Your Local Offer, Your Way’ sessions

The SEND Local Offer provides information, advice and guidance on support, provision and services for children and young people aged 0 to 25, and their families.

It is important that the information on the Local Offer is relevant, clear and easy to find.

Each half term we will be running `Your Local Offer, Your Way’ sessions. Join us at a face-to-face drop-in session, or at an online evening session to tell us what information you need and want on the SEND Local Offer. Everyone is welcome to come along.  

Our next session is running on Monday 26 September 7.30pm to 8.30pm (online). The focus of the session will be ‘information for young people’.

For more information and future dates visit the SEND Local Offer. To book a place at an event, please visit our Eventbrite page.

Introduction to Seph

Seph lives in Southend. He is hard of hearing and had an Education, Health and Care Plan when he was at school. He went into further education and recently completed a Degree and starts his Masters in Public Policy this year.

During the summer term Seph took part in providing his feedback on the EHCP annual review process. He was keen to continue work on developing the planned annual review survey and over the summer holiday, Seph worked as a volunteer with the SEND Local Offer team.

Seph has been involved with a range of work so far, focused on improving information for young people with SEND on the Local Offer and developing a survey for young people about the annual review process.

We are pleased that Seph will be continuing his voluntary role with the team this year to support a module on his Masters.

Find out more about Seph 

Annual Review and Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment – Launch of surveys

The Southend SEND team are seeking feedback from parent and carers about their experience of the Annual Review and Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA) process.

Parent and carers whose child or young person has had an annual review since September 2021, or who have requested an EHCNA since September 2021, are being contacted and will be invited to complete a survey. Please do look out for the email or letter and take the time to have your say.

Survey invitations will then be sent to parent carers on an ongoing basis. We are also finalising an annual review survey for young people.

For further information please visit: www.southend.gov.uk/EHCNAsurvey  and  www.southend.gov.uk/ARSurvey

Important parent and carer feedback informs SEND Strategy

In June and July 2022, SSIF supported feedback sessions run by the Southend SEND Partnership for parents and carers of SEND children, young people with SEND and practitioners. 

It was to get feedback on the draft SEND Strategy which set out the five priorities and key areas for improvement for the partnership over the next three years. SSIF would like to say thank-you to all parents and carers who engaged and gave feedback; the response was positive with many meaningful and useful comments.  

Over the summer holidays members of the SSIF team worked extensively with the Local Authority SEND team and the ICS (formally the CCG), to review the feedback and to support the next stage of developing the SEND strategy. It is important to us as the Parent Carer Forum, that you as the parents and carers realise that it is your feedback that has been used in shaping the strategy, and that your attendance and time has been worthwhile and valuable. Thanks again! 

The final draft SEND Strategy will be presented to Cabinet this autumn. We will update you on the next stages and will continue to ensure that your voice is heard as we work alongside the SEND Partnership to ensure that actions will lead to better outcomes for SEND families in Southend.

Find out more about SSIF.

The Lighthouse update

Additional administrative staff have been recruited so phones and queries can be answered more quickly. You can now expect to hear back within one to two working days of contacting The Lighthouse.

Attached is a September 2022 update for the Lighthouse Child Development Centre. It contains information about the first meeting of the parent a carer network, details of the new website and how you can get in contact with The Lighthouse. 

Find out more

Southend Family Centres

Southend Family Centres have nine accessible venues across the City of Southend which host a variety of inclusive activities aimed at all families with a child aged 0-5, including pregnant parents. Everything on offer is completely free and aimed to support your child’s health, wellbeing and development.

They run drop-in sessions of Messy Play and Stay and Play for 0-5 year olds and Mini Explorers for the littlest ones (under 1). They also have bookable sessions such as Cooking and Baby Massage. They run an antenatal programme for expecting parents called Understanding Your Pregnancy, and then baby groups which include sensory play and a chance for you to meet other new parents.

Find more information about Southend Family Centres or search ‘Southend Family Centres’ on Facebook for a full, up-to-date timetable.

Important dates

October is a busy month for awareness days, especially relating to health and special educational needs and disabilities. 

If you know of an upcoming awareness day and local events taking place, please let us know for our next newsletter. 

• October: Down’s Syndrome Awareness Month
• October: National ADHD Awareness Month
• October: Dyslexia Awareness Month
• 4 - 7 October, Humphrey’s Pyjama Week
• 6 October, World Cerebral Palsy Day
• 9 -15 October, Dyspraxia Week
• 10 October, World Mental Health Day
• 13 October, World Sight Day
• 15 October, White Cane Safety Day
• 16 – 22 October, Invisible Disabilities Week

Tell us what you think

We want to include content in this newsletter that you, as a parent, carer or professional, want to read and will find helpful. Please let us know your thoughts and ideas by emailing: SENDenewsletter@southend.gov.uk. We look forward to hearing from you.