Hello everyone

We want to wish you an enjoyable summer, we hope you will find some useful events and activities below that you and your child can take part in this summer, and a helpful round-up of local information. 

Free National Playday celebration event

Weds 2 August in Lister Park (11am until 3pm)

National Playday is taking place on 2 August and we are celebrating here in Bradford District with a free family-friendly event in Lister Park from 11am to 3pm.

Families are invited to come down and to take part in a wide range of fun and accessible activities, games and stalls. 

The event is being held in partnership between Play Bradford, JU:MP, 50 Things, Child Friendly Bradford District, Bradford Museums and Galleries and the HAF Play in the Parks series. 

No booking is required, just turn up, have fun and celebrate children's play.

Lister Park, North Park Road, Bradford BD9 4NR 

Bradford City Disability Football Club

Are you interested in joining Bradford City Disability Football Club? If so please come along to give it a try!

Football coaching is from the age of six years for anyone with a disability. The coaching team are specialists in disability football and work with the players to develop players and encourage participation in a fun and engaging way.

Training days and times (all sessions £3)
Monday (5pm to 7pm) at Bradford Academy, Lister Lane BD4 7QJ. 

Thursday (6pm to 8pm) at Dixons Allerton, BD15 7RJ. 

Junior sessions
Saturdays (10.30am - 12.30pm) at Goals Bradford, Kings Road BD2 1JP.  

Find out more, visit www.bradfordcitydfc.co.uk or phone or text Paul Jubb on 07845 568226 for more information. 

The giant family picnic 
Friday 4 August (12noon - 2pm)

Every year 'Thinking Big' have a summer celebration event for their members and their families to celebrate the journey they have been on. This year they will be holding a giant family picnic at The Bandstand, Lister Park, Bradford where we will have some food, music and entertainment including a creative bubble show.

Read more about Thinking Big and opportunities to get involved here.

Family Hubs SEND activities

Most of our Family hubs across the Bradford district are now running SEND specific groups for parent/carers and children and young people. Please click here to find out information on the family hubs and read their activity programmes.

Cancer Awareness Sessions

SNOOP are delivering Cancer Awareness Sessions for parent/carers of children and adults with learning disabilities or autism. This includes information on the HPV vaccinations for young people in schools. If anyone is interested in these sessions, contact: carol.beardmore@snoopcharity.org.

Sessions can be delivered over zoom or face to face. Carol Beardmore is a Cancer SMART Champion for the Cancer Alliance.

Preparation for adulthood - lived experience feedback

As part of our preparing for adulthood work, we are focusing this year on the 25% of the young people with high level support needs, physical, learning disabilities, sensory impairments and autism who have an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP) to identify what is working well for parents/carers and the young people through their preparation for adulthood journey. 

As part of this work, we are working with the Preparation for Adulthood Team, Community Team for Learning Disability and Children’s Social Care to look at piecing together a one page pathway for a young person who has any of the above needs, so parent/carers and the young person with disabilities knows who can support them. 

We are asking for help from parent/carers who are starting out, currently going through the process or have been through the process of Preparation for Adulthood with an EHCP. Contact: carol.beardmore@snoopcharity.org 

Social, Communication, Interaction and Learning (SCIL) team update

The SCIL team have delivered specialist advisory support in a different way this year, moving from an individual referral process to schools/settings having a link specialist teacher/practitioner or access and inclusion officer.

95% of mainstream schools have a link specialist teacher and access and inclusion officers are supporting almost 100 childcare settings or childminders.

Our team of staff are now in schools/settings frequently to deliver agreed outcomes and provide support to improve the quality and range of educational provision for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND).

Recent feedback from schools and settings tell us that:

• Communication from the SCIL Team is good – 100% strongly agree or agree
• Support can be accessed in a timely way - 97% strongly agree or agree

Through their work, the team have worked alongside key staff in schools/settings to:

• Share specialist knowledge, skills and experience - 99% strongly agree or agree
• Develop inclusive practice - 98% strongly agree or agree.

SEND Youth Forum

On Wednesday 5 July the SEND Transformation and Compliance team hosted their first online Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Youth Forum.

The event was an opportunity for young people with SEND to share their experiences of living in Bradford and how they would like to have their voice heard.

Matthew Elliott, our SEND Children's Participation Officer is planning lots of exciting opportunities for young people to join meetings and events over the 2023/24 academic year.

We look forward to this work and meeting you all. 

If you are interested in being involved, email: sendyouthvoice@bradford.gov.uk

SENDIASS update

SENDIASS is the local area’s Information advice and support services for families with a child who has Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities in the Bradford area. 

For any parents of children or young people where mental health is affecting attendance please keep an eye on our Facebook page as we will be sharing information on recently published guidance on school responsibilities in relation to this. Bradford Sendiass | Bradford | Facebook We have also recently shared powerpoints on exclusions and part time timetables.