SEND Update 25.03.2020
How to support your children at home
Dear Parents and Carers,
We appreciate that this is an anxious and worrying time for all and we do not wish to add any pressure onto families. Teachers are working hard to provide work online, however if your child has additional needs then they may find this work difficult to complete. If your child is on the Special Educational Needs Register (SEN register) and has an individual support plan, please use this at home. It may have ideas and different ways to help your child access their work whilst at home, as well as the areas that your child requires specific support.
There are many websites which you may find useful if you require extra help, which I will add links to soon.
If you need any extra information or have any specific concerns you wish to discuss please contact me via the school office.
Most importantly, please try to enjoy this unplanned time at home.
Mrs Caldicott
Useful SEND websites
https://speechandlanguage.info/parents
This is a page run by Speechlink to provide resources for parents to support their child with speech and language difficulties.
https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/
British Dyslexia Association - a useful website with information about dyslexia, assessment and identification, exam concessions etc.
https://www.buckscc.gov.uk/services/education/bucks-sendias-service/
SEND Information, Advice and Support Services - IAS Services have a duty to provide information, advice and support to disabled children and young people, and those with SEN, and their parents. They are statutory services and are free, impartial and confidential.
Your child may already be using Nessy at school to support their spelling or reading. If so then they will already have a log in which they can use from home to access the games and activities.
www.autism.org.uk/directory.aspx
The National Autistic Society - useful advice to parents of autistic children, including an online directory which will pull together information according to your child’s age diagnosis and where they live.
SEND update 01.04.2020
This guidance was published on 30.3.2020
Guidance for parents and carers on supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
Updated 30 March 2020
Taken from:
During this time, it’s important that you take care of your family’s mental health – there are lots of things you can do, and support is available if you need it.
As well as thinking about the children or young people in your care, it is important to take care of your own mental health and wellbeing. Children and young people react, in part, to what they see from the adults around them. When parents and caregivers deal with a situation calmly and confidently, they can provide the best support for their children and young people. Parents and caregivers can be more supportive to others around them, especially children, if they are better prepared.
Children and young people with an existing mental health problem may find the current uncertainty around the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak particularly difficult. Their increased stress may lead to a change in their behaviours and their mental health needs.
Children and young people with learning disabilities can feel a loss of control in times of uncertainty such as the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. They may need extra words of reassurance, more explanations or adapted explanations about the event, and more comfort and other positive physical contact from loved ones.
A good way to help them is by supporting their decisions, representing choices visually through written words, pictures, symbol systems or objects if helpful, supporting them to express their emotions and letting them know they are not alone. While listening, take their feelings seriously and don’t judge their emotions. They may feel anxious about big changes, such as going to new places or the possibilities of having to stay at home for a long period.
Where possible, it can be helpful to explain any upcoming changes to routine and circumstances before they happen and help them to plan and come up with solutions, such as finding a hobby or doing exercises to relax and cope with anxiety.
For useful tips for talking about feelings, see Skills for Care advice. For further guidance on coronavirus (COVID19) for those with learning disabilities please see the Mencap website (includes easy read materials)
Irrespective of cognitive ability and language, autistic children and young people may struggle to identify any physical symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19), as well as having difficulty talking about the emotions the situation will create. Keep an eye out for changes in behaviour which may help you to identify their emotional state, as well as physical symptoms.
There is going to be disruption for all of us during the outbreak, for example, they may not be able to follow their normal routines, or visit older family members, so help them to manage these changes using the typical strategies you know work for your family.
It is important to be clear when communicating about the situation, how to stay safe and the symptoms of the virus. Try to avoid giving definitive statements about the future - this is a rapidly developing situation and your child or young person may be more distressed if things change when they were told they would not. Keep up to date with reliable information about coronavirus (COVID-19).
If your child or young person becomes ill, they may struggle to manage the physical experience. You know what works with your family, so help to manage this situation knowing what helps your child or young person.
You should continue to access support of local autism groups online or via the telephone. The National Autistic Society guidance on managing anxiety might also be helpful - you can call the Autism Helpline on 0808 800 4104 for further advice.