Welcome to this edition of the SEND News Bulletin. This week includes information on
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Improvement update
Improving the quality of CAMHS advices for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs)
There has been a focus on improving our advice for EHCPs. As the mantra goes, an EHCP is only as good as the advice that goes into it. The following actions have led to a demonstrable improvement in the quality of advice:
- Rolling out a programme of training for CAMHS practitioners. Currently there are 293 CAMHS practitioners in post and in the past year, 144 (49%) practitioners have attended the 2 hour SEND compliance/Writing advice for an EHCP training. The aspiration is to ensure 100% of practitioners are trained by the end of March 2023, if not sooner.
- Agreeing a template for use across Bedfordshire and Luton CAMHS in partnership with the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Local Authority and Parent Carer forum to ensure a consistent approach to providing good quality advice setting out needs, outcomes and provision.
- Reviewing and amending processes to ensure compliance with the legal requirement to return advice for EHCPs within 6 weeks.
- Agreeing clear criteria for advice requests to CAMHS to ensure a consistent approach across Bedfordshire and Luton. The criteria have been agreed in consultation with the CCG, Local Authorities and Parent Carer Forums and have been adopted for use by other health services.
- A regular audit programme to monitor the quality of advices submitted
You Said/We Did/We will Do:
During 2021, a series of meetings were held with the 3 Parent Carer Forums, CAMHS senior managers and the CCG. Parent Carer Forums (PCFs) raised concerns about access to CAMHS, waiting times and information about services. An action plan was circulated in January 2022 with regular updates. Actions respond to the concerns voiced by the including:
- A short film is being planned which will explain, in simple terms, the referral process into CAMHS and how referrals are assessed and decisions are made about which services would best meet the needs of children and young people. Young people and parent carers will feature in the film alongside practitioners from CAMHS.
- CAMHS is working with parent carers and young people to co-produce Autism Awareness training for CAMHS practitioners. Young people and parents carers together with the CAMHS Neuro-Developmental Team will deliver the training, hopefully in September.
- Work is to start to further develop the I-Thrive model to set out on one page the support with mental health and emotional wellbeing that children and young people can access. Parent carers and young people will be involved in advising on content.
- Further investment has been made in developing the capacity of key CAMHS teams including the Neuro-Developmental team (NDT), Intensive Support Team (IST) and investment in CHUMS.
CAMHS Mencap apprentices
CAMHS is part of a consortium involving the 3 local authorities in Bedfordshire and Luton, the CCG and Cambridgeshire Community Health Services which will recruit 16 Mencap apprentices. The apprenticeships will provide work experience and on the job training for young people with Learning Disabilities, Learning Difficulties and/or Autism. CAMHS will be recruiting one apprentice in this first phase starting in September 2022. The Business Support apprentice will provide customer support across our Discovery College, People Participation Team and our Admin and Reception Teams. Adult mental health services will also be recruiting one apprentice in this first phase.
Enhancing support for parent carers with mental health challenges
A project is being developed in Bedford to explore how mental health support for parent carers can be strengthened. CAMHS is working with Bedford Borough Parent Carer Forum (PCF), Bedford Borough Council and Adult Mental Health to develop better support. This will include a partnership between the ELFT Beds and Luton Recovery College and the PCF to commission Healthy Parent Carer sessions during the 2022 Summer of SEND with a view to ensuring the sessions are a regular part of the Recovery College prospectus. Once piloted in Bedford, it is anticipated that this will roll out across Beds and Luton.
For details on the above, please contact rosie.newbigging@nhs.net
SNAP Parent Carer Forum Coffee morning
Annual Health Check Awareness Drop in sessions
Children and Young People's Survey
Have you given us your feedback? We are seeking feedback from children, young people, parents, carers and professionals to inform Central Bedfordshire’s Children and Young People's Plan for 2022-25.
Children and young people
In the survey, children and young people are invited to share the support they need to be happy, safe, and healthy, and what’s important to them now and in the future.
We would be grateful for your help in promoting and sharing this. The survey questions were developed for children 10+ years old, but please adapt for children younger than this, as appropriate and required
There is the option of completing an Online Survey or you can download a PDF version to print out.
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Parents and carers
Parents and carers are invited to share what they think needs to be better for children and young people’s education, safety, physical and mental health, and leisure.
Survey
Professionals
Professionals who work with and/or support children and young people are invited to share what they think needs to be better for children and young people’s education, safety, physical and mental health, and leisure.
Survey
The closing date is Thursday 9th June.
For more information, please email cstt@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
Have your say on our draft SEND Strategy 2022 - 2025
Have you had your say in our draft Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Strategy consultation? Along with our health partners, we want to hear your views on our Strategy to improve services in Central Bedfordshire for children and young people with SEND and their families. The consultation runs until 22 June 2022.
Better Days for BLMK event
If you’re interested in getting involved, register your place at our launch event on the 29th of June.
What's on
More events and workshops that are being held this month are on our What's On Calendar
Children's Centres SEND Support Coffee Mornings
Leighton Buzzard Mencap Opportunity Group
Thursdays 10 – 11:30 (Termtime only)
Casual chat & play session for parents, carers & their children who have additional needs. Support for parents, carers & their children who have additional needs.
Ring 01525 384368 to book on.
SEND Stay and Play
Every Friday from 10:00 – 11:00 am
Dunstable Children’s Centre
If you would like to book a space please call 0300 300 8106/0300 300 8104
SEND Support coffee afternoon every second Monday of the month,
1:30 – 2:30 pm
Shefford and Stotfold Children’s Centre
If you would like to book a space please call 0300 300 8112
SEND Support coffee afternoon every 4th Thursday of the month,
1:30 – 2:30 am
Flitwick Children’s Centre
If you would like to book a space please call 0300 300 8111
SEND Coffee morning, Stay and Play every first and third Friday of the month,
10:30 – 11:30 am
Houghton Regis Children’s Centre
If you would like to book a space please call 0300 300 8115
Support group for parents or carers with children who have SEND
Biggleswade Youth Centre - every other Wednesday, 1:30 – 2:30 pm
Fortnightly catch ups and support online and face-to-face. A chance to speak to professionals from the CDC, Early Years Support Team, Speech and Language plus more.
To book a free place contact Karen on 0300 300 6009 or email karen.burton@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
Please visit the Local Offer for more information on activities, services, advice and support across Central Bedfordshire for children and young people with SEND or follow us on Facebook
We hope you have found the information in the bulletin helpful. We would love to hear your feedback and what you would like to see in future editions. Please let us know by emailing send.feedback@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
Do you provide a service or run events for children and young people with SEND and their families?
We would like to offer providers the opportunity to advertise local SEND services and events in our fortnightly SEND news bulletin, on our local offer Facebook page and to be included in the local offer What's On page.
If you would like to be featured then please email details about your service and/or event to local.offer@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
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