IASS September E- Bulletin

Welcome to our
September E- Bulletin

We hope you have enjoyed the summer holidays and are excited to return to your schools and colleges. 

Returning to education can bring about its own challenges, but the IASS is here to help with your queries. If need to get in touch please email ias.service@wolverhampton.gov.uk or message our social media pages:
Facebook @wolvesiass
Instagram @wolves.iass

Welcome Lauren

We are delighted to introduce the newest member of the IASS team, Lauren Kirkpatrick as our Information Officer. Lauren's role includes looking after our publicity, website, social media accounts, e-bulletins and magazine.

To celebrate the amazing achievements of the young people of Wolverhampton, Lauren is on the look out for good news stories. Whether it is gaining a qualification, raising money for charity or you want to celebrate the fantastic support provided by an organization or professional, she wants to hear from you. Email lauren.kirkpatrick@wolverhampton.gov.uk with your photo and blurb to enter. 

SEND Inspection 

Wolverhampton is preparing for a local area inspection. 
The inspection will examine how well Wolverhampton identifies, assesses and meets the needs of children and young people (0-25) with special educational needs and/or a disability (SEND) and will include education, health and social care. 

The inspectors will focus much of their time on speaking to parents, carers, children and young people about how well Wolverhampton is responding to the needs of local families.

The inspectors like to hear from parents/carers before the inspection to gain some understanding of how services are received and an awareness of any challenges.  There will be an online webinar the week before the inspection takes place which aims to gather as many views as possible.  Inspectors also like to meet parents at face-to-face meetings during the inspection. Please look out for details so that you can be involved. We don’t yet have a date but we will share information as we have it.

Further information about the inspection framework can be found at:
 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-area-send-inspections-information-for-families 

Extended powers given to the SEND Tribunal

The National Trial giving extended powers to the SEND Tribunal to hear appeals and make non-binding recommendations about health and social care aspects of Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans, provided those appeals also include education elements ended on 31 August 2021.

The Department for Education has announced that the extended powers given to the SEND Tribunal will continue and has released updated guidance ‘SEND tribunal: single route of redress national trial’ to remove references to the National Trial and to explain the extended powers, providing details on how appeals which include health and social care aspects (now known as extended appeals) work.

Back To School

The government has updated advice on what parents and carers need to know about early years providers, schools and colleges as children and young people return to education this term.

The key messages from this guidance are:

• Nationally, education and childcare settings are open, and attendance is mandatory (for schools) and strongly encouraged (at childminders, nurseries and colleges)
• The overwhelming majority of children and young people still have no symptoms or very mild illness only.
• Secondary schools and colleges have been asked to prepare for on-site testing at the beginning of the autumn term
• Nursery, school or college will no longer trace close contacts - close contacts will still be identified via NHS Test and Trace
• Children and young people aged under 18 years 6 months who usually attend school, and have been identified as a close contact should continue to attend school as normal
• Children do not need to remain in a consistent group (‘bubble’)
• The government has removed the requirement to wear face coverings in law but expects and recommends that they are worn in enclosed and crowded spaces where you may come into contact with people you don’t normally meet

Read the Government Guidance What parents and carers need to know about early years providers, schools and colleges during COVID-19 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

School Applications

Although it’s only the start of a new school year some of you may be looking at Reception class and Secondary applications for next year. 

Looking at prospective schools can be a stressful time, particularly when a child has additional needs as there is a lot to think about. Our factsheet may help:

Visiting-a-prospective-school-Updated-02.07.20.pdf (wolvesiass.org)

Support With Exams

Children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities may need additional arrangements so they can take part in tests/exams.  It is important that this is planned for and organised well in advance.

If you think your son or daughter could benefit from additional support in tests, you might want to begin planning for next year, by talking to teachers at school and asking about ‘access arrangements’.  Find out more in our factsheet Access-arrangements.pdf (wolvesiass.org)

Emotional Support for
SEND Children

Include Me Too is a Wolverhampton Charity offering a range of support including peer support, befriending services, activities and holiday clubs for disabled children, outreach and information and advice to families.

Their new support service aims to help disabled children, young people and their siblings better understand and manage their emotions and feelings through a series of sensory and holistic interventions.

Find out more and how to get involved by visiting https://includemetoo.org.uk/

Tackling Loneliness &
Social Isolation 

Do you know a young people with Special Needs or a disability who feels isolated?

Changing Our Lives are hosting a fantastic community programme Common Grounds to bring together young people from across the city to tackle loneliness. By establishing meaningful connections, friendships will help to remove barriers surrounding disability, improve mental health and make a real difference to people's lives.

To find out more and express your interest email
craig@changingourlives.org /
georgia@changingourlives.org

Share Your News

We aim to share uplifting stories and good news events from around our wonderful Wolverhampton area! 

If you run services or activities for children with a special need or disability or support their families, we would love to hear from you! 

Also, if you have a happy news story or wish to celebrate the great work of an organisation, please email lauren.kirkpatrick@wolverhampton.gov.uk. Please attach any photo or videos and a short blurb to feature. 

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 4th October so please send any inserts by 24th September.