Sandwell SEND Updates

Latest news

The information on these pages has been put together to enable parents who have a child with special needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to find the information they are looking for in one place. 

Once we are aware of information which is of interest to families of children and young people with SEND and professionals working with them we will post it here. It is organised in monthly sections.

To find specific information about organisations in Sandwell that support young people with SEND and their families please click on the 'SEND Organisations' link on the SEND Local Offer home page.

Updates - March 2024

Take Our Short Breaks Survey

Let us know about your experience of short breaks in Sandwell by taking our survey. Either scan the QR code below or click here

All Age Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Directory

Sandwell has produced a new Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Directory. Anybody can use this directory to identify services that may be able to offer help and support. To access the directory please visit the downloads section of the Mental Health page

Easter Activities from Sandwell Parents for Disabled Children (SPDC)

SPDC has published details of its activities for Easter 2024. You can see details of the activities and how to book on the SPDC website. It has also published its parent/carer newsletter for March 2024

Updates - February 2024

Help Shape the Future of Short Breaks in Sandwell

If you would like to offer your input about how short break services in Sandwell should look then Sandwell Parents for Disabled Children is offering the opportunity to meet with a representative of the Children's Trust to discuss this important topic. All sessions will take place at Galton Valley Children's Centre, Great Arthur Street, Smethwick, B66 1DH on the following dates

  • Monday 26 February 10.00 - 12.00
  • Wednesday 28 February 12.00 - 2.00
  • Tuesday 5 March 10.00 - 12.00
  • Thursday 14 March 5.30 - 7.30

Book your place by calling 0121 565 2410 or by email at info@sp-dc.org 

Latest News from Sandwell Parents for Disabled Children (SPDC)

SPDC has published:

Pop-Up MMR Vaccination Clinics

If your child is unvaccinated against Measles, Mumps and Rubella you can access pop-up vaccination clinics on the following dates (all clinics run from 9.00 am to 3.00 pm)

  • Saturday 10 February - West Bromwich Central Family Hub, off Claypit Lane, West Bromwich, B70 9EZ
  • Tuesday 13 February - Tesco, Fox Oak Street, Cradley Heath, B64 5DF
  • Thursday 15 February - Tesco, 46 New Square, West Bromwich, B70 7PR

Updates - January 2024

News from Sandwell Parents Voices United (SPVU)

SPVU is holding a parents meeting on Thursday 25th January 2024 1pm-2.30pm. Special guests will be Sandwell Children`s Trust, Children withDisability Team.

Book your place here

Latest News from Sandwell Parents for Disabled Children (SPDC)

SPDC has published details of its Family Club for January 2024 as well as its Parent Carer Newsletter. It has also published its February newsletter with details of activities in February half-term

Parents Advocacy, Guidance and Empowerment (PAGE) Service

The Parents Advocacy, Guidance and Empowerment (PAGE) project provides independent advocacy and independent living skills training to parents with learning disabilities and/or autism who are subject to, or at risk of interventions from Children’s Services. Working with their partners, Sandwell Advocacy and Ideal for All, they offer specialist support, tailored to support parents.

You can find out more details on the PAGE website where you download a flyer and a referral form.

Earlier Updates

Are You Threatened by Your Child's Behaviour? There is Help at Hand.

If you are dealing with threatening behaviour from your child (also known as child to parent abuse (CPA)) the organisation Parental Education Growth Support (PEGS) may be able to help. Their offer to parents includes:

  • Weekday virtual drop in sessions with a CPA practitioner
  • Regular parent workshops around resilience, mindfulness and selfcare
  • Our 6 week EPIC (empowering people in crisis) workshop
  • Peer support group
  • One to One support from a CPA Practitioner
  • Advocacy
  • Home Risk Assessments
  • Recording Aggression resources
  • Direct Support Plans

For more information you can contact PEGS by email on hello@pegsupport.com or on the PEGS website

Kidz to Adultz Middle

Kidz to Adultz Middle is an event for all parents/carers of children and young people with disabilities. It takes place on Thursday 14 March 2024 at The Exhibition Hall, Coventry Building Society Arena, Coventry, CV6 6AQ. You can find more details and register for free entry at the Kidz to Adultz website

National Sleep Helpline

Does your child have trouble sleeping? Does this impact on your sleep? You can discuss your concerns with trained advisers on the National Sleep Helpline. The number to call is 03303 530 541. It is available Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 7pm - 9pm and Monday and Wednesday 9am - 11 am.

Guidance on Choosing a Safe Out of School Setting

Sandwell has produced guidance to help parents and carers choose a safe out of school setting (such as holiday playscheme).

Presentation from the Organisation Young Epilepsy

Young Epilepsy is an organisation for young people with epilepsy. Have a look at the introductory presentation in the downloads section at the bottom of the page

Hospital Rooms (Sandwell CAMHS)

Hospital Rooms is an arts organisation which is going to be collaborating with artists and young people over the next year to make Sandwell CAMHS a more beautiful and creative place.

Together, it's going to transform the CAMHS building with artworks made especially for these spaces.

Find out more information

New Family Hubs in Sandwell

Children's Centres are growing to include more support and services and will become Sandwell Family Hubs.

For more information go to the Family Hubs website (live from 17 July 2023). You will be able to use the session finder to see what support is available.

Language Resources from Speech and Language UK

The organisation Speech and Language UK has given details of resources to help those working with children and young people who have difficulties in acquiring language skills

Early Help Portal

Sandwell has developed an Early Help Portal which will help families of children with SEND find the support they need. You can find more details on the Early Help and Care page.

Youth Health Forum - dates for 2023

Are you aged between 13 and 21 and interested in helping to develop health services in Sandwell? Come to the Youth Health Forum. The dates of the meetings are in the flyer which you can access from the downloads section of this page. Other benefits are:

  • Opportunities for volunteering and work experience which helps with CV's and UCAS applications
  • Fun quarterly activities including go-karting, ice-skating and bowling

New Transition Explainer Leaflet from Inclusion Support

Inclusion support has produced a new leaflet that gives advice and guidance on transition to post-16 education and training. You can download it on the Going to College or Sixth Form page

New Video from Sandwell Parents for Disabled Children (SPDC)

SPDC has produced a new video to show the work it does to support the families of children and young people with SEND. Watch it on the Sandwell SEND Organisations page

New Transition to Adulthood Brochure from SENDIASS

The Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) has produced a new brochure to support the transition to adulthood for young people with SEND. You can access it from the downloads section of the Preparing for Adulthood page.

Sandwell Sensory Processing Occupational Therapy Project

The Sandwell Sensory Processing Occupational Therapy Project is a 2 year pilot project to establish the effectiveness of Occupational Therapy interventions for children with sensory processing differences. Read an overview of the project in the downloads section.

New Autism Awareness Pack for Educational Professionals

To celebrate Autism Acceptance Week this year (28 March to 3 April), the Autism Education Trust (AET) have been working with their Autistic Young Expert’s Panel to produce their Let’s Learn About Autism Packs. The fully resourced packs are designed to help all education professionals to plan their Autism Acceptance Week lessons and lead conversations about autism and understanding difference. 

New Online Meeting Space for Autistic Young People

Ambitious about Autism has launched the UK’s first online platform for autistic young people – please find further details on their website.

New National Strategy for Autistic Children, Young People and Adults

Information from the Department for Education:

"Improving the lives of autistic people is the focus of a new multi-million pound strategy launched by the government today. Backed by nearly £75 million in the first year, it aims to speed up diagnosis and improve support and care for autistic people. The funding includes £40 million through the NHS Long Term Plan to improve capacity in crisis services and support children with complex needs in inpatient care. It also includes £600,000 to fund training for staff in early years settings, schools and colleges, to improve the experience of autistic children in the education system and prepare them for adulthood. "

You can find more in formation on the GOV.UK website

New SEND Strategy for Sandwell

Sandwell has produced its strategy for children and young people with SEND covering the years 2021-24. To access the strategy click on 'Updates from the SEND Strategic Board' in the Related Pages section of this page.

Safeguarding Children and Young People with Autism

The National Autistic Society has produced a guide that explores safeguarding and child protection with specific reference to autistic young people. It outlines what all professionals should consider when they have concerns about a young person's welfare or safety. The material draws on national statutory guidance.

New Parent Forum for Sandwell

Every Local Authority has a parent forum which encourages the participation of parents in the development of services for children and young people with special educational needs and / or disabilities. Sandwell Parents Voices United is the new parent forum in Sandwell. If you would like to be part of the group it can be contacted on hello@spvu.org  or by phone on 07306 364106. You can follow them on Twitter (@VoicesParents) or on Instagram . You can also watch a short video which gives more details of the forum.

New BUZZ website for Deaf Children

The Buzz website has officially launched. This is the only website for deaf young people aged 8-18 in the UK and has been co-created with deaf young people and National Deaf Children’s Society. 

National Autistic Society (NAS) - Latest Newsletter

NAS has published its latest newsletter. It has a focus on the importance of physical activity at school.

Mind Over Natter - Supporting Your Child's Mental Health

Sandwell CAMHS has produced a podcast - Mind Over Natter in which there is discussion about how parents can support their child's mental health. There is a particular focus on lockdown and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. You will need an up to date browser to access the podcast. Alternatively, you can find it on Apple Podcasts.

Over £42 million to extend projects for children with SEND

The Government has announced over £42 million of funding to extend projects working with children with SEND and their families. It includes £27 million for The Family Fund which supports low-income families raising children with SEND to purchase equipment, goods and services which they might not otherwise be able to afford. There is also increased funding for local parent-carer forums. More information can be found on the GOV.UK website.

Youth Healthwatch Sandwell

Statement from Healthwatch Sandwell re the establishment of Youth Healthwatch:

'Healthwatch Sandwell has established a Youth Healthwatch to ensure the views of Children and Young People on the health and social care services they use are heard. We wish to be a forum to enable Children and Young People to help shape and improve future services. We are recruiting young people to be part of Youth Healthwatch in a formal volunteering role or by individual projects that are important to a group of young people.'

'We would be happy to support any school project around Health and Social Care, maybe your school council would like to make a difference in a particular area? We wish to ensure everyone is heard and particularly wish to recruit young people who have a long term medical condition, disability, have a social worker or care for an individual.'

Digital Skills Training for Young People with Autism

The organisation Caudwell Children is offering young people with autism aged 18-25 an opportunity to join their Digital Skills Programme aimed at upskilling and introducing individuals to the world of work within the digital economy. Visit their website for more details including eligibility and how to apply.

West Midlands Police Advice on the Safer Use of Tik Tok

Tik Tok is a social media app that is very popular with young people. As with all apps of this kind there are things you can do to support its safe use. This flyer from West Midlands Police gives some tips on how to support your child to use Tik Tok safely. Click here to see the information

SEND Initiatives and Strategies

The Local Authority (along with central government and organisations from the private and voluntary sector) is constantly striving to improve its support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families. To that end strategies and initiatives to address different areas of SEND are regularly produced which have been produced invariably in collaboration with parents and young people. Details of these initiatives will appear here. 

You can see which strategies and initiatives have been produced, access the associated documents and submit any queries you may have.

Sandwell Local Area Partnership SEND and Alternative Provision Strategy 2023-2026

In the wake of the recent visit to the area by Ofsted and The Care Quality Commission  this strategy details Sandwell's plans to develop and improve services for children and young people with SEND and their families as well as for those who attend alternative provisions. The strategy is available in the downloads section of this page. 

SEND Annual Report

Each year we will publish an annual report which details the developments that have taken place in the field of Special Educational Needs and Disability during the preceding year. The latest report refers to the calendar year 2019. 

Click here to see the 2019 SEND Annual Report.

The EVOLVE Strategy and Special Provision Plan

The EVOLVE strategy follows on from a review of SEND provision undertaken in 2016. It provides 'a vision, a mission and a strategy' which will lead to significant improvements in provision for the most vulnerable children and young people in Sandwell. In order to achieve this goal Sandwell will make use of the capital funding it has been given by the Department for Education and which amounts to approximately £2.65 million pounds over the three years to 2021. This funding is intended to allow the Local Authority to develop and improve provision for pupils with Education Health and Care Plans. It can be used to create new places or to improve facilities for pupils with SEND at existing schools.

Preliminary information about how the capital funding will be spent are contained in the Evolve 3 strategy while details about specific projects and plans can be found in the Special Provision Plan.  

View the EVOLVE strategy documents. The latest Special Provision Plan can be accessed via the downloads section of this page.

The CLASS Initiative

The Communication, Language, Autism and Social Skills (CLASS) Initiative was produced in 2016 and was designed to detect, identify and intervene early with children who experience significant social communication difficulties and have problems talking. It was a joint initiative with Children's Centres in Sandwell and Sandwell Public Health.

View the CLASS Initiative documentation

 

SEND Employment White Paper

For a young person with SEND finding employment can be challenging. This white paper from the Challenge Board sets out ambitions to improve employment opportunities for young people with SEND in Sandwell. The Challenge Board is made up of young people with SEND and makes sure that the voices of young people are heard when plans and strategies are being drawn up. They are supported by the organisation Changing Our Lives.

View the employment white paper

 

OfSTED/CQC Information

Action Planning for Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND)

In March 2019 the Sandwell area was visited by OfSTED and The Care Quality Commission (CQC) to monitor our progress towards the goals identified in our recent SEND action plan .

They found that Sandwell had made sufficient progress to allow for the lifting of the requirement for a written statement of action and the ceasing of monitoring visits by OfSTED and the CQC.

Click here to see the letter from OfSTED and the CQC about the progress made in Sandwell.

 

Page last reviewed: 22/03/2024

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