...to the autumn edition of the Stoke-on-Trent Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) Families' Newsletter. We hope our regular publication will help to keep you updated on what is going on in the city for children and young people with SEND. 

Please share the information in this bulletin with your school's parents and carers.

SEND Strategy Our new Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) strategy aims to support children and young people with SEND to be the best they can be. It's been produced with Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board and feedback from children, young people and their families has shaped the strategy. Read it online by clicking the button below:

Guidance on winter immunisations It's that time of year again! With the weather getting colder, it is important for children to be vaccinated against flu this coming winter. Children are eligible to get their flu jab now, so please share this information with parents so they can get their child booked in when they can. If any of your families are concerned about anything, below are some videos with information from the School Aged Immunisations Team at Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT) about their child's flu vaccine, how it is administered, potential side effects and how they can give consent for them to receive the vaccination.

Together We Thrive is back! Stoke Parent Carers Champions for Change is excited to be hosting another Together We Thrive event to celebrate and showcase the support for SEND families across Stoke-on-Trent. The event will take place on Thursday 7 November 10am – 4:30pm at The Bridge Centre (Birches Head Road, Abbey Hulton, ST2 8DD). Anyone with an interest in SEND is invited to drop in throughout the day to have an opportunity to chat to local organisations, listen to talks, engage in workshops or enjoy a range of performances. If you are an organisation interested in showcasing your support please contact stokepcf@vast.org.uk

FRONTLINEdance’s Breakthrou’ Family sessions and weekly workshops FRONTLINEdance is an artist-led company based in Stoke-on-Trent, placing disabled people and those with long-term health conditions at the centre of their mission. Their new family sessions are held on Saturday mornings at Newfriars College, Bucknall.  Families can find more information about these and all their other sessions at the link below:

Early intervention courses now available

The Incredible Years® Series provides early intervention programmes for parents and caregivers rooted in developmental theory. 

The goal is to improve social, emotional, and academic skills while tackling behavioural and emotional challenges in young children. Collaborating with families, they assist in finding effective strategies tailored to their specific circumstances. There are programmes available for parents/babies, early years and autism/speech development.

Family Focus encourages self-referrals. For referrals or advice:

• Call 01782 863762
• Email at info@familyfocusstaffs.org.uk

Or click the link below to visit the Family Focus website.

Schools’ Early Years Forum Pilot

From September to July next year, the Early Years Forum will be running a pilot to include children attending nursery classes in schools. 22 schools from across the city have signed up to be part of the pilot.

Children will be eligible for referral to the pilot if they meet the following criteria:

• Child lives at a Stoke-on-Trent address
• Child is in their nursery year or younger
• Child attends a pilot school
• Child is showing delayed development in at least two areas

Referrals to the school’s EYF can be made by school staff or health colleagues.

Education Health & Care Plan

Please remember the following statutory responsibilities for pupils with EHCPs.

Phase Transfers

An EHC Plan must be reviewed and amended in sufficient time prior to a child moving between key phases of education to allow for planning and where necessary, commissioning of support and provision at the new institution.

Year 6

Stoke-on-Trent SENMAS team ask that all year 6 review be completed and submitted by around October half term to allow time for the us to amend the EHCP, source the child’s year 7 placement and ensure the EHCP is finalised in time for the 15th February deadline.

Year 11

All Annual Review meetings for Y11 students must be held during the autumn term and review paperwork to be sent to the SENMAS Team by the end of December 2024. This will allow time for us to amend the EHCP and name a post 16 placement by the statutory deadline of the 31st March 2025.

Annual Reviews

In line with the SEND legislation the first review MUST be held within 12 months of the date of the finalised EHC Plan, and then within 12 months of any previous review (unless under the age of 5 in which case every 6 months). Completed review paperwork within 2 weeks of the meeting taking place should be sent to SENMAS@stoke.gov.uk.

Please ensure that you plan annual review meetings throughout the year for pupils in your setting, giving plenty of time to complete and return paperwork on time.

Preparation for Adulthood

It is a statutory responsibility to ensure preparing for adulthood (PfA) is included within an EHCP for a young person from year 9 onwards. All settings are expected to provide new strengths and needs (section B), learning outcomes (Section E) and provision (Section F) for all young people in year 9 and for any in year 10 onwards where this is not already included, at the annual review for PfA.