Hello and welcome to our August edition. We hope you are enjoying the last week or so of the summer holidays.
Thank you to everyone who has shared information with us. We do hope that return to school and any transitions to new settings for your children and young people go smoothly.
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Quick links to helpful information
- Is your young person figuring out what to do next? Get in touch with SkillsHouse or come to the Next Steps event on Friday 30 August at Broadway.
- The Kids Young People’s Hub is an online space for SEND young people aged 13-25 which holds different wellbeing activity groups workshops weekly: Young People's Hub from KIDS.
- If you are an eligible working parent, you can now apply for 15 or 30 hours childcare. Visit gov.uk to get your code for a place in September and then share it with your childcare provider. You can also visit Childcare Choices to see what other support you might be eligible for.
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Barnardo’s SENDIASS is an independent and free advice service for parents / carers. They can support with all things SEND including EHCPs and SEN support, appeals, mediation, complaints. Children and young people can also access the service independently.
Local parent/carer support groups
The Parents' Forum for Bradford and Airedale have a list of the Bradford district support groups here.
If you know of any others, or if anything has changed, please get in touch with the Parent's Forum, email: supportnews@pfba.org.uk
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Next Steps 2024 event
Is your young person figuring out what to do next after exam results? SkillsHouse specialist careers advisers can help find a suitable course, training or employment.
Get in touch on 01274 437373, email skillshouse@bradford.gov.uk or go to their event on Friday, 30 August (10am - 2pm) at Broadway Shopping Centre.
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Please help a young person you support to complete our youth voice survey
Bradford SEND youth forum members (BradStarz) have created a survey aimed at children and young people up to 25 years of age with SEND.
The group would like to hear about other young people's experiences and use feedback to make improvements and identify opportunities for them to develop within their youth voice work. Tell BradStarz what you think about services for children and young people living in Bradford district with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities. Fill out the survey here.
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Working together to improve school attendance
By law if your child is aged 5 to 16 years old, they must receive an education, whether that’s at school or at home. However, for some children, attending every day will be harder than for others.
It is really important that you talk to your child’s school or education provider as soon as you are aware that your child’s attendance has become a concern, whatever the reason for the absence or lateness.
The school / provider will work with you and support your child to attend. This is called the ‘support first’ process.
You can find out more about attendance and support that is available on the council website.
Here is some additional information which may help, if your child has SEN or a disability:
- You should try to work with the school to ensure that all absences are authorised if they are unavoidable. The vast majority of fines are for taking unauthorised holidays in term times. Schools are highly unlikely to authorise a holiday in term time.
- Prosecution is always a last resort where the school has followed the ‘support first’ process, or where support is not appropriate. The council carries out the prosecution on behalf of schools. If you think the school should have authorised your child’s absence you need to discuss this with your child’s school.
- Some children might need to be on a part-time timetable for a short time depending on their needs. Parents and the school must agree this together and any absence should be coded appropriately. Please continue to discuss this with the school to ensure that you are fully aware of the provision and the next steps.
Advice can be sought at any time from attendance@bradford.gov.uk.
The government has also developed a helpful short guide on attendance.
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Preparing for return to school or college
We've got a great resource to share with you from Bradford’s Educational Psychology Team.
The Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) Project is working closely with schools to increase awareness where difficulties are due to emotion-based factors, and this academic year there are plans for workshops for schools, parent workshops and additional support for children and young people. Find out first on our Local Offer Facebook Page.
If you are concerned about your child’s attendance, the team recommends that you keep school informed and ask school to contact the Social Communication Interaction and Learning Team for more information, advice and support. Each school also has a designated specialist teacher.
You can find more helpful information about EBSA on the Local Offer website – search ‘EBSA’ or ‘school anxiety’.
FREE online training from the Living Well Academy
Wednesday 11 September, 10am-2pm
The Living Well Academy is offering a free online Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training course which is suitable for anyone who would like to learn more about mental health awareness and is designed to give people:
- An understanding of what mental health is and how to challenge stigma
- A basic knowledge of some common mental health issues
- An introduction to looking after your own mental health and maintaining wellbeing
- Confidence to support someone in distress or who may be experiencing a mental health issue
After full attendance of the course, you will receive a certificate.
For more information visit the Living Well website.
To book a free place email code: MHFAhalf013 with your full name, telephone and email address to: Learning@MyLivingWell.co.uk
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Please complete a survey on school nursing and health visiting services
Bradford Council are interested in developing the health visiting and school nursing service for children, young people and their families in the Bradford district and needs your help to find out what families would like from these services over the coming years.
They are sharing a survey which aims to capture experiences, opinions, and suggestions to ensure that services are meeting needs.
The survey runs until Monday 2 September. Take the survey now!
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Review of delivery plans for learning disabilities and neurodiversity services
Learning Disabilities and Neurodiversity Services across the district are currently under review and you are invited to drop-in sessions to share your views on the plans.
Come along to a face-to-face or online session to tell the teams what you think.
To find out more or if you have any questions please email: samina.khan@bdct.nhs.uk
Neurodiversity sessions
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Friday 13 Sept, 10.30am - 12.30pm at Keighley Civic Centre, North Street, Keighley, BD21 3RZ
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Monday 16 Sept, 10.30am - 12.30pm at Banqueting Suite, City Hall, Bradford, BD1 1HY
Learning disability sessions
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Monday 9 Sept, 1pm - 3pm at Keighley Healthy Living, 13 Scott Street, Keighley, BD21 2JH
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Monday 16 Sept, 1pm - 3pm at Banqueting Suite, City Hall, Bradford, BD1 1HY
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Neurodiversity Education Talks
Online, Monday 12 September, 11am-12pm
For the next Neurodiversity Education Talk there will be an update about the Barnardo’s Navigator Service pilot which has been trialling support for people who are on the waiting list for ADHD or autism assessment and their carers and families.
For more information or the link to join please email wy.ldneurodiversity@nhs.net.
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Parenting courses for families
Bringing up children is challenging for everyone, and we want to signpost families and carers to the support they need at the right time.
There is a range of fantastic, free, structured and positive parenting courses in Bradford district that cover a variety of topics and are all evidence-based.
Many are delivered by our expert parenting teams through our Family Hubs.
Connect the Dots – Happy 1st birthday!
Connect the Dots is a daytime activity provider for adults (18+) with learning disabilities and autism based in Idle (BD10).
The team celebrated their first birthday with members and parents on the 1st of August and they celebrated by throwing a party for all our members and parents!
The activities they offer include games, cooking, gardening, fitness and a range of special projects.
Visit the website: www.connectthedots.social
Follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ConnectDotsUK
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Help your child get a better night's sleep – New dates for autumn
The Together Trust charity is offering free support both in person and over the telephone to help families with a child aged 2 to 11 who has sleep difficulties.
All sessions are free and open to families across the Bradford district and Craven.
Coffee morning style drop-in sessions:
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Tuesday, 24 September, 9-11am, at Community Works, Undercliffe Lane, BD3 0DW
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Wednesday, 9 October, 10-11:30am, Farcliffe Family Hub, 56 Toller Lane, BD8 8QH
Sleep chat - by telephone - 20 minute appointments throughout 2024 and 2025. Please email admintss@togethertrust.org.uk for a list of upcoming dates and to book an appointment.
Find sleep services on the Local Offer – search ‘sleep’ or visit Bradford Local Offer | Sleep Tight Bradford District and Craven.
Summary of SEND Short Breaks feedback
Over the past four years we have received various feedback from parents and carers about SEND Short Breaks. We know that whilst we have made progress, there are still some significant improvements needed and so the SEND Partnership has set up a SEND Short Breaks Steering Group across the council and health and social care to support this.
As part of this work the Steering Group wants to check back what they have heard previously:
Know someone who might like this newsletter?
If you know someone who would like to sign up to receive these newsletters directly - please forward and they can sign up here.
 link to the Local Offer webpage: localoffer.bradford.gov.uk
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