Essex Autism Project

For more than 50 years, KIDS has provided a wide range of services nationally for disabled children, young people and their families. Now they are working with the NHS in Essex, Southend and Thurrock to create an accessible online support service for under 25s and their families after receiving a diagnosis of Autism.

They are currently looking to get in touch with parents, young people and professionals to co-produce two engaging and interactive online learning platforms – one for parents/carers and one for young people. The websites will offer written and video content on topics chosen by people with lived experience, along with interactive activities and quizzes.

They will also offer weekly webinars and a printed workbook covering the chosen areas of learning. Please see the attached project flyer for more information find out more

Exam season - how to prepare

If your child has special educational needs they may be able to have extra support when sitting tests and exams. This includes SATS, GCSEs and A Levels.

This extra support is sometimes called Access Arrangements

Access Arrangements are about making reasonable adjustments to exam conditions so that a child or young person with special educational needs is not at a disadvantage compared with others. The rules are different depending on the type of exam. This extra support aims to meet the needs of a child without affecting the value of the exam.

Find out more about exam support on the SENDIASS Southend website

Exam Support | SENDIASS Southend

Preparing for adulthood

Preparing for Adulthood is a term used to describe the process when you move from childhood into adulthood.  It is often referred to as transition planning and usually takes place between the ages of 14 and 25

There are some key areas to focus on when transition planning:

• Preparing for and finding employment
• Friends, relationships and community
• Independent Living
• Good Health

The Southend SEND Information Advice and Support Service has some guidance on this topic Preparing for Adulthood | SENDIASS Southend and a short video explaining how the EHCP Annual Review process changes in year 9 to support young people and their families who are preparing and moving towards adult life.

You can also find information related to this topic by visiting the Local Offer website pages: Preparing for Adulthood | Livewell Southend

Meet the preparing for adulthood team!

We are lucky enough to be able to shine a spotlight on three members of the Preparing for Adulthood team.

Claire Whitbread, Ella Durose and Kate Clarke all part of the Preparing for Adulthood team, which sits within the SEND team and are coordinators for Education Health Care Plans for secondary school aged children.

Find out more

SSIF event

SSIF held a Health Q&A Special coffee morning this month with Hannah Van Der Puije from The Lighthouse Child Development Centre and the Designated Clinical Officers for SEND which was both informative and beneficial to those that attended.  We are pleased to be able to work in collaboration with Local Health Professionals so that the service is more transparent and parents and carers have an opportunity to utilise the platform to ask questions and hear about progress of continuing change to benefit our children and young people.

Next month we are thrilled to launch SSIF Seminars – a series of talks about a particular SEND subject delivered by those who deliver the service or are specialists on the subject matter.  First up we have Home to School Transport – 11th May at Tickfield Centre, 10:00am to 12:00 noon.

Come and find out about how the service works from Alan Smith - Transport Entitlement Officer SCC and Glen Shuttleworth - Transport & Operations Manager of Vecteo.

Suitable for existing users, new starters, pupils at transition points, pupils transferring from a mainstream school to a specialist provision who are residents of Southend.

Please see the flyer attached for full details – you can book a space via our Eventbrite - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ssif-seminars-home-to-school-transport-tickets-621702016467

Happy birthday to Peer into Southend SEND!

You may have seen our Facebook post asking for feedback about this e-newsletter.

We've been sending out issues for just over a year now and we'd really like some feedback on what you enjoy reading, what's helpful and what isn't. Any comment or feedback you wish to give.

You can email your thoughts to: SENDenewsletter@southend.gov.uk

Short Break programmes

Short Break programmes are open to children and young people living in Southend, aged 0 to 18 years who have a disability that means they may require support to join fully in leisure or other hobbies.

Short Breaks are fun, interesting and safe activities which benefit the child or young person and their parents/carers.

Community Access Grants of up to £500 are available for parent carers to arrange activities for your child’s short break.

Main Access Grants of up to £10,000 are also available for organisations and groups to provide short breaks for disabled children and young people.

Applications for both grants are now open. Community Access Grant applications close at midnight on Friday 26 May 2023. Main Access Grant applications close at midnight on Monday 22 May 2023.

Parent/carers and groups and organisations can apply by sending an application form to shortbreaks@southend.gov.uk.

Full information on grant criteria, eligibility and the application forms can be found on the SEND Local Offer:  Short Breaks for Disabled Children and Young People.

Play and Development

The Early Years SEND Support Service offer a Play and Development Group for parent/carers and families of children with SEND aged 0 to 5 in the Southend Area. 

The stay and play sessions are designed to support you and your child with a variety of play and sensory experiences. A range of different services also join the sessions to provide support and information. Next session is on Wednesday 3 May 2023 with special guest Natalie Fisher from Speech and Language Outreach Service.

See future dates and venue information

Your Local Offer Your Way May sessions

Thanks to everyone who came to our March sessions. We had a really productive discussion about what should be included in a Routemap for SEN to help parents navigate the system and how the map could be presented. We need to add some further detail to the routemap and will do this at our next sessions in May. Everyone is welcome to join us. Dates and venues below:

• Monday 15 May 2023 - Drop-in session from 9.00am to midday. Evolution Room, Tickfield Centre.  Book here.
• Tuesday 16 May 2023 - Online session from 7:15pm to 8:15pm. Book here.

Your questions answered at SEND Surgeries

The SEND team run monthly SEND Surgeries at locations across the city. Parent carers are invited to come along with any questions they may have. If you need help using the EHC Hub we can also help with that too. Surgeries are friendly and informal and there is no need to book. Find out what parent carers have said about them here: SEND Surgeries 

Our next surgery is on 16 May 9-11am at The Tickfield Centre, Tickfield Industrial Estate Tickfield Avenue, Southend-On-Sea, SS2 6LL.

Important dates

For King Charles III coronation there will be a three-day extravaganza of ceremony, celebration and tradition. Check our list of activities and events for the King’s Coronation on the SEND Local Offer website.

April: Stress Awareness Month. Visit the Stress Management Society for information, advice and resources.

25 April - 1 May – Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week 

May: Skin Cancer Awareness Month 

2-8 May - Deaf Awareness Week

2-8 May - Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week 

9-13 May - Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Week

9-15 May - Mental Health Awareness Week 

17 May - International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia

19 May - Global Accessibility Awareness Day

23-29 May – National Conversation Week 

For more information from the SEND Local Offer about news, events and activities, follow them on Facebook and Instagram.