In this issue:
Extended hours for neurodiversity hub phoneline
The Neurodiversity Support Hub now has extended open hours on a Tuesday and Thursday, plus bookable 1-2-1 appointments on Wednesday evenings. The Neurodiversity Support Hub is an advice service offering support, signposting and guidance about a whole range of things relating to ADHD and Autism. The phones are answered by a team of parents and carers of neurodivergent children and young people and your child doesn't need a diagnosis for you to use the service.
Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9am - 1pm
Tuesday and Thursday 9am - 3pm
Wednesday Evening (by appointment only) 7pm - 9pm
In school holidays the hours are Monday - Friday 9am - 1pm. Closed on Bank Holidays.
Family Centres 'Ready for school' transitions support (ages 0-5)
This summer, Family Centres are offering a range of drop in events and activities which are all about creating a supportive network that empowers families and children to navigate school transitions with confidence and ease.
What is on offer for families:
- Five-Week Series on Facebook: Follow your local Family Centre Service on Facebook where they will be sharing a series of posts covering various aspects of transitions and offering practical tips and strategies for parents. Topics include: promoting independence, toilet training and hand washing, loving learning, turn taking, asking for help, and talking about school.
- Transition Drop-Ins: Family Centres will be running ‘Ready for School’ drop-in sessions during the weeks starting 8 July and 15 July. These drop-ins will provide an opportunity for families to connect with the team and discuss any concerns or questions they may have about transitions to school or nursery settings.
- Family Fun Events: Throughout the summer, Family Centres will be hosting family fun events which will have a specific focus on supporting transitions. Alongside this there will also be the SEND Chat and Play sessions running as usual over the summer period for those families with a child with SEND transitioning to a school or setting.
Find out more about the 'ready for school' sessions on the Family Centre Service website
Just move it! Inspiring young people to boost their wellbeing through movement
Get ready to ‘Just Move It!’… Just Talk has just launched its latest campaign and it's all about inspiring young people and families across our county to boost their wellbeing, both mind and body, through movement.
Research tells us that physical activity is vital for keeping us happy and healthy, releasing chemicals in our brains which lift our spirits. However, the recent Young Person’s Health and Wellbeing Survey (YPHWS) 2023 showed that many young people are struggling with physical health concerns and low activity levels.
It’s time to change that narrative! Just Talk’s campaign is here to shine a spotlight on the power of movement. Discover how physical activity boosts mood, helps with physical health, fosters social connections and much more. Plus, explore the wealth of accessible activity options for people of all abilities, ages and backgrounds in Hertfordshire.
Hertfordshire’s new approach to engagement and co-production
Hertfordshire’s local area SEND partnership recently invited the Council for Disabled Children to deliver a one-day workshop for professionals and experts by experience around engagement and co-production. 
The workshop, which took place on Tuesday 4 June, was attended by professionals from education, health and social care sectors, along with the SEND partnership’s four new Experts by Experience, parent carers and the Department for Education (DfE). It was delivered by the Council of Disabled Children as part of the DfE's RISE programme.
During the workshop, participants discussed different approaches to co-production, were able to share ideas of how lived experience could be incorporated into Council policy in the future, and mapped out how they would be able to increase the involvement of children and young people in developments for the services they deliver.
Read more about the Co-production workshop
Opportunity to be part of Council for Disabled Children's young people's advisory group (ages 12-18)
Do you know, or work with, a young person who would like to share their expertise and experiences with professionals to help make sure that support and services reflect disabled children and young people’s needs?
The Council for Disabled Children are looking for disabled young people and young people with special educational needs aged 12 – 18 years old to be part of their young people’s advisory group called FLARE. FLARE stands for Friendship, Learning, Achieve, Reach and Empower.
Being part of FLARE means participating in 6 meetings a year and feeding back to professionals about how to make positive changes to improve things for all disabled young people. These meetings are held in-person. Young people will be supported with their travel arrangements.
Find out more about FLARE. The deadline for applications is Monday 26th September.
Mental Health Service Directory for children and young people (all ages)
The
Mental Health Service Directory on the Just Talk website provides details of all the different services in Hertfordshire that support children and young people with their mental health. You can find out what each of the services offer, who they support, and how to refer.
Events
View all courses and activities
Potential Kids - Bushcraft club
Wednesday 3 July, Potential Kids Learning Garden, Hatfield
Small group themed sessions for children with SEN and siblings
NHS Talking Therapies: parent carers wellbeing webinar - Managing difficult emotions and building resilience
Wednesday 3 July, 7pm, online
This webinar looks at the complex and sometimes painful emotions which can accompany the caring role. The webinar provides several tools for building emotional resilience and includes a relaxing experiential exercise.
Angels - Surviving the summer holidays - free online workshop
Tuesday 9 July 10am
Losing the predictability and structure that school brings, coupled with everywhere you visit being extremely busy. The summer holidays can be really difficult for families of neurodivergent children. Join Angels for a discussion about ways to cope during the summer break.