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Intensive Interaction is an approach to help people at early levels of development, people who have autism, people who have severe, profound or complex learning difficulties. Intensive Interaction works on early interaction abilities – how to enjoy being with other people – to relate, interact, know, understand and practice communication routines.

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Intensive Interaction: an approach for helping people with learning disabilities or autism who are at early levels of development

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At Brougham Street Community Nursery School and Childcare we follow a 'Total Communication Approach' across all of our classrooms. This means that all of our children are being supported in their language development all of the time. This is especially important after lockdown as we have seen a significant increase nationally in the numbers of children who need support in their speech, language and communication development.

A total communication approach allows individuals with communication difficulties to communicate in the most accessible way to them

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Early Help is North Yorkshire’s collaborative approach to ensure that children, young people and their families receive the right support at the right time to stop problems escalating. The Craven Early Help Team can be contacted on 01609 534842

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Guidance on the special educational needs and disability (SEND) system for children and young people aged 0 to 25, from 1 September 2014.

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Guidance on the special educational needs and disability (SEND) system for children and young people aged 0 to 25, from 1 September 2014.

Applies to England

Documents

Details

This statutory code contains:

details of legal requirements that you must follow without exception

statutory guidance that you must follow by law unless there's a good reason not to

It explains the duties of local authorities, health bodies, schools and colleges to provide for those with special educational needs under part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014.

The code, which applies to England, is for:

headteachers and principals

governing bodies

school and college staff

special educational needs (SEN) co-ordinators

early years providers

other education settings

local authorities

health and social services staff

Other SEND guides are also available.

Thank you for your feedback

Report a problem with this page

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Guidance on the special educational needs and disability (SEND) system for children and young people aged 0 to 25, from 1 September 2014.

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0-5 Children’s Service (Health Visiting) – North Yorkshire

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0-5 Children’s Service (Health Visiting) – North Yorkshire

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The role of the Growing Health North Yorkshire Health Visiting Service in North Yorkshire is to protect and promote the health and wellbeing of children under five and their families.

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Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust

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All families with a child under five have access to a Health Visiting Team in North Yorkshire. These consist of health visitors and assistant practitioners/nursery nurses, who are responsible for delivering a series of routine appointments to all families. They also offer additional support to families when needed and can offer practical advice and support on a range of topics related to parenting.

Health visitors

Health visitors are registered nurses who have trained for an extra year to become specialist community public health nurses (SCPHN), working to support families with young children.

We often visit families at home, which helps to build relationships. We aim to help build parents' confidence in their ability to give their child the best start in life and listen carefully when parents have concerns. We identify and build on what is going well, and provide information to help parents find their own solutions to problems where possible.

Some common areas of discussion are:

Infant feeding

Growth and nutrition

Postnatal depression

Safe sleeping

Accident prevention

Immunisations

Parenting approaches

Child protection

Signposting to other community services

Managing fever

We work closely with children's centres and outreach staff to deliver a range of supportive activities for young families in the local area. These may be group activities or one-on-one sessions. In addition, we work with a range of other agencies, specifically health education, social care and voluntary organisations, to support the wellbeing of children and families.

Our services are delivered in a variety of locations including the family home, children's centres, health centres and GP practices. We also offer telephone support.

Health visitors lead the delivery of the Healthy Child Programme, which provides five points of contact for all families:

From 28 weeks in pregnancy, this visit provides an opportunity for building a relationship with you and your family before the baby arrives.

This visit usually takes place when the baby is between 10 and 14 days old. The aim is to support and develop skills and confidence in new parents by sharing information on family and child health issues.

We will continue to work with you to build a trusting relationship and continue the assessment of your family's health and wellbeing. We will share relevant information and assess your baby's progress, responding to any concerns you may have.

Six to eight week health visitor appointment

This appointment continues to develop the parent/health visitor relationship, allowing for an open and honest exchange of information. A good relationship enables parents' new skills and confidence to be acknowledged and appreciated by the health visitor. We will ask questions aimed at developing parental awareness of postnatal depression and anxiety.

Eight to 12 months, physical and developmental review

This review assessment will be offered by the Health Visiting Team and is often undertaken by a community nursery nurse. The review may be held at home or in a clinic.

Two to two and a half years, physical and developmental review

This review assessment is often undertaken by a community nursery nurse between the ages of two and two and a half. At this review, parents are invited to complete an assessment form with their child. This review may be held at home, in a clinic or in a nursery setting.

Child health clinics

Child health clinics are held in most areas in central points in the community (usually children's centres, health centres and GP surgeries). These clinics are open to all families. Your health visitor will provide details of days, times and venues.

Additional support

For most of us, bringing up children is the most important job we will ever do. It is very rewarding and often challenging.

Health visitors are here to help when families need additional support. This is not something that all parents will need.

We work individually with families, using a plan of care that we develop together to give all children the best possible start in life. As part of the plan, families and health visitors may work closely with other professionals, including midwives, GPs, hospital staff, children's centres services and social care.

Working hours

The Growing Healthy North Yorkshire Health Visiting Team can be contacted Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, excluding bank holidays.

Referral

If you are having a baby, your midwife will inform the Health Visiting Service that you are pregnant. A health visitor will then contact you to arrange an antenatal visit.

If you are new to the area, your GP will normally notify the Health Visiting Team. We will then get in touch to arrange a meeting.

If you have a child under five, please contact your Health Visiting Team directly. You can usually find the number in your child's red book.

If you are over 34 weeks pregnant or have a child under five and you do not know how to contact your health visitor, please get in touch with one of the managers named on this page or ask at your local GP surgery or children's centre for contact details.

Contact

Single Point of Contact telephone number for Growing Healthy North Yorkshire

A Single Point of Contact telephone number is in place for the Growing Healthy North Yorkshire team.

This telephone number is: 01609 780780

This number is available between the hours of 8am-5.30pm, Monday-Friday. Outside of these hours it will be answered by the Duty Social Care Team.

Key staff

Health Visiting Professional Lead: Jane Webster
Team Leader, 0-5 Children's Services:
East (Scarborough/Ryedale) Locality: Eric Barnes

Central (Hambleton) Locality: Jo Fambely

Central (Selby & Tadcaster) Locality: Stephanie Cairns

West (Harrogate) Locality: Mel Kavanagh

West (Craven, Skipton) Locality: Nicky Rolph

West (Ripon, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge) Locality: Elizabeth Maddick

Useful links

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0-5 Children's Service (Health Visiting) - North Yorkshire - Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust

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All families with a child under five have access to a Health Visiting Team in North Yorkshire. These consist of health visitors and assistant practitioners/nursery nurses, who are responsible for delivering a series of routine appointments to all families.

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Early years: guide to the 0 to 25 SEND code of practice

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Early years: guide to the 0 to 25 SEND code of practice

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Advice for early years providers that are funded by the local authority

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This is our very own SEND Padlet page. It is the place to come to access a wide range of SEND information and support.

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This is our very own SEND Padlet page. It is the place to come to access a wide range of SEND information and support.

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Our SENCO is Karen Dagget(kdaggett@broughamstreet.n-yorks.sch.uk) and she works at Brougham Street one day a week.

She supports room leaders and classroom practitioners to plan and deliver the necessary targeted support required to help children with additional needs make progress. She is also responsible for writing EHCARs and EHCPs.

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Information for families of children with SEND who live in North Yorkshire.

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Find out about support, education, transport, health, finance and social care for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

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Airedale Hospital Children's Team

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Children's Team

Our paediatric team is based in various community locations for example Keighley Health Centre, Bingley Health Centre, Ilkley Coronation Hospital, Settle Health Centre, Skipton General Hospital and the Child Development Centre at Airedale Hospital. The team works with children and young people from birth to school leavers wide a wide range of needs including:

Listening/attention difficulties

Delayed/disordered development of language skills

Delayed/disordered speech/sound development/language impairment

Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Learning difficulties

Dysfluency (children & young adults)

Hearing impairment

Cleft lip and palate (children & young adults)

Voice

Eating/drinking difficulties

Alternative & Augmentative Communication (AAC)

The Paediatric team may work individually with the child or in groups. They work closely with parents and families and offer parent programmes to help families support children with speech, language and communication needs.

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Children's Team | Airedale NHS Foundation Trust

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Our paediatric team is based in various community locations for example Keighley Health Centre, Bingley Health Centre, Ilkley Coronation Hospital, Settle Health Centre, Skipton General Hospital and the Child Development Centre at Airedale Hospital.

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Speaks up for children and young people so that policymakers and the people who have an impact on their lives take their views and interests into account when making decisions about them.

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Rachel de Souza promotes and protects the rights of children, especially the most vulnerable, and stands up for their views and interests.

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IPA Play in Crisis: Support for parents and carers

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IPA Play in Crisis: Support for parents and carers

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The Importance of play during a crisis.

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Quick Links to Useful Forms Universal Referral Form Early Help Assessment LADO Referral From Partnership Information Sharing Form

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Makaton is a language programme that gives everyone a helping hand to talk.

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Makaton is a language programme that gives everyone a helping hand to talk. Learn a new word every week and be inspired to get signing - then share your signs with us! #wetalkmakaton

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A summary of the key English SEND legislation and reports that have taken us from children with SEND being deemed "uneducable" to the present day.

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SENCO stands for "Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator". A SENCO is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the school's SEN policy. All mainstream schools must appoint a teacher to be their SENCO.

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How to do Intensive Interaction - the principles of the approach

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Intensive Interaction Outcomes: the Fundamentals of Communication

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Ecat is a universal level programme designed to improve the skills of the early years workforce in supporting speech, language and communication development; raising children's achievement in early language as measured against the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile.

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Early Years Based Information Carrying Word Pack
A rich resource of beautiful pictures and interesting activities to promote vocabulary, speaking and listening for a wide range of children, through the principle of Information Carrying Words.

For those unfamiliar with Information Carrying Words, the concept provides a structured framework which helps children increase the amount of information they can remember.

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A complete programme of structured group sessions and related activities which aim to develop the sound awareness skills of children in their acquisition of phonics.

Focus areas include:

Syllable segmentation and blending

Rhyme generation

Identification of phonemes

Aim: To develop sound awareness skills; to improve early literacy skills. Phase 1 Phonics

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

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Ginger bear helps to teach and develop spoken language and social interaction skills to children.

Aims to develop the "rules" of interaction with the help of the character Ginger the Bear, who features in all the activities we do. Skills we teach include: eye contact, taking turns, sharing, greetings, awareness of feelings, following instructions, listening, paying attention, and play skills.

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Members of our staff team have completed the Epilepsy for Teachers training.

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Our free online courses for school staff, teachers, and SENCOs. Use our downloadable toolkit to help you support pupils with epilepsy. Complete our online course to find out how to use the resources. The Health Conditions in Schools Alliance sample medical conditions policy to be adapted and used by schools:

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Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) feeding tubes are now being used more often than in the past.

Members of our staff team have been trained to use feeding tubes. We are also trained to take blood samples and measure ketone and glucose concentrations and deliver appropriate medication when necessary.

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Self-regulatory skills can be defined as the ability of children to manage their own behaviour and aspects of their learning.

Created  in house, our tool kit aims to support children who have behaviour, emotional and social difficulties by introducing them to different self-regulation strategies to improve self-control and reduce impulsivity.

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Our  sensory toolbox is an intervention which can help kids with sensory processing issues.

It includes a series of physical activities for your child. It has nothing to do with food.

It’s a carefully designed series of physical activities and accommodations tailored to give each child the sensory input they need.

Some children  overreact to outside stimulation and become overwhelmed and hyperactive. Some are underreactive and seek out sensory stimulation.

Activities in our sensory diet can help kids who are overreactive feel calmer, and underreactive kids feel more alert.

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At Brougham Street Nursery School our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) is our headteacher Jonelle Yeoman; she is supported by Ayesha Bridge who is our Deputy DSL. In addition, Beccy Robinson, Katie Spencer and Nikki Ingham all have a level 3 qualification in Safeguarding.

The designated safeguarding lead  takes all responsibility for safeguarding and child protection (including online safety).

Key Aspects of the Designated Person role includes:

Making sure all staff are aware how to raise safeguarding concerns

Ensuring all staff understand the symptoms of child abuse and neglect

Referring any concerns to social care

Monitoring children who are the subject of child protection plans

Maintaining accurate and secure child protection records

Keeping Children Safe in Education (2015) sets out the role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead in Annex B:

Role of the Designated safeguarding Person

Governing bodies and proprietors should ensure that the school or college designates an appropriate senior member of staff to take lead responsibility for child protection. This person should have the status and authority within the school to carry out the duties of the post including committing resources and, where appropriate, supporting and directing other staff.

The broad areas of responsibility for the designated safeguarding lead are:

Managing referrals

Refer all cases of suspected abuse to the local authority children’s social care and:

The designated officer(s) for child protection concerns (all cases which concern a staff member),

Disclosure and Barring Service (cases where a person is dismissed or left due to risk/harm to a child); and/or

Police (cases where a crime may have been committed).

Liaise with the headteacher or principal to inform him or her of issues especially ongoing enquiries under section 47 of the Children Act 1989 and police investigations.

Act as a source of support, advice and expertise to staff on matters of safety and safeguarding and when deciding whether to make a referral by liaising with relevant agencies.

Training

The designated safeguarding lead should receive appropriate training carried out every two years in order to:

Understand the assessment process for providing early help and intervention, for example through locally agreed common and shared assessment processes such as early help assessments.

Have a working knowledge of how local authorities conduct a child protection case conference and a child protection review conference and be able to attend and contribute to these effectively when required to do so.

Ensure each member of staff has access to and understands the school’s or college’s child protection policy and procedures, especially new and part time staff.

Be alert to the specific needs of children in need, those with special educational needs and young carers.

Be able to keep detailed, accurate, secure written records of concerns and referrals.

Obtain access to resources and attend any relevant or refresher training courses.

Encourage a culture of listening to children and taking account of their wishes and feelings, among all staff, in any measures the school or college may put in place to protect them.

Raising Awareness

The designated safeguarding lead should ensure the school or college’s policies are known and used appropriately:

Ensure the school or college’s child protection policy is reviewed annually and the procedures and implementation are updated and reviewed regularly, and work with governing bodies or proprietors regarding this.

Ensure the child protection policy is available publicly and parents are aware of the fact that referrals about suspected abuse or neglect may be made and the role of the school or college in this.

Link with the local LSCB to make sure staff are aware of training opportunities and the latest local policies on safeguarding.

Where children leave the school or college ensure their child protection file is transferred to the new school or college as soon as possible. This should be transferred separately from the main pupil file, ensuring secure transit and confirmation of receipt should be obtained.

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Created in house to support the development of those all important gross and fine motor skills which need to be in place before we can hold a pencil effectively.

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Contact - for families with disabled children

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Contact - for families with disabled children

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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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Contact - for families with disabled children

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Contact - for families with disabled children

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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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We are the UKs leading charity for autistic people and their families. Since 1962, we have been providing support, guidance and advice, as well as campaigning for improved rights, services and opportunities to help create a society that works for autistic people.

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Supporting children, adults & their families affected by Cerebral Palsy. This website is a useful net based resource only, providing information, support & advice for those affected with and by cerebral palsy in the uk.

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Supporting children, adults & their families affected by Cerebral Palsy. This website is a useful net based resource only, providing information, support & advice for those affected with and by cerebral palsy in the uk.

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Speech, language and communication skills

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Speech, language and communication skills

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When should I be concerned?

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Our visual timetable  wascreated by our class teacher using Widgit symbols to show what's planned for a child's day. It can be changed to include different activities such as singing and circle time.

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Objects of Reference are objects used to represent a person, activity or event. Over time the person learns that the object stands for that person, activity or event. Objects of Reference are used to help a person understand what is happening in their environment and also be used to help people make choices (NHS Oxford)

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Objects of Reference are objects used to represent a person, activity or event. Over time the child learns that the object stands for that person, activity or event.

Objects of Reference are used to help a person understand what is happening in their environment and also be used to help people make choices.

We use them in conjunction with picture communication cards.

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We use Makaton with all children in our nursery school classroom.

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Olaf is a three-year-old fox red Labrador therapist and a published author. He was invited to speak at the Cheltenham Literature Festival 2023. Olaf is a family pet registered with the Pets As Therapy (PAT) Charity. His job is to make people smile when, with his human mum (a specialist teacher and mindfulness coach), he visits hospitals and schools.

Every Thursday morning, Olaf goes to Battledown Special School. He enjoys his visits so much that he set his second book there! Team Olaf to the Rescue is a heartwarming story about his classroom adventures (it very cleverly rhymes!). With help from his merry band of canine mates, Olaf saves the school's Christmas celebrations and gives the children a party they will never forget. All the dogs in Team Olaf are Olaf's real friends whom he sees every day on his walks. They all play a vital role in the story, showing kindness, creativity, and bravery. Fun activities are added to stimulate the reader's imagination and memory.

Battledown School uses Makaton as part of their teaching and learning, so we included their symbols in the book to enable more of Olaf's human friends to enjoy it. We were delighted Makaton wanted to be involved in our project and are grateful to the Team for their expertise and patience. They provided symbols for the concepts/story words and explained where to place them on the page, so that the story makes sense to the Makaton reader.

Olaf's first book, Mr. Olaf the Therapist, is a mindfulness scrapbook, diarying his experiences in a mainstream school and his work in the NHS. As a PAT dog, Olaf visits Cheltenham General Hospital where he is a valued member of the Knightsbridge (Gastric) and Critical Care Teams. He has been doing this for over two years but is still banned from the staff rooms because of the doughnuts... It is a privilege and humbling to be welcomed so warmly by patients, their families, and Olaf's NHS colleagues. Olaf also shares his lifestyle wisdom with self-care activities and mindfulness questions to help us reflect on our own work/life balance.

Olaf gives all the proceeds from his books to the Pets as Therapy charity. He attends promotional PAT events e.g., Crufts and Goodwuff.

For more information about PAT and/or to buy Olaf's books, please visit Pets as Therapy.

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Makaton is a unique language programme that uses symbols, signs and speech to enable people to communicate. It supports the development of essential communication skills such as attention and listening, comprehension, memory, recall and organisation

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All of our staff team use Makaton as part of their day to day practice. We are learning more signs all the time and our children are using them to communicate with each other too. There is lots of evidence showing that use of signs supports verbal communication, it also means that our classroom is inclusive as we can use Makaton to communicate with children with EAL and SEND. It enables them to share their message too.

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Symbols are images which are used to support text, making the meaning clearer and easier to understand. They provide a visual representation of a concept.

We use them throughout our classroom e.g. visual timetable, 'now and next' boards, choice cards.

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Make your own symbol materials

Widgit software titles have been used in classrooms, healthcare settings and at home for more than 30 years to create a wide variety of symbol materials. Join thousands of teachers, parents and professionals and start creating your own symbol materials with one of our easy to use titles.

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Widgit Software | Widgit Symbols Help Communication

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Widgit software titles have been used in classrooms, healthcare settings and at home for more than 30 years to create a wide variety of symbol materials. Join thousands of teachers, parents and professionals and start creating your own symbol materials with one of our easy to use titles.

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The programme aims to develop understanding and use of language in young children, using the principles of information carrying words, and has a particular emphasis on learning core vocabulary.

We have added to the home activities developed by ELKLAN so that children can be supported at home as well as accessing the programme in nursery school.

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A guide to the typical stages of speech and language development in babies, children and young people.

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Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives

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Sometimes sound as if they are stammering or stuttering. They are usually trying to share their ideas before their language skills are ready. This is perfectly normal at this age, just show you are listening and give them plenty of time. It's not helpful to draw attention to their 'stammering' by saying things like 'take your time'.

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A carer is someone who, without payment, provides help and support to a friend, neighbour or relative who could not manage otherwise because of frailty, illness or disability. They may even be juggling paid work with caring responsibilities at home. Carers have a tough job - it can mean unrelenting pressure, little chance to relax and a lot of worry. The system is complicated, and the issue is hidden.

Carers' Resource provides support for carers, no matter what their age, race, religion or needs. Follow the links to discover what support we can offer you as a carer, or as someone who might work with carers.

We deliver services in Bradford, Craven, Harrogate and Selby Districts.

Your local Carers' Resource office

Bradford

15 Park View Court, St Paul's Road, Shipley BD18 3DZ [Google maps]

☎ 01274 449660

Harrogate

11 North Park Road, Harrogate HG1 5PD [Google maps]

☎ Tel 01423 500555

Skipton

Ronaldsway House, 36 Brook Street, Skipton BD23 1PP [Google maps]

☎ Tel 01756 700888

Ripon
Visits by appointment only
Community House, Sharow View, Allhallowgate, Ripon HG4 1LE [Google Maps]

☎ Tel 01765 690222

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A carer is someone who, without payment, provides help and support to a friend, neighbour or relative who could not manage otherwise because of frailty, illness or disability. They may even be juggling paid work with caring responsibilities at home. Carers have a tough job - it can mean unrelenting pressure, little chance to relax and a lot of worry.

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Tiny Happy People is here to help you develop your child's language skills. Explore our simple activities and play ideas and find out about babies and toddlers' amazing early development.

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Children's language development and parenting advice - BBC Tiny Happy People

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A chatty child is a happy child, so Tiny Happy People is here to help you develop your child's communication skills through simple interaction and play.

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Welcome to TACPAC - Communication through touch and music Parents Parent and Carer more Teachers Teacher in Special School more NHS NHS Occupational Therapist more New

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Sensory Integration and Processing

Sensory motor circuits are based on the theories of sensory integration and sensory processing.

Sensory Integration is the process by which the brain receives, organises and processes all the information received from the senses. The senses include touch, sight, hearing, smell, taste, body position and movement (proprioception) and balance/position against gravity (vestibular). The information received from these senses help us to make sense of the world. Effective sensory integration and processing enables us to respond appropriately to different stimuli in our environment and informs our everyday functioning.

An inability to effectively process, organise and correctly interpret sensory information is known as Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), formally known as sensory integration dysfunction. Children with SPD may find functional daily activities challenging. The severity of these difficulties can vary greatly. However, 1 in 6 children experience significant disruption to their daily lives as a result of SPD.

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Sensory Circuits - Childrens Choice Therapy

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Sensory motor circuits are based on the theories of sensory integration and sensory processing. Sensory Integration is the process by which the brain receives, organises and processes all the information received from the senses. The senses include touch, sight, hearing, smell, taste, body position and movement (proprioception) and balance/position against gravity (vestibular).

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Time for Sounds is a program which the Speech and Language Therapists at Airedale Hospital regularly suggest for children who are experiencing difficulties with their speech , language and communication development. They have suggested it in the past to support children with a language delay, disordered speech and stammer.

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A complete programme of activities which aim to develop the sound awareness skills. Helping to support the development of accurate enunciation (clear speech)...

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Making the Most Out of Speech and Language Appointments

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Making the Most Out of Speech and Language Appointments

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Making the Most Out of Speech and Language Appointments

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Bryony Rust is a qualified Speech and Language therapist who shares great advice via her YouTube channel.

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speech language "speech therapy" "speech and language therapy" parenting "late talkers" "speech delay" toddlers "speech activities" "toddler activity ideas" ...

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Welcome! My name's Bryony and I'm a Speech and Language Therapist living on the Isle of Wight. Check out my website for details of group coaching, 1:1 therapy and online workshops.

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At Brougham Street Nursery School and Childcare we are very proud of our inclusive practise. We believe that inclusion is everyone's responsibility. All of our staff team follow the 'Total Communication Approach', supporting all children with their language and speech development all of the time. In addition, we have a team of trained 'Champions' who alongside our staff team, support children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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SEND Information Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS)

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SENDIASS is a free confidential and impartial information, advice and support service for parents/carers as well as young people themselves.

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If you are waiting too long for a referral to come through or need advice regarding the NHS service, PALS are there to help you.

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PALS helps the NHS to improve services by listening to what matters to patients and their loved ones and making changes, when appropriate. Information Information on our Patient advice feedback and help centr (1)

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If you need any support, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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If you need any support, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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Whether you're living with or caring for someone with hydrocephalus, you'll love this easy to use resource hub.

We've pulled together our most popular information on a range of topics Shine members have told us are the most important to them, and made them all available here to access, order or download.
View Hydrocephalus Resource Hub

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Whether you're living with or caring for someone with hydrocephalus, you'll love this easy to use resource hub. We've pulled together our most popular information on a range of topics Shine members have told us are the most important to them, and made them all available here to access, order or download.

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Whether you're living with or caring for someone with spina bifida, you'll love this easy to use resource hub. We've pulled together our most popular information on a range of topics Shine members have told us are the most important to them.

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National Deaf Children's Society | Supporting deaf children

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We are the National Deaf Children's Society, the leading charity for deaf children and young people. We're here to support every deaf child who needs us.

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The Royal Society for Blind Children offers a range of services including emotional support and practical advice for families, opportunities for children and young people to build confidence and skills through activities, and a specialist further education college.

What we do

RSBC Dorton College of Further Education

RSBC Dorton College is an independent specialist college in the London Borough of Bromley. We offer a day provision for vision impaired 16-25-year-olds and many of our students have additional needs.

Learn more

Activities

RSBC's wide range of fun online and in-person activities for vision impaired children and young people to reduce isolation, build friendships and teach new life skills.

Book

Follow Us On Social Media

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking "Accept", you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.

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Welcome to the Royal Society for Blind Children

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The Royal Society for Blind Children supports blind and partially sighted children and young people, and their families.

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Supporting the mental fitness of our staff team

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Transforming Children and Young People's Mental Health

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Transforming Children and Young People's Mental Health

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Independent Provider of Special Education Advice

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Independent Provider of Special Education Advice

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(IPSEA) Independent Provider of Special Education Advice

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(IPSEA) Independent Provider of Special Education Advice

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IPSEA (Independent Provider of Special Education Advice) - helping children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get the education they are entitled to by law

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Supporting Language Development at Home and in Nursery

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Supporting Language Development at Home and in Nursery

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Supporting Language Development - parents

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The Communication Chain and Key Messages

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The Communication Chain and Key Messages

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NHS Speech Therapy Resource Early Years Pack

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NHS Speech Therapy Resource Early Years Pack

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Child Autism UK helping children

Child Autism UK helps children with autism achieve their potential. We provide services to enable children to overcome difficulties with communication, learning and life skills and give families the techniques and strategies to cope with autism through the use of evidence-based strategies. Child Autism UK also provides training for families, schools and professionals working with young children.

Autism, according to the NHS Information Centre, is estimated to affect around 1% of the UK population. That's 700,000 people who live with the condition. Autism is a lifelong condition but the difficulties autistic people in life can be significantly managed through support at an early age. Skill and coping strategies learned as children have lifetime relevance and can make an enormous difference to their ability when they become autistic adults to make the most of their lives.

Is my child autistic?

Often the first contact between a family and Child Autism UK is when a family is struggling to come to terms with any distress their child may be experiencing and any behaviours they may have. Child Autism UK provides a helpline that can provide parents in this situation with valuable advice. We offer information to help them make informed decisions about their next steps.

How do we get a diagnosis for autism?

Assistance available for the families of autistic children depends on the diagnosis of the child and how the child is being affected by the condition. The diagnosis process and the Education and Healthcare (EHC) Plan process are significant hurdles. Child Autism UK provides advice and support to families facing the processes on which funding for the treatment of the condition depends. We can also provide a limited number of Bursaries to families unhappy with their final EHC Plan (subject to meeting eligibility criteria).

What support is available for autism?

There is a range of support that can be put in place to help your child overcome obstacles they are experiencing. Child Autism UK promotes early behavioural intervention based on strategies from Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). This ensures children learn life skills and coping mechanisms that will equip them for life within education and adult life. ABA used within a properly designed programme at an early age can help transform the lives of autistic children and their families.

Child Autism UK

Child Autism UK has been providing services in the UK for over 25 years. Under our previous name 'Peach', we were instrumental in establishing ABA in the UK. We have a very dedicated team that continues to provide excellent services, and information and advice to parents. We want every autistic child to reach their potential. We really value partnerships working with families, schools, other professionals and ABA practitioners.

Child Autism UK has been involved in setting standards and ethical practises in the UK for many years and the CEO and Clinical Manager are involved through the UK Society for Behaviour Analysis. The UK-SBA sets standards and ensures ethical and values-led practise of Behaviour Analysis here in the UK. Their register of practitioners is accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) and all Child Autism Staff are registrants.

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Support, advice and services for autistic children - Child Autism UK - releasing potential

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Peach offers early intervention for young children with autism and is the leading UK provider of EIBI / ABA (Applied Behavioural Analysis) services and support.

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Libraries launch sensory resources for children with autism

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Libraries launch sensory resources for children with autism

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Young people who are on the autism spectrum are being invited to their local library to enjoy new sensory resources in a relaxed environment.

North Yorkshire's library service has launched Stimkits, which get their name from the practice of 'stimming', a word used by people with autism to describe self-stimulatory behaviour.

Six kits have been purchased to be used across the county's libraries to create a relaxed and safe space. They include a blackout pop-up tent, lights and various handheld sensory items.

A similar initiative was championed in Knaresborough library, where equipment was provided by a local organisation. Visitors said that it creates a welcoming environment for children and their families, helping children keep calm, relaxed and happy in the library space.

Executive member for libraries, Cllr Greg White, said: "The library service is committed to demonstrating inclusivity for all visitors. The introduction of Stimkits provide an additional resource to create an inviting and welcoming space for parents and carers of children on the autism spectrum.

"We are confident the kits will prove popular and will help to encourage more people through the doors. We will keep working with local parent and carer groups to promote good practice in using sensory spaces and resources."

The Stimkits are available for booked sessions in libraries across the county. Any individual or group interested in a session can contact libraries@northyorks.gov.uk

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Libraries launch sensory resources for children with autism

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Young people who are on the autism spectrum are being invited to their local library to enjoy new sensory resources in a relaxed environment. North Yorkshire's library service has launched Stimkits, which get their name from the practice of 'stimming', a word used by people with autism to describe self-stimulatory behaviour.

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A toolkit designed to promote recognition, discrimination and production of early speech sounds

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNQN4sWaUsI&t=420s

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SENsory Friendly Family Swims at Craven Leisure Centre.

Sunday 9.00 - 10.00am

https://www.facebook.com/cravenleisure/posts/sensory-friendly-family-swimssunday-900-1000ama-new-addition-to-our-new-pool-pro/4141250355910824/

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A weekly play intervention progressing through a hierarchy of food groups designed to support children who have sensory issues related to food

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https://www.beyondautism.org.uk/about-autism/understanding-autism/autism-and-eating/making-food-fun/

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This information film starts with a five minute countdown as it was recorded live.

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Marge Blanc: Making Sense of Echolalia: It's All About Language Development!

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Introduction to Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)

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Introduction to Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)

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Introduction to Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)

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Every school class is likely to have at least one pupil with allergies. The most serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) usually begins within minutes and is potentially life-threatening. Unfortunately, there have been cases of fatal anaphylaxis happening when a child is at school. Lessons learnt from these tragic cases emphasise the need for all school staff to be able to recognise the signs of an allergic reaction and have the confidence to manage this.

We encourage a whole school allergy awareness approach. Our AllergyWise® for Schools online training course for all school staff includes lesson resource packs to help educate your pupils about allergies.

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Every school class is likely to have at least one pupil with allergies. The most serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) usually begins within minutes and is potentially life-threatening. Unfortunately, there have been cases of fatal anaphylaxis happening when a child is at school.

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Amazing Things Happen - by Alexander Amelines

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EHCP-guide-to support at PDA profile of autism

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The Ages and Stages of Children's Communication from Birth to Five Years

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The Ages and Stages of Children's Communication from Birth to Five Years

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An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is a way of getting your child specific support at school. Legally, local authorities must provide the support in a child's EHCP.

Children should get an EHCP if Special Educational Needs (SEN) support cannot meet their needs. Most children who have an EHCP:

have SEN support first

need to show how SEN support is not enough for them

Parents and carers can apply to the local authority for an EHCP needs assessment. This is easier if the school supports you.

If the school does not support you, you can still apply to the local authority. You do not need a report from an educational psychologist to do this.

What's in an EHCP

An EHCP is a legal document. It is sometimes called an EHC Plan.

It covers:

your child's needs

the benefit or difference the support should make to your child (outcomes)

the support that your local authority must provide (provision)

This could be because your child needs support with:

reading, writing and numbers

talking and listening

social skills and emotions

physical skills

Support (provision)

The Children and Families Act 2014 says that special educational provision is anything that "educates or trains" your child.

For example:

speech and language therapy

physiotherapy

occupational therapy

cognitive behavioral therapy

support from a trained emotional learning support assistant to do group play

a laptop with voice control software and training on how to use it

Example EHC plans, including outcomes (Council for Disabled Children)
Asking for an assessment and your rights

First, find out if the school agrees that your child needs an assessment. You can still apply to the local authority without them if you need to.

Find out if the school agrees that your child needs an assessment

Talk to your child's teacher and Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO). Say why you think your child needs an EHCP. For example, your child:

needs more support than school can give through SEN support

is not making expected progress

is not able to take part in the social parts of play and school

needs to go to a different school that can meet their needs

If your teacher and SENCO do not think that your child needs an EHC assessment, you can write to the:

head teacher

school governor responsible for SEN

If this does not work, you can apply directly to your local authority.

You can apply directly to your local authority

If the school will not support you, you can still apply by writing to your local authority.
Model letter: Making a request for an EHC needs assessment (IPSEA)
Search your local authority's website to find out who to contact to "request an EHC needs assessment". This will usually be the SEN team.
Find your local authority (GOV.UK)
Your local authority must say if they will assess your child

Legally, your local authority must assess your child if all the following apply:

you ask for an assessment

your child has or may have special educational needs and

may benefit from an EHCP

This is in the Children and Families Act 2014 and the SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 years (GOV.UK).

Complain if your local authority does not respond within 6 weeks

If your local authority does not respond within 6 weeks, you should write to complain.
Template letter: Complaining when your local authority does not respond before the 6-week time limit (IPSEA)
Saying that SEN support is not enough for your child

If your child has been getting SEN support, write to the school about how your child is not meeting their SEN goals.

For example:

"We've had 3 meetings where we've set targets and made plans. But my child still is not meeting their targets. We said that we'd look at these if they were not being met.

"We've had advice from the speech and language therapist and educational psychologist, but I think my child needs an EHC needs assessment to get more support."

Include information from your:

SEN review meetings

any other agreements

parts of your child's developmental history that explain the difficulties they are having at school

Model letter: complaining when your child is not getting enough SEN support (IPSEA)
Asking the local authority for an assessment without the school

You can apply directly to the local authority for an EHC needs assessment:

You can still apply even if the school does not support you.

You do not need a report from an educational psychologist to apply.

For example, your child may still need the support in an EHCP even if their academic performance is average.
Template letter asking your local authority for an EHC assessment (IPSEA) Asking for an EHC assessment (GOV.UK) Asking for an EHC needs assessment (IPSEA)
Delays to EHCP needs assessments

Legally, local authorities must do EHC needs assessments even if this is hard for them.

Local authorities must do this within 20 weeks. This starts when you ask for an assessment if your child is eligible. If they are going to take longer than 20 weeks, they must consult you.

If your local authority thinks your child is not eligible for an assessment, they must say why.

If there are delays to your child's EHCP assessment, ask your local authority to explain why.

Contact your Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice and Support Services (SENDIASS) if they do not give you an explanation. Look on your local authority's website.
Find your local authority (GOV.UK)
Before the assessment

If your child is getting SEN support, collect anything that shows your child is not making expected progress. Keep the original documents and send copies.

For example:

referrals to doctors, occupational therapy or speech and language therapists

letters or reports from health professionals, including any you've paid for

a report by an educational psychologist

notes on meetings you have had with teachers on how your child is not meeting their SEN outcomes

your child's school record, which should include school reports and any SEN support records

Model letter: Asking for a copy of a child's school record (IPSEA)
What happens in an EHC needs assessment

Most assessments include a:

headteacher

doctor

educational psychologist

Another professional may come too. For example, a social worker. Your child's views are also important.
What happens in an EHC needs assessment (IPSEA)
After the assessment

If you do not get an EHCP

You can appeal if your local authority assesses your child but decides not to give them an EHC plan. A rejection is sometimes called a 'non-statutory' EHCP.
EHCP declined, appeals and SEND tribunal
You get an EHCP

If your local authority agrees that your child needs an EHC plan, they will prepare a draft plan and send you a copy to review. Throughout the process, they must include both:

your views

your child's views, unless your child is not able to share them

Your local authority should give you 15 days to comment on the draft EHCP. Your feedback is sometimes called 'representations'.
What an EHC plan contains (IPSEA) Example EHC plans, including outcomes (Council for Disabled Children)
Saying you do not agree with the draft EHCP

The draft plan is where you can make suggestions, correct any mistakes or challenge any recommendations you disagree with. You can say if you do not think the draft plan will help your child to meet their agreed outcomes. You should also say why you think this.

Annual reviews

Your child's EHCP must have a formal annual review within 12 months of the final plan or the last review. The annual review is a way you can raise concerns or suggest changes if you're not happy with the content of an EHC plan.
EHCP reviews Model letter: Complaining when the LA has not completed an annual review (IPSEA)
Your mental health

Being a parent can be hard. Looking after your mental health and wellbeing is important. Everyone manages their mental health differently.

If you need support, here are some things you could try:
Managing your mental health Support groups for parents
Sleep Right, for parents and carers of disabled children who want to improve their child's sleep

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Apply for an EHCP | Disability charity Scope UK

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Guide for parents of disabled children applying for an education, health and care EHC plan if you do not have an educational psychologist report.

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Carers Resource can offer support and advice when applying for Disabled Living Allowances

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A carer is someone who, without payment, provides help and support to a friend, neighbour or relative who could not manage otherwise because of frailty, illness or disability. They may even be juggling paid work with caring responsibilities at home. Carers have a tough job - it can mean unrelenting pressure, little chance to relax and a lot of worry. The system is complicated, and the issue is hidden.

Carers' Resource provides support for carers, no matter what their age, race, religion or needs. Follow the links to discover what support we can offer you as a carer, or as someone who might work with carers.

We deliver services in Bradford, Craven, Harrogate and Selby Districts.

Your local Carers' Resource office

Bradford

15 Park View Court, St Paul's Road, Shipley BD18 3DZ [Google maps]

☎ 01274 449660

Harrogate

11 North Park Road, Harrogate HG1 5PD [Google maps]

☎ Tel 01423 500555

Skipton

Ronaldsway House, 36 Brook Street, Skipton BD23 1PP [Google maps]

☎ Tel 01756 700888

Ripon
Visits by appointment only
Community House, Sharow View, Allhallowgate, Ripon HG4 1LE [Google Maps]

☎ Tel 01765 690222

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A carer is someone who, without payment, provides help and support to a friend, neighbour or relative who could not manage otherwise because of frailty, illness or disability. They may even be juggling paid work with caring responsibilities at home. Carers have a tough job - it can mean unrelenting pressure, little chance to relax and a lot of worry.

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We'd like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.

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To claim DLA for a child you need to be their parent or look after them as if you're their parent. This includes step-parents, guardians, grandparents, foster-parents or older brothers or sisters.

If your child currently lives in England or Wales you can apply by either:

printing off and filling in the DLA claim form

phoning the Disability Living Allowance helpline and asking for a printed form

If your child moves from Scotland to England or Wales

Your Child Disability Payment will stop 13 weeks after your child moves.

Apply for DLA for children as soon as possible after moving to avoid a gap between payments.

When you'll be paid

DLA can be paid from the start of your claim. It cannot be backdated. Your claim will start on the date the form is received or the date you call the enquiry line (if you return the claim pack within 6 weeks).

You'll usually get a decision letter about 8 weeks (40 working days) after your form is received. The letter will tell you when you'll get your first payment.

If the child might have 6 months or less to live

There are special rules if a medical professional has said the child might have 6 months or less to live, so they can get DLA more quickly.

Phone the Disability Living Allowance helpline to start your claim. Ask a medical professional for form DS1500. They'll either fill it in and give the form to you or send it directly to the Department for Work and Pensions.

If you disagree with a decision

You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for mandatory reconsideration.

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Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children

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Skip to main content We use some essential cookies to make this website work. We'd like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

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Filling in the DLA form can be difficult for a parent, but don't be put off.

Someone at your nearest Citizens Advice might be able to sit with you and help you with the form, or even fill it in for you.

You can also call Contact (for families with disabled children) helpline if you have questions - they're experts in DLA for children.

Contact (for families with disabled children)
Telephone: 0808 808 3555
Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 5pm
Calls to these numbers are free.

Filling in the form

Keeping a diary of your child's care needs before you fill in the form can help when it comes to answering the questions. This way you'll have recent examples of how you care for them, and a good idea of how long it takes you to do certain tasks like helping them get ready for school.

If you haven't kept a diary yet, it might be worth spending a week (or longer) keeping a diary before you start the form. You can use our template [ 99 kb] to do a diary for a week. Make a note of what help is needed, why, when and for how long.

You should try to fill in the form over a few sessions rather than doing it all at once - you'll probably find that your answers will be better.

Don't just use the tick boxes on the form - you'll have a better chance of getting the benefits your child needs if you use the boxes below the questions to explain and give examples of their needs. Write about specific occasions where your child needed help or care because of their disability or heath condition.

At times you might feel like your child's condition or behaviour doesn't fit into the questions you're being asked, particularly if your child has a condition that isn't physical. It's normal to feel like this, so don't let it discourage you.

Remember, some of the main factors that the DWP are looking for are:

that your child needs more care or supervision than a child of the same age who doesn't have a health condition

if your child has problems walking

if they need guidance or supervision in unfamiliar places

if they have care or supervision needs that a younger child might have but which a child of their age would not normally have

But don't let this list limit you at all - each child has very different needs so it's important to describe your own child and the care they need. Think of examples of the type of help you give your child and how long it takes. If your child's condition varies, think of their needs on both bad and good days and how many of each they have in a typical week.

You should also think about how your child's condition affects them in other ways. For example, many children experience anxiety or depression because of a health condition. Make sure you explain the full picture.

Focus on the care they need because of their disability rather than the care they need because of their age.

The person who'll make a decision on your child's DLA won't be a medical expert, so they won't know a lot about disabilities and health conditions. It's important you give as much information as possible about your child's condition and the care and supervision they need. Don't feel like any detail is too small to include - use an extra sheet of paper if you need to.

Useful guides for filling in the DLA form

We recommend that you read Contact's guide for filling in the DLA form on their website. Their expert guide will:

give you detailed tips on how to fill in the form

explain what the questions mean

tell you how to answer specific questions

It might seem like a lot to read, but it's worth taking the time to find out what the form is really asking you. You'll have a better chance of getting the DLA you need if your form gives the most accurate account of your child's needs possible.

They also have a guide to claiming DLA for children with autism or learning disabilities .

Get a professional to fill in question 38

It's a good idea to get a specialist or professional who knows your child to fill in question 38.

They should be someone who knows about your child's condition. For example, if your child has a physical condition or has difficulty walking you should ask a doctor, nurse or care worker. If your child's condition is more related to learning difficulties or behavioural problems, you should ask someone like their teacher or specialist support worker. A 'Special Educational Statement' could also be included as evidence - talk to your school to get one.

Before they answer the question, talk to them about how you care for your child and how much time you spend caring for them. Tell them that the DWP wants to know how your child needs more care than a child of the same age without any disabilities or health conditions.

If you get someone from school to fill in question 38 for you, it's important that they have actual knowledge of your child's needs during a typical school day. A member of school staff might want to talk about the positive aspects of your child's progress - but it will be more helpful if they talk about the additional help your child needs. It might be worth leaving the statement out if you don't think they've made a strong enough case for you to get DLA.

The box for question 38 is quite small - if the person filling in the form runs out of space you can get them to continue on a separate sheet of paper.

Before you send the form

Read through the form again before you send it to make sure you've answered everything properly.

Make a copy of the form in case you need to refer to it later, or in case it gets lost.

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Help with filling in the DLA form for your child

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Filling in the DLA form can be difficult for a parent, but don't be put off. Someone at your nearest Citizens Advice might be able to sit with you and help you with the form, or even fill it in for you.

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There are two main sources of SEN funding in schools.

The first is the SEN delegated budget (also called element 2 or the notional budget) and it usually comes as a shock to discover that it has nothing to do with SEN nor is it ringfenced to that area. The second is Top Up funding (element 3).

Element 2 funding is based on a formula derived by your local authority. The basic formula is the same across the country, but local authorities decide what percentage of each specified element they take into consideration when calculating it. Factors that may be included in the calculation include:

Prior attainment

EAL

IDACI (your local deprivation index figure)

Free School Meals

Mobility

You will notice that there is a key factor missing, SEN. SEN is considered to be a perverse measure since it is not centrally controlled. All the factors used in the formula funding are sourced externally and not based on an opinion (bearing in mind the SEN label is very subjective).

The value that the formula spits out is the delegated budget...and it is not worth £6000 per SEN student, how can it be? We never even looked at SEN values...

So, to kill the SEN myth, this figure comes about because of the difference in element 1 funding (the base amount of money that schools get for allocating a child a place). In mainstream schools it is funded at around £4000 per child (slightly less in primary) but for a special school placement it is funded at £10000. The different is £6000. The suggestion is that if a mainstream school needs to provide more than £6000 of additional support to a child then they are receiving a special school level of education.

The support for the vast majority of children will cost in at a lot less than £6000.

Element 3 funding, or top up, is the extra funding ring-fenced to an individual application. The government call it top up (and ask for it on their census return) but local authorities may refer to it by a whole range of acronyms. Generally, schools have to apply for this funding, and it meets the needs of children who have surpassed the £6000 expenditure. Of course, if you never had the £6000 in the first place then this can be complicated. Some local authorities automatically apply an element of top up funding when writing their EHC Plans, whereas others leave it to the school to make an application for the additional money they need.

This is why programs such as Edukey's Provision Mapping are an essential tool in the SENCOs kit.

Making applications for funding will often involve submitting a costed provision map and providing evidence of interventions and their outcomes.

Often one of the greatest fears when submitting an application for funding is giving evidence that says a child has not made progress. It is inherently built into the teaching profession that we must demonstrate improvement or even accelerated progress. Yet, sometimes, the children we are working with, despite intensive support and intervention are not making those small steps. These are the children for whom we need additional money to provide more support and different approaches and so we should not be afraid of showing that what we are doing so far isn't working, but with additional money this is what we can try and achieve.

Be aware of any local authority deadlines for top up funding and any specified format in which they have to be submitted. (I once worked for a LA where you could only bid in the October for children in odd numbered year groups, which was not helpful for Y3 in junior schools and Y7 in secondary where they may well be settled for that honeymoon period!)

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SEN Money - There are two main sources of SEN funding in schools

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There are two main sources of SEN funding in schools. The first is the SEN delegated budget (also called element 2 or the notional budget) and it usually comes as a shock to discover that it has nothing to do with SEN nor is it ringfenced to that area.

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What is SEN Support funding, who is it for and how do I apply for it?

In 2018, NYCC identified 3 situations in which it may be helpful to speedily allocate Element 3 funding to support a short term exacerbation in SEND (which would not require an EHCP in the long time) or to support a school / setting where a newly moved-in child demonstrated exceptionally high needs and would require funding through the EHC Assessment process.

What is the criteria:

What is the process:

School Responsibilities

Local Authority Responsibilities

References/link to associated information
Element 3 Funding Request
Contact for more information

sen@northyorks.gov.uk

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What is SEN Support funding, who is it for and how do I apply for it? In 2018, NYCC identified 3 situations in which it may be helpful to speedily allocate Element 3 funding to support a short term exacerbation in SEND (which would not require an EHCP in the long time) or to support a school / setting where a newly moved-in child demonstrated exceptionally high needs and would require funding through the EHC Assessment process.

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Applying for Element 2 (Inclusion Funding)

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Applying for Element 2 (Inclusion Funding)