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SEND News
Welcome to your update on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in Sheffield. For parents, carers, professionals, and everyone interested in SEND.
Encourage others to sign up to SEND News.
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Join the Sheffield SEND Facebook Group
Get updates and be involved in all things special educational needs and disabilities. The group is run by the 0-25 SEND Service in Sheffield City Council.
Lots of services and organisations post here. We encourage you to join today! The group is for anyone with an interest in SEND – from young people and parents through to those who work in SEND.
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Area SEND Inspections
In January 2023, OfSTED and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) started using a new framework to inspect how local areas support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
These inspections look at how well education, health, and social care services work together to help children and young people with SEND, from birth to 25 years old, and their families. You will hear this called the Local Area Partnership.
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Sheffield All Age Autism Strategy
Last year, Sheffield City Council kicked off a three-year Sheffield All Age Autism Strategy based on feedback received from autistic children, young people, adults, and family carers about what the priorities need to be to make Sheffield an autism-friendly city in which everyone can thrive. This is a key Council Plan priority, to ‘work with communities to ensure people can access support and live the lives they want’.
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Sheffield Parent Hub
Being a parent is amazing but at times parents need practical help and advice. Sheffield Parent Hub team deliver a range of evidence-based seminars, workshops and longer programmes including SEND. These are tried and tested based on international research into what works for families and children!
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Crafting Better Work for the Future: An Evening Showcasing the Strengths of Neurodivergence
On Tuesday 11th June 2024, Maria Swift (Post 16 SEND Lead Officer) and Erika Mariella-Worrall (Post 16 SEND Project Officer), organised Crafting Better Work for the Future: An Evening Showcasing the Strengths of Neurodivergence event at Marmaduke’s Sorting Office.
The event explored an innovative approach of integrating strengths crafting. This is a strategy for centering employee’s strengths, as well as the huge benefits of placing neurodiversity at the heart of any business.
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Adult Autism Support Hub
The Adult Autism Support Hub offers free support to autistic people, aged 16 and above, and their (informal) carers and families in a welcoming and safe environment.
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Community Youth Services
SENDing Voices Youth Group
Are you, or do you know, a young resident with SEND? Are you/they 13-24 years old? Want to help make things better for you/themselves and others?
Then join SENDing Voices Youth Group!
Meetings are held fortnightly on Wednesdays at 4.30-6.30pm at Electric Works (opposite Sheffield Railway Station). Young people can also join online.
Changing Places Toilet at Weston Park Museum
People with profound and multiple learning disabilities or with physical disabilities such as spinal injuries, muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis often need extra equipment and space to allow them to use the toilets safely and comfortably. This Changing Places toilet at Weston Park Museum is the first to be installed in one of the city’s parks, making the museum and the surrounding greenspace accessible to even more people in the city.
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Latest from the Sheffield Parent Carer Forum
Free Online Neurodisability training for professionals and practitioners who work with children aged 0-12 years in Sheffield
This training is 100% parent carer informed and led by parent trainers sharing lived experiences and top tips for professionals. Learn about autism and ADHD health factors, referral options and local authority support in Sheffield either in person or online. Enhance your skills in order to support and signpost families more effectively.
Parent focus group: Short Breaks
Monday 8 July, 10am-12pm, at St Mary's Church
Sheffield City Council want to improve their short break services. Please come along to this meeting if you have had experience of using short break services (such as SNIPS clubs, Direct Payments or the Short Break Grant) or are interested in learning more. You will receive a £15 shopping voucher as a thank you! Booking essential.
Parent information session: Introduction to demand-avoidant behaviour
Wednesday 10 July, 10am-1pm, at Newfield Green Clinic
What is demand-avoidant behaviour? How does it differ from PDA? What does it feel like for a young person to experience it?
This session has been developed in discussion with Ryegate. SPCF’s Peer Support Team will share resources and tools to help you support your child or young person. There is time for discussion at the end. Booking essential.
Other helpful links from the SPCF:
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Sheffield Children’s Foundation Trust Information Resource Library
Sheffield Children’s Information Resource Library has lots of health information for you to look at and read. There is advice on autism, speech and language, epilepsy, hearing and sleep to name but a few.
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Parents Information Sessions
Sheffield SENDIAS (Sheffield SEND Information and Advice Service) offer free online information sessions and webinars. These are for parents and carers of young people aged 0-25 with SEND. The sessions answer some of the most frequently asked questions.
There are various sessions available, which run in both the daytime and evenings. The sessions run include:
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