Volume 2 Issue 6
Parents as Partners
Ushaw College - 29th June 2004 - 10am - 3.30pm
This year’s annual parents conference, arranged by the North East’s Parent Partnership Services, is once again being held in County Durham. The conference is funded jointly by the region’s Local Education Authorities to enable parents of children with special educational needs to attend a regional event which aims to provide a greater understanding of their child’s difficulties and ways to support their special educational needs. The day is free to parents and includes workshops, information stands, lunch and creche.Delegates will have the opportunity to attend 3 workshops during the day, focusing on a variety of topics relating to special educational needs, and delivered by specialists from across the region. Workshop topics include:
Understanding Dyslexia - General Behaviour Management - Inclusion and Autism - Unlocking Speech and Language.
Brain Gym - Pathways to Support for Parents - Managing ADHD - Educational Pyschologist’s Tests and Reports Explained.
For further information and to request an application form please contact: Gill Burnett, Parent Partnership Officer, Middlesborough on 01642 201872.
Web Alert!
Family learining describes a wide range of activites and courses where parents, grandparents, children, carers, neighbours and friends are involved in learning together. Two excellent new websites are available for you - The County Durham Family Learning site and the National Network site can be found at: Family Learning in County Durham and National Family Learning Network.New developments affecting children with special educational needs (SEN) and their families
Over the past few months, the publication of a range of government documents - some policy and some guidance - has had a major impact on many decisions relating to special educational needs. In this issue of the newsletter, we will try to clarify what is happening nationally and locally and how it might affect you and your child. Many changes happening at both levels are only the beginning of more to come. We will try to keep parents updated as each stage unfolds. Most of the changes are taking place in conjuction with the Labour government’s ‘modernising agenda’ whereby all public services are required to be more effective and to provide better value for money. However, the over riding drive is towards ‘joined up’ local services working together in support of children and families.- The National Service Framework (NSF) for children, young people and maternity services.
- This sets national standards for health and social care. It aims to improve overall quality and ensure equal access to all health and social care services for those who need them. Locally, an inter-agency strategy is being developed and will come into effect in January 2005. More information about the Children’s NSF can be found at www.dh.gov.uk or by contacting the DH Publications Orderline for a printed copy on 08701555455.
- The Children Bill - (March 2004).
- Will transform children’s services to maximise opportunites and minimise risk for every child and young person. It provides the legislative framework for ‘Every Child Matters’.
- Every Child Matters - (Green Paper 2003).
- This far reaching legislation was prompted by failures in the child protection system, identified in the Victoria Climbie enquiry. The government aims, through this legislation, to improve childrens life chances. This may require major restructuring and integration of children’s services and will certainly lead to the development of a ‘Children’s Trust’ which is a collective body of all relevant organisations that will work co-operatively to provide excellent services for children and families. The five key outcomes are; Being Healthy, Staying Safe, Enjoying and Achieving, Making a Positive Contribution and Economic Well-being. More information can be found at: www.dfes.gov.uk/everychildmatters.
- Removing Barriers to Achievement - (The Government’s SEN Stategy).
- This is the recently published guidance on supporting children with special educational needs with an emphasis on inclusion. It places a new focus on quality of provision and on ensuring that teachers have the skills, confidence and support to help all children reach their potential. It contains an inclusion development programme to assist schools in meeting the needs of pupils with autistic spectrum disorders, emotional and behavioural difficulties, moderate learning difficulties and speech, language and communication needs and dyslexia. The key themes within the guidance are; Early Intervention, Removing Barriers to Learning, Raising Expectations and Achievement and Delivering Improvements Through Partnership. More information can be found on: SEN strategy. To obtain a copy of the strategy contact DfES Publications on 0845 6022260.
County Durham's Communities of Learning
When Durham Local Education Authority (LEA) produced a new SEN Strategy entitled ‘All Together Better’ in 2002, it was recognised regionally and nationally, as a forward thinking and innovative plan of action. The government’s SEN strategy (see opposite page) offers guidance to LEA’s on widening opportunities for children with special needs and, in fact, mirrors some of the more innovative elements of the Durham plan, such as developing local communities of schools for local children. Therefore, while many LEA’s start to get to grips with these radical and different approaches to providing for special educational needs, Durham’s ‘Communities of Learning’ programme, having already gone through a complex planning process, is now in the first stage of development.County Durham contains just over 300 schools. To create Communities of Learning (CoL’s), the schools were grouped geographically into 14 communities consisting of two or three secondary schools, their feeder primary schools and relevant special schools. Each CoL will eventually manage much of the funding and decision making for children with SEN living within their area. The aims are to ensure that;
- Education is accessed as near as possible to every pupil’s home.
- Provision is increasingly tailored to meet individual needs.
- Mainstream schools are able to meet an increasing range of more complex needs.
- Special schools develop a new role by providing outreach support to mainstream schools as well as specialist teaching.
Schools and agencies working together as Communities of Learning will lead to;
- The fuller engagement of schools in funding decisions.
- Transparency of funding for SEN and broader support for inclusion.
- Links to community planning and joint investment to improve services for children.
Parents/carers of children with special educational needs requiring more information can contact the parent partnership office on 0191 5873541.
Dates for your Diary
Parent Support Groups Across County Durham
Based within the East Durham area, these friendly groups are for parents/carers of children who have disabilities, poor health, or behavioural problems such as ADHD. The Murton Group meets each Wednesday morning between 9.30 and 11.15 at Sea View Nursery. The Peterlee group meeting is held on the last Tuesday morning of each month between 10am and noon at St. Mary's Community Centre, Easington Village. For further information please contact Sam or Tina at Easington Carers Support on 0191 5869134.A new parents support group now meets on the last Friday of each month in Barnard Castle. Meetings are informal and friendly and everyone is welcome. The aim of the group is to provide mutual support, information, training and a social outlet for parents and other family members who are caring for a child with special needs. For details of times and venues please contact Deb Toward at Durham Dales Action for Carers on 01833 630202.
Crook parent carer group meet on Thursday mornings at Kidzone Nursery between 9.30 and 11.30. All are welcome. Meetings are also held ot the Wear Valley Carers Centre in Bishop Auckland. For further information about both meetings please contact Pauline on 01388 451400.
A support group for Parent Carers and families of children with ADHD and/or emotional and behavioural difficulties meets on the 3rd Wednesday of every month at Bullion Hall, Chester le Street from 10am til noon. The aim of the group is to combat the isloation that families currently experience by offering direct support and information, as well as highlighting statutory and voluntary services that can offer support. The group also offers: social events during term breaks, informative speakers, up to date information and practical advice. The group offers parent carers the chance to get together and be listened to by others that share and understand the difficulties they face. For further information contact Jenni on 0191 3871991.
Dyslexia
Durham Dyslexia Support Group meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month during term time at County Hall, Durham from 7 - 9pm. On 19th May 2004 guest speaker Jackie Greener from LEAP community education service will talk to the group about teaching adult students through the Dyslexia SOS programme. On 16th June 2004 Elaine Chandler from Parent Partnership will talk about new legislation affecting disabled children and their families and Durham’s Communities of Schools. For further information contact Julie on 0191 5873541.Dypraxia
Support for parents of children with dyspraxia is offered by two groups within County Durham.Dyspraxia Foundation County Durham (DFCD) meets quarterly at Belmont Comprehensive School. Parents needing more hands on support are encouraged to contact Tina on 0191 3848283.
Stanley Dyspraxia Support Group meet every 2nd Thursday between 6.30 and 8.30pm at The Old School Buildings, Tanfield Lea, Stanley. For further details contact Lynne on 01207 290550.
