TOGETHER WE CAN
MAKE POSITIVE CHANGE
We want greater transparency so that all parents and carers understand what services are available to them and how they can gain access.
Discover how we work, why we do it, the change we make and why we need you
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE INDEPENDENT?
It means that we have no bias to any service or department, we can speak freely about what is working and what is failing in our SEND community. We can act as a critical friend without prejudice to the local authority and various boards and services, as and when they make decisions. We can raise concerns and divert attention to how these decisions will directly impact our families, we can steer change realistically with high expectations and equality for all. We are included in the vote to agree or disagree with how services are to be created and amended. Our job is to be specific and realistic with the various departments we encounter. Our independence means that we can explain to our community what decisions have been made and why.
LATEST NEWS
Autism and Parental Blame Research Report.
'My Care Bridge', an online portal for new referrals for children and young people's autism and ADHD services in mid and South Essex, is now live.
A new post, “Removal of Ofsted single word judgements: what it means for schools and parents” has just been published on the The Education Hub blog.
SSIF Spring/Summer Term Feedback Report
EVENTS
SSIF invite ParentCarers of Children with SEND to our third Seminar this year. ‘Support Plans, ISPs, Support Whilst Waiting for EHCNA and EHCP’ is the third in a series of valuable an informative events for ParentCarers that will run throughout the year. This seminar is aimed at ParentCarers who are not sure of the support and information available to them and their families whilst they are waiting for an Education and Health Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA) or an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP). We will aim to answer questions such as: What is an Individual Support Plan (ISP), and who is it for? What are Reasonable Adjustments and can I expect them to be made for my child? What is the SEN Register? What is SEN Support? What can I do to support my child or young person at home? Are there any workshops or webinars I can access? We have a panel of professionals from the Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) Team, Health and Education, who will talk about what support is available and how to find it. They will also bust some common myths. We are inviting ParentCarers to submit any questions they have for the panel by email, by Monday 20th January 2025, via email, to jody@southendsendindependentforum.org.uk There will also be an opportunity for people to participate in a co-production session to develop a useful route map/flow chart of the Support Whilst Waiting process. Book your ticket here.
One of our favourite Events is our regular monthly coffee morning, where Parent Carers can get together to share their experiences. Every month we have the Local Offer team with us and invite 1 or 2 additional special guests from for example Health, Social Care, Education and more, to offer guidance and advice. There is also a sensory play creche available for your little ones aged 0-5 with Chaos & Calm. Come along and chat to other ParentCarers, get advice from one of our SEND support service guests and enjoy a hot drink with something sweet. Booking is not required.
We host in-person Seminars at the Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, SS2 6ER, covering a wide range of SEND related topics. We invite a varied panel of professionals to provide information and guidance to ParentCarers of children and young people with SEND (aged 0-25). Our events are hosted together with guest speakers from the Local Authority, Health Services, Education Services and more. Save the dates for our upcoming Seminars in 2025! We will release further details and confirm guest speakers nearer the time.
Southend SEND Independent Forum invite ParentCarers of children and young people with SEND who are at their start of the SEND journey and who are looking for answers and support to our upcoming Seminar. We will aim to answer questions such as: Who are the key people involved in early identification of SEND? Who can I expect to talk to? What is a SENCo? What is the SEN Register? What is SEN Support? What should my child’s class teacher be doing? What is the role of the GP, and do they need to be involved? We have a panel of professionals from the Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) Team, Health and Education Services, who will talk about SEND identification and support in schools, when an education health and care needs assessment (EHCNA) is needed and bust some common myths. We are inviting ParentCarers to submit any questions they have for the panel by email, by Monday 25th November 2024, via email, to jody@southendsendindependentforum.org.uk. There will also be an opportunity for people to participate in a co-production session to develop a useful route map/flow chart of the Early Identification process. Book your ticket here.
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