In this issue:
SEND Community event - Stevenage
We have our final SEND Community event tomorrow, at Stevenage football club. Drop in between 10am - 2pm to meet SEND services in your area, and to learn more about the SEND Strategy 2022 - 2025.
View the Stevenage SEND Community event information
If you can't make it in person, have a look at our SEND Strategy blog - there you can see all of the organisations who attended our events, plus an opportunity for you to feedback on the draft SEND Strategy.
The deadline for our drawing competition has ended now - and we will have news on this shortly.
Hertfordshire’s free SEN equipment lending library
“Borrowed an egg chair and spinner for our little people today... What a great opportunity to try out toys and sensory items for free.”
Lending SPACE is an equipment lending library for families with children and young people with additional needs.
Everything at Lending SPACE is completely free for families to borrow. You can take home everything from trikes, pushchairs and scooters to weighted blankets, lap pads and hoodies to wobble cushions, body socks and compressions sheets to beanbags, peanut balls and books! It’s an ideal way to try expensive equipment to see if it works for your child.
Borrowing resources is easy. Drop in for a browse, a hot drink and a chat:
Unit 7, Arlington Business Park, Whittle Way, Stevenage, SG1 2BE.
Mondays and Wednesday 9.30am - 12.30pm.
Lending SPACE is funded by Hertfordshire County Council.
Lending SPACE – SPACE Hertfordshire (spaceherts.org.uk)
Upcoming SENDIASS webinars
SENDIASS are hosting more free webinars this autumn term in partnership with HPCI, on topics including tribunals, parts of the EHCP process and choosing the right school for your child.
Take a look at what's on offer:
Webinars | Herts Parent Carer Involvement (hertsparentcarers.org.uk)
SENDSAS parent carer survey
The SEND Specialist Advice and Support Service (SEND SAS) would like to hear from parents/carers whose child has been supported by the service during the last academic year (Sept 2020 to July 2021). Your feedback will help the service find out what is working and if any improvements need to be made.
SENDSAS is made up of specialist teaching and advisory staff with in-depth knowledge of different special educational needs and disabilities. These include:
- Specific learning difficulties inc. dyslexia
- Speech, language, communication and autism
- Sensory impairment: hearing, vision or multisensory impairments
- Physical and neurological impairment
- SEND in the Early Years
If your child and their school has been supported by SEND SAS over the last academic year we would be very grateful if you would spend a few minutes completing this survey via the link below, we really appreciates your support.
Complete the SENDSAS survey
Events
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Waltham Cross - Fun Junction Halloween Party
Monday 18th October 4.15pm - 6.15pm
2 hours of soft play fun including Halloween games, arts and crafts, and lots of dancing! £15 per child
St Albans - Inclusive Hockey Sessions
Sunday mornings at 10am - St Albans Hockey Club
St Albans Flyerz is a disability hockey project which makes hockey available to ALL via inclusive sessions, supported by St Albans Hockey Club
Stevenage - Transitions UK
Every Tuesday evening from 4.30 – 7.30pm at Barnwell Middle School, Stevenage.
Mentoring sessions for young people from 15-25, with mild to moderate special needs and learning disabilities.
Hitchin - Up on Downs Family Support Group
9 October 2pm - 4pm £5
Informal monthly get together where new parents as well as those with older children can catch up while children have a range of crafts and games to enjoy. A great place for the whole family to spend a couple of hours among friends, get some advice and inspiration from our expert team, try out some interesting activities and encourage youngsters to develop friendships with others like themselves.
Online - The alternative parents evening
Monday 11 October, 7.15pm - 8.30pm, free
Sarah Ingram (Head of Strategic Development, Director of RPC Programmes) at Tavistock Relationships along with Amanda Hart (MBT therapist) will be outlining some of the challenges parents are facing. If you can answer to yes to any of the following, then please do join us.
- Have you been arguing more in the last few months?
- Is your partner/ex-partner getting on your nerves?
- Have you seen a change in your child’s behaviour?
- Are they upset by your arguing/silences?