SEND News and Update - October 2022
Date Added: 26/10/2022
Welcome to this edition of the SEND News Bulletin. This week includes information on:
• Children waiting for specialist school places (including Additional Resource Provisions and Special Schools)
• October Half Term Activities
• Have your say ... Short Breaks Consultation
• What's On
• Children's Centres SEND Support Coffee Mornings
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Children waiting for specialist school places (including Additional Resource Provisions and Special Schools)
You may have seen reports about the number of children in Central Bedfordshire who are waiting for a specialist school place.
Its important to be clear that these children are in receipt of education, with three who have an EOTAS package and the rest in school or early years settings with extra support. There are currently 63 children, five are in early years settings and 55 are in mainstream schools plus the three who are EOTAS. All the children have an enhanced package of support to make sure they have adults in school/setting to support them in accessing the curriculum whilst a specialist school place is secured for them.
Half of the children (31) who are statutory school age have a specialist school place identified for September 2023. One child will not be statutory school age until 2024. We are continuing to work with the parents of the other 31 children who are statutory school age to find a place that meets their needs.
This is not a situation we are happy with; we want all of our SEND children to have the right support as quickly as possible and we have plans to address it.
Most councils have similar situations where children with SEND and have an EHCP are supported in mainstream schools while a specialist place is arranged that meets their needs. This is because there is an increase in the number of children and young people identified with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) who require a specialist school place and delivering more new places takes time.
We have recently approved a plan which will increase the number of specialist school places to 350 places at Additional Resource Provisions by 2024 and 1,300 places at Special Schools by 2026 to meet the needs of children and young people with complex special educational needs who need to access this specialist provision.
Our plan for more specialist school places will continue to be reviewed and updated on an annual basis to reflect any changes in need.
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October Half Term Activities
Looking for things to do in Half-Term, we have lots of activities happening, such as Swimming sessions, Sensory Movement workshops, Forest Schools and Halloween activities.
Find out more on the Local Offer
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Have your say ... Short Breaks Consultation
Don't forget to have a say ... We have launched a consultation to gain views on how we can better meet the needs of children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) through our existing funding approach for short break leisure activities.
This consultation was created in partnership with SNAP parent carer forum, as well as parents from Central Bedfordshire who have children with SEND.
Currently, there are six suppliers that we work with to provide short break leisure activities, and this consultation aims to find out if the current funding model enables organisations to meet the needs of children and young people with SEND in Central Bedfordshire, or if more variety is needed.
To read the full consultation document which has more details about this service, as well as how to have your say, visit:
www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/consultations
Closing date: 10 November 2022
Have your say
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What's on Calendar
Due to feedback from the SNAP PCF Parent/Carer Survey we have updated our What's on Calendar on the Local Offer. Now you will be able to click on a date and a list of events that are happening that day will appear on the right hand side. Just click on the event that you are interested in to read more information about it. So check it out and let us know what you think by emailing:
[email protected]
What's On Calendar
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Children's Centres SEND Support Coffee Mornings
Leighton Buzzard Mencap Opportunity Group
Thursdays 10 – 11:30 (Termtime only)
Casual chat & play session for parents, carers & their children who have additional needs. Support for parents, carers & their children who have additional needs.
Ring 01525 384368 to book on.
SEND Stay and Play
Every Wednesday from 10:00 – 11:00 am
Dunstable Children’s Centre
If you would like to book a space please call 0300 300 8106/0300 300 8104
SEND Support coffee afternoon every second Monday of the month,
1:30 – 2:30 pm
Shefford and Stotfold Children’s Centre
If you would like to book a space please call 0300 300 8112
SEND Support coffee afternoon every 4th Thursday of the month,
1:30 – 2:30 am
Flitwick Children’s Centre
If you would like to book a space please call 0300 300 8111
SEND Coffee morning, Stay and Play every first and third Friday of the month,
10:30 – 11:30 am
Houghton Regis Children’s Centre
If you would like to book a space please call 0300 300 8115
Support group for parents or carers with children who have SEND
Biggleswade Youth Centre - every other Wednesday, 1:30 – 2:30 pm
Fortnightly catch ups and support online and face-to-face. A chance to speak to professionals from the CDC, Early Years Support Team, Speech and Language plus more.
To book a free place contact Karen on 0300 300 6009 or email [email protected]
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Please visit the Local Offer for more information on activities, services, advice and support across Central Bedfordshire for children and young people with SEND or follow us on Facebook
We hope you have found the information in the bulletin helpful. We would love to hear your feedback and what you would like to see in future editions.
Please let us know by emailing [email protected]
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Do you provide a service or run events for children and young people with SEND and their families?
We would like to offer providers the opportunity to advertise local SEND services and events in our fortnightly SEND news bulletin, on our local offer Facebook page and to be included in the local offer What's On page.
If you would like to be featured then please email details about your service and/or event to: [email protected]