Thursday 23 May 2024
Welcome from SEND Family Voice Torbay
Dear Parents and Carers
We know this is coming at a time that has been stressful and challenging for many of you. We are well into exam season, whether that be SATS, end of term assessments, GCSEs or vocational qualifications.
We also know some of our families are still affected by the water contamination in Brixham. At these times it is important to know where you can go for support. We know that people seek support in different ways and from different organisations.
Some organisations include: Play Torbay, Kooth (for 11 - 19 year olds), Talkworks, and Facebook groups such as Tissues and Issues and Carers Aid Torbay, among others.
SEND Family Voice Torbay is the parent/carer Forum (PCF) for Torbay.
We work with the council, education settings and health and social care providers to make sure they listen to and take account of parent carer views and experiences.
We work independently to improve lives for children and young people with SEND and their families. This is done through co-production and in partnership.
If you would like to share your experiences or become involved, please get in touch via our Facebook inbox or email (see below).
We have a wide variety of projects and opportunities for you to get involved in. For some of these, we are able to help towards expenses and childcare when you are representing us. We're a small but friendly team, and we look forward to hearing from you.
Since our last newsletter we've been:
- working on Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS), part of the SEND auditing process
- co-producing a neurodiversity program
- commissioning an extra two workshops for parents and carers to be run in June
- welcomed parents and carers to our new home at Parkfield for a community forum and training with SENDIASS (thank you to Kelly from SENDIASS!)
Dates for your diary
Please keep and eye on our Facebook group for booking links or contact us by phone or email to request a link.
Autism and girls (this session will be run twice - both sessions will be the same)
Monday 10 June 6pm to 8:30pm (online)
Monday 8 July 9:30am to 12pm (online)
Demand Avoidance (this session will be run twice - both sessions will be the same)
Monday 1 July 6pm to 8pm (online)
Wednesday 3 July 10am to 12pm (online)
We also have a community forum before the summer holidays.
We are looking forward to meeting more of our wonderful SEND families over the next few months.
Becky and Karen, Co-Chairs of SFVT
Young people
Teenagers produce videos explaining what EHCPs are
Young people with SEND have helped to produce a series of videos which explain in simple terms what an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is.
Daisy, Tjay, Cara, Ben and Max have spent the last few months working with Paignton’s Sound Communities on the three videos.
The films explain what happens in an EHCP, what an annual review is for and what a phase transfer means.
They worked with Sound’s Jack Thompson, helping to rewrite the scripts so they were more accessible, and they also recorded the voiceovers.
Participation Officer Katie Harris presented the young people with vouchers as a thank you for all their hard work.
She said: “The idea to produce the videos came about because many young people told us they didn’t understand the purpose of EHCPs and weren’t involved in them. We wanted to change that.
“Sound Communities have experience in producing films and they also provide alternative provision for some of our young people so it seemed ideal to get them involved.
“I know the young people put a lot of effort into making these films and it’s great to finally see what they’ve produced.
“Adults often take for granted that children understand what an EHCP is, but many don’t and these videos will hopefully answer some of their questions.”
Tjay said: “I knew what an EHCP was but not why I needed one. Now I do. I read through the script and made some changes to it. I was also recorded reading from it.”
Cara added: “I have an EHCP too but didn’t really know what it was all about. I got it when I was nine but only read it a few months ago. It was so old. I never went to any meetings about it. Being involved in this project has helped me understand what it’s all about.”
Some of the young people who were involved with the videos alongside Jack from Sound Communities
Your feedback matters
Our Participation Team recently spoke to more than 60 children and young people so we could ask what matters to them. Here are their top three priorities:
- Being supported and having trust in adults
- Getting help at the right time - knowing where to find information and who to ask for help.
- Feeling listened to and heard - what happens with the feedback we give?
They also suggested some specific ways the above priorities could be met:
- More posters with information / contact details
- Support animals in schools
- Nurture rooms in schools
- More alternative provision
- Promote the Point of You service more
Participation Officer Katie Harris said: “Feedback gathered from young people will be presented by a member of the SEND Youth Forum at the next SEND Strategic Board meeting.
“It’s important for our young people to be able to represent themselves and let adults know what is important to them and hold them accountable.
“By gathering their thoughts and views, understanding their experiences and giving them the opportunity to be heard, we will ensure that what matters to children and young people with SEND will be part of future service improvement.”
Council updates
Meet the SEND team
We have lots of changes in the SEND Team at Torbay Council we’d like to share.
Grace Beer is our new Service Manager for SEND and Inclusion, having previously worked as a SEND Advisor and SEND Business Analyst.
Grace is a SEND parent carer of two boys and is committed to positive outcomes for children, young people and their families.
Kirsty is now leading the team of 0-25 Casework Officers including Karen, Carolyn, Lisa, Abi, Amy, Laura and Jayne, assisted by Coordinators Nikki and Carlene.
Our team of SEND Monitoring Officers – Michele, Richard and Sarah – will now be based more frequently in our schools supporting our Graduated Response toolkits.
We have some more staff joining us soon and will update you on everyone in the team in the new academic year.
To ensure we can give young people a better service, the team is being trained in the Level 4 Certificate in Statutory SEN Officer Duties and Responsibilities.
The majority have completed this intensive course over the last six months and everyone should be trained by 2025. Congratulations to all those who have already accomplished this!
Contacting us
If you have an enquiry about special educational needs for your child, then phone or email us (details below). You don’t need to have an EHCP to seek our support.
A duty casework officer is available Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays) from 9am to 5pm. We will try to get back to you in the same working day with a response.
If we need to review the information further, the same casework officer will stay in touch to complete your enquiry.
It was great to meet so many of you in person at our resident engagement event in Brixham last month – thanks for stopping to talk to us.
The SEND team's Jayne and Carolyn at our recent engagement event
SEND participation survey update
Last year we asked parents, carers, children and young people to take part in our participation surveys, to tell us what mattered to you and how we could do better.
We recognise that sharing the results has been a long time coming. Analysing the survey data has taken us longer than we originally thought – and we want to make sure we get it right.
The good news is that the final report will be published next month.
We’ll be publishing a special edition newsletter in June with more details and an explanation of how we’re going to further tackle the points you raise.
Next Steps meetings
Are you worried about your child or young person’s needs? Think you might need an Education, Health and Care Plan?
We’ve been offering Next Steps meetings before you submit a request for a statutory assessment.
We’ve been trialling these over the last few months and are pleased to confirm they’ll become permanent.
If you would like a next steps meeting to see what support could be put in place immediately and before any request is made, contact your school’s SENCo.
Language that Cares
Have you or your child ever been in a Children Services meeting and not understood everything that’s being said?
Do you find professionals use words or phrases you’ve never heard of and they don’t explain what they mean?
Perhaps you or your child reads something about themselves in a report and feels upset about the way they’ve been described.
We’re hoping to change that thanks to the introduction of our new Language that Cares policy.
We’re ensuring that all staff working in Children’s Services use words and terminology that is easy to understand, compassionate and non-judgemental.
Bexs Rushton, Relational Practice Lead at Torbay Council, said: “We’ve had feedback from young people and parents saying that some of our reports and the way they’re written can be traumatising.
“We want to take care with what we write, making sure we’re respectful and our wording is easy to understand. It’s about not using language that shames and blames.
“Every time we write on a child’s record, we are contributing to their lived experience. They can get access to their information. The way we write needs to be respectful.
“It should read like a story so a young person understands what’s going on in their life and why and how decisions are made in a way they understand.
“It also means avoiding jargon and acronyms that no only but professionals understand.
“It’s all about putting the young person at the forefront. Imagine if they were in the room in front of you – how would you speak to them face to face?”
Over the next few weeks, staff will receive training in how to write more restoratively, including the assessments, reports and plans we write. The changes won’t happen overnight, but we hope you’ll start to see them soon.
SENDIASS updates
Getting the help you need from SENDIASS
SENDIASS phone lines are monitored from 10am to 2pm every day. If you can’t get through, leave a message – someone will get back to you within three working days.
You can call 01803 207884 but for the quickest response, email sendiass@torbay.gov.uk
While SENDIASS aims for your allocated caseworker to call back whenever possible, this is sometimes difficult and another team member may contact you. The team consists of Kelly, Sam, and Jo.
SENDIASS has been listening to feedback. Working parents said they struggle to reach them during the working day.
To address this, they’re introducing drop-in sessions every Thursday (term-time only) from 6pm to 7.30pm at the Mayfield Hub Club. For more details, visit Play Torbay’s website.
The case allocation for new cases takes place on a Tuesday. You will be contacted by your allocated caseworker within five working days.
Health updates
SEND Improvements at Children and Family Health Devon
It’s been a busy few months at Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD).
CFHD provides care and treatment across physical and mental health for children, young people and their families in Devon.
SEND Leads Jacqui and Jo continue to focus on areas of improvement to ensure CFHD is supporting children, young people and their families to access services.
The organisation has seen an improvement in the number of health contributions provided on time, from an average of 59% last autumn to 76% in March this year.
These go to Torbay Council to support both the request for an assessment of special education need and the review of EHCPs already in place.
Clearly there’s still a way to go to reach the target of over 95% being returned within the six-week deadline, but it’s a great start.
There have also been some changes to SystmOne, the electronic patient records system CFHD uses to record all its work with children and young people.
Jo and Jacqui will be working with colleagues over the coming weeks to make any required changes to how the requests for information are recorded so deadlines are met.
New website, referral form and newsletter
CFHD also recently launched its new website, following collaboration with parents, carers, children and young people.
The website is a resource hub, promoting easy access to materials and guidance to support the wellbeing of children and young people.
CFHD has also updated its referral form. The new form will include CFHD’s new pathways titles, rather than service names. Old referral forms will be accepted until further notice.
Finally, CFHD is producing a new regular newsletter.
Mental health in schools
If your child or young person is suffering from poor mental health, anxiety or depression, help is available from the Mental Health Support Team (MHST).
The team, part of CFHD, regularly goes in to primary and secondary schools, reaching about 70 per cent of school-aged children in Torbay.
They work with children in 1-2-1 and group sessions and they also do training for staff and drop-ins for parents and carers.
The team has put together a series of videos showing all the help on offer.
In our next issue, we’ll take a closer look at the team and what they do.
Education updates
Language support available
Schools are being given the chance to enrol in Language Enrichment Groups, which have been designed by specialist speech and language therapists.
The groups are aimed at the early years and primary-aged children and include screening tools and small-group resources.
A trial has already taken place and feedback has been positive.
The CFHD Speech and Language Therapy team will be contacting SENCos next term so the groups will be ready for the new school year.
Has your child’s setting signed up to the Dingley’s Promise Comic Relief Early Years Inclusion Project?
With the support of Comic Relief funding, the charity Dingley’s Promise is working with 30 local councils – including Torbay – to improve education and the development of inclusive practice for those working with SEND children.
The training is free for any practitioner working with early years children in Torbay – this can include early years practitioners, health visitors, social workers, teachers, family support workers and teaching assistants.
We highly recommend settings and practitioners take part in this training.
Dingley's is also looking for parents and carers who want to be part of this opportunity. Find out how you can get involved.
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Coming soon…
EHCP format
A team of young people, parents and carers and colleagues from across our Local Area have been designing a new EHCP template and format. We look forward to launching this in our next issue with a roll out planned for 2024/25.
Fair Play Day
This popular event is returning for 2024! We’ve listened to feedback from last Year’s Fair Play Day and will be announcing a slightly amended morning very soon.
Tickets will be free and available to SEND families in Torbay. Thanks to Anderton and Rowlands Fair for gifting this free morning to Torbay’s SEND children and young people.
Fair Play Day 2023
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