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My Time to Thrive is a counselling service which parents, school or other professionals can refer to for support

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Lancashire and South Cumbria Thrive Service | Barnardo’s

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The service offers therapeutic one-to-one, group work and counselling support to children and young people aged 5 to 18 (extending to 25 years based on need)

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The Local Offer Facebook page often shares information and events which are appropriate for children with additional needs and their parents/ carers.

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Discounts for fostered and disabled children - MaxCardMaxCard

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Discounts for fostered and disabled children - MaxCardMaxCard - The Max Card is the UK's leading discount card for foster families and families of children with additional needs. Families can use their Max Card at venues across the UK to get free or discounted admission.

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The Max Card is the UK's leading discount card for cared for and looked after children. Families can use their Max Card at venues across the UK to get free or discounted admission.

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This is a service which is appropriate for adults or children

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Charity of the Year Award 2023!

We are beyond proud to announce that we won the Coastal Radio DAB Charity of the Year Award on 23rd June! It was a blur of nerves and excitement, and we'll share more of our night when we've all come down from cloud 9! A MASSIVE thank you to each and every person that nominated [...]

Read article

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Charity of the Year Award 2023! We are beyond proud to announce that we won the Coastal Radio DAB Charity of the Year Award on 23rd June! It was a blur of nerves and excitement, and we'll share more of our night when we've all come down from cloud 9!

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https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/children-education-families/special-educational-needs-and-disabilities/things-to-do/lancashire-break-time/

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This is an excellent tool which can be used to help understand and meet a child's sensory needs more effectively.

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Our eyes take in information from the world which then goes to the brain. This is not the same as how well we see. If you have concerns about your child's ability to see things properly please take them to an optician for an eye test. Some people might become overwhelmed by visual information. They might find lights too bright or a room too distracting to work. They might have to close or cover their eyes. Other people might not notice things in the environment. They might seek out visual input like shiny, spinning toys or stare at things intensely.

If you think your child or young person processes visual information differently you can:

Our auditory system is our sense of hearing. We take information in from our ears. Some children might become overwhelmed or upset by lots of noise. This is common and part of normal development, but some people can remain sensitive to noise. This can stop them taking part in activities. Some people might seek out noise. They might listen to music or watch the TV with the volume turned up. Listening to the world around us helps us make sense of where we are.

If you think your child or young person processes sound differently you can:

Our touch system picks up information about our environment from sensors in our skin. These give us information about differences in things we touch. Some people can be very sensitive to touch. They might dislike certain textures or labels and seams inside clothing. Other people might not notice touch. They don't notice when their shoes are two sizes too small or may feel pain differently.

If you think your child or young person feels touch differently you can:

Our senses of smell and taste are closely linked, as they follow the same pathway through the brain. Some people might become upset by smells that no one else can smell. Other people might seek out smells and smell objects or people. Processing smell differently can make us refuse to eat different food. We all have definite sensory preferences about tastes we like or dislike. Some people might only eat bland food and find it difficult to eat different foods so have a limited diet. Other people might choose to eat intense flavours like spicy or sour foods. They might lick objects which are not food.

If you feel your child or young person processes taste or smell differently you can:

Proprioception is the awareness of body position and movement or knowing where your body is in space. Proprioceptive receptors are in the muscles and joints. They send messages to the brain to tell it where your body parts are in space. They tell you how much force or pressure your muscles are using. This helps us to know which position our body is in. Some people might bump or crash into things or hold their pencil too tightly. They might be too rough when playing with friends or chew on objects like clothing or ends of pencils.

If you feel your child or young person processes proprioceptive information differently you can:

The vestibular system gives us information about balance and movement. When your head and body move, fluid in your inner ear moves too. This gives your brain information about how you are moving. Some people process vestibular information differently. They might spin or move more than other people. Other people might avoid lots of movement. They might not like it when their feet leave the ground.

If you think your child or young person processes balance and movement information differently you can:

Sense of how the body is feeling

Interoception is the sensory system which gives us information about the internal sensations in the body and how they link with emotions. It helps us work out how the body is feeling.

The receptors for this system are throughout the body in organs like the heart, lungs, stomach, bladder and skin. They pick up information and send it to the brain where it is translated into feelings relating to body comfort like hunger, needing the toilet, sleep, being too hot/too cold. It also helps us feel our emotions.

If you process this information differently you might:

Not know when you are full or when you are hungry/thirsty

Not know when you need to go to the toilet

Not know when you are too hot

Not recognise when we are anxious

Not know when we are embarrassed

Not know when we are frustrated

If you have difficulty understanding these signals it could be because of how you process interoceptive input. There are however lots of different reasons why you might have difficulty understanding these signals. If you have any concerns about other possible causes please speak to your GP or Health Visitor.

What you can do:

There are still lots of discussion about what helps improve interoception. There is no good evidence that any particular strategy is effective. There is some evidence that mindfulness can help. It is important to rule out any possible underlying medical causes for the issues first if you are concerned.

Things which may help:

Mindfulness techniques likebody scanning

Commenting on different feelings e.g. noticing the difference between hot and cold hands or slow/fast heart rate at different times of the day

Don't assume because they have noticed a body signal they know what it means or what to do about it. Always check. Ask them how it feels and what they think it means and what they can do about it. It is important to help your child or young person to notice the body signal first. Where do they feel it and what does it feel like? Then talk about what it might mean. You can then help them to work out what they can do about the signal. Once they have acted upon it encourage them to notice the difference in how they feel. This will help them to recognise this signal when it happens in the future, make the connection to a feeling and remember what they did to feel more comfortable. Remember this will take lots of practice and support from an adult.

For example:

Noticethe body signal e.g. 'pain' or pressure in tummy

Connectthe signal with a feeling - might need to go to the toilet

Regulatetake action-e.g. go to the toilet

Outcome- feels more comfortable

Help them make the connection so that the next time they have that feeling they are more confident in knowing what it means.

Draw an outline of a body and identify words that might go with that body part. Help your child work out what words they associate with sensations- remember they might not be the same ones you would use!

How my body feels when it is hungry
Notice: my brain feels fuzzy, my muscles feel shaky and my tummy is rumbling.

Connect: I usually notice these feelings together when I'm hungry.

Regulate: I'll eat something.
How my body feels when it is angry
Outcome: I notice the fuzzy head, shaky muscles and rumbling tummy have gone. I was right! I must have been hungry.

Notice: my brain feels swirly, my muscles feel tense, my heart is beating fast and my breathing is fast. My skin is hot and sweaty.

Connect: I usually notice these feelings together when I'm angry.

Regulate: I know this feeling will pass. I won't feel like this forever. I will try deep breathing and finding a quiet space. This usually helps me.

Outcome: I notice the feelings are gone.

Social stories can be used to support interoception differences.

Use visuals and add toilet breaks to your visual timetable at regular times if your child has difficulty knowing when they need to go to the toilet.

Use visuals to remind your child to drink if they often do not read their body's signal that it is thirsty.

For older children and young people setting a phone or watch alarm to vibrate as a reminder e.g. to go to the toilet, take a drink, eat could also be useful.

Listening to my Body by Gabi Garcia
For younger children:

Sometimes children and young people can find it difficult to take part in eating. This can be for lots of reasons. There are some things you can try at home which might help.

Have a look at our resources to find out how you can help your child to take part in eating at home.

If you think your child or young person has difficulty with eating because they process sensory information differently then you can

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Everybody's sensory systems develop at different rates, and some people are more sensitive to certain sensory information than others.

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If you have concerns about your child’s mental health and wellbeing CASHER will be able to offer advice. If you have immediate concerns about your child’s safety, or if they have harmed themselves you should take them to A&E

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Home-Start is a local community network of trained volunteers and expert support helping families with young children through their challenging times. We are there for parents when they need us the most because childhood can’t wait.

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Lancashire SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (SEND IAS) is a statutory service which is run at 'arm's length' from the Local Authority and provides free, confidential, impartial advice, guidance and support to parents of children with special educational needs and children and young people with SEND.

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Play Inclusion Project run an evening group in the Wyre area for children and young people with additional needs and disabilities, aged 6-18 years of age. This will be run from varies venues in the Fleetwood and Wyre area. Activities include: bowling, cinema trips, meals out, as well as many more. It's s a great opportunity for children and young people to socialise and engage with their peers, whilst having fun and taking part in a variety of activities.

Venue: Cleveleys Community Church. Times: Mondays 5pm - 7pm & Tuesdays 5:50pm-7:30pm (term time only). Cost: £5 per session.
For further details on the above activities please contact Hayley Clarke on 01253 899883 or Email - Hayley@playinclusionproject.org.uk

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Play Inclusion Project run an evening group in the Wyre area for children and young people with additional needs and disabilities, aged 6-18 years of age. This will be run from varies venues in the Fleetwood and Wyre area. Activities include: bowling, cinema trips, meals out, as well as many more.

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At Chaucer we value looking after our mental health and well-being as much as our physical health. We have members of staff who have completed Mental Health First Aid training too! If you feel your child need some support with their mental health or wellbeing please speak to a member of staff as soon as possible.

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YoungMinds | Mental Health Charity For Children And Young People

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YoungMinds are a mental health charity for children, young people and their parents, making sure all young people can get the mental health support they need.

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Welcome to Chaucer’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) page which is regularly updated by our Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) Miss Lea.

This is where you will find information about the support that our school offers for children with SEND as well as support that our colleagues in the Local Authority, NHS and other agencies can offer.

If you have any concerns about your child’s special educational needs, or if your child is new to our school and they have special educational needs please do not hesitate to get in touch.

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Section 20 Children and Families Act 2014 defines a child as having Special Educational Needs (SEN) if he or she “has a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special education provision to be made for him or her”.

Section 6 of the SEN Code of Practice 2015:
“A pupil has SEN where their learning difficulty or disability calls for special educational provision, namely provision different from or additional to that normally available to pupils of the same age”.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25

If your child has Special Educational Needs they will be added to our SEN register. You will be informed about this, and the special educational provision that is being made for your child.

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If you would like to speak to a school nurse for children who are school age, or a health visitor if your child is in nursery, you can contact them via the single point of access.

We also host a half termly school nurse drop in at Chaucer. This will be advertised as dates become available.

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Lancashire Healthy Young People and Families Service

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Single Point of Access (SPA) - Lancashire Healthy Young People and Families Service

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Young People and Families Health Care Service

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All parents and carers know something about health services. Nearly everyone has a family doctor (GP) and has visited a local hospital at some time. The health service (NHS) provides services that everyone in the population can access. These are called universal services. It also provides other services that you are more likely to come across because your child needs extra help and support. These services are called specialist services. Due to the varying and often complex needs of children, it is possible that a range of health professionals will be involved in helping and supporting you, your child, and your family.

Below is an introduction to some of the job roles and specialist services you may come across. Some of these services are provided in hospitals or clinics and you may have to attend appointments at a distance to access them.

General practitioner (GP)
Health visitors
School nurses
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
Clinical psychologists
Paediatrician
Paediatric neurologist

General practitioner (GP)

A GP is a family doctor who works in a surgery, either on their own or with other GPs. Your doctor deals with your child's general health and can refer you to clinics, hospitals and specialists when needed. They may also support applications for benefits or other types of help. Any concerns about your child's health, wellbeing and development can be raised with your local GP. They can request the involvement of other health services, social care and community related support to promote the wellbeing of your child and family.

You can find GP services on the NHS website.

Health visitors

Health visitors provide a service for all families with children under the age of five years old. They assess your child's development and can work with a range of professionals to provide ongoing support and request the involvement of other services if necessary. Family health issues, for example postnatal depression, weaning or parenting concerns, can also be addressed by the health visitor and support offered where necessary. All families with children under five years will have a nominated health visitor who can be contacted via your GP.

Health visiting services in Lancashire are provided by Lancashire Healthy Young People and Families Service (external link).

School Nurses

School nurses provide a service to school age children, their parents/carers and teachers to help promote the health and wellbeing of children. They offer advice and support on health related issues and topics such as obesity, substance misuse, sexual health, emotional health and wellbeing. They can be contacted through your child's school or relevant health centres.

School nursing services in Lancashire are provided by Lancashire Healthy Young People and Families Service (external link).

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

CAMHS are specialist NHS services. They offer assessment and treatment when children and young people have complex and persistent emotional, behavioural or mental health difficulties

Clinical psychologists

A Clinical Psychologist is a health professional who helps children and young people with specific problems with learning or behaviour difficulties.

Paediatrician

A Paediatrician is a doctor who specialises in working with babies and children. They are often the first point of contact for families who find out that their child has an impairment or medical condition. Paediatricians may give you a diagnosis about your child's condition, answer any questions you may have and refer you to more specialist services.

Paediatric neurologist

A Paediatric Neurologist is a doctor who specialises in how the brain works in very young children.

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Key roles within children's health services

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All parents and carers know something about health services. Nearly everyone has a family doctor (GP) and has visited a local hospital at some time. The health service (NHS) provides services that everyone in the population can access. These are called universal services.

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Lancashire Local Offer, Preston, Lancashire. 4,229 likes · 106 talking about this · 1 was here. Lancashire's official Local Offer page from the County Council. For local families with a child aged up...

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Lancashire Local Offer

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Support groups, local parent carer forums, information, advice and support.

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Support for Parents from Action For Children

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Parent Talk - down-to-earth parenting advice you can trust

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We're on hand to support parents, when they need us. Find answers to your questions in our advice articles, or speak to one of our parenting coaches.

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We help children, young people, parents, and families to rebuild their lives when a child grieves or when a child dies.

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Winston's Wish is the UK's childhood bereavement charity. We support children and their families after the death of someone important.

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If you live in Lancashire you can get information, advice and support around Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) from the Information, Advice and Support (IAS) team. The service is free, impartial and confidential.

More information can be found via the Facebook page, or website.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Local-Service/Lancashire-SEND-Information-Advice-and-Support-Team-101447257945808/

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If you live in Lancashire you can get information, advice and support around special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) from the Information, Advice and Support (IAS) Team.

There is also a range of other organisations who provide free information, advice and support such as helplines, email, face-to-face support, legal advice and tribunal representation.

The Information, Advice and Support (IAS) Team

The service is free, impartial, and confidential. It can help you to gather, understand and interpret information and apply it to your own situation.

We can provide information around the following areas in relation to SEND:

rights, roles and responsibilities

health and social care processes, regulations and guidance

support from other agencies and organisations

We can also support to families in:

managing mediation appeals, to the First-tier Tribunal

exclusion from school

liaising between you, your nursery, school or college and other professionals

Young people aged 16-25 can access the service independently from their parents.

We may offer one to one support by telephone, email or meetings depending on your circumstances.

Courses for parents

The Information, Advice and Support Team are offering free Zoom sessions for parents and carers on a variety of school-related subjects.

You can also book onto the following webinars:

Post 16 - What Happens Next?

Exclusions and Children Out of Education.

Contact

For general information about SEND or to find out if the service can help you contact:

Tel: 0300 123 6706
Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
Email: information.lineteam@lancashire.gov.uk

IAS Team confidentiality and impartiality

Other sources of information, advice and support

Advocacy focus - provide advocacy services in Lancashire and can help you be your own advocate.

The Advisory Centre for Education (ACE) - independent advice around education for parents/carers of children aged 5-16 in state schools in England.

Carers UK - a charity set up to help people who care for family and friends in the UK.

Children's Education Advisory Service (CEAS) provides impartial advice about the education of service children.

The Children's Society in Lancashire - advocacy for young people who are approaching 18 years and undergoing an assessment to access support from adult services. You can ask your social worker or carer or contact the service on:

Freephone 0800 0856 324

Tel 01772 759 233

Civil Legal Advice (CLA) - you might be able to get free and confidential advice from CLA as part of legal aid. This includes advice on education law matters, SEN, discrimination and judicial review (for example for children not receiving education or unlawful exclusions).

Contact - supports families with disabled children with advice and information to get the right support. Brings families together to support each other, and helps families to campaign, volunteer, and fundraise. In addition, offers face-to-face support, workshops and training in some regions.

Down's Syndrome Association - information, support and advice related to Down's syndrome. Includes education, health, social care, benefits and housing.

Guide Dogs - early diagnosis family support - information, advice and guidance from the early stages following diagnosis. Further help can include health and welfare advice, practical and emotional support and signposting to other organisations and services.

IPSEA - Independent Parental Special Education Advice, a charity that offers legal advice, support and training to ensure children and young people with SEND access the right education. They also offer tribunal representation.

National Autistic Society - a charity for people with autism (including Asperger syndrome) and their families. They provide information, support and pioneering services, and campaign for a better world for people with autism. Includes education, health, social care, benefits, housing and transition support (school to adult life).

National Deaf Children's Society - information and support for deaf children and young people and families. They can provide advice and support on a range of issues including benefits, education, technology, health, social care, discrimination and communication. They provide face-to-face support and tribunal representation.

National Organisation for FASD - for adults with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), parents and carers, and professionals supporting those with FASD.

Me and my FASD - a website for children and young people with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) packed full of ideas to help sufferers understand and own their diagnosis.

Sense - for deafblind individuals or their family members and supporters. Information and advice on a range of issues, such as health, social care, benefits and education. They also offer support around communication, your legal rights and entitlements, Sense services and technology.

SOS SEN - A national charity aiming to empower parents and carers of children and young people with SEN and disabilities to access the help they are entitled to, particularly in the education system. They offer face-to-face support, tribunal representation and parent workshops.

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If you live in Lancashire you can get information, advice and support around special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) from the Information, Advice and Support (IAS) Team. There is also a range of other organisations who provide free information, advice and support such as helplines, email, face-to-face support, legal advice and tribunal representation.

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Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

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Speech and Language Therapy service changes - Sophie Danvers

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Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

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Paediatric Speech& Language Top Tips - Flora Watson

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Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

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Paediatric Speech & Language Advice - Amy Ogley

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Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

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Contact - for families with disabled children | Contact

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Contact: Advice and Support For Families

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Contact: Advice and Support For Families

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Contact - for families with disabled children | Contact

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We are Contact, the charity for families with disabled children. We support families, bring families together and help families take action for others.

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Disabled children and their families may need additional support from social care services.

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Lancashire Short Break Services Statement

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Short break services are available for children and young people with additional needs and/or disabilities who live in Lancashire.

Short breaks provide parents and carers support to enable them to continue their caring role, undertake training, education or enjoy leisure activities, spend time with other children in the family or carry out day to day tasks.  They give children and young people, the chance to take part in activities, explore new opportunities, form friendships, become more independent and enjoy themselves.

A short break could be for just a couple of hours, a whole day, or a few days. Short Breaks activities take place outside of school hours during daytime, evenings, weekends and school holidays.

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The law says that every Local Authority has a duty to provide services that provide short breaks to carers of disabled children and produce a Short Break Service Statement so that families know what services are available and the eligibility criteria for these services (Paragraph 6(1)(c) of Schedule 2 of the Children Act 1989, as amended by the Children and Young Persons Act 2008, regulations relating to this came into force on 1st April 2011).

This statement is intended to provide information about the services that are available to meet the needs of families with disabled children in Lancashire. As required this statement will be regularly monitored and reviewed.

This statement covers:

What is a short break in Lancashire?

Short break services are available for children and young people with additional needs and/or disabilities who live in Lancashire.

Short breaks provide parents and carers support to enable them to continue their caring role, undertake training, education or enjoy leisure activities, spend time with other children in the family or carry out day to day tasks. They give children and young people, the chance to take part in activities, explore new opportunities, form friendships, become more independent and enjoy themselves.

A short break could be for just a couple of hours, a whole day, or a few days. Short Breaks activities take place outside of school hours during daytime, evenings, weekends and school holidays.

How can short breaks help me and my family?

Short breaks help children and young people to:

For parents and carers, they can:

Booking a short break

Most short break services, groups and activities can be accessed by contacting each provider directly. The majority of these providers have their own websites where information about booking can be found. The SEND Directory and the SEND Local Offer website both contain details of all the relevant providers and organisations, along with their website and contact details.

Services and eligibility

Lancashire County Council funds a range of short breaks, all of which aim to improve the day to day lives of children and families. Most of the services fall into the following categories:

Universal services: free or low-cost services that can be used by most disabled children so that their parents can access short breaks.

Targeted: services for disabled children with higher needs so that their parents can access short breaks.

Specialist: support for the family of a disabled child in addition to the basic offer of short breaks following an assessment by a social worker because there are unmet needs.

Universal services

These are services that are provided which are routinely available to children and young people and their families. The majority of parents and carers are able to get a short break by using free or low-cost local services that are open to all including: mainstream activities, play schemes, classes and groups where no, or limited, additional support is required. For example:

Early years settings providing education and childcare.

Childminders and other childcare provision in schools or charities

Local parks and adventure playgrounds, after-school clubs / play schemes,

Drama and music clubs,

Sports activities (e.g. football) and

Youth services (e.g. youth clubs).

Eligibility:

Universal services aim to be inclusive and open to disabled people wherever possible.

Some universal groups/clubs are free to use whilst others will make a charge.

Families can contact service providers directly and discuss:

Where a child or young person wishes to use universal services, the family should talk with the service provider to

Targeted

Some children and young people may have needs that cannot be suitably met within universal childcare, play, youth and leisure services, even if they have additional support.

Services may include play schemes, youth clubs, groups and activities which are aimed at young people with disabilities.

There are a range of services commissioned specifically for children and young people with disabilities who may require additional support, or who may need groups and services that are specifically designed to meet their needs. They can also provide a short break for the parents or carers.

Lancashire Break Time activities are commissioned by Lancashire County Council. The offer includes clubs and schemes that take place after school, at weekends and during school holidays.

Some targeted short breaks are free to use whilst others may have a small charge. There is a minimum £1 per hour contribution for Lancashire Break Time activities.

Eligibility:

The criteria to access Lancashire Break Time short breaks is to be the unpaid primary carer of a child or young person with special educational needs and/or disabilities, aged 4 to 18 years and living in Lancashire (excluding Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool).

The child or young person will find it difficult to access universal services due to sensory issues, learning difficulties, physical mobility problems, etc.

They will not be in receipt of an assessed social care outreach package; those with a higher level of need will receive services through their package of care.

You can see more details of the current range of Lancashire Break Time groups and schemes, including the current eligibility criteria, on the Lancashire County Council website.
From April 2022, Lancashire Break Time will be known as Break Time. The eligibility criteria to attend is shown below.
Registration for Break Time activities

The launch of Break Time will commence from 1 April 2022.

As part of this new service we have designed a registration process. For more information about registration, please see the Break Time webpage.

Specialist

Most families will get the support they need from the range of universal and targeted services on offer to them and from the range of short breaks on offer.

A small number of families will have needs that require specialist or specific support or short breaks This may occasionally include specialist overnight short breaks services such as hospice care, overnight short breaks or packages of care and support at home.

Eligibility:

Specialist services are accessed following a Child and Family social work assessment undertaken by either the Children with Disabilities or Children's Social Care Teams. The assessment will consider the impact of the child's disability on family life, the needs of parents and carers and the needs of the whole family. The social worker will ensure that children and young people are at the heart of the assessment process. They will work with families and any other professional involved with the child or young person to complete a holistic assessment. The social worker will make recommendations on how the child or young person and their family's needs can best be supported. Depending on the outcome of the assessment, needs can be met through a range of services.
Parents, carers and professionals can request a Child and Family assessment by contacting: 0300 123 6720. Services may include:

Direct payments that families can use to employ a personal assistant to deliver a short break

Support through a commissioned service

Overnight short breaks.

Direct payments: Are designed to enable choice and importantly allow children and young people the opportunity to try new activities. If your child is eligible for direct payments, you may wish to use these to employ a personal assistant. You will receive a prepayment card to access the funds. The bank account can be accessed online to enable you to review spend, create direct debit payments and make one-off payments.

More information about direct payments can be found at Direct payments - Lancashire County Council

Commissioned services: One option that families also have is to commission short breaks from one of Lancashire County Council's commissioned providers. For example:

Daytime (personal care) individual care as needed and following an assessment in the family home of a child or young person or elsewhere

Day time (community short breaks) individual support, as needed and following an assessment, to participate in leisure activities for children and young people outside their homes.

Overnight short breaks: These may be provided to children, young people and families as part of a plan of support following a Child and Family assessment.
Each commissioned Short Break provider will have clearly defined standards, review processes and a complaints procedure. You can ask them for more information about these, or if you have any concerns, please contact an Officer about Short Breaks on cyp-shortbreaks@lancashire.gov.uk
Short Breaks for adults aged 18 +

Entitlement for short breaks changes when young people become adults at 18 years of age. Young people are entitled to an assessment under the Care Act 2014, by Adult Social Care Services. Some short break services can be accessed by funding given as a result of the Care Act assessment. Information about local clubs and activities for disabled young people over the age of 18 can also be found on the Local Offer website.

More information about preparing for adulthood, including the transition into adult social care is available on the Local Offer website. Visit: Preparing for adulthood - special educational needs and disabilities - Lancashire County Council

Have your say

Parents and carers

The Lancashire Parent Carer Forum is an independent group of parent and carers of children and young people who have special educational needs and/or disabilities aged (0-25 years). They are volunteers who provide a voice to represent Lancashire's parent, carers and their families. If you would like to influence and contribute to the development of short breaks and other services for children with SEND in Lancashire, you can contact them directly. For more information visit the Lancashire Parent Carer Forum Facebook page and Lancashire Parent Carer Forum website .

Children and young people

POWAR is a participation group for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. POWAR stands for: Participate, Opportunity, Win, Achieve and Respect.

It is run by Lancashire County Council's Targeted Youth Support - Participation Service. POWAR influence decision making and make a difference to young people's lives. They hold regular meetings which are informal and fun. These meetings are open to young people from secondary school age up to 25. For more information visit: POWAR participation group - Lancashire County Council

Shaping short breaks in Lancashire

By listening to the views, wishes, feelings and aspirations of children and young people and their parent carers, we strive to ensure short breaks are available to enable and empower children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities to lead fulfilling lives, have access to enriching activities and have opportunities away from their parents and/or carers. This will be achieved by continuing to develop our short breaks services and ensuring responsive and timely services, which are accessible.

Our Short Break offer has been developed in response to feedback from children, young people, families and professionals. Over the past two years we have actively consulted and sought feedback. We listened to children and young people, their parent and carers and Service Providers to learn more about their experiences and what they want from short breaks services.

We worked closely with children, young people and their families including the Lancashire Parent Carer Forum to support parents and carers in shaping short break services in Lancashire.

If you have any feedback about how we can improve short breaks please email: cyp-shortbreaks@lancashire.gov.uk
Coproducing the short breaks offer:
Ongoing development
Some of our priorities for continuing to develop short breaks:
The following changes have been agreed through co-production and in response to feedback from parent and carers, Service Providers and Children and young People:

Measuring the outcomes and impact of short breaks services

We will ensure that our short break services focus on improving life opportunities and outcomes for children and young people with SEND and their families.

We know that the views of families, children and young people are essential to support positive outcomes. Not all children, young people and their families will need the same level of support; some will need more than others because of the nature of their child's disability and their individual circumstances.

We will continue to monitor and review the views of children, young people with SEND, their parents and Service Providers so that everybody feels involved and included. This will assist the Council with developing a cycle of continual improvement.

Regular meetings will be in place with all service providers of commissioned short breaks to continuously review individual packages of support and monitor the service as a whole.

Complaints procedure

If you are unhappy about any decisions about your child or young person's short breaks please contact an Officer via cyp-shortbreaks@lancashire.gov.uk

Alternatively you can make a complaint by via the Lancashire County Council complaints procedure
This statement will be reviewed and updated in January 2022.
If you have any comments or questions about the information contained in this statement, please contact Lancashire County Council via cyp-shortbreaks@lancashire.gov.uk

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Lancashire Short Break Services Statement

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The law says that every Local Authority has a duty to provide services that provide short breaks to carers of disabled children and produce a Short Break Service Statement so that families know what services are available and the eligibility criteria for these services (Paragraph 6(1)(c) of Schedule 2 of the Children Act 1989, as amended by the Children and Young Persons Act 2008, regulations relating to this came into force on 1st April 2011).

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Kooth is your online mental wellbeing community. Access free, safe and anonymous

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Counselling and support - Trinity Hospice

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About us

The Linden Centre provides counselling and support to adults, children and young people living in Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre who have, or are caring for, someone with a non-curative or life-limiting illness, which is not responding to medical treatment. Also those who are bereaved due to a non-curative or life-limiting illness. Some of our services are unique - Schools Link, for example, which trains local teachers to support pupils who are struggling to cope after a major loss.

We offer a compassionate and comfortable environment that gives adults and children the help they need - or points them towards another service, if what will help them best is outside our scope. We are an Organisational Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and work in accordance with its ethical framework.

How can we help?

We know some people are reluctant to ask for support, and others wonder how counselling or simply talking through a problem can possibly help them. But the anxiety of looking after someone who is very ill, or the grief at their death, can be hard to bear. A listening ear can make such a difference.

A counsellor can help people explore their feelings in a way that friends and relatives perhaps cannot; especially at a time of loss.

The Linden Centre can take self-referrals from direct family members of patients who have been supported by Trinity's family of services. Just call or email to request an appointment and we will arrange an initial assessment. This will explore your current situation, talk about how you are feeling, and explain what kind of support is available.

Our referral criteria

Anyone currently receiving care or support from Trinity's family of services

Anyone living with or caring for someone who is being supported by Trinity's family of services

A direct family member who is bereaved after the loss of someone who has been cared for by Trinity's family of services

Bereavements of more than two years ago require a GP referral.

Our friendly staff will guide and advise you at each step, explaining what Trinity can provide and helping you choose the best available support. There's no charge for any of our counselling services.

Anyone who feels anxious, overwhelmed or who is struggling to cope whilst caring for a terminally ill person, or after bereavement, can use the Linden Centre and will always receive a warm welcome

We have skilled and experienced therapists and counsellors. We also have counsellors on placement who are working towards qualification.

As a local charity we rely on funding from the community, but do our best to keep our waiting list as short as possible. However, the demand on our service is very high, so you will probably have a wait before your assessment appointment, and before therapy can start.
Our counselling services are free of charge for those who need them, however it costs the hospice £5,400 per week (£1,080 per day) to provide them. If you would like to make a donation to help support the Linden Centre, click here.
Talking about death can be the elephant in the room

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Counselling and support - Trinity Hospice

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The Linden Centre provides counselling and support to adults, children and young people living in Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre who have, or are caring for, someone with a non-curative or life-limiting illness, which is not responding to medical treatment. Also those who are bereaved due to a non-curative or life-limiting illness.

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How we can help

RNIB is committed to helping blind and partially sighted people

If you're blind or partially sighted, you've come to the right place for products that help you live independently and enjoy everyday activities. Not sure where to start? Why not have a look at our best sellers, our new products, or our special offers.

We are leading the creation of an accessible world. A world where everyone can participate equally is a better world for everyone.

Our impact

RNIB is dedicated to making a difference

We provided employment advice and information to more than 2,400 people, and supported more than 800 people to stay in work.

Find employment advice

Our Eye Care Liaison Officers (ECLOs) provided vital emotional support to over 60,000 eye clinic patients, their friends, and their families.

Find out more about ECLOs

With the help of our supporters, we raised £61.5 million this year to support and empower blind and partially sighted people.

Get involved

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The homepage of the Royal National Institute for Blind People. Discover how the RNIB supports blind people and those with visual impairments.

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1. Overview

An education, health and care (EHC) plan is a plan for children and young people aged up to 25 who need more support than is available through special educational needs (SEN) support.

It is a legal document that describes their special educational, health and social care needs.

It explains the extra support that will be provided to help meet those needs and how this will help them to make progress and achieve their goals.

The first step is to ask Lancashire County Council, as the local authority, for an EHC needs assessment.

After a request is made, there are three things that may take place:

1. A decision to go ahead with an assessment or not

2. A decision to issue an EHC Plan or not

3. Work to develop and agree the plan.

The information in this guide is for parents, carers and young people, if you are a professional, please refer to the information for professionals.

The following short film from Independent Support, with support from the Department for Education, explains what an education, health and care plan is and who can have one.

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An education, health and care (EHC) plan is a plan for children and young people aged up to 25 who need more support than is available through special educational needs (SEN) support. It is a legal document that describes their special educational, health and social care needs.

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If your child is a young carer for a sibling, parent or other family member they can access support through Barnados

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Young people with caring responsibilities have all the challenges of being young, with all the responsibilities of being an adult, and they're often left to face these alone.

Young carers take on a lot of responsibilities, including washing and dressing the person they're caring for and looking after younger siblings - plus domestic chores such as cooking, cleaning and shopping. When young carer families start to struggle financially, it can also be these young people who are left to take on that burden.

That's a lot to deal with as a child.

With so many adult responsibilities, young carers often miss out on opportunities that other children have to play, learn and be young.

These young people may not even recognise that they are facing challenges that other young people don't have to worry about. Many struggle educationally with being able to focus on school whilst overwhelmed by other worries or can be bullied for being 'different'. They can become isolated, with no relief from the pressures at home.

We aim to help as many young carers as we can. We help them look after their loved ones and give them time to enjoy their childhoods.

At our services across the UK we:

organise outings and activities for young carers

give young carers advice and emotional support through counselling sessions

help the family get support from social services

talk to a young carer's school, so teachers understand their situation and can be supportive

run drop-in centres where young carers can take a break, have fun, be a child - and meet other young carers

If you're a young person who cares for others or you are worried about a young carer, you can explore what help you might be entitled to here, or you can explore our local services to see how we can help.

Search below for services for young carers and their families in your local area if you or someone you know needs support.

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Young people with caring responsibilities have all the challenges of being young, with all the responsibilities of being an adult, and they're often left to face these alone. Young carers take on a lot of responsibilities, including washing and dressing the person they're caring for and looking after younger siblings - plus domestic chores such as cooking, cleaning and shopping.

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Lancashire share a quarterly newsletter for parents full of events, groups and information relating to SEND across the county

https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/children-education-families/special-educational-needs-and-disabilities/getting-help/send-newsletter/

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We are the UK's largest grant-making charity for families raising a disabled or seriously ill child, on a low income.

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Family Fund deliver grants for families raising a disabled or seriously ill child or young people on a low income across the UK

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Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children may help with the extra costs of looking after a child who:

is under 16

has difficulties walking or needs much more looking after than a child of the same age who does not have a disability

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Disability Living Allowance ( DLA) for children may help with the extra costs of looking after a child who:

is under 16

has difficulties walking or needs much more looking after than a child of the same age who does not have a disability

They will need to meet all the eligibility requirements.

The is between £26.90 and £172.50 a week and depends on the level of help the child needs.

If your child lives in Scotland

You need to apply for Child Disability Payment instead of DLA for children.

If your child is getting DLA for children but they have moved to Scotland, you'll need to report this change so they can get Child Disability Payment instead.

If your child moves from Scotland to England or Wales

If your child gets Child Disability Payment, you must:

Your Child Disability Payment will stop 13 weeks after your child moves - apply for DLA as soon as possible after moving or your payments could be affected.

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Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children

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Help for children under 16 with disabilities - DLA rate, eligibility, how to apply, claim form.

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We actively work with Fleetwood's Primary Care Network and can support referrals for mental health support such as Social Prescribing and consultations with Primary Mental Health Workers.

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Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

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At Chaucer we recognise that parenting can be challenging and at times you may need to reach out for support with your mental health and well-being.

If you do need support please don’t hesitate to let us know and we will be happy to help your find the right support. You can also speak to your GP.

Every Mind Matters is an NHS service which can also provide a starting point if you need help with your mental health or well-being.

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Feeling stressed, anxious, low or struggling to sleep? Every Mind Matters can help with expert advice, practical tips and personalised actions to help stay on top of your mental wellbeing.

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We moved to our current premises on Church Street, Blackpool in 2013. This fantastic building offers a wide variety of facilities including a soft play area, interactive ball pool and sensory room. We also have a beautiful suite of parent and counselling rooms. We provide a timetable of activities for pre-schoolers funded by BBC Children in Need, a family support team funded by The National Lottery Community Fund as well as family trips, events and counselling services.

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Aiming Higher - Supporting Families With Disabled Children | Blackpool

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We moved to our current premises on Church Street, Blackpool in 2013. This fantastic building offers a wide variety of facilities including a soft play area, interactive ball pool and sensory room.

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Lancashire and South Cumbria Thrive Service | Barnardo’s

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The service offers therapeutic one-to-one, group work and counselling support to children and young people aged 5 to 18 (extending to 25 years based on need)

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Counselling Service

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Lancashire and South Cumbria Thrive Service | Barnardo’s

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The service offers therapeutic one-to-one, group work and counselling support to children and young people aged 5 to 18 (extending to 25 years based on need)

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ADHD North West is committed to providing a free, unique support service to empower and improve the wellbeing of individuals and families affected by an Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and associated conditions. We believe in making a difference by improving knowledge, and
mental health, increasing confidence, reducing isolation, and encouraging aspirations.

News

We work hard to get our efforts noticed and are so proud when this goal comes to fruition. Take a look at some of our latest coverage and help spread the word about all of the amazing developments at ADHD North West.

The next online ADHD Parenting course starts on 7.5.24 see below for eligibility.

Designed to meet the needs of parents of children who are diagnosed or in assessment for ADHD, t his online programme is extremely successful. It allows us to reach a larger group of parents who live within our commissioned areas (East / West Lancashire, Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre).

If you live within the commissioned areas, we would like to invite you to attend the course, meet members of our team and learn and understand how to manage your child's ADHD.

The course has a step-by-step approach which we build on each session.

If you are a parent and wish to attend, please complete the registration form by clicking on the image above and emailing it to reception@adhdnorthwest.org.uk

Achievements:

Barbara Worrall (founder of ADHD North West) was awarded an MBE.

In recognition of our work and support for families since 1995, our founder and chairman of 26 years Barbara Worrall was awarded an MBE which was presented to her at Windsor Castle by Princess Anne.

ADHD North West: Dedication and service with proven impact.

ADHD North West was awarded the East Lancashire CCG Excellence Award Certificate 2017/18 for making a positive difference with social support.

Donate:

With your support, we can help individuals to succeed by providing a caring and educative environment to help them to understand and flourish in the world that we live in.

Help us to raise funds for our charity at no cost to yourself by signing up to 'Give as you Live!' Press the button located to your right to do so! you can also donate via PayPal and JustGiving too.

Give as you Live!

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ADHD North West | Suite 10, The Chambers, Town Hall Square, Great Harwood BB6 7DD

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ADHD North West is committed to providing a free, unique support service to empower and improve the wellbeing of individuals and families affected by an Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and associated conditions.