In this issue:
SEND SAS Hearing Impairment Service – Change of Name
SEND Specialist Advice and Support’s Hearing Impairment Service will now be known as the SEND SAS Deaf and Hearing Support Service (DHSS).
Despite ‘hearing impaired’ still being the official category used by the DfE to describe children who are deaf or who have hearing loss, we listened carefully to our service users and stakeholders, including the wider deaf community, about the language associated with hearing loss. As a result, we wanted to use the term ‘deaf’ more positively to describe all levels of hearing loss.
We surveyed 230 families of deaf children. Of these, the majority (71%) agreed that we should use the term ‘deaf’ more positively. Many respondents commented that it was also important to recognise our role in supporting listening development and hearing technology.
So, from 1 September 2021, our name will be the Deaf and Hearing Support Service. Our vision is to empower deaf children and young people to learn, thrive, and achieve through the provision of high-quality specialist advice and support.
Learn more about the Deaf and Hearing Support Service on the Local Offer.
Back to school - support for anxious pupils
Going back to school after a long break is exciting for some but daunting for others. If your child would benefit from speaking to a professional about how they're feeling, about school or anything else that's on their mind, there are some readily available options for them:
- On Kooth, they can speak to a trained professional anonymously, or create a journal to log their feelings daily.
- 11 - 19 year olds in Hertfordshire can speak to a trained professional via text with Chat Health, about any issue that may be bothering them.
It’s normal for pupils to face anxiety about going back to school after the summer – but for children who experience anxiety as part of an additional need, the return to school can be particularly hard. We have advice and information about school anxiety on the Local Offer website which you might find helpful if you're worried about how your child or young person will manage:
If your child is too anxious to go to school (hertfordshire.gov.uk)SEND Drawing competition - win a £50 Amazon voucher
Calling all artists! We're running a SEND drawing competition to celebrate the launch of the new SEND Strategy. You can choose from one of the following 3 categories - something that makes you happy, what you would like to be when you grow up, someone you respect and admire. Paint, draw, stick, and create your picture using whatever medium you like! There are five £50 amazon vouchers up for grabs for the winners.
Find out more or enter the SEND Drawing Competition
SEND Strategy Launch Events
Throughout the months of September and October, we will be hosting several events throughout the county to mark the launch of our new Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Strategy for Hertfordshire. There will be a wide range of organisations and people to speak to from across education, health and social care. We would also like to share with you the ambitions of the new SEND Strategy 2022 – 2025 and hear from you on how we can further support SEND families across Hertfordshire.
- 7 September, Birchwood Community Centre, Hatfield 10am - 2pm
- 16 September, The Priory, Ware 10am - 2pm
- 22 September, Niland Conference Centre, Bushey 10am - 2pm
- 1 October, Stevenage Football Club 10am - 2pm
Find out which organisations will be at each event on our SEND Strategy Launch Events webpage.
Events
View all events
Outdoor Play - SPACE
September 5 2021 10am - 12pm
Come and enjoy exclusive, fun and interactive 2 hour guided free-play sessions for children/young people and their families. The Patch, John's Lane Farm Ashley Green £10 per family
Trampolining Sessions - Potential Kids
Thursday 9 September 5pm - 6pm
Trampolining session at Better Extreme Gosling, Welwyn Garden City, 5pm - 6pm. £5 per child plus 98p booking fee.
Understanding ADHD and Autism - Add-Vance
Add-Vance are running several courses and workshops throughout September for parent/carers of children aged 5-14 yrs (or 4 yrs and already in reception) with a diagnosis or suspected diagnosis of ADHD and/or Autism.