West Sussex County Council sent this bulletin at 25-06-2019 10:11 AM BST
Please disseminate this newsletter to parent carers, professionals and those who are interested in reading more. Haven't received a copy directly or know someone who hasn't? Email sarah.dimmock@westsussex.gov.uk.
Have your say - SEND and Inclusion Strategy 2019-2024
The draft SEND and Inclusion Strategy was co-produced during the spring term 2019, with a wide representation of stakeholders. More than 150 people have participated in the development workshops and events including parent carers, young people, education providers and other professionals from across social care and health & education. Key areas of work and priorities were identified by stakeholders which are outlined in the draft strategy. This draft strategy is a starting point that will be refined and further developed in response to feedback. SEND and Inclusion Draft Strategy
The results of the first consultation are being published on the 'We asked, you said, we did' section of the 'Have your Say' hub. The second round of consultation is taking place between 8 July-23 July 2019. Please comment on the proposals using the link above.
The final SEND and Inclusion strategy will be considered by the Children’s & Young People’s Select Committee in September 2019. The Draft Strategy will be amended in light of the feedback and the final strategy will approved by the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills in the autumn term. Detailed implementation plan incorporating each of the 11 actions highlighted in the draft strategy will be ready for implementation in October 2019.
The Exceptional People in Care (EPIC) Awards 2019 are coming to K2 in Crawley in September2019!
We know that all our young people in care and care leavers deserve to be recognised for their personal achievements, no matter how small they may seem to others. You can do so easily by nominating at www.westsussex.gov.uk/epic by 28 June. If you have any questions, contact epic.awards@westsussex.gov.uk.
In addition, if you know a famous person that the young people will recognise who could do a short video clip for the day, know any sources of funding to make this day amazing for our young people or would like to volunteer in setting up or on the day then please let us know at epic.awards@westsussex.gov.uk. Let's make this a day to remember!
Looked after children and self-harm
Community Care has published a podcast looking at how social workers can support looked after children and young people who are at risk of self-harm. The podcast covers definitions of self-harm, why looked after children are more at risk and how professionals can best work with children and young people who harm themselves.
Good sleep is vital. We've got three new modules to help you get there. These modules are aimed at supporting sleep in children but the principles apply to all, so spread the word! You can also find information on the Local Offer.
In April, the Autism and Social Communication Team launched their Anxiety and Autism Guide in Crawley.
Around 40% of autistic children, young people and adults are believed to have one or more anxiety disorder, compared to 10-15% of the general population. Lesser known is the fact that anxiety is not simply a part of autism, it is an independent disorder that can be treated in its own right.
With this in mind, City, University of London and West Sussex County Council’s Autism and Social Communication Team joined forces to produce a unique and concise guide to help teachers and professionals make informed decisions about how to promote and protect the mental health of autistic children. The resulting guide pulls together the latest research and practice for improving emotional wellbeing in autistic children.
Dr Sebastian Gaigg of the Autism Research Group at City, University of London said: “Research is beginning to tell us what the likely causes are of anxiety in autism, and the experience of schools highlights many strategies that can be effective in supporting the emotional wellbeing of children. The aim of our guide is to help parents, teachers and other professionals better understand why certain strategies are often effective in helping children manage their emotions, why the same strategies might not always work and what other strategies might be explored. Ultimately we want to help professionals make informed decisions on how best to support individual children."
This guide, containing the latest research on treating anxiety in autism is available here.
Click the logo below to see the latest Children in Care Council (CICC) Newsletter
Some
of the services listed in this newsletter or on the Local Offer site are
provided by private service providers and not by West Sussex County
Council. These do not have a recommendation or endorsement from the local
authority. If you decide to use a service / provision, you should be aware that
you are responsible for doing your own checks to ensure they are suitable and
fit for purpose. West Sussex County Council will not be liable for any
damages or losses suffered by anyone who relies on the information in this
newsletter.
