Welcome to our April 2022 E- Bulletin

New Wolverhampton IASS website! 

Wolves IASS is very excited to announce that today we have launched our brand new website! A fresh look into the support our service offers and to guide you through the processes of SEN support and EHCP's. With our Contact Us form, it has never been easier to get in touch!  wolvesiass.org

IASS Summer 2022
Online Legal Training Sessions

We are here to help! Are you unsure of certain processes, legal rights or just in need of some advice? Wolverhampton IASS is dedicated to empowering parents, carers and young people with SEND. Book onto our virtual online events below: 

EHCP Annual Reviews 10th May 2022 at 6.00- 7.00pm Book your free place here Learn about a local authority's legal duties to reviewing an EHCP, who is involved, what happens and when, and the support available for parents, carers children and young people from IASS.

Introduction to IASS  19th May 2022 at 1.00- 1.30pm Book your free place here Find out what we are all about, what we do, how we work and who we work with. The online session is available for professionals working with children and young people with SEND in Wolverhampton.

SEN Support 15th June 2022 at 1.30- 2.30pm Book your free place here The event will detail how education providers should use a  graduated approach of "Assess, Plan, Do and Review" to identify and support children and young people who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

EHCP Taster Session 28th June 2022 at 10.00- 11.00am  Book your free place here  The session will cover: - What an Education, Health and Care Plan is - The EHC needs assessment process and how to request, what is included in an EHCP. - What happens during and after the assessment process.

Coffee & Chat  6th July 2022 at 10.30- 11.30am Book your free place here A friendly coffee and chat session to discuss support, processes and advice relating to SEND support for your child or young person. Bring your cuppa and your questions!

Wolverhampton IASS has reignited its community outreach events!

Visit the Sensory Park Autism Centre to explore their wonderful wildlife sanctuary and speak with a member of the IASS team.

No booking required and free entry to the park is available during the provided times.

SEND Review Green Paper was
launched on Tuesday 29^th March

The Government’s SEND and alternative provision green paper was published Tuesday 29 March and sets out its vision for a single, national SEND and alternative provision (AP) system that will introduce new standards in the quality of support given to children across education, health and care.

Detailed proposals in the SEND and alternative provision green paper include:

• Setting new national standards across education, health and care to build on the foundations created through the Children and Families Act 2014, for a higher performing SEND system;
• A simplified Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) through digitising plans to make them more flexible, reducing bureaucracy and supporting parents to make informed choices via a list of appropriate placements tailored to their child’s needs, meaning less time spent researching the right school;
• A new legal requirement for councils to introduce ‘local inclusion plans’ that bring together early years, schools and post-16 education with health and care services, giving system partners more certainty on who is responsible and when;
• Improving oversight and transparency through the publication of new ‘local inclusion dashboards’ to make roles and responsibilities of all partners within the system clearer for parents and young people, helping to drive better outcomes;
• A new national framework for councils for banding and tariffs of High Needs, to match the national standards and offer clarity on the level of support expected, and put the system on a financially sustainable footing in the future;
• Changing the culture and practice in mainstream education to be more inclusive and better at identifying and supporting needs, including through earlier intervention and improved targeted support;
• Improving workforce training through the introduction of a new SENCo NPQ for school SENCos and increasing the number of staff with an accredited level 3 qualification in early years settings; and
• A reformed and integrated role for alternative provision (AP), with a new delivery model in every local area focused on early intervention. AP will form an integral part of local SEND systems with improvements to settings and more funding stability.

Read the full article here. 

The plans to reform the system will be open for a 13-week public consultation, giving the opportunity to shape how a new system will work in the future. You have until 1^st July  give your views and IASS encourages you to do so here.

Schools White Paper, Opportunity for All,
was launched on Monday 28^th March

The Education Secretary, Nadhim Zahawi, has pledged that any child who falls behind in maths or English will get the support they need to get back on track and sets out the Government’s plans to make sure every child can reach the full height of their potential.

Schools will identify children who need help, provide targeted support via a range of proven methods such as small group tuition, and keep parents informed about their child’s progress.

The Schools White Paper sets out a series of new measures to support the delivery of these ambitions, including:

• Schools will offer a minimum school week of 32.5 hours by September 2023
• Ofsted will inspect every school by 2025, including the backlog of ‘outstanding’ schools that haven’t been inspected for many years
• By 2030 all children will benefit from being taught in a school in, or in the process of joining, a strong multi-academy trust, which will help transform underperforming schools and deliver the best possible outcomes for children
• At least £100m to put the Education Endowment Foundation on a long-term footing so they can continue to evaluate and spread best practice in education across the country

Read the full article here.

White Papers are issued by the Government as statements of policy, and often set out proposals for legislative changes, which may be debated before a Bill is introduced to implement changes in law.

Wolverhampton SEND Inspection
Statement of Action 

A Written Statement of Action was published on Tuesday 8 March 2022 outlining steps that either are being, or will be, taken to further improve services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Wolverhampton.

It was developed by the Wolverhampton SEND Partnership Board in response to a 'Local Area Review' of SEND services by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission last autumn.

The review looked at how well the City of Wolverhampton Council, the Black Country and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, the Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Early Years’ settings, schools and further education providers identify, assess and meet the needs of children and young people with SEND.

It highlighted a number of areas of good practice, as well as areas which require further development, with the Written Statement of Action detailing the steps partners will take, and in many cases are already taking, to address these.

Read the full publication here. 

The government has announced funding for SEND & Short breaks (respite).
Key announcements include:

- £30 million for the next three years to set up more than 10,000 additional Short breaks (respite), helping to provide positive opportunities for disabled children and young people and to give family carers a break so they can look after vulnerable children better in the long-term.   

- £18 million over three years to double the capacity of the Supported Internship programme to provide thousands more young people who have additional needs to secure and sustain paid employment. The programme will additionally drive up the standards and quality of internship delivery across the country for students who have an Education, Health and Care Plan. 

- The new funding for Short breaks (respite) and Supported Internships come alongside more than £45 million of continued targeted support for families and parents of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

- Target support to improve monitoring, support and intervention for local authorities and local health and care partners’ delivery of statutory SEND services, with a focus on underperforming areas and sharing best practice.  

This funding and targeted programmes will: 

- Improve participation and access for parents and young people for high quality advice and support;  

- Directly support schools and colleges to effectively work with pupils with SEND, for example through training on specific needs like autism.

Read the full article here.

Easter Activity Events 

From 11- 20 April Strive is hosting a range of free Easter activities for children and young people to enjoy. Including rock climbing, bouncy castles, arts & crafts, sports & fitness and team building activities. Lunch provided.  Book your place here.

Fit For Sports:  Easter Holiday Camp  From 11- 22 April Fit For Sports welcomes children and young people to their free Easter holiday camp taking place at Wolverhampton Swimming & Fitness Centre, WV13 3SW. Fit For Sport, the UK’s leaders in engaging and educating children through fun, physical activities at their fun-packed Holiday Camp. Book your place here.

Multi sports activity camp  From 11- 14 April Sports Plus Scheme welcomes children aged 5- 11 years to their multi sports activity camp at Lanesfield Primary School, WS9 8NL. Enjoy activities including football, dodgeball, archery, scooter hockey, tri-golf and many more. To book email craig@sportsplusscheme.com

RAF Cosford Pilot Play    Join RAF Cosford to learn what it takes to become a WWII pilot! Children over 5 will be part of an immersive play to re-enact a battle in the sky. You will have to undertake five different missions that will test you and your skills – from basic flying training and strategic decision making to keeping your nerve when defusing a bomb or the airfield is under attack. Available Friday 15  to Monday 18 April. Tickets just £5 per child. Book your tickets here.

Adventure Street Role Play Adventure Street was developed by a team of West Midlands Play Consultants and teachers, offering a perfect role play world. Play alongside your child while they serve you barista style coffee, give you a new makeover and even tend to the horses at Baggeridge’s first child sized stables. SEN Sessions are available on Monday 18th April at 3:30pm and Sunday 24th April at 11:30am.  Booking is essential, to book please call 01902 883082 (Open 7 days a week between 9:30am to 5:00pm) Please note: bookings can only be taken over the phone for these sessions due to the lower capacity allowance. Location: Next door to Baggeridge Country Park, at the newly built Baggeridge Craft Village. Our address is 3-5 Baggeridge Craft Village, Brick Kiln Way, Gospel End DY3 4BB

Cineworld Autism Friendly Screening:  The Bad Guys   On Sunday 3 April, Cineworld Cinema in Bentley Bridge Wednesfield will be hosting an Autism Friendly screening of the latest children's comedy release 'The Bad Guys'. During the film lighting will be kept on during the screening, volume levels will be reduced and there will be no advertisements or trailers. Seating will not be allocated. Customers are allowed to bring in their own food. View the trailer and purchase your 11.00am tickets here.

Contact Accessible Adventure Activities

Does your child or young person seek the thrill of adventure? 

Contact For Disabled Children is offering families to join their inclusive event at Woodland Adventure Zone, Nottingham for FREE! Enjoy the wheelchair accessible zip lines, wall climbing and abseiling on Friday 8 April from 09:30 – 12:30.

Register here. 

Wolverhampton Autism Cafes 

Under 18's and their parents or guardians  Teas 2 Please, Blackhalve Lane, Wednesfield, WV11 1AH Starting on 6 April, on the first Wednesday of each month, Teas 2 Please are hosting an Autism Friendly Café Session from 4.15 to 6.15pm. A chance for parents, carers and children under 18 to build friendships in a SEND inclusive environment, whilst enjoying a delicious slice of cake! No booking necessary, simply drop by!

Over 18's Young Adults  Cafe Royal, 2 Victoria St, Mander Centre, Wolverhampton, WV1 3NX   Café Royal are hosting a monthly Autism Café for 18's and over to meet and build friendships. Their upcoming events run 4.00- 6.00pm on 20 April,11 May and 8 June. To book call: 01902 714023

Family ticket discount at
Sensory Park Autism Centre 

Voice 4 Parents is offering its members an exclusive discounted family ticket at Sensory Park Autism Centre. The wildlife sanctuary is a great place to visit with children, young people and adults of all ages and is specific to SEND families, with or without a diagnosis.

If you are not already registered as a Voice 4 Parents member, click here to apply for free before visiting the Sensory Park website.

For further support email admin@voice4parents.co.uk

Huggle Pets Animal Assisted Wellbeing Programme

Huggle Pets In the Community is announcing new dates for its four week Animal Assisted Activities community programme. Their wellbeing programme is available to children with SEND under 7 years old.

NEW DATES ADDED:
29th April - 9.30pm-10.20am
13th June - 2.30pm-3.20pm
2nd August - 2pm - 2.50pm

Email bookings@hugglepets.co.uk to find out how to book your place.

Student Experience for the Educational Psychologist Team   "Hello, my name is Jhora and I work as an Assistant Psychologist at City of Wolverhampton Council.  Part of my job is to train Special Educational Needs and Disability Co-ordinators or SENDco’s in schools.  We would love to hear your stories about a time when adults at school listened to your ideas. We want to know how this improved your life. We want to share your stories with teachers to show why it so important to listen to students. Take a look at the video for more information on the different ways you can get involved.” The Educational Psycholgist team video can be accessed here.

Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022:  Summer Jobs Fair   The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games is continuing to recruit for thousands of roles this summer. To ensure its smooth running and success, individuals are required in sectors including security, stewarding, catering, cleaning, retail, transport and logistics. Positions last from 3 weeks for up to 3 months of employment. Library of Birmingham is hosting a summer job fair on Wednesday 20 April 2022 from 10am to 2pm to allow people to find out more about using existing skills, gaining valuable experience and discovering new opportunities available to them at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.  This is your opportunity to try something new this summer, gain valuable experience in your chosen field, build new skills or kickstart your career. Spend your summer doing something spectacular. Find out more here.

Ambitious Youth Network 

Ambitious About Autism has launched the UK's first online platform
for autistic young people!

The network will offer autistic people aged 16 to 25
a safe and moderated online space.

The platform allows you to:

- Apply for upcoming paid opportunities
- Sign up and access peer support sessions
- Receive updates from groups and panels
- Instant message other Youth Network member
- Access a live feed of information.  

To access click here. 

Discussing war and conflict    The news of the war in Ukraine has brought about a lot of anxiety, fear and uncertainty for the children and young people of Britain. Place 2 Be offers valuable support and tips on how to discuss the difficult conversation of conflict and to ensure a safe environment is in place.  Click here to read more.

Gem Centre Speech and Language Service wins international award   The Wolverhampton Children’s Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) Service has won a certificate from Raising Awareness of Developmental Language Disorder (RADLD), for treating 16-year-old Molly Price, who struggled to express herself for many years before being diagnosed at the age of 15. Molly experienced Developmental Language Disorder (DLD); a condition which occurs in 2 in 30 children as they fail to acquire their own language for no obvious reason. The child experiences difficulty in comprehending speech as well as articulating their own thoughts and feelings. During the course of the EHC Needs Assessment which was supported by the Wolves IASS, Molly was referred for speech and language support. Jessica Shiner, specialist speech and language therapist stated “Once a child or adult has been referred to us, we can do really thorough assessments with them and put the right support in place, which might be therapy and specific strategies to identify the individual’s needs as soon as possible." Elaine said having her daughter diagnosed with DLD had been a big weight lifted off their shoulders. “Before this intervention, Molly struggled to talk and she always used to ask me to talk for her, but since then, she feels she’s able to achieve her goals.” The family are grateful of the Wolves IASS in supporting Molly through her EHCP journey, Jessica Shiner and the Speech and Language team. "I'd like to thank the WIASS team for all your support and help. You all do a great job and were undeniably helpful to us when we were applying for Molly's EHCP, we couldn't have done it without you." Read the full Express & Star News feature here.

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 Educational 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 ias.service@wolverhampton.gov.uk. Please attach a 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 shared on 2nd May so please send any inserts by 28th April.

Follow us on social media 

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

@wolvesiass

@wolvesiass

@wolves.iass