Group support sessions with sleep practitioner

You are invited to join the Together Trust for an online group session to learn about issues that can cause difficulties with sleep.

Sessions are for parents/carers of children aged 2-11 years who live in the
Bradford district, and will take place between 10am - 12.30pm on:

Tuesday 28 November 2023
Wednesday 13 December 2023

The session will include a presentation from a qualified Sleep Practitioner with tips and
strategies followed by a Q&A session. After Christmas the team are planning to host some of these within the Family Hubs and there are more online dates for the New Year.

If you would like to attend, email your name and preferred date to: admintss@togethertrust.org.uk (a zoom link will be sent to attendees)

Parents of children aged 2-11 years across Bradford district are invited to have a 15 minute phone call with a qualified Sleep Practitioner. 

Sleep Chat sessions will give you the chance to discuss any sleep issues your child may be experiencing. Phone calls will take place between 10am - 11am on the following dates. 

2023                                                   2024
Monday 27 November                     Tuesday 9 January 
Thursday 14 December                   Tuesday 6 February 

There are many more dates available in 2024, if you can't make any of these. 

If you would like to speak to someone, email your name, contact number and preferred date to: admintss@togethertrust.org.uk

You will receive an email to confirm your allocated phone slot and the practitioner will phone you. 

New Local Offer website!

We have been keeping you up-to-date on the new Local Offer website developments over the last few months, and the new look website has just launched this week! You can find it at:

localoffer.bradford.gov.uk 

We are still working on some areas of the new site, and would love for you to have a look and keep working with us on any improvements or suggestions. 

If you have any comments please do drop us a line at: SENDT&C@bradford.gov.uk 

Brad Starz is Bradford’s new SEND Youth Voice group - come along and try it out 

The first meet up will be on Weds 29 Nov (5.30pm - 6.30pm) at Bradford's City Hall. 

Thank you to all the young people who worked with us to develop this striking branding for the group - we are delighted to share it with you! 

Brad Starz is a group for young people:

• between 14 and 24 years of age
• live or go to a school within the Bradford district.
• have a Special Educational Need and/or Disability (SEND).

Let Matt (SEND Children’s Participation Officer) know if you would like to find out more. 

Call or WhatsApp Matt on 07890 642146, or email sendyouthvoice@bradford.gov.uk

Find out more on our new BradStarz webpage on the Local Offer website.

Annual SEND Parent/Carer Survey 2023

Hearing the voice of our parents and carers is important, and the Parent's Forum for Bradford and Airedale really want to hear from you. 

The survey has been designed alongside parents/carers and support groups across the district to find out about your experiences of the support you have received for your children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disability (SEND).

We would be so grateful if you could take 10 minutes to complete the survey anonymously.

The findings from the survey will be shared with health, education and social care partners to help develop, prioritise and shape better SEND services for our families.

Complete the Annual Parent/Carer survey 2023.

Toilet training for all ages workshop (online + face to face)

The Down Syndrome training and support service had some fantastic successes with children who were later to toileting due to various reasons including additional medical and more complex needs.

They are now running a series of three workshops covering how the bladder develops, skills needed to use the toilet, tips on toilet training,  constipation, day and night time wetting. The course is 2 hours a week for 3 weeks and limited to 7 families.

Friday 1st, 8th & 15th December 2023, 10am to 12pm

Targets will be set and reviewed weekly for each child. Parents/carers and school staff will be asked to monitor progress. There will also be opportunities to support each other, share ideas and resources.

The workshops are free to families who are members of the service or £30 to anyone else. 

You can read more and book your space on the Toilet training workshop here.

Baby Week Bradford is here!

From now until Monday 20 November there is a whole host of events and activities to get involved in. You can find out what's happening throughout this week across our district here for Baby Week Bradford.Our Bradford Family Hubs will also be running a number of activities during the week.

Bradford Ice Festival!

Free event - Bradford Ice Festival (in Bradford's Centenary Square) x10 ice sculptures including funfair and live music. 

Saturday 18 Nov - live ice carve at 11am!
Sunday 19 Nov - Reindeer parade in City Park (from The Kirkgate Shopping Centre)!

Don't forget...

About Flu - protect your child and wider family from flu this winter 

Children aged 2 - 3 years
Contact your child’s GP to arrange a free appointment for either the spray or the jab. The nasal spray does contain pork gelatine (porcine), but there is a porcine free alternative available in the form of a jab. 

Children aged 5 - 11 years
The School Immunisations team is administering flu jabs in your child’s school. In order for them to be eligible for the jab, parents must complete the electronic consent form which is sent by the school. 

COVID-19 and Flu Vaccines 

If you or someone you live with has an underlying health condition which puts you at serious risk if you get ill from flu or COVID-19, get Winter Strong by getting vaccinated.

You can check eligibility and book now here.

Remember if you are a carer to a child or older person you might also be able to get a free immunisations on the NHS.

Speak to your GP or local pharmacy to make an appointment. Or check your eligibility and book now here.

Support and events for parent carers 

It can be difficult to find time as a parent carer to prioritise your own wellbeing. We understand that the demands on life can be challenging and leave little left for yourself. 

Carers' Resource is a great way to connect with other families, and they hold events and regular groups, including a 'You Are Not Alone' group for parents whose children display behaviours that are challenging. 

Upcoming events - 

Friday, 17 November 2023 (10am - 11.30pm)
Keighley parent carer group
An informal meeting for parent carers to get together, receive support, share experiences and build confidence together. Contact Lucy Cartwright for more info phone: 01274 449660 or email: lcartwright@carersresource.org 

Read more about Carers' Resource - groups, events and social media 

Connect on Facebook with Bradford East, South and West Parent Carers or Shipley, Keighley and Ilkley Parent Carers.

Are you following Bradford Local Offer on Facebook?

Did you know we have 985 followers on our Bradford Local Offer Facebook page, can you help us reach 1000? Please do follow us! The page is a great way to keep up-to-date with news in-between newsletters.

The Facebook page is a supportive community of families in Bradford district who are parents or carers of or support a child or young person with SEND.

If you have a piece of news or event you'd like us to share, email: LocalOffer.News@Bradford.gov.uk 

SENDIASS Coffee Mornings - join us!

Bradford SENDIASS is for parents and carers of children and young people 0-25 with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in the Bradford area - and for their children too.

The staff help parents and children to work together with schools and the local authority so that they have a good understanding of what support is needed and to make sure that it is put in place.

SENDIASS have two coffee mornings coming up, both are free but you can reserve your space by following the links below to eventbrite. 

Wednesday 29 November (10am - 11.30am) reserve your space.
In partnership with the Social Emotional & Mental Health Team (SEMH).

Wednesday 20 December (10 - 12 noon) reserve your space.
A Christmas themed coffee morning, children and young people welcome and we will be doing Christmas activities and sharing treats.

Both held at Barnardos, 40-42, Listerhills Science Park, Campus Rd, Bradford BD7 1HR

Supported employment programmes for young people aged 16 - 24 years

Coleman Training Development offers one year programmes that progress young adults with an Education, Health and Care Plan into independent paid employment.

Please come along to an Information session on Wednesday 22 November (2pm - 4pm and 6pm - 7pm) at Kala Sangam Arts Centre, Bradford, BD4 1TY

• The pre-internship study programme lasts one year and is designed to give experience of work in a gentle form where learners discover their passions, skills and qualities. Lifeskills, employability and functional skills are taught on this programme.
• The supported internship programme involves work experience to enable young people to grow towards independent paid employment. All placements start with a job coach to enable the learner to understand the employers needs and the employer to understand the learners needs. 

For more information phone 07495 051056 or email:  info@colemantrainingdevelopment.com

Free drop-in training and support (up to age 25)

Come along to a ‘Jump Aboard’ free parents and carers drop-in session with an educational psychologist at the Bradford District’s Family Hubs.

Educational psychologists have knowledge of topics such as autism and ADHD, speech and language needs, learning difficulties, social and emotional needs and sensory needs. Find out more at these free drop-in sessions.

In these consultations of up to one hour, you can talk through any concerns you might have and develop some next steps for how to support your child. 

Dates for December:

8 December, 10 am to 12 noon - Bradford West (Farcliffe Family Hub)
 Sessions held at the same time as the SEND drop-in.

7 December, 9.30 am to 11am - Bradford East (Barkerend Family Hub)
Sessions held at the same time as the School Nurse session.

13 December, 2pm to 4pm - Bradford South (Reevy Hill Family Hub)
 Sessions held at the same time as the Public Health SEND drop in.

13 December, 1pm to 3pm - Keighley Shipley (Rainbow Family Hub)

Keep up to date with when these sessions are taking place by checking on the Family Hub timetables. 

Arts group for people with learning disabilities and/or autism

The Why Don't We Group is a Bradford-based collective of artists with learning disabilities and/or autism, who meet weekly on Thursdays.  

Members work on both individual and collaborative projects, and often produce work for exhibitions.  

They are joined by two practising community artists who are on-hand to teach new skills, and to support the group in gaining new commissions and finding creative opportunities.

Phone to arrange a taster session on: 0113 234 6040 or find out more about the group by visiting the webpage Why Don't We Group here. 

Chat Health service

There is now a new, easy, anonymous and confidential way for young people aged 11-19 to contact a school nurse called Chat Health.

It allows a young person wanting help with emotional wellbeing or a health issue, healthy eating or healthy lifestyles, to send a text 24/7 and receive a response, usually within 24 hours, from the School Nursing Team.

You can find out more about the new Chat Health service here.

Refreshed Healthy Minds website

The site gives information about mental health support in Bradford District.

On the updated website you can find a directory of services and groups, as well as practical tips and advice for managing yours or a loved one’s mental health.

You can also download a directory of services.

Key services for young people and their parents / carers:

• Kooth: a free, safe and anonymous online community available 24/7, 365 days of the year including access to online counselling. 
• West Yorkshire Night OWLS: a confidential support line for children, young people, their parents, and carers. This service is available from 8pm to 8am. Call: 0800 1488 244 Text: 07984 392700 

Education, Health and Care (EHC) assessments – support to submit an application

There is support available to parents/carers to make an application for an EHC Assessment via Bradford Council’s Online Portal.

• Bradford SENDIASS, the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice and Support Service, have created an information sheet. The guidance shares hints and tips so you can gather relevant information before you access the online request form.
  
  SENDIASS also runs a workshop roughly every three weeks for people who need additional guidance.
  
  

  For information phone 01274 513300 or email: bradfordSENDIASS@barnardos.org.uk