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Hello and welcome to our September edition. We hope that all of you with children who have recently started back with new teachers or on other training or work opportunities are settling in well to the new routines, we know it can be a difficult time of year for many of our children.
Thank you to our families
We wanted to say thanks to all the parent/carers and professionals who have helped share information about the SEND Local Offer newsletter.
We are now at 7649 people from across Bradford receiving the newsletter every month. This is really great news, please can you continue to spread the word so we can continue reach as many families as possible with news and information.
If you work in a setting with parent/carers or with young people with Special Educational Needs and or disabilities please will you consider printing this newsletter out and putting on notice boards and sharing on staff internal communications. Thank you!
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NEW Local Offer website
We have completed the co-production design reviews for the new website and are now moving to the development and testing phase.
To be involved in the next steps, email: localoffer@bradford.gov.uk
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Airedale Hospital opens an exciting new family space
Airedale Hospital and Community Charity won a retired Pacer train in 2019 in a ‘Transform a Pacer’ competition run by the Department for Transport.
The train, aptly named The Flying Dalesman, is now fitted with a private sensory room, making it an ideal non-clinical space for children with additional needs. Children can also play on the Nintendo Switch, read the collection of children’s books, relax on comfortable bean bags in the outdoor courtyard, and enjoy sitting in the driver’s cab at the front of the train.
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Support for young people with Learning Disabilities
Lots of our young people with learning disabilities can have extra health issues which can impact on their quality of life.
- GP practices have a learning disabilities register so that reasonable adjustments can be made as part of people’s healthcare.
- GP practices can offer an annual health check every year from age 14. This helps to identify health issues early and also gets the young person used to visiting their local GP practice. Easy read annual health check leaflet.
- Please encourage anyone with learning disabilities that you live with or care for to attend for their flu and/or Covid jab, to provide protection against respiratory disease. Carers may also qualify for free jabs. Find out more at Mencap.
If you have any questions, you can talk to someone from your GP surgery or to other health and care staff like a nurse or social worker.
You can also contact the Community Team Learning Disabilities by email: CTLD.FrontDoorTeam@bradford.gov.uk or the Support Team at Waddiloves Health Centre by calling 01274 497121.
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Keighley Library SEND inclusive sessions
Sessions for families with Special Education Needs and/or Disabilities will now take place at Keighley Library on the first Wednesday of every month from 3.30pm - 4.30pm.
Families will be able to access large print braille picture books, magazines, bag books, touch and feel books, talking books, sensory toys, comic books and much more.
Support for parent/carers from AWARE and the Children's Trust Family Hub will also be available at the sessions.
There's no need to book, just turn up on the day!
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Tuesday 10 October 2023 - World Mental Health Day
World Mental Health Day takes place on Tuesday 10 October 2023 and Healthy Minds will be holding two drop-in events.
One will take place in Craven (Craven Court) and one in Bradford (Broadway Shopping Centre) – which are open to everyone.
This will be an opportunity for you to view the newly refreshed Healthy Minds website (providing mental health support in Bradford District and Craven) which will launch on the same day.
People will also be able to get involved and share what helps with their mental health and take away some helpful resources.
In the meantime, you can visit the Healthy Minds for Young People website for information about a range of support that is available including what organisations offer help in school.
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We are pleased to share with you the Healthy Minds directory of mental health resources for children, young people and schools. This aims to make it easier for schools to identify tools, resources and services to support children and young people.
Please let Healthy Minds know at wellbeing@bradford.nhs.uk if there is anything missing, or if you have any comments or suggestions about how they can make this resource better.
Helpful resources
We know from parent/carer feedback that a common concern for our families is 'behaviour that challenges.'
Many young children have emotional outbursts, but behaviour can become challenging when it happens frequently or repetitively or it is harmful to the child, the parent or other people.
You can find helpful information and tips on the Contact website where there is a detailed guide recommended by Nikki at AWARE. AWARE support our local families with children and young adults on the autistic spectrum.
The Local Offer website also includes additional information about how to get further support in Bradford.
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Speech, Language and Communication support
A new ‘Talking Bradford’ initiative will soon be launched on the Families and Young people Information FYI website.
This will be your step-by-step guide to how to develop and support your children’s speech, language and communication skills at all ages, starting with children aged 0-5.
The Talking Bradford Team are keen to have more families, carers and professionals involved to comment on the final draft of the Talking Bradford webpage.
If you’d like to get involved, contact sarah.firth@bradford.nhs.uk, at Bradford district and Craven Health and Care Partnership, by 22 September 2023.
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Thinking Big meetings (October)
The Friends and Family Hub will be holding a number of meetings in October across Bradford, Menston and Keighley, including online for parents, carers and family members of young people with additional needs.
There will be a talks about opportunities for people aged between 16-24 years old making the step from education into employment. Lunch and a supportive space to share ideas and meet others.
There will be guest speakers from Coleman Training Development, an organisation passionate about changing the world for people with a disability.
It's never too early to plan ahead! Please get in touch via email at friendsandfamily@thinkingbiguk.org to book a space, or have a chat about upcoming events.
Read more about Thinking Big here at Bradford Local Offer
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Flu fighter art competition launched
Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership has launched a story and art competition with a flu fighting theme.
This competition is open to anyone aged 5 to 11 years old living in Bradford District and Craven. Children can draw or paint a picture, or write a story of up to 500 words or less, based around the theme ‘flu fighter’. Stories and art can include anyone, whether that be a favourite cartoon characters, celebrity, superhero, dinosaur, alien or princess.
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SEND Short Breaks – Assessment and Specialist Inclusion Team
The SEND Short Breaks Assessment Team has merged with the Special Inclusion Project to create an inclusive short break service for children and young people with a special educational need or disability (SEND).
The team offer short break services for children and young people aged from birth to 18. This includes after school, evening, weekend, and school holidays. They can also offer funding for 1:1 support in the community for activities of your choice.
Accessing a short break is done on an assessment of need which highlights the most suitable activity to meet the needs of each child and young person. Read more about the Assessment and Specialist Inclusion Team.
You can also ring the office on 01274 435750 or email: SENDshortbreaksteam@bradford.gov.uk
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Social, Communication, Interaction and Learning (SCIL) team update
The team are pleased to be in the second year of being about to offer enhanced services to mainstream schools/settings in Bradford.
All the specialist teachers, practitioners and access and inclusion officers are focusing on improving the standard, quality and/or range of educational provision for children and young people in the Early Years or with Communication and Interaction, Cognition and Learning and Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs.
Following feedback received from team staff, school/setting colleagues, parent/carers and young people via the Snap Survey last summer term, the team have made some slight improvements to the service.
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Family Hubs
Our four Family Hub areas around the district have shared their timetable for the coming month, showing the sessions and activities that are taking place for families.
This includes SEND drop-ins for parents/carers (selected hubs), OWLETS Speech and Language Sessions, Cygnet for families with an autism diagnosis, access to sensory rooms and more.
You may need to book in advance - please contact your Family Hub to check.
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Visit the calm gallery at Cartwright Hall
A new ‘calm gallery’ display curated by Healthy Minds Apprentices aged between 18 and 25 years olds has officially launched at Cartwright Hall Art Gallery.
The group worked with the curator to select paintings that feature natural scenes or that take colours from nature. The walls of the gallery have been painted sky blue and the space includes items from nature to bring the outside in. Visitors can also listen to a specially crafted soundscape.
The calm gallery will be open to visitors until December 2024.
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Have your say - Government disability consultation
The Government has launched a consultation on their new Disability Action Plan.
This plan will set out the immediate action the government is taking in 2023 and 2024 to improve the lives of people with da disability, as well as laying the foundations for longer-term change. It includes:
- raising awareness of life-changing tech for disabled people.
- mandatory disability awareness training for taxi drivers.
- autism-friendly programmes for cultural and heritage sites.
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