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SEND news
This newsletter is about changes and developments to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in Sheffield.
It is for professionals, parents, carers, and anyone with an interest in SEND in Sheffield.
Please encourage others to sign up too.
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Support services in schools and settings
Advisory staff across education, health, and care are going into schools and settings to support children and young people. But they will continue to work remotely where this is more appropriate, to minimise extra staff in school.
Please contact your worker to discuss any issues. Visit the Local Offer for information about changes to local services during Covid-19.
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Children’s University and opportunities for children with complex needs
Sheffield’s Children’s University encourages children to take part in high quality extra curriculum activities. These run at ‘learning destinations’ which include Greentop Circus, Ignite Imaginations and Sheffield City Trust (SIV).
Some activities have been specifically designed for children with complex needs. Children’s University awards and ceremonies have also been tailored to meet the needs of children with SEND.
Last year
- 47,000 children took part
- 6m hours of activity were completed
- 72 schools took part. But children can also take part if their school is not.
- Activity took place at 229 learning destinations
Taking part in Sheffield’s Children’s University has proven benefits in school attendance and attainment. It helps motivate children and generate confidence and self-esteem.
The scheme runs in mainstream and special schools. Look out for our free Festival of Fun which runs over the summer. This allows children to try new activities outside school. Everyone can attend.
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Sensory processing difficulties
Around 90% of autistic individuals have sensory processing differences. These can affect their wellbeing, attention, readiness to learn, and their communication and interaction.
The Speech and Language Therapy Service has highlighted a study looking at parent and teacher views of children's experiences of sensory processing differences and how these affect children in school. It provides insight into what children’s sensory processing needs might look like, as well as what might help make things easier.
Read it here.
The new ‘Making Sense’ sensory team from Sheffield Children’s Hospital (based at Ryegate) have further resources available online for working with children with sensory processing differences.
Go to online resources.
More information about the ‘Making Sense’ team and their training for school staff will be soon be published on the Learn Sheffield website.
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Call for school space to use for Speech and Language clinics over the summer
Sheffield Children’s NHS Speech and Language Therapy Service (SALT) is looking for venues to host extra clinics over the summer holidays.
It is asking schools, especially those in the North, to get in touch if they are open on any days and could offer a room. No other support would be needed.
In the summer holidays, SALT focusses on offering assessment appointments to children newly referred to the service who will be starting reception in September.
Schools: Please get in touch with Alice Woods.
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The engagement model
The engagement model is a statutory requirement. It is made for schools to assess students who are working below the standard of the national curriculum assessments and are not engaged in subject-specific study at Key Stages 1 and 2.
New training sessions are all full but please email Cheryl Gaughan at Fusion TSA if you would like to receive training. She will try to run another session or add you to an existing one.
Listen to the LearningShared podcast to find out more about engagement. It is produced by Evidence for Learning and the EfL SEND Community.
A new episode explores engagement and its application to vulnerable children with different learning needs. In a lecture presentation entitled “What you really need to know about Engagement”, Prof. Barry Carpenter CBE OBE FCCT and Beverley Cockbill ask the question, of all children, of all ages and abilities, “how does this child learn?
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SEND in the Early Years
Attend free seminars hosted by Nasen and partners, as part of Nasen’s DfE-funded work with the Early Years SEND Partnership Project. Seminars include:
- EYFS changes
- Disability Access Fund
- Integrated reviews
- Working for Babies: taking the lockdown lessons forward
The seminars are aimed at Early Years SEND professionals from Local Authorities and the organisations with whom they work, such as health and social services as well as parent forums.
Book here.
New EY SEND resources: Seven pieces to build the resilience jigsaw
This is a set of new resources for Nasen’s Resilience Development Pack.
The stand-alone materials have been developed to support parents and practitioners to get the most from using the original pack. They are quick, handy one-page resources that provide top tips for parents, a weekly diary with a completed example, a daily planner and more about the 7 C’s for developing the resilience jigsaw.
Click here.
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Videos from the Children's Hospital to help your child's development
- Watch the Weekend Words playlist for ideas from the Speech and Language Therapy team on how you can help your child's speech, language and communication develop.
- Watch the Workout of the Week playlist for workouts for children with disabilities (and without) from the Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Team.
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Parenting support
- See Sheffield Parenting’s ‘What’s On Guide’ for parenting groups and programmes. This includes specially designed programmes for parents and carers of children with SEND.
- Find out about parent support groups.
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Changing Faces family day, 9 May
Family Day is an online event for children and young people living with a mark, scar or condition that makes them look different.
It’s free and open to all the family. There are:
- Mini-workshop sessions on building confidence, handling social situations, what makes a good friendship and mindfulness
- A ‘put it to the panel’ session where you can ask questions
- Family friendly scavenger hunt
Join in on Sunday 9 May, 11am to 9pm on Zoom.
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