Dear All,
WPCC's latest newsletter is below...
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In This Week's Issue...
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| BREAKING NEWS |
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| CORONAVIRUS INFORMATION |
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HAVE YOUR SAY
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ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
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EVENTS AND INFORMATION
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BREAKING NEWS
WPCC’s Next Information Event
We will soon be opening bookings for the WPCC’s next Information Event which is taking place on Friday 24th February 2023. This event will run from 9.30am to 2.00pm again and will be held at the Civic Centre, Trowbridge. So far, we have over 30 information stands booked to attend and a programme that includes a presentation and update on Wiltshire’s local Offer website and a workshop on Wiltshire’s SEND and Inclusion Strategy.
Please hold this date in your diary and we will notify once bookings are open.
Important Opportunity to Have Your Say on Services and Support for People with Additional Needs in Wiltshire
The WPCC is organising a series of sessions to enable parent carers to have a say about services and providers in Wiltshire who support people with additional needs in Wiltshire.
There will be three sessions providing a mix of face to face and online evening sessions, which we will hope will enable as many people as possible to participate.
The sessions will be taking place as follows: -
- 6th February 2023 from 10.30am to 12.30pm in Devizes
- 7th February 2023 from 7.00pm to 9.00pm online
- 9th February 2023 from 7.00pm to 9.00pm online
For more information about these sessions including: -
- how to book a place,
- why we are running these sessions,
- what to expect from the sessions,
please see our short virtual booklet: Good Lives Alliance Engagement Sessions.
Final Reminder: Win a £50 Voucher!
You are invited to join the WPCC at The Wessex Room, Devizes Corn Exchange, Devizes from 10am to 2pm on Monday 6th February 2023 to find out about exciting volunteer opportunities at the WPCC.
You could get involved in Promoting and Raising Awareness of the WPCC or leading on some of our Health or Post 16 work.
Free lunch and refreshments plus expenses incurred by attending will be paid by the WPCC, even if you decide none of the opportunities are for you.
Two lucky attendees will each win a £50 voucher. Full information and how to book your place is in our Volunteer Information Pack.
Please also see the attached flyer (Volunteer Recruitment Flyer) and share with everyone you know.
Coronavirus Information
COVID Recovery and Young Children with SEND
This national seminar brings together different perspectives on the impact of the pandemic on children with SEN and disabilities and their families, from research, from families, from the data and from different experiences.
This seminar is for: -
• Local authority staff and specialist services.
• PVI and nursery settings.
• Parent carers of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
• Researchers interested in how COVID-19 has impacted young children with SEN and Disabilities.
Date: Thursday 2nd February 2023
Time: 9:30am - 12:30pm
Are you Concerned that your Child Might be Experiencing Long COVID Symptoms?
The WPCC is beginning to receive enquiries from some parent carers concerned their children may be experiencing Long COVID. We recently became aware of this online resource called Long Covid Kids which might be helpful.
Long Covid Kids has been connecting and supporting families, children and young people living with Long Covid since October 2020. Families using their support services have reported that connecting with other families sharing a similar experience to them has been “a lifeline”. Long Covid Kids say they recognise the challenges that families are facing; their team are living them too.
In Spring 2022, they launched two new free members’ services for families and children; to help them adhere to their safeguarding policy, their online support services require pre-registration. Click HERE to register.
Support and services provided by Long Kids Covid include: -
- Facebook Group: providing peer to peer support for families of children & young people living with Long Covid.
- LCK Connected: Zoom Hangouts hosted by their team of volunteers for children and teenagers from 6 - 17 years, and the parents and caregivers who care for them.
- CHATBOX: an online forum that welcomes children and teenagers from age 8 - 17 years, and the parents and caregivers who care for them. Separate age-appropriate channels.
Visit the Long Covid Kids’ website to find out more.
Have Your Say
General Feedback (see attached form)
If you have any general feedback you would like to share, please telephone us on: 01225 764647 or send an email to: admin@wiltspcc.co.uk. Please be assured that when we share feedback with services, we never identify the person who gave the feedback, unless we have their consent to do so.
When sharing your feedback, it is often helpful to know:-
- Which part of Wiltshire you live in? (North, South etc.)
- How old your child/young person is?
- Consent to share your contact details? (optional) This is so we can work with service providers to address issues with you individually.
You may prefer to complete the attached feedback form, send us an email or call us to give your feedback.
Reminder: Share Your thoughts on Persistent Absence and Support for Disadvantaged Pupils
The UK Parliament has two Houses that work on behalf of UK citizens to check and challenge the work of Government, make and shape effective laws, and debate/make decisions on the big issues of the day.
The UK Parliament is currently inviting thoughts and feedback on the following: -
- The factors causing persistent and severe absence among different groups of pupils, in particular: -
- Disadvantaged pupils,
- Pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds,
- Pupils with SEND and those who are clinically vulnerable to COVID-19,
- Pupils in alternative provision.
- How schools and families can be better supported to improve attendance, and how this affects pupils and families who are clinically vulnerable to COVID-19.
- The impact of the Department’s proposed reforms to improve attendance.
- The impact of school breakfast clubs and free school meals on improving attendance for disadvantaged pupils.
- The role of the Holiday Activities and Food programme and other after school and holiday clubs, such as sports, in improving attendance and engagement with school.
You can submit your thoughts and feedback by clicking HERE. Submissions must be received by 23:59 on Thursday 9th February 2023. Your submission should be no more than 3000 words.
Final Reminder: HOPE Study – Invitation to Join the Parent and Carer Advisory Group
The HOPE (Health Outcomes for young People throughout Education) Study team are looking for parents and carers who would like to join the Parent and Carer Advisory Group.
The team wants to find out if extra help in schools for children & young people with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) improves their health. They also want to understand more about any differences there might be in the extra help available for SEND in different areas of England.
Your help will make sure their research is shaped by the experiences of parents, carers and children who receive SEND support.
For more information, please see the attached invitation letter: [HOPE Study Information Letter Parent and Carer Advisory Group].
Final Reminder: Family Help Consultation
Wiltshire Council is looking at the support that is available from pre-birth to and up to 25 years for young people SEND (or up to 19 for those without SEND). This support will be a range of services called Family Help, with the vision to have key support online including through dedicated web pages as well as a mix of buildings you could visit.
We invite you to complete Wiltshire Council’s short survey, to help inform decisions about Family Help in Wiltshire. This survey will close on Sunday 2nd April 2023.
Final Reminder: Opportunity for Young People in Wiltshire with SEND to Raise Awareness of Issues
Wiltshire Centre for Independent Living (Wilts CIL) is looking for young people with SEND, aged 12 to 25, to join their Pioneers’ Project to make connections with other young people, coproduce social media drives and raise awareness on issues meaningful to them in their community.
Please see attachments (Pioneer Calling Card and Pioneer Professional Poster) for more information.
Final Reminder: Ambulance Service Improvement Survey
The South Western Ambulance Service wants to improve the service it gives to people with a Learning Disability and Autistic people. Inclusion Gloucestershire are helping to gather the views of people with lived experience of having a learning disability or autistic people. They would also like to hear from parent carers.
We would be very grateful if you could complete a questionnaire to share your experiences and opinions.
The online questionnaire should not take more than 10 minutes to complete.
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Responses can be anonymous, although there is the option to provide personal contact details, if the person completing it would like to be further involved in the project. Involvement is voluntary.
Link to questionnaire: https://forms.office.com/r/yfBt3DfZZr
SW Ambulance Service and Inclusion Gloucestershire look forward to receiving feedback from parent carers and they hope this will make a real difference to the service people receive.
Activities for Children and Young People
What’s On Children/Young People’s Calendar January 2023
For a full list of activities for January for children and young people with disabilities, including music, social, sport, drama, trampolining clubs and much more, please go to our What’s On Calendar for more details: What's On Calendar
FREE Have a Go Sports Activities Day for Children and Young People with a Visual Impairment - Southampton
Guides Dogs in partnership with British Blind Sport are hosting a Have a Go Activities Day. They are organising a fun day of accessible activities which includes football, goalball, cricket, dance & yoga.
• When: Tuesday 14th February 2023 10 am – 3 pm
• Where: Oasis Mayfield Academy, Southampton.
• For children and young people with a vision impairment from 8 years +.
• 1 friend or sibling (8 years +) is very welcome too.
• A free event, just bring a packed lunch.
For further information, please call: 0800 781 1444.
The closing date for booking is 3rd February.
Reminder: Move with Bath
Move with Bath Learning Disabilities is a 12-week programme, free to attend, consisting of fun engaging workshops on wellbeing, healthy lifestyle and nutrition, with inclusive physical activity sessions.
Starting on Wednesday 1st February 2023 in Wiltshire, at Melksham RFC. There is also a possibility of hosting in residential homes/care homes etc.
Final Reminder: Shine Friendship Fitness
Classes for adults with learning difficulties.
Every Tuesday at 11:45AM, 45 minutes long at Melksham Scout Hut. Cost: £5
Feel free to just turn up! You can call Claire for more information on 07909987811
See the attachment (Shine Friendship Fitness)
Events and Information
What’s On Parent Carer Calendar January 2023
For a full list of training/events/support groups for January for parent carers, please see our What’s On Calendar for more details: What's On Calendar
Hope Programme for Parents of Autistic Children - FREE Self-Management Course
This FREE course is a 6-session online programme for parent carers of an autistic children to learn tips to cope better and be more resilient.
- Available 24/7 on any device
- Sessions released weekly
- Learn at a time and pace that suits you
- An option to remain anonymous
- Supported by trained facilitators
Course Start Dates:
8th June 2023
7th Sept 2023
Please see the attached information [Parents of AC Hope Poster] for further details.
Please note the courses that start in January and April are already full so please book now to avoid disappointment.
Scope – Disability Energy Support
Scope offer FREE energy and water advice to disabled people, helping them to manage their energy and water needs.
The service is open to:
- any disabled person or households where 1 or more disabled people live, and
- those households are in England or Wales
Their expert advisers can help and talk you through a wide range of topics related to your energy and water needs, including:
- managing energy and water debt
- changing your meter
- energy and water efficiency
- accessing benefits, grants, and trusts
- contacting or complaining to your supplier
- understanding your gas and electricity bills
- understanding how to use your heating systems
- support registering with the Priority Services Register
Telephone appointments
You will get a telephone appointment with an energy adviser that will last up to 45 minutes. During this appointment you will get information and advice specific to your needs.
Your adviser will arrange any follow up appointments, if you need them.
To get the most out of your appointment, please try to give your adviser as much detail as possible. You should have pen and paper for taking notes and the following information easily available:
- your most recent gas or electricity bill
- an up-to-date meter reading, if possible
- details of any missed payments or arrears
- details of any payment plans agreed with your energy supplier
Please note - email support is currently NOT available; this is due to high volumes.
For more information and how to apply for energy and water support, please click HERE.
British Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) Resources
British Institute of Human Rights have recently been working on some resources that may be useful for parent carers. BIHR and their Lived Experience Experts created two resources on human rights in Children and Young People’s Mental Health Inpatient Services as part of an ongoing project with NHS England.
These resources are about human rights for children and young people in mental health inpatient settings, including information on staff’s duties, relevant rights, real life examples and details of how to challenge decisions which aren’t rights respecting.
They have created two resources: a shorter version of the resource, aimed at children and young people in inpatient settings with the vital information about human rights they need to know. They also have an extended version, suitable for young people and their parents, which features more detail and real-life examples.
Both resources are in plain language and available to download from the BIHR website .
As part of Children’s Mental Health Week, BIHR are holding a launch event for the resources on:
Friday 10th February at 10am to 11.30am
The event is open to anyone who is interested in finding out more about the resources. Lived Experience Experts will discuss their experiences using human rights in real-life and how the resource is designed to help with advocacy and self-advocacy. There will also be a chance to ask questions and give feedback on the resources.
To register for the event, please click HERE.
Is there £250 or More For Your Child That You Don’t Know About?
If your child was born between 1st September 2002 and 2nd January 2011, a tax-free savings account will have been set up, with at least £250 for them. This is because the government set up its Child Trust Fund which ran from 1st September 2002 and 2nd January 2011. Any child born between these dates will have an account that was automatically set up for them by the government and a minimum of £250 was paid into each child’s account by the government.
These Child Trust Funds were tax-free savings that locked money away until the child turned 18; there was no requirement to put any additional money into the account, although parents were able to add up to £9,000 a year into the account if they wished. The Child Trust Fund does not affect any benefits or tax credits. The money belongs to the child and they can only take it out when they are 18.
To find out more about Child Trust Funds or how to find your child’s Trust Fund account, see the Government Website.
Sadly, this scheme closed in 2011, so children born after 2nd January 2011 will not have a Child Trust Fund.
Book Recommendation
We have had a couple of parent carers contact us asking if we can promote a book, they have enjoyed reading. Your Child is not Broken is a book written by Heidi Mavir and is her account of her discovery of her child’s neurodivergence.
The WPCC is not in a position to endorse this book.
Family and Community Learning (FaCL) Grow Your Community Course – Calne
Join FaCL for this five-week course to learn practical skills to grow your own produce, find out how to care for the environment and your community and discover ways to live well.
When: Wednesday 22 Feb - Wednesday 22 March 2023
Time: 09:30 - 11:30
Where: Marden Vale School, Calne
For further details on this course, please see the attached information [Grow Your Community Poster].
Please call: 01225 770 478 to book a place.
FaCL Courses are funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency. Courses are FREE if you are 19+, have been a resident in UK/EU for 3+years, have less than 5 GCSEs grades A-C, in receipt of benefits, a service family or you may have other issues that joining a course could help you. You might be stuck in a rut or going through a difficult time? FaCL want to hear from people who are unsure about if they can join and they are always happy to talk things through.
The FaCL team can be contacted by calling: 01225 770478 or email: familyandcommunitylearning@wiltshire.gov.uk
Reminder: FREE Online and Face-to-Face Training Sessions for Carers
Understanding Autism
Basic awareness and understanding of why an individual may behave in a certain way.
Tuesday 31st Jan 2023, 10:00-11:00am – Online
Thursday 6th April 2023, 12pm-1:00pm- County Hall, Trowbridge
Wednesday 31st May 2023, 12pm-1:00pm- Five Rivers Campus, Salisbury
Wednesday 7th June 2023, 1:30-2:30pm- Online
Tuesday 24th October 2023, 12:00pm-1:00pm- TBC
Safeguarding Yourself
Focus on how individuals can support but make sure they are protected. For example financial abuse- Power of attorney and process.
Friday 24th March 2023, 1:00-2:00pm- Online
Thursday 6th April 2023, 11:00am-12:00pm- County Hall, Trowbridge
Wednesday 31st May 2023, 11:00am-12:00pm Five Rivers Campus, Salisbury
Thursday 21st September 2023, 11:00am-12:00pm- Online
Tuesday 24th October 2023, 11:00am-12:00pm- TBC
Manual Handling
General principles of lifting and moving, dignity, person centred and equipment to support like arms of chairs etc.
Thursday 6th April 2023, 10:00am-11:00am- County Hall, Trowbridge
Tuesday 16th May 2023, 11:00am-12:00pm- Online
Wednesday 31st May 2023, 10:00am-11:00am- Five Rivers Campus, Salisbury
Monday 16th October 2023, 1:30pm-2:30pm- Online
Tuesday 24th October 2023, 10:00am-11:00am- TBC
For more Information, please visit the Carers Support Wiltshire website.
Places can be booked by email: admin@carersupportwiltshire.co.uk
Care Certificate
eLearning through Grow
If you are interested in completing the Care Certificate course, please contact Carers Support Wiltshire to discuss the enrolment process.
Final Reminder: Health Outcomes for Young People Through Education
The WPCC promoted the HOPE (Health Outcomes for young People through Education) last year and the first findings of the study survey have just been shared with us. You can see these findings in the Infographic Flyer. Parent carers in the South West of England submitted the highest number of responses.
National findings included: -
- Long waiting lists for assessments
- Education settings lack of understanding of SEND
- Lack of specialist SEND professionals in your Local Authority
- Problems accessing health services
- Just over 65% of people had heard of the Local Offer
Final Reminder: Family and Community Learning (FaCL) 2022-2023 Academic Year and the Family and Community Learning Prospectus
Please see the attached FaCL Course Prospectus 2022-2023.
There are details about face to face and online courses for the 2022-2023 academic year. Please note the induction dates; these are important as a potential learner can’t access a course until they have attended an induction session.
If you have already completed an induction during 21-22 you do not need to repeat.
FaCL are really pleased that they can offer partners a variety of courses (online and face to face) to share with communities:
- ESOL
- English and Literacy
- Employability Skills
- Wellbeing
- Family Skills
- Independent Living
See attachments for information on some of the courses available.
FaCL aim to be part of the learning journey and will ensure they offer suitable signposting to enable progression towards employment, community integration and independence.
Watch out for the refreshed FaCL website too – it’s all go!
FaCL Courses are funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency. Courses are FREE if you are 19+, have been a resident in UK/EU for 3+years, have less than 5 GCSEs grades A-C, in receipt of benefits, a service family or you may have other issues that joining a course could help you. You might be stuck in a rut or going through a difficult time? FaCL want to hear from people who are unsure about if they can join and they are always happy to talk things through.
The FaCL team can be contacted by calling: 01225 770478 or email: familyandcommunitylearning@wiltshire.gov.uk
Contact's Brighter Beginnings Workshops - FREE
Contact is offering a number of free online/virtual workshops for parent carers of children and young people aged 0-16 with additional needs. The workshops, called Brighter Beginnings Workshops, are available thanks to funding from a range of funding sources. The workshops are free virtual one-off sessions and it is hoped that Contact may be able to offer in-person workshops again in the future, once it is appropriate to do so.
‘Regional workshops’ are for families who live in those areas only, due to funding arrangements.
Click on the workshop links on the website to book onto your chosen workshop/s.Not all workshops have dates yet, but new dates are continually being added, so if there is not a workshop available suitable for you, please revisit the website.
The workshops are very popular so please book early to avoid disappointment.
Contact’s Free Parent Carer Listening Ear Service
You might be struggling emotionally and looking for strategies to help you cope. Maybe you just need to talk to someone who understands the extra challenges you face and who can point you in the right direction to get the support you need for your family.
To help, Contact offer 1-1 telephone appointments with a family support adviser for parent carers looking for a listening ear, reassurance and practical and emotional support (see attached flyer).
Contact have released a video and podcast that explains the listening Ear Service in more detail.
Making an appointment for the listening ear service is simple: choose the day (morning, afternoon or evening), and when you register choose the time slot you want. Appointments are regularly updated and are subject to availability.
The service aims to provide approximately 3 calls to Parent Carers before they are able to signpost you elsewhere for further support. If you are dealing with a specific issue that requires continuity and consistency, Contact will take this into consideration. Please get in touch for more information.
South Wilts Mencap Newsletter
South Wilts Mencap supports people with learning disabilities in South Wiltshire; inspring them to achieve their full potential and enabling them and their families to lead fuller lives. They support families in the South and Salisbury region of Wiltshire. They support with clubs, activities, fun days, short breaks and more.
CLICK HERE to have a look at their recent newsletter.
Contacting the WPCC
WPCC Phone Line 2022.
Our phone lines continue to be open as normal (10.00am – 5.00pm) and the number to access the WPCC SENDIS team remains as: 01225 764647.
When you call, it is likely that your call will be answered by one of our telephone triage workers who will take basic details of your enquiry and pass it on to a member of the team. If you cannot get through, please leave a message with your name and contact number, or email and we will call you back as soon as possible; please be mindful there are times when our phone lines can be extremely busy.
If you cannot get through on the phone, you can email us: admin@wiltspcc.co.uk
You can find previous WPCC newsletters here: Previous Newsletters
Keep safe and well,
The WPCC Team
