Summer 2015 Special Educational Needs Reform · cinema screenings, museum events and additional...
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.
2
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.
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Before
After
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/
aschealth/autism-0
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.
3
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.
php?HistoryID=0dab9155-11ac-23ff-7b50-aa04ed66cd70
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]
1502
28
4