Autistic children facing mental health crisis during lockdown, charity warns

Autistic children facing mental health crisis during lockdown, charity warns

by BeckiNo Comments
The mental health and emotional wellbeing of autistic children is worsening amid the current coronavirus lockdown, a survey has revealed. Three quarters of more than 2,000 autistic children and their parents surveyed said they feel more anxious since the health crisis and think they will need ongoing mental health support. More than half (56 per cent) said they feel stressed. A similar proportion (54 per cent) said they felt overwhelmed during the pandemic, according to the survey by the charity Ambitious about Autism. The disruption to the routines of young autistic people's lives amid the crisis is causing stress and additional mental health issues including eating disorders, the survey found. “Medical services have been cancelled, routines lost, there are things we can’t do and people we can’t see anymore,” said one respondent. “For me this has caused trouble with an eating disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder- almost agoraphobia.”  Social distancing measures, especially for those who have an exemption from wearing a facemask, are also causing concern. One autistic young...
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Schools to remain closed till March

by BeckiNo Comments
The Prime Minister has today been giving statements to the Houses of Parliament, including the plans for the reopening of schools. He has made it clear that: A 2 week plan/warning will be released when it is deemed safe for children and young people to return to schoolsThis is currently not expected to happen till March at the earliestChildren and Young People with EHCPs can still attend schools ...
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SEND Engagement Survey

SEND Engagement Survey

by BeckiNo Comments
The Leicester City Council is running a survey on the following: Overview "Key partners and stakeholders were asked for their views on a draft Special Education Needs and Disabilities Strategy in 2019. As a result of this consultation, a new strategy was developed and launched in April of that year. We would now like to develop the strategy further, by encouraging families, schools, colleges, community groups and partner organisations to work together to further improve services for children and young people with special education needs and disabilities across Leicester." Survey SEND Strategy can be read here: ...
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Support for Formal and Informal Carers

by BeckiNo Comments
The Leicester City Council offers a variety of information about looking after a family member, friend or neighbour who would not cope without your support during the coronavirus pandemic. Please note if adult social care are already helping you to arrange care for the person you look after, please do not cancel that package of care. Carers UK have also shared a Press Release on the new advice on when unpaid carers will receive vaccinations. If you have not done already, consider applying for a Carers Passport, as this can help you prove your status as a carer. ...
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Disadvantaged pupils offered free data in bid to tackle digital divide

Disadvantaged pupils offered free data in bid to tackle digital divide

by BeckiNo Comments
The Department for Education is partnering with broadband providers to offer disadvantaged families free data to support home learning during the latest Covid-19 lockdown. Through the partnership schools are being urged to identify children without internet access to request the free data through the government’s Get Help with Technology programme. Providers involved in the programme include EE, which announced this week that it is offering disadvantaged families 20GB of free data per month. Also involved are broadband providers Three, Sky Mobile, SMARTY, Tesco Mobile and Virgin Mobile. This free data offer is available until July 2021. The move comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced this week that schools in England will close until at least February half-term as part of a fresh national lockdown to curb rates of Covid-19 infection. ...
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Plans to support vulnerable children set out as schools close amid third coronavirus lockdown

Plans to support vulnerable children set out as schools close amid third coronavirus lockdown

by BeckiNo Comments
It was announced last night that all primary and secondary schools and colleges would close for at least six weeks until February half-term to all pupils except the children of frontline workers and vulnerable children. Early years settings, including nurseries and childminders, special schools and alternative education providers will remain open to all pupils, Johnson said. The Department for Education has confirmed it will go ahead with previously announced plans to increase the number of free laptops and 4G routers made available to disadvantaged children. It said it aimed to provide one million devices by the end of the current academic year having handed out 560,000 as of December.The government-funded National Tutoring Programme, aimed at helping the most disadvantaged children impacted by the pandemic catch-up with peers, has said it will continue to provide tutoring remotely - it delivered support to 62,000 pupils last term.Meanwhile, the government has admitted that GCSE, AS and A level exams are “unlikely” to go ahead...
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Leicester City Schools

Leicester City Schools

by BeckiNo Comments
As you may well be aware, Leicester City, Leicestershire and Rutland have been placed in Tier 4 by the Government. Schools have been expected to still be open this term, with secondary schools experiencing a staggered return, whilst primary schools have been expected to reopen today or tomorrow. There has been some pressure from Unions on the Government to change this plan. Today, the Leicester City Mayor Peter Soulsby stated: “We all recognise the immense pressures that schools are facing, in particular around the new variant of coronavirus and the rapid rate at which it spreads.“We hold no expectations of a full scale re-opening this week and will support whatever decisions schools make. We do, of course, hope that that they will be able to continue to provide for key workers’ and vulnerable children.”Sir Peter Soulsby You can find the latest updates on school closures on the Leicestershire Live website here. ...
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Returning to School in January

Returning to School in January

by BeckiNo Comments
Whilst the children have just broken up for the Christmas holidays, we are already looking forward to what we can expect in January. This term has been challenging for many - students, parents and school staff alike. The current guidance from the government centres on voluntary testing of students as they return to school. "Secondary-age pupils are being prioritised for testing" in response to concerns around the spreading of COVID-19 in the Autumn/Winter term. Primary schools will return as normal. All pupils will be back in school by 11th January at the latest. Key things to be aware of: Testing is voluntary - Pupils and students should be encouraged to have a test where possible, but it is recognised that testing may not be feasible for some children and young people. All pupils and students will be expected to attend their setting from 11 January regardless of whether a test has been undertaken (unless they are self-isolating because they have tested positive for...
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SEND commissioning strategy (Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland)

SEND commissioning strategy (Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland)

by BeckiNo Comments
The following organisations have developed a draft joint commissioning strategy for SEND to encourage and develop joint working: East Leicestershire and Rutland CCG Leicester City CCGLeicester City CouncilLeicestershire County CouncilRutland County CouncilWest Leicestershire CCG They are seeking views on the strategy and action plan to ensure the strategy fully reflects the views of those represented, including service providers and individuals in receipt of services commissioned by the organisations listed above. Online Survey Read the draft plan below: ...
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