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Thursday 18 July 2024

Welcome from SEND Family Voice Torbay

We'd like to wish you a warm welcome to our final newsletter of this academic year - we really hope you find it useful. As we head into the summer, we would like to thank everyone that has met with us, contacted us and supported us this last academic year. Your contributions have been so valuable.

Looking ahead to next year, we already have community forums planned on post 16, visits from the SEND team and the Mental Health Support Team (more about them below) and a wellbeing session.

Please keep an eye on Facebook and our website to see what's coming up and please get in touch if you have ideas of any other topics which you would find useful. 

We wish you a lovely summer. 

The SFVT team

Young people's update

Graduated Response videos

Children and young people with SEND have been channelling their inner Steven Spielbergs by helping to produce a short film.

Twenty-six pupils from five schools and colleges across the Bay – South Devon College, the Spires College, Paignton Academy, Mayfield School and Mayfield Chestnut – have collaborated on a five-minute film about our Graduated Response toolkits.

The video was put together by the council’s Creative Design team from characters drawn by students at South Devon College. They also recorded voiceovers along with pupils from the other settings.

And like Spielberg’s box office smash Jaws, the video has an underwater theme to reflect Torbay’s coastal home.

Pictured below are some of their drawings.

Artwork drawn by the children

The short film explains that our toolkits can help young people who may need a little extra support.

We have five toolkits each looking at specific areas young people may need help with. This could include help for sensory needs, language or neurodiversity, for example.

A launch event was held for the film at the town hall which was attended by the young people and their teachers and parents.

We showed the film and presented them with vouchers to say thank you for their contribution. Some of the young people are pictured below.

Sage, 15, said: “I’m autistic and I’ve always been interested in SEND issues. I’d like to be an educational psychologist one day. The idea for the underwater theme came about because we live by the sea.”

Eighteen-year-old Angel got involved in the project through her art class and draw the seahorse image. She said it was ‘great’ to see her work brought to life on screen.

Shea, 11, did the voiceover for the video. He added: “I feel like this message should be out there for everyone.”

Katie Harris, the Torbay Council participation officer who oversaw the project, said: “These videos are by young people, for young people. The words were initially put together by professionals but then changed by the young people – there’s no point in them doing voiceovers for something they don’t understand themselves.

“The characters were drawn by students at South Devon College, following our guidelines. Then young people did the voiceovers.”

“Although young people are the target audience, these videos can just as easily be watched and enjoyed by adults too and we hope that it prompts them to take a look at the extra help that is available through our toolkits.”

If you want to be involved in more projects like this then join the SEND Youth Forum. Email pointofyou@torbay.gov.uk.

Some of the young people who helped make the Graduated Response videos

SENDIASS update

Tribunal form now available online

Sometimes, disputes between parents and the local authority about Education, Health, and Care plans (EHCPs) cannot be resolved through mediation. The tribunal is there to provide a fair and unbiased decision in line with the law.

We want to inform parents and guardians that the process for appealing decisions regarding EHCPs has become more accessible. You can now complete the SEND35 tribunal appeal forms online.

Remember, the tribunal is independent and operates separately from local authorities, ensuring a fair and unbiased review of your appeal.

If you need any impartial information, advice or support about the process or forms, please contact SENDIASS Torbay on 01803 207 884 or email sendiass@torbay.gov.uk

Health updates

Learning disability annual health checks for young people aged 14 years+

All people with a learning disability aged 14 and over are eligible for an annual health check at their GP’s surgery.

You must be on your GP’s Learning Disability Register which is a list of names and tells the GP who to invite.

The check covers all aspects of health and wellbeing and includes:

• Blood pressure check
• Weight / height / BMI calculation
• Hearing check
• Questions about dental check ups and eye tests
• A discussion about sexual health and relationships
• A review of medication – this may include a prescription for new medication
• Referrals to other services if needed
• A talk about vaccines
• Blood tests if needed

The GP will give you a copy of the Health Action Plan.

You'll probably still be in regular contact with your paediatrician and / or child services provider at this stage, but we're working on the transition towards adult services and the health check is an important part of this.

If you have not received an invitation and think you should, please contact your surgery to check you're on the register.

Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD) update

In the last issue, we told you about CFHD's new website. It's also launched a new form to simplify the referral process. This will help CFHD determine the level of support needed for a child or young person.

Spotlight on Mental Health Support Team in schools Lots of young people are struggling with their mental health. Support is there for them thanks to the Mental Health Support Team in schools (MHST), which goes into 70 per cent of Torbay schools. The team comes under Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). Its service manager, Holly Billington (pictured), explains more about the team’s work.

“We work in schools supporting young people aged between 5 to 18 with their mental health. From this September, we’ll have more than 100 members of staff.

“We have children’s wellbeing practitioners (CWPs) who work within the community offering 1-1 and group work for children, young people and parents of primary-aged children.

“We are an early intervention service and offer Low-intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Li-CBT). We also have educational mental health practitioners (EMHPs) in the team. They are in schools doing 1:1 work with young people, which usually lasts about 6-8 weeks, or they are running workshops and consultations.

“Many schools refer directly to us and families will also self-refer to us as well. The CWPs are based in GPs, community hospitals or settings and they provide an option for children who don’t want to be seen in school.

How you can access mental health support

“The children and young people are at the heart of everything we do. I feel very honoured to be able to support children and their families and I want to get it right for each child that we encounter.

“We often receive thoughtful feedback from our young people which always fills me with a lot of joy. We’ve received cards from young people that say “you’ve saved my life” and when a member of staff receives positive feedback, it means the world to them.

“I’m passionate about early intervention. You can see the difference you’re making and it’s so worthwhile to be able to offer the tools a child needs to empower them to feel happier and to manage their emotions.

“The team I work with are amazing. They care deeply about getting the support right.”

Mental Health Support Team

Summer events

Fair Play Day 2024

SEND Family Voice is pleased to announce that in collaboration with Torbay Children’s Services and with thanks to Anderson and Rowlands fun fair, Torbay’s Fair Play Day is back for 2024! 

This year’s event will be held on Thursday 8 August at Torre Abbey Meadows with the main event from 11am to 12:30pm.

This popular free family summer event is for Torbay families who have children and young people with SEND, young carers and cared for or care experienced children and young people and their families.

We’ve taken on board your feedback from last year and added a quieter session for those young people who would find this most beneficial. This will take place between 10am and 11am with only 200 tickets available.

This part of the event will be much quieter with less people, no lights and no music. We would respectfully ask that you only book this session if you feel your young person could only attend the event in this way.

There will be 1,000 tickets available for the main event. There will be fairground rides, lower-level music and slower speed rides.

During the event, advice and support will be available to families from organisations including Torbay Council's SEND team, Family Hubs, SEND Family Voice Torbay and SENDIASS Torbay.

Fair Play Day 2023

Sound Communities

There are lots of free activities at Sound Communities this summer. From activity camps to music-making drop-ins, there’s something for everyone aged 9 to 24. All projects are designed to be fun, social, creative, confidence boosting and empowering.

For more information email: info@soundcommunities.co.uk.

Children’s Week

This year’s Children’s Week takes place on Paignton Green from Tuesday 20 August to Saturday 24 August.

Childcare options

Do you need help paying for your childcare? Make sure you’re receiving all the help you’re entitled to.

Family Hubs

Don’t forget, there’s always plenty going on at Torbay’s Family Hubs.

And did you know you can now download the Family Hubs app?

You can find out about services, chat with the team, get notifications and updates about groups, find your nearest school, GP surgery, food bank and lots more.

Mare and Foal Sanctuary

The Newton Abbot-based equine sanctuary is running a Wellies for Wellness series of sessions throughout August.

Fun, nature-based outdoor activities will take place in its woodland area.

Looking ahead to September...

If you have any queries about school transport over the summer holidays, please ring 01803 207688 or email cstransport@torbay.gov.uk.