Wolves IASS: May 2022 E- Bulletin

A farewell message
from Lucy Harris
IASS Manager

In 2002 I was excited about getting married and starting  my new job with the Information, Advice and Support Service (then The Parent Partnership Service). I’m not sure where those 20 years have gone. I’m now manager of the service and my eldest son is finishing school! I have absolutely loved my time here but now it’s time for change and to start the next 20 years.

I’ve worked with and learned from some truly wonderful colleagues and had the pleasure of managing some of the finest staff I have ever met. I leave the service in an excellent place. It is well regarded and makes a huge difference. I was delighted that the IASS received excellent feedback from the recent SEND inspection but the real joy is hearing from local families about the individual differences that the service has made to them. This is the thing I’m most proud of.

I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis a few years ago. Despite fantastic support from my employer and my team, things have become difficult. I have to accept the reality that it’s time to move on to new things at a slower pace. It was MS awareness last week so it seems timely to share this news.

I am grateful to the hundreds of parents and carers I’ve met and worked with over the years. Thank you for allowing me to share a small part of your journey and to meet and find out about your children.

Thanks to my wonderful IASS team for your support and kindness. Wolverhampton is blessed to have such dedicated, kind and knowledgeable people. Special thanks must go to Elaine Westwood for her care, hard work ethic and for taking on so much in the past few years to support me without complaining (not to me anyway 😊).

The SEND world will remain a passion for me. The IASS and the team will always hold a place in my heart. I have loved it all and wish you and your families the very best for the future.

Lucy xxx

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 Information Advice and Support Service needs young people to be involved!  

We are asking for a small group of young people with special educational needs or a disability (SEND) to help us develop our service to ensure we are reaching out to young people with SEND in the community. The reason for this is so that young people become more engaged with the service and are better informed about their education, health and social care matters and the relevant law. Most of all we want to ensure they feel included and heard when decisions are being made.

The group will be fun and interactive but most of all will be steered by the young people attending. There will be the opportunity to meet new people and share your skills and ideas.

We are very excited about this project because we will be seeking young people's guidance and advice on our website, information resources and how we deal with enquiries and offer support. 

So, if you are a young person, have a son or daughter who you think would be interested, or you are a professional who is working with a young person who would like to help us, please give Lisa a call to have an informal chat, or you can email. All the details are below, and we look forward to hearing from you.

Contact Lisa Colton:
call 01902 556945 /
Email lisa.colton@wolverhampton.gov.uk

Welcome Sam! 

IASS welcomes Sam Cutler as our newest member of the team as Caseworker: 

"I have worked with children and young people who have Special Educational Needs and /or Disability (SEND) for the past seventeen years, in a variety of roles and capacities. I have supported children and young people aged from 0-25 years and their families / carers within their homes, communities, nurseries, primary, secondary schools and specialist provisions.

My previous role was at City of Wolverhampton College. I was at the college for five years and when I initially gained employment there, I was an Early Years Lecturer within the mainstream cohort, where I taught and supported learners predominately in Level 2 learning and taught on the Foundation Degree courses for adults linking with City of Wolverhampton University. Two and a half years into this role, an opportunity arose within the college, to move into the specialist provision ‘Futures’, as a SEND Caseworker; supporting learners and carers / families with the EHCP processes such as new assessments, annual reviews, relevant referrals and multi-agency working, of which I feel provides a great foundation moving forward into this position within the IASS team. 

I am a mother, and I am very family orientated. Walks with my family (which includes my fur babies) are really important, as I love nature. 

I look forward to gaining the relevant training needed within this specific role so I can best support all our lovely children / young people and their carers / families within the Wolverhampton area, (even though I currently live in the Sandwell area and was born in Dudley area, but don’t hold it against me! :) " 

Commonwealth Games: 
Community Project Funding 

Have you ever had an idea that could change the lives of your community?

The Birmingham Commonwealth Games is calling on 16 to 24 years olds to submit their ambitions and 22 projects will be funded as Ideas Made Reality. 

Each successful project will have direct support from a Gen22 Social Action Activator to help you through the process – from design to launch! You will also be linked with a local community-based organisation who will help you to bring your project to life.

Discover more and apply here. 

Queen's Jubilee Grant 

Are you part of a charity, voluntary or faith organisation and looking to celebrate
the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in style?

Applications are now open to apply for a £250 grant to host amazing events for your community. Application deadline is 23 May 2022.

Find out more and apply here.

Free Dyscalculia screening

for schools

The IDL Dyscalculia Screener has been developed to provide a simple to use online test that will highlight any dyscalculic tendencies and is now available completely FREE of charge.

The 15 minute test is designed for children up to 11 years old and can be used to screen an entire year group, or for individual pupils who are showing signs of maths anxiety or particular maths difficulties.

Click here to find out more.

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 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 early June so please send any inserts by 27 May.