This week includes information on

• Welcome from Sue Harrison
• Joint open ministerial letter to children and young people with SEND, their families and those who support them
• SEND Facebook Competition
• Face Masks Exemption Cards

• Become a Home Start Special Needs Volunteer

• Bedfordshire Community Health Services Advice Line

• What’s On

Hello and welcome to our fifth email bulletin

Over the last few months we have been busy working with our partners in Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (BCCG), Cambridgeshire Community Services (CCS), CAMHS and the SNAP Parent Carer Forum to pull together the Central Bedfordshire Written Statement of Action (WSOA). The WSOA outlines how we, as a local area, will deliver against our six areas of weakness as set out by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC). So far, we have included feedback from parents, carers, professionals and practitioners (across educational settings, schools, health and the local authority). We have also sought advice from our Department of Education (DfE) Advisor. Throughout July, with our partner and voluntary organisations we have been gathering the thoughts and views of children and young people on their learning, home, and health care which will be fed into the draft WSOA over the coming weeks. 

We are close to having a finished draft and would like to share some of the key plans with small groups of parents and carers for their feedback. If you are interested in giving us your views in a virtual meeting on our draft WSOA and how we are meeting the six areas of weaknesses identified, please email before 31 July 2020. This will help inform any further changes, ahead of our WSOA submission deadline on 1 September 2020.   

An independent ‘Member Task and Finish Group’ has also been established. The first meeting was held on Tuesday 21st July, chaired by Councillor David Shelvey and more dates will be organised. 

If you are interested in finding out more about the different stages of the WSOA process visit: www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/send-improvement

We will continue to engage with you on our progress and keep you updated. We hope that as we move further along this process you will start to see the positive actions we are taking to improving our SEND services. To find out more about what actions we have already done please visit the Local Offer

Sue Harrison
Director of Children’s Services

Joint open ministerial letter to children and young people with SEND, their families and those who support them

A joint open ministerial letter from Vicky Ford MP, Parliamentary-Under Secretary of State for Children and Families, and Helen Whately MP, Minister of State for Care, to children and young people with SEND, their families and those who support them.Click to edit this placeholder text.

SEND Facebook competition

We are currently in the process of setting up our own SEND Local Offer Facebook page, which many parents and carers said they would like.

The Facebook page would promote The Local Offer which provides information for parents and carers of children and young people (0 to 25 years old) with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

As part of the Facebook setup we would like children and young people with SEND aged 0-25 years to take part in an artwork competition, themed ‘What makes you happy?’

The winning artwork will be used as the banner picture on the Facebook page and there will be a £25 prize for the three chosen winners.

To find out more and to enter the competition email: send.feedback@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk

Further details can be found on the flyer.

Stay tuned for when the Facebook page will be launching and who the winners are of our competition.

Face Masks Exemption Cards

If you are travelling on public transport you must wear a face mask. From Friday 24^th July you must wear a facemask in shops unless you have a good reason not to.  The government has given examples of people who do not have to wear a face mask, which include:

• A person younger than 11 years old
• A person who cannot put on, wear, or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability
• A person who by putting on, wearing, or removing a face covering will cause them severe distress
• A person who is travelling with or helping someone who relies on lip reading to communicate
• If this helps to avoid harm or injury to the person or others

Face covering exemption cards have been designed to help with public situations where that might happen.  Show it to quickly explain that you do have a legal reasonable excuse not to wear a face mask.

You can download the template either to print out or save as a photo on your phone.  

More information

Become a Home Start Special Needs Volunteer

Do you live in Bedfordshire and have SEND parenting/grandparenting experience? Could you help other local families get the support they need to give their children the best start in life? If so, why not become a Home-Start special needs volunteer.

Parents with children with additional needs come to our local charity looking for help when they are struggling to cope. They may not know information about the condition, where to access further support or what to do. Whereas parents would often get support from friends, their experience of being a parent may not be the same as the parent of a non-neurotypical child. Sometimes they feel alone that their child is different, and so are they.

As a Home-Start Central Bedfordshire volunteer, you can use your own life experiences to offer practical and emotional support to these families. Many will be at the start of their journey as a SEND parent. Special needs volunteering is an opportunity to help another family get the support you could have benefitted from.

More information

Bedfordshire Community Health Services Advice Line

Bedfordshire Daily Advice Line for Parents of Children with Additional Needs offers advice on behaviour, sleep, toilet training, or any other concerns you may have about your child.  The service is for families of children attending the Child Development Centre or the Union Street Paediatric services.   No appointment is necessary, and the service is open Monday to Friday, 9.30 am – 11.30 am. Call 01234 310271 to access the service. The Single Point of Access (SPA) number continues to offer health and advice for all families with children, you can contact them on 0300 555 0606.

What’s On:

Family Days at Animal Edge Farm at Millbrook, Bedford,  MK45 2HZ.
Available slots: 19th & 20th August - 10.30am- 12.00pm / 12.30-2.00pm / 2.30-4.00pm.

Animal Edge is a small animal farm set in the heart of Bedfordshire, on the doorstep of Center Parcs, Woburn Forest.

More information

Imagination Arts Summer Workshop Week

Imagination Arts provide dance opportunities for those who are rarely offered them, including those with SEND and long-term conditions. We are so excited about our online Summer Workshop Week during the last week of July - which includes classes exclusively for those with SEND and their siblings! Check them out here:

Monday 27th July @ 1pm: Imagine & Move
A sensory movement class to explore a child's imagination. Age guidance 4-7 with SEND and their siblings.

Tuesday 28th July @ 1pm: Magic Movers
A creative dance class which aims to build confidence and creativity. Age guidance 8+ with SEND and their siblings. 

Friday 31st July @ 1pm: Adult SEN
Join us for a fun and inclusive dance class! Ages 18+ with SEND.

Book your space on info.imaginationarts@yahoo.com or call 07714 378 887

Families United Network (FUN) Summer respite services

All our face-to-face respite services have been adapted in line with current Covid19 guidance.  Families can find out how to become a member of FUN, and learn more about each service and how their child/young person can access them by calling us on 01582 420800 or emailing info@familiesunitednetwork.org.uk  The Club Coordinator will then make contact with the family to organise an induction for their child.

Please visit the Local Offer for more information on activities, services, advice and support across Central Bedfordshire for children and young people with SEND.

We hope you have enjoyed this News Bulletin and have find the information helpful. We would love to hear your feedback and what you would like to see in future issues.  Please let us know by emailing send.feedback@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk