Vicky Ford MP: Letter to CYP with SEND, their parents/carers and professionals

Vicky Ford MP: Letter to CYP with SEND, their parents/carers and professionals

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families, Vicky Ford MP, has released a letter to all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), their parents/carers and families, and others who support them. "I recognise that this is an extremely challenging period, especially for children and young people with SEND, their families and carers and those who work to support them. I hope this letter gives you some reassurance that the education, health and wellbeing of children and young people with SEND continue to be a top priority for the government during these difficult times and we continue to be incredibly grateful to all those who work so hard to support children and young people with SEND."— Vicky Ford, MP This provides information on: School AttendanceChildren and Young People who are clinically extremely vulnerableRemote Education Winter package to provide further support for children and familiesFace coverings in educational settingsRespite CareHealth Services for CYP with SEND ...
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Personal Transport Budget (Leicester City)

Personal Transport Budget (Leicester City)

A Personal Transport Budget is a payment designed to help you to get your child to and from school. It is available to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) who have been assessed as eligible to receive Home to School transport by Leicester City Council. You can find more on the Local Offer website, including how to apply. We have been kindly given a small presentation for you to find out more, and an Information and Guidance document for 2020/21. Personal Transport Budgets: An Alternative Way to Travel Personal Transport Budgets   SEND Transport 2020/21 Academic Year Information and Guidance for Parents, Guardians and Carers  ] ...
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A joint ministerial letter to children and young people with SEND regarding the full return to educational settings in September 2020

Children & Families Minister Vicky Ford and Care Minister Helen Whately have written an open letter to children and young people with SEND, their parents, families and others who support them. The letter explains the actions that need to be taken to ensure, where possible, all pupils return to their educational settings from September, and responds to some of the concerns and questions that have been raised. Department for Education and Department of Health & Social Care Joint Ministerial LetterDownload Key messages include: The importance for those with special educational needs and disabilities to return to educational settings safely in September so that they can receive face-to-face education and supportReassures that the risk of contracting the virus in educational settings is low and outlines protective measures in place to reduce the risk even further, including the NHS Test and Trace systemMinisters expect a small number of absences from children and young people who remain under the specialist care of a health professional however, the...
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£8.1m scheme to create hundreds of new SEND school places

Leicester City Council has announced that £8.1 million will be invested in scheme which will create hundreds of new school places and provisions for children with special educational needs. The proposals include: 3 of the Leicester Special Schools would provide extra facilitiesDesignated Specialist Provision (DSP) and Specialist Units would be created at 10 further schools across the city. Total of 228 permanent new school places would be provided for children with extra needs. Schools included are the Leicester Partnership School in Knighton (extra 40 places), Ellesmere College (extra 60-70 places) and Netherhall Special School (extra 30 places). They will all also receive various new or renovated facilities. Some of the proposed DSPs are: Sandfield Close Primary SchoolRushey Mead Primary SchoolKestrel Mead Primary SchoolWill Brook MeadFullhurst Community CollegeOrchard MeadMellor Primary SchoolBraunstone Primary School Read more at the Leicester Mercury. ...
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Mental Health Awareness Week

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week which is organised by the Mental Health Foundation, and the theme they have chosen this year is Kindness. We have chosen kindness because of its singular ability to unlock our shared humanity. Kindness strengthens relationships, develops community and deepens solidarity. It is a cornerstone of our individual and collective mental health. Wisdom from every culture across history recognises that kindness is something that all human beings need to experience and practise to be fully alive.Mark Rowland, Chief Executive, Mental Health FoundationFor more, go to their article here. What can you do? Reflect on an act of kindness. Share your stories and pictures (with permission) of kindness during the week using #KindnessMatters and #MentalHealthAwarenessWeekUse the Mental Health Foundation resources in your family, school, workplace and community to join with thousands in practising acts of kindness to yourself and others during the week Share your ideas on how you think we could build a kinder society that would...
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SYSTEM FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS IN ENGLAND ‘RIDDLED WITH INEQUALITIES’

Damning report by MPs finds many pupils miss out on support and end up being excluded from education. Children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are being failed by a system “riddled with unexplained inequalities”, according to a damning parliamentary report. The report says many of the 1.3 million pupils in England with SEND are not getting the support they need and end up being excluded from school, damaging their education, wellbeing and future life chances. You can read more in the Guardian or TES. What do you think about these findings? ...
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Disabled Children: A Legal Handbook (Council for Disabled Children)

Disabled Children: A Legal Handbook (3rd Edition) is available from the Council for Disabled Children for free. Disabled Children: a legal handbook is an authoritative yet accessible guide to the legal rights of disabled children and their families in England. The authors expertly navigate the many, often overlapping, sources of law, explaining the difference between what public bodies must do to support disabled children and that which they may do. Every chapter is available as a PDF download at the bottom of the page. This is a great resource that can back up your understanding of your rights (and your childs). You can get in touch with us if you have questions or require more information. We understand that the world of SEN/D and the legal frameworks can be very overwhelming, and it is our job to support you in a manageable fashion. ...
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IPSEA Update on COVID-19, school closures and SEN provision

IPSEA Update on COVID-19, school closures and SEN provision

Please follow the link here for the full briefing from IPSEA (Independent Provider of Special Education Advice). We understand that this is a very challenging time, and the uncertainty is impacting on families. The briefing covers the following questions that may help: What are children and young people with SEN’s entitlements when schools are closed? What if I don’t want to send my child to school, for example because they have a weakened immune system? If my child has an EHC plan, doesn’t the LA have a legal duty to deliver that provision? Will residential schools close? If my child was out of school before the school closures were ordered, do I still have an entitlement to alternative education? How long are schools likely be closed? What about home to school transport? Do the LA still need to carry out EHC needs assessments? Will SEND Tribunal appeals continue? Will annual reviews...
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