Welcome to this edition of the SEND News Bulletin. This week includes information on
-
New specialist school places plan published
-
SENDIASS Staff changes
- Have your say ... Childcare Sufficiency Assessment Parents and Carers Survey
-
Have your say ... Short Breaks Consultation
-
Helpful ways to manage Christmas for families with autistic children
-
Autumn Discovery College Prospectus
- SEND Community Cafe
- SEND After School Club
- Pan Disability Hockey
- What's On
- Children's Centres SEND Support Coffee Mornings
New specialist school places plan published
Our proposed Specialist School Places Plan which sets out how Central Bedfordshire Council will be addressing the increasing need for more specialist school places has now been published.
Central Bedfordshire Council, like many other councils across the country is experiencing an increase in the number of children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) who require specialist education provision.
Our Specialist School Place Plan builds on the short-term plan that was agreed in December 2021, it also responds to feedback from the public consultation undertaken during 2021 and uses the summer 2022 student forecast.
We have already undertaken significant work to meet the immediate need for more specialist school places.
Earlier this year we expanded our original plan and committed to deliver 387 new places by 2024 (370 Special School places and 117 new Additional Resource Provision places). We are on track with delivery of these new places.
The plan sets out how we will provide approximately 350 places at Additional Resource Provisions and 1,400 places at Special Schools by 2030 to meet the needs of children and young people in Central Bedfordshire. This plan will be reviewed every year to make sure we are on track.
From the consultation parents emphasized the importance of more provision, local provision and the right provision as children have a variety of different needs. There were not enough places which are able to meet the increasing numbers of children with Autism Spectrum Diagnosis (ASD) and Social Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs.
The new special school places will be delivered by expanding our existing special schools and a new special school. The Council will be submitting a bid to the Department of Education for a brand-new special school (free school) catering for pupils with SEMH needs. If successful, the most appropriate site in the right location to meet needs has been identified as the current Ivel Valley school site at Hitchmead Road, Biggleswade. This site is likely to be vacated by Ivel Valley as part of its own redevelopment and expansion plans onto land east of Biggleswade. Of course, both these sites and plans remain subject to feasibility studies and planning consent.
Delivery of the plan will enable Central Bedfordshire to provide more school places for children closer to home, with more progression pathways which reduce the distances needed to travel.
The forecast need for places will be reviewed on an annual basis, seeking to ensure children have appropriate school places or effective and holistic support within mainstream settings.
Our plan will be considered by our Executive at their next meeting on Tuesday 11 October 2022. You can read the covering report and plan on our website.
|
SENDIASS Staff changes
We welcomed Vicky to our team this summer as SENDIASS officer and she is already proving a valued member of the team!!
As of 1st October, Abi will also hand over management of SENDIASS to Kate. Abi is taking more time to focus on other commitments in the SEN world, though will remain as a part time officer with SENDIASS. Kate has been a fantastic Senior Officer and shown she is more than capable of carrying the service forward as it continues to develop.
We hope to minimise the impact of this transition on individuals but please bear with us as we readjust.
|
Have your say ... Childcare Sufficiency Assessment Parents and Carers Survey
Central Bedfordshire Council are updating their Childcare Sufficiency Assessment (CSA) for 2022. This assessment seeks to find out whether local parents and carers can access/use the childcare of their choice. By completing this survey, you can help us understand about your current childcare priorities, including during this period of pronounced cost of living challenges.
|
Have your say ... Short Breaks Consultation
 Don't forget to have a say ... We have launched a consultation to gain views on how we can better meet the needs of children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) through our existing funding approach for short break leisure activities.
This consultation was created in partnership with SNAP parent carer forum, as well as parents from Central Bedfordshire who have children with SEND.
Currently, there are six suppliers that we work with to provide short break leisure activities, and this consultation aims to find out if the current funding model enables organisations to meet the needs of children and young people with SEND in Central Bedfordshire, or if more variety is needed.
To read the full consultation document which has more details about this service, as well as how to have your say, visit: www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/consultations
Closing date: 10 November 2022
Helpful ways to manage Christmas for families with autistic children
Monday 7 November: 4.00 - 5.00 pm
This is a virtual information session.
The session will be split into 2 parts:
4.00 - 4.30: Guest speaker -Sandie Allen from Autism Bedfordshire.
4.30 - 5.00:Time to ask questions
The event will be run as a webinar designed to give information but there will be an opportunity to ask questions using a chat function or by sending an email in advance. Once you have signed up a link to the event will be sent the morning of the session over email. This will contain all joining instructions. Be aware the link won't come through Eventbrite but a Central Bedfordshire Council email so watch out for this. If the link doesn't arrive by midday please contact us over Eventbrite.
To participate you will need access to a laptop with either the Microsoft Teams app downloaded or a browser that supports this to be viewed over the web or a smartphone/ tablet with the app downloaded. The App is free to download. Providing you follow the joining instructions you will be able to remain anonymous for the session. You do not need to have your camera or microphone on for this session.
|
Autumn Discovery College Prospectus
The Discovery College offers free workshops to young people between 13-18 years old across Bedfordshire and Luton.
This term we have grouped our courses into themes such as, Personal Growth, Healthy Relationships, Mental Health & Wellbeing, Life Skills and Creativity. Students will get to experience different Subject and Peer Mentors, fresh new co-produced workshops and venues around Bedfordshire and Luton.
We will go live on Monday 17th October 2022.
All our workshops will be done in groups either face to face or online. The Discovery College will cultivate a non-judgemental environment and allow everyone to share their voice.
SEND Community Cafe
Freddie and Friends C.I.C are a group of parent carers who run a community cafe and inclusive opportunities in Leighton Buzzard.
They operate from Pages Park Pavilion and are opening the Wednesdays exclusively for SEND families and parent carers, The community cafe offers a place for children to play in a safe environment while parents can have a hot drink or something to eat. You can come along without your children too and they hope to have relevant speakers and organisations attend to share their information.
SEND After School Club
On alternative Wednesday's from 4 - 5.30 pm, Freddie and Friends C.I.C will run a SEND after school club for families with SEND children, their siblings and parent/carers.
The cost will be £3 per SEND child and then £1 for each sibling attending.
Pan Disability Hockey
What's on Calendar
More events and workshops that are being held this month are on our
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
|
