In this issue:
Update on Provision Panels (all ages)
In September and October 2022, we are reviewing how our provision panels work, for families who request specialist provision. Recently we’ve become more and more concerned at the length of time that families are waiting for a confirmed start date in a special school. We recognise how much stress and worry it causes families and schools to live with uncertainty around timescales for a new school place to be available. We have been working hard on developing new specialist provision places over the last few years. To align with this and the new provision types available in Hertfordshire, we are reviewing our provision panels.
Read more about how we're improving provision panels
With YOUth: new mental health service (ages 5-18)
This Autumn, Hertfordshire Mind Network (HMN) will be launching its With YOUth Children & Young People’s Digital Wellbeing Service. Herts Mind Network already provides a young people’s helpline and instant messaging service for 10-17 year olds and/or their parents/care givers. This new service will expand on that, providing support to younger age ranges, and will be initially available from 3 October, Monday to Friday, 2-10pm.
Our With Youth service provides online support to children and young people (aged 5-18) experiencing mental ill health and/or emotional distress. The service helps children and young people to build resilience by working with them to problem solve and develop coping strategies, coming up with solutions that will enable them to improve their own health and wellbeing. We will also provide advice and guidance to parents/families/carers and professionals to ensure a holistic response to supporting the individual and creating a network around them to empower and enable positive change.
Find out more about the With YOUth service
North Herts Museum: representing disability in the collection (all ages)
How would you tell the story of disability, Neurodiversity and d/Deaf experiences in North Hertfordshire? North Hertfordshire Museum looks to tell the story of North Hertfordshire through our collections. This means telling the story of all our residents, including the varied experiences of disabled people. But to do this the museum needs your help to tell these stories.
Disability just one part of a person’s experience and can be experienced in so many ways. There are so many different stories to tell, but unfortunately at the moment the Museum’s collection only tells a limited story. Often the personal story and the perspective of the disabled person is lost. Instead, what is told is frequently the medical or institutional story, reducing the person to one small part of their experience.
We want to change this in two ways, but we need your help to do so.
Old Objects, New Stories: Responding to the collection: We want to reframe these objects, to think about them in a new light from the perspective of those who are disabled, d/Deaf or Neurodiverse. We want to put people and the personal experience back in the picture by inviting people to respond to items in the collection with their own message, insights and thoughts. This can be in any way you want. It can be a poem, a picture, some writing about an experience it reminds you of, or even just a simple line of textt. What matters is that it’s your voice and your story.
New objects, New Stories: Collecting New Material. We are not just looking at what’s currently in our collection, we want to continue to grow and to include new stories and to think about what can represent the story of disability in new ways. Often when searching museums for objects related to disability what is produced is medical devices, things that look at disability from a medical point of view. But that’s not all that disability is. So, the museum is looking to add new objects to its collection to tell new, fuller stories. We are asking what is the object that you think would tell your story of disability. It could be anything at all from a cane to a lipstick. What matters is the importance you give it and your story. 
If this has inspired you, and you want more information on how you (or someone you know) can get involved, email Freya at freya.purcell@north-herts.gov.uk and northhertsmuseum@north-herts.gov.uk .
Families in Focus - parenting courses for January 2023 (ages 2-11)
Families in Focus offer award winning, evidence-based courses which are funded by Hertfordshire Children’s Services, and free for parents living in Hertfordshire. They cover a range of topics including parenting children with SEND, and handling anger in your child with Autism / ADHD. The courses are designed for parents living with children with special educational needs and disabilities, autism, ADHD and all neuro-diverse conditions, including those awaiting assessment or diagnosis. The courses are designed to give parents tools, skills and knowledge which make a lasting positive impact and change to family life. All courses have just 12 fully funded places available.
Over the past 13 years, 95 per cent of parent attendees would highly recommend Families in Focus services to other parents.
All courses are delivered by founders Francine and Lesley, who have over 25 years of personal and professional experience of SEND. Attendee group sizes are limited to ensure an interactive, personal approach is maintained.
Courses starting in January:
- (FIF L1 D8) Families in Focus Complete guide to parenting children with SEND - 2-11years Starting Tuesdays 9.30-11.30am January 10th
- (FIF L1 E6) Families in Focus Complete guide to parenting children with SEND - 2-11years Starting Tuesdays 6.30-8.30pm January 10th
- (FIF ADHD E4) Families in Focus Handling anger of your child with Autism/ADHD - Starting Mondays 6.30-8.30pm January 9th
- (FIF ADHD D2) Families in Focus Handling anger of your child with Autism/ADHD - Starting Thursdays 9.30-11.30am January 5th
For more information visit the Families in Focus website
If you are a parent, and are interested in any of these courses, email Francine and Lesley (bookings@familiesinfocus.co.uk) stating the course code and title of course (and include your mobile number too please).
(Practitioner/Service referrals: Using Herts FX please contact Francine and Lesley stating parent name, the course code and title of course, parent email & mobile number and outcomes agreed with parent.)
Events
View all events and courses
ADD-Vance - Support for Dads
Monday 17th October 7 - 8.30pm
An introductory workshop for dads/male carers of children up to 18 years with a diagnosis or suspected diagnosis of ADHD and/or Autism.
NESSie and Angels - Online workshop - Self-harm
Tuesday 18th October 1 - 2.30pm
This workshop provides an opportunity to develop an insight relating to triggers, thoughts and emotions behind self-harming behaviours.
SPACE - Online 'pumpkin' Art Session for teens
Friday 21st October 7 - 9pm
A fully interactive painting session for older children hosted by September, The Artist In The Window!