IASS December 2020 e-bulletin

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Christmas

Welcome to our

December 2020 E-bulletin

There is no doubt this year has been extraordinary, challenging and often exhausting at times for many families.

As Christmas time approaches so too does the hope of spending some time with families and loved ones, and with good news anticipated in the new year we look forward to a brighter and positive 2021.

 Wishing you all a safe and peaceful Christmas period from the IASS team.


EHCP

EHCP taster session

 

There's still time to book a place on our online EHCP taster session. 

Wednesday 9th December 1-2pm

To find out more and to book a place visit Eventbrite

 


Q&A sessions with IASS Spring 2021 

Communication

Tuesday 19th January 10.00 - 11.00am

Wednesday 24th February 6.00 - 7.00pm

Thursday 18th March 10.00 - 11.00am

Visit our website for more details and to book a place


Local Government Association

            SEND Peer Review

 

The Local Government Association undertook a SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disability) peer challenge in Wolverhampton at the end of November.  The LGA supports local authorities to improve outcomes through a programme of peer challenges.  The peer challenge is not an inspection but a “critical friend” approach to celebrate strengths and identify areas for improvement.

The aim of the challenge is to help councils, clinical commissioning groups and their partners reflect on and improve the outcomes for children, young people and families with special educational needs and disabilities. Wolverhampton is one of only two areas within the West Midlands region that has not yet had a SEND inspection.  Due to the Covid-19 situation, Ofsted has suspended much of its formal inspection activity, but has said that it expects to resume this in 2021 and so it is very likely that Wolverhampton will have its SEND inspection then.

The peer challenge is being under by a team which consists senior colleagues who have significant experience of leading and managing SEND services in other local authority areas.  During the week the peer challenge team met remotely with a variety of people from a range of organisations across the city to explore their experiences of SEND within Wolverhampton.  The meetings included practitioners and managers from services across education, health and social care.  There were important meetings with parents, carers and young people.  The Information, Advice and Support Service also has a focus and was involved in some of the other focus groups.  We were able to celebrate some of our successes and how we can be involved in improving services and experiences based on the information we gather from our work with local families.  It was encouraging to hear positive feedback about the service from families who use us and colleagues that we work with.  Thank you to parents, members of the IASS Advisory Group and the IASS Young People’s Advisory Board for their contributions.

The challenge team will prepare a presentation on their findings which will help inform developments going forward.


Networking

Networking

 

The Information Advice and Support Service is always keen to widen its partnerships and networking opportunities.  We are pleased to tell you that this continues, and we have had a busy time sharing information about the service to colleagues from health, social care, school improvement and some voluntary organisations.  We have lots of training and ‘working better together’ activities planned with many services and organisations including Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), Strengthening Families teams, Adult Education, social care, SENCos, health teams, parenting support and parent groups.  If you would like to know more about working with the IASS or our training activities, please get in touch.


Young people

IASS working in partnership with

children and young people

 

An update from Lisa Colton our Children and Young People Development Officer:

" We have been so busy this month. We held our second Young People's Advisory Board meeting and welcomed two new members. Melissa and Daniel are keen to be involved and have some great ideas to support us moving forward.

Some of you may have seen that Jude did a takeover day on social media for us the other week. This was an idea from the advisory board members to increase our social media following and I am happy to confirm it has. We are looking at other opportunities for takeover days for the other members of the advisory board so watch this space!

Members of the advisory board were involved in a young people peer review of education, health and social care services for children and young people with SEND and their families living in Wolverhampton. They joined with young people from the Youth Engagement Board, Youth Council and other young people’s groups in the city to share their views. The reviewers complemented the young people and said they were “great ambassadors for the children and young people of Wolverhampton”

If you are a young person who would like to get involved with the IASS young people advisory board, please email lisa.colton@wolverhampton.gov.uk


Autumn Magazine

Autumn Magazine out now!

 

A reminder the 50th edition of the IASS Magazine is available to view online.  Read a pdf version of the IASS Autumn Magazine.


Wolverhampton's Special Educational Needs

and Disability Strategy 2020-2023

SEND Strategy

The Wolverhampton Strategy for Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities 2020 to 2023 was launched last month.  It sets out the vision and key priorities that the council and other partners in the city will focus on over the next 3 years.

It has been developed by the Wolverhampton SEND Partnership Board and demonstrates its commitment to making sure children and young people with SEND and their families have the opportunity to achieve a good quality, ordinary life.

Click to read the SEND Strategy

Click to view an Easy Read version of the SEND Strategy


COWC

Housing Assistance Policy review

 

The City of Wolverhampton Council wants to improve the services offered to disabled adults, children and carers and other vulnerable people when accessing grants and services that serve to enhance independent living. The new policy aims to enhance the range of assistance available.

To have your say click the survey link.  Survey closes 10th December.


GOV UK

Special Educational Needs and Disability Government updates


DfE

A message from Vicky Ford MP

 

Last month the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families wrote a letter to all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), their parents/carers and families, and others who support them.  The letter has a number of updates and includes the new winter package to provide further support for children and families.

Read Vicky Ford's letter here.


Guidance on the full opening of special schools

and other specialist settings

The Government guidance has been updated and refreshed to reflect that we are now coming towards the end of the autumn term and the expectation is that all children and young people, in all year groups and setting types, remain in education settings full time where possible. You can read the full guidance here including an update to reflect that the temporary changes to SEND legislation have now ceased.  You can also read guidance on shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19 which came into effect from 2nd December.


Elective Home Education advice for parents

In October the Department for Education published advice for parents considering Elective Home Education (EHE). This guidance is designed to be used by parents, schools, social workers and local authorities (LAs), where the option of EHE is raised. The document is intended to make clear implications of withdrawing their child from school and the challenge involved in providing EHE. View the Government advice here.



Contact

Parents urged to get young people with learning disabilities registered for an annual health check

 

Contact is reminding parent carers to get their young people added to the GP learning disability register, so they do not miss out on their annual health check.

Contact is working with NHS England, parent carer forums and families to help boost the number of young people on GP learning registers so they can be invited for the check. Currently only 53% of people with learning disabilities are having the health check they are entitled to.

For more information and frequently asked questions and answers to help navigate the   annual health check process visit the Contact website.


Voice4Parents

Parent carer virtual coffee morning

 

Hosted by Voice4Parents, Wolverhampton's parent/carer forum. Join for an informal, friendly chat with other parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs and/or disability in Wolverhampton.

Friday 11th December 10.00 - 11.30 am Book via Eventbrite


Please help us to increase our Social Media following

We post lots of information and advice on our Facebook and Twitter Pages to keep you aware and informed of upcoming events, activities, useful resources and other information.

If you don't already please follow us on Facebook and Twitter

@wolvesiass

@wolvesiass

Instagram

@wolvesiass


News

Share your news

 

We are always happy to share information on our e-bulletins which help to promote a relevant and appropriate service which will be informative and of interest to our readers.  

We aim to add short and punchy stories, facts and information.  Please add web-links wherever possible & any necessary documents in PDF.

Please e-mail your information to ias.service@wolverhampton.gov.uk

We send out the e-bulletin monthly around the first Monday of the month, so we would appreciate this being sent to us by the middle of the previous week.

Our next e-bulletin will be sent out around 11th January 2021 so please send any inserts by Tuesday 5th January.