungpeopleinleisureactivities.Wehavesinceresearchedandlistedsomeofyoursuggestionsaddingdetailsofcadetgroups,specialistcinemascreenings,museumeventsandadditionalfootballclubstonamejustafew.Weofcoursewelcomemorefeedback,suggestionsandcomments.
Alongwithupdatingtheseleafletswehavealsocreated2additionalleafletswhichareintheprocessofbeingdesigned.ThenewHealthandAutismleafletswillbothbeavailableonourwebsiteinthenextfewweeks.TheAutismleafletisthefirstspecialistleafletwehavecreatedandweaimtocontinuedevelopingmoreoftheseovertime.WewelcomecommentsontheAutismleafletandalsosuggestionsforotherspecialistleaflets.
AlltheLocalOfferleafletsareavailableontheLocalOfferWebsiteY www.croydon.gov.uk/sendofferfordownload,alternativelyifyouwouldlikePDF’semailedpleasecontact/ [email protected]
TrainingOver140individualsfromtheCouncil,Healthprofessions,charitiesandchildrencentreswithinCroydonattendedandgainedtheirLevel1AETtrainingon‘Making Sense of Autism’.Thetraininggaveanintroductiontoautismandconcentratedonraisingtheawarenessandpromotingunderstandingofthebarriersfacedbypeoplewithautism.Weasked68individualstoratetheirknowledgeofautismbeforeandafterthetraining(seegraphbelow)andfeedbackwasextremelypositivewithparticipantsstatingtheyfeltmoreconfidentintheworkplacetoassistindividualswithautism.
DuetothesuccessoftheAutismtrainingandalsoanincreasingdemandfromcouncilemployeestoattendfurthertrainingsessions,additionalautismtrainingisbeingplannedforthenearfuture.Exactdatesarestilltobeconfirmed.
DeniseDyerheldnumeroustrainingsessionsforparentsontheSENReformandEHCP’s.Around45parentsattendedandfeedbackwasextremelypositive.Someparentsdidhoweverstatethattheyfeeltheyarenotgettingenoughinformationfromtheschoolsandthatconnectionswiththecouncilcouldbestronger.AsaresultwehaveaskedallschoolstoprovideadirectlinktotheLocalOfferWebpagesothatparentscaneasilyfindinformationorfinddetailsofsomeonetocontactforadvice.Withtheaidofour‘What’s New and Useful Information’pageasalreadymentionedparentscanalsonowfindinformationonupandcominglocalevents.
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Knowledge of Autism before and After AET 1 Course
WHAT IS HAPPENING LOCALLY? Forthcoming activitiesWeareplanningaseriesofconsultationsandengagementonarangeofissues–includingtheLocalOfferandanewAccessibilityStrategywhichisbeingdeveloped.
Councillor Andrew Rendle’s Autism WebpageCouncillorAndrewRendle,Croydon’s‘AutismChampion’,hascreateda‘one-stopshop’ofinformationandadviceforautismonCroydonCouncilswebsite.Hisvisionwastocreateaone-stopshoptobringtogethereveryonethatistouchedbyautismandatthesametimeraiseawarenessinthegeneralpopulation.AsalreadymentionedournewautismleafletwillbeavailableonthispageveryshortlylinkingtheautismpagetotheLocalOffer.Y www.croydon.gov.uk/healthsocial/adult-care/
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Helping young people live the life they wantCroydonCouncilisdevelopingaprogrammeofstudyforyoungpeoplewithspecialeducationalneeds.Theproject,forpeopleaged16yearsto25aimstosupportyoungpeopleintoamoreindependentlife,givingthemtheskillsandexperiencetolivethelifetheywant.Apersonalisedlearningprogrammewillfocusontheskillsandinterestsoftheindividual;helpingthemtoreachtheirgoalsthrougheducationandtraining.Therearethreemainelementstothepathwaysofstudy.Personalprogresswillfocusoncommunicationskills,communityparticipation,keepingsafeandstayinghealthy.Independencedevelopsskillsinindependentliving,stayingsafeandhealthy,communityparticipation.Employmentconsiderslikesanddislikes,employabilityskillsandidentifyingworkbasedgoals.Withthesupportofapersonaltutorandajobcoachprogressanddevelopmentwillbesupportedandmonitoredthroughouttheprogramme.Formoreinformationpleasecontact/ [email protected]
Feedback from Local EventsSummer 2015, Primary to Secondary Y6 information sharing forum for vulnerable children.OnThursday11thJunetheCommunitySpaceatBernardWeatherillHousehostedthisannualeventwhichprovidesaforumforCroydonprimaryandsecondaryschoolstosharekeyinformationtopromoteasuccessfultransitionfromyear6toyear7.ThiseventwasorganisedbyCroydonCouncilInclusionandSENteamwithsupportfromkeymembersoftheOctavoPartnership.
AllbutoneofourCroydonsecondaryschoolsattendedwithoneofourlocaloutofboroughsecondaryschoolsalsoparticipating.Theeventwasattendedbyover40primaryschools.TheeventalsoprovidedtheopportunitytomeetwitharangeofotherkeyagenciesandotherservicesthatprovidearangeofadditionalsupportandsocialactivitiesforpupilswithSENDandotherneeds.Therewaspositivefeedbackfromallourattendees.Plansarealreadyinplacefornextyearsevent.
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Carers Information DayOnWednesday3rdJunetheCarersInformationDaywasheldatFairfield.ThiswasanopportunityforparentsandcarerstofindarangeofinformationonservicesinCroydonbutalsoaskquestions.TherewerenumeroustablesrepresentingthecouncilsuchastheAdultSocialServices,thesensoryimpairmentteam,theChildren’slearninganddisabilitiesteamandmore.Around30individualsvisitedtheSENReformtableexpressingarangeofconcernsindividualtothem.Someofthemostcommonissuesraisedwerearoundfearsovertransitions,autism,childrennotbeingstatemented,notknowingwheretofindinformationandleisureactivitiesforindividualswithaSEN.ThedaywasextremelypositiveinnotonlyprovidingadvicetoCroydonresidentsbutalsoinpromotingtheLocalOfferandtheserviceweprovide.FeedbackgatheredfromtheCarersInformationServicefromindividualsthatattendedtheCarersInformationdaystatedthatstaffwerefriendlyandpolite,thattheyhadagoodexperience,learntalot,thattheydidn’tknowsomuchwasavailableandthatitwasgoodtomeetpeoplefacetoface.
Parent forum OntheWednesday3rdJuneParentsinPartnershipwereontheCroydonRadiotalkingabouttheparentforum.TheCroydonParentForumisagroupofparent/carersofchildrenwithadditionalneedswhoworktowardsmakingapositiveimpactandimprovementsonlocalservices.ThishelpsALLparentsinthesamesituation.AllParents/Carersarewelcometojoin.Joiningourforumwillnottakeupalotofyourtimebutwillmakearealdifference.Tofindoutmorepleasecalluson[ 0208 663 5626/ [email protected]:Y www.croydonradio.com/schedule/show.
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Autism Friendly DinnerAnAutismfriendlydinnerwasheldatCroydonCollegeonTuesday19thMaywherethecollege’shospitalityandcateringstudentshostedthemealintheChefsrestaurantsolelyforautisticchildrenandadults,familiesandfriends.Studentsweregiveninformationbythecouncil’sautismservicemanagerPaulWallingfordonhowarestaurantenvironmentcanimpactonsensoryandcommunicationdifficultiesandweretaughthowtomakeflexiblyarrangementstosuitcustomers’requirements.ToreadmoreonthisstorypleaseseetheCroydonAdvertiserat:Y www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/news
Croydon’s Got Talent Thornton Heath boy, 8, wows judges at Autism’s Got Talent
• Eight-year-oldCallumKirrage,ayoungfreestyledancerfromThorntonHeath,wowedtheaudienceatashowcaseforthetalentsofchildrenwithautism.Heperformedtoapacked-outMermaidTheatreinLondon,aspartoftheAutism’sGotTalentcontest,organisedeachyearbyautismchampionAnnaKennedy.ToreadmoreonthisstorypleasefeelfreetovisittheCroydonAdvertiserat:Y www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/Thornton-Heath-
boy-8-wows-judges-Autism-s-Got/story-26548052-detail/story.html
Future editionsHowcanthisnewsletterhelpyou-whatsortofinformationwouldyouliketoseehere?PleasesendsuggestionstoTrishaHolmes,/ [email protected]
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