Your October SEND Newsletter
Welcome to the October edition of SENDing you news. I hope you have had a good start to the new school year and are ready for the half-term holidays. This newsletter is filled with updates and information for parents, carers and professionals to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), so I hope you find it helpful.
Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter.
Best wishes
Jane Sowerby
Assistant Director of Education - Tameside Council
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SEN Caseworker Neighbourhood Allocations
Following a number of consultation and feedback events, the SEN team have reviewed how SEN caseworkers are assigned and we have recently implemented a neighbourhood model to reflect the work of other services across the borough. This means that all SEN caseworkers will be operating on a neighbourhood model and will be responsible for an allocation of schools across a particular neighbourhood. Implementing this approach will mean that families and schools will have a single point of contact within the SEN team. If you’re a professional who has questions regarding this or are unsure who your allocated SEN caseworker, you can contact the SEN team via email senteam@tameside.gov.uk or by phoning 0161 342 4433.
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Tameside Autism Network
The Tameside Autism Network provides an accessible space for autistic adults, family or friends to meet, share a brew and exchange ideas. There is an outside space for people to use if indoors becomes over-stimulating. The meetings take place every fourth Thursday of the month from 5.30pm-7pm at Active iTrain on Birch Lane, Dukinfield, SK16 5AP.
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Preparing for Adulthood Factsheet
The Preparing for Adulthood Pathway starts when a young person is in Year 9 (13 or 14 years old) and will continue until they leave school, college or further education. Transition support from other agencies may continue until the young person is 25. During Year 9 the transition process will begin to prepare young people for adulthood. The young person, the family, the school, professionals working with the young person and representatives from the local authority will discuss the most appropriate pathway and services that are needed and agree a transition plan.
A comprehensive guide to prepare for adulthood has been co-produced which includes factsheets containing information on key subjects to help inform carers of young people 14-25 years with SEND. These have been produced alongside Tameside Parent Carer Forum (Parents and carers of children with additional needs).
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Parent and Carer Panels
The family hub Parent and Carer Panels are a great opportunity to influence how services supporting families during pregnancy, birth and early parenthood are delivered in Tameside. A Parent and Carer Panel is made up of parents and carers of children aged 0-2 years, as well as local service leads, to ensure what is being offered by the hub works for local families. The panels will be asked to consider new ideas and asked for views on improvements. Panels will meet every two months, online or in person, with no commitment to come to all meetings.
Visit the website to find out who can be part of a panel. If you are interested in joining the panel, please email familyhubpanels@tameside.gov.uk
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Fuel4Fun Holiday Camps
Fuel4Fun holiday camps run throughout the school holidays, with the aim of tackling food poverty and social inequalities among five to 13-year-olds in receipt of free school meals and the under-18 SEND population. As well as funded holiday camp places, children go home with food hampers packed with enough ingredients to make four nutritious family meals five nights a week. Find out more about Fuel4Fun holiday camps.
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Autism Diagnosis Support Group
Tameside post-diagnostic support group for autistic adults provides a safe, supportive space to learn more about what being autistic means. The group is open to any adult in Tameside who have been diagnosed as autistic. It has been developed and run by autistic people. There will be seven two-hour sessions online, each focused on a different aspect of being autistic.
This seven-week group aims to take place four times a year, and you can find out more by contacting Michelle Dami-Johnson on 0161 342 4151 or by emailing Michelle.DamiJohnson@tameside.gov.uk
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New Autism Website
A new website by autistic young people has been developed called Autism Understood which is designed to help autistic young people, as well as parents and professionals. This site is designed to help make sense of an autism diagnosis and is based on the lived experience of autistic people. The idea is that all autistic young people should be offered access to this site after receiving their diagnosis, and it was partly developed in response to gaps identified by a working group on post diagnosis. If you would like to share your thoughts on additional pages, contact the team.
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My Vote Matters - a Petition to Make Politics Accessible for All
My Vote My Voice is a nationwide coalition of disability advocates, organisations, and charities campaigning to mobilise more autistic people and people with learning disabilities to register to vote and cast their ballots at the next general election. The petition aims to make voting more accessible for everyone, address struggles autistic people and people with learning disabilities face and outline what actions they want to see achieved and by who. Find out more and sign the petition.
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Outreach Support ‘Offer for Families’
If you are looking for support in your work or personal life for a family, then Grow ‘Helping children and families to start well’, and Tameside Council have put together a flow chart to refer to which shows the right ‘Offer for families’ with children under five-years-old. Find out more in this flow chart.
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What’s On at the Family Hubs
There are an array of free activities taking place at your local family hub during the next term, and they are now available to book on to. You can take a look at what’s happening at the North, East, South and West Family Hubs, or follow the Grow Facebook page for updates.
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