In this issue:
Back to School Anxiety
Going back to school after a break can be difficult for some children, especially if they suffer from anxiety. If you're worried about how your child will manage, the Local Offer has some tips and advice about the different types of support available:
If your child is too anxious to go to school (hertfordshire.gov.uk)
Young Minds also has some excellent advice for parents about School Anxiety and Refusal
SEND Family Centre Drop Ins
As a parent or carer of a child or young person with special needs, you will be very welcome to attend the SEND Drops Ins at the Family Centres. You'll have the opportunity to discuss any concerns you may have, find out information about local support groups, and meet other families. Children are welcome to attend, no formal diagnosis needed. We can provide a friendly ear and a safe space to talk.
The drop ins are taking place at Family Centre venues all over the county. You can find out more about these events on the Local Offer events page. You will need to book some of the events.
Chestnut Tree Family Centre, Letchworth - 1st Thursday of every month 10am - 11.30am
Bedwell Family Centre, Stevenage - 3rd Monday in every month 10 - 11.30am
High Trees Family Centre, Broxbourne - 2nd Thursday of the month 12.30 - 2pm
Beane Valley Family Centre, East Herts - 1st Thursday of every month 12.30 - 2pm
De Haviland Family Centre, Welwyn & Hatfield - 3rd Thursday of every month 12.30 - 2pm
Tanners Wood - Watford - Fridays 10 - 12pm (22 April, 20 May, 17 June, 8 July)
Adeyfield Free Church, Hemel Hempstead, Wednesdays 9 - 10am (18 May, 15 June, 20 July, 17 Aug)
Cafe in the Orchard, Shenley, Tuesdays 10 - 11am (10 May, 14 June, 12 July)
Sopwell Family Centre, St Albans - Wednesdays 11 - 12pm (4 May, 1 June, 6 July, 3 Aug)
Family Centre Service (hertsfamilycentres.org)
Story and Rhyme Time for deaf and hearing 0-5 year olds
A message from Lucy Payne from the Deaf and Hearing Support Service:
For many of our deaf signing families, it can be challenging for them to access mainstream 0-5 events and classes. Anyone with young children will know about the Story and Rhyme times, down the local library and most likely will have attended a few. I remember taking my eldest daughter and the joy she’d get from them, whether it was clapping to the lyrics of ‘Wheels on the Bus’ or grabbing a set of bells or rattles to shake in time to Nursery Rhymes. She went from sleeping through them, feeding through them, sitting up through them, crawling, toddling, dancing along and doing all the actions through them. We know Nursery Rhymes and reading stories to children support early literacy development. We all know that Nursery Rhymes can be really fun, especially when everyone is doing them together.
For a lot of deaf children and their families, especially deaf children within deaf families whose first language is British Sign Language (BSL) find themselves isolated and with limited access to local clubs, classes, and courses. We can’t attribute this to the pandemic and COVID restrictions, but to a lack of access, and language and communication barriers. We want our deaf children to thrive as much as their hearing peers and we want them to be able to access a local story and Rhyme Time, and feel confident to use library services, so we teamed up with Hertfordshire Libraries to do just that!
We meet once a month at St Alban’s Library, to share stories and rhymes using both British Sign Language and spoken language. It is a fun, interactive, loud and visual half an hour which is open to both deaf and hearing 0-5 year olds and their siblings.
The photo captures one of the only still moments during our first session which took place on 30 March 2022, when all the children and their parents/carers lay down during the rhyme ‘Sleeping Bunnies’.
We hope to see you at the next one at St Alban’s Library on 27 April at 10.15am.
Preparing for Adulthood
At this time of year, we often start to look ahead to what changes might be coming in our child or young person's life - whether this is moving schools, going to college, or going into the wider world to look for employment or
other opportunities. It is never too early to start preparing your child for adulthood, and to think about the skills they're going to need as they get older.
On our Preparing for Adulthood pages, you'll find information to help young people with SEND achieve employment, independent living, good health, friendships and community inclusion.
Read more about Caring for health into adulthood including sections on mental, physical and sexual health, and information about annual health checks
Read about Independent Living including information about legal decisions, housing options and travel and transport.
Events
Dacorum Families SEND Information Fayre - Hemel Hempstead
Thursday 12 May 10am - 3pm
The SEND Information Fayre is open to Dacorum SEND Families and the day will include local provider information stands, DSPL8 Parent Representatives, activities for children, refreshments & cake! Come and find out what support is available in your area!
Online - SPACE - PDA, ODD and ADHD - Understanding the differences
Wednesday 27th April 10am - 12pm
A workshop that looks at the definitions of these conditions as well as the differences and possible strategies to use.
Families in Focus - Handling Anger in your child with Autism - 6 week course
Starting Thursday 21st April 12noon
This very popular, effective and award winning anger management course offers:
- Gain greater understanding of how anger and other emotions live in your family
- Increase your understanding of triggers that cause angry outbursts
- Learn healthy anger management strategies for children & parents to reduce angry outbursts
- Meet and share experiences with other parents