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HEADS, in partnership with Hadrian School, are committed to supporting parents/carers not only from Hadrian School but from around the region.

HEADS are offering a portfolio of quality free training throughout the school year.

We appreciate that it can be difficult to attend training around childcare etc. all of our training courses run from 9.30am – 12.30pm to enable parents/carers to attend.

Please see a list of the current courses that parents/carers can access

If you would like any additional information or would like to book a place on the training please contact Hadrian School:

Tel: 0191 273 4440

Email: daniel.coffey@hadrian.newcastle.sch.uk

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Support For Parent/Carers | HEADS Training Centre

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Parents/Carer Training Courses HEADS in partnership with Hadrian School are committed to supporting parents/carers not only from Hadrian School but from around the region. HEADS are offering a portfolio of quality free training throughout the school year. We appreciate that it can be difficult to attend training around childcare etc. all of our training courses run […]

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Our wonderful class teaching team should be your first point of call for questions or concerns around your child's progress, curriculum and EHCP paperwork and processes.

They can be contacted easily using the ClassDojo app or by phoning school and asking for them to call you back during a non-teaching time.

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Rob Armstrong Rebound Therapy Centre @ Hadrian School

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Rob Armstrong Rebound Therapy Centre @ Hadrian School

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Rebound Therapy Sessions

HEADS are facilitating Rebound Therapy sessions at Hadrian School.

Sessions are currently running on the following days and times during term time:

Tuesday 4.30pm – 6.30pm – session times are either 4.30pm or 5.20pm

Thursday 4.30pm – 6.30pm – session times are either 4.30pm or 5.20pm

Saturday 10.00am – 2.00pm – session times are 10am/11am/12 noon/1pm/2pm

Please contact David Palmer – Business Manager

Email: david.palmer@hadrian.newcastle.sch.uk
Tel: 0191 273 4440

Each session will cost £15.00 and will last approx. 45 minutes.

There is a pre-course questionnaire to complete prior to attending any sessions so we can access the characteristics of the child/adults disability, this helps us to ensure the sessions that is delivered is safe/beneficial and enjoyable.

As Hadrian School staff are supervising/facilitating the sessions we are happy for parents/carers to participate in the sessions. We also offer the opportunity for parents/carers to access the 2 day Rebound Therapy for SEN Training Course. On completion of the course candidates are awarded a level 2 accredited certificate qualifying them as a rebound therapy coach, enabling them to supervise and facilitate their own sessions.

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Trampolines can be a fun way to blow off steam. But for those with physical and learning difficulties they can also offer a gravity-free way to exercise and improve communication skills, as Daniel Hall explores.

The ambient lighting changes from green to purple and music plays as children bounce up and down. They scream with delight and smile as a parachute is lowered over their heads.

This is the Rob Armstrong Rebound Therapy Centre at Hadrian School in Newcastle upon Tyne.

And while trampolines might just seem like a fun piece of gym equipment, their vibrations can actually provide a vital form of therapy and exercise.

The combination of the movement of the 'bed' or webbing, combined with zero-gravity mid-bounce allow for exercises that can improve muscle and bone strength while enhancing movement patterns. It can also help students get used to changing direction, engaging with the environment around them and help to relax their muscles.

"Rebound is good fun. It makes me laugh and I have a happy time. My favourite game is Jelly on a Plate," says Joe, 10, who has therapy once a week.

The game sees instructors bounce the webbing of the large gymnastic trampoline while Joe tries to stay on his feet to help improve his balance.

Therapist Rob Oglethorpe says: "Rebound therapy has a lot of benefits for profoundly disabled children. It can lower or raise muscle tone, build up muscle memory, and even fatigue children.

"There's a big sensory aspect to rebound therapy. At the highest point of a bounce, students are completely weightless and are able to focus entirely on their own bodies, rather than being overstimulated by everything else around them."

For those with disabilities where messages between the brain and muscles to relax and tense are blocked, the vibrations help prompt this movement.

One of those involved in the parachute game is eight-year-old Nicole Rich who has the regressive brain condition, Batten Disease.

Her father, Mathew, says: "Nicole's muscles can be very high toned because of her condition. For her, it's as though she's lifting weights constantly. As soon as Nicole starts on the trampoline it counteracts that movement, and she becomes very relaxed. By the end of it, she's a different child."

It has had such a positive effect that Mathew has learned how to use the therapy at home to help his non-verbal daughter.

"Without rebound therapy, Nicole wouldn't be able to do anything that she does," he says. "She goes to school five days a week, she does rebound and hydrotherapy. She's a happy, cheery child and she's got a great quality of life. Without rebound during lockdown, you could really see Nicole's muscle tone getting tighter."

The centre is a shared space and as such therapy sessions were paused during the first Covid lockdown in March 2020. Since then, it has become Covid-secure so it can continue to offer sessions both for those at the school and in the wider community.

The school itself caters for children with a range of complex special and educational needs and rebound sessions involve most of the teaching staff - from occupational therapists to speech and language therapists.

Oglethorpe says: "Lots of kids won't talk or sign before going on the trampoline. However, there are loads of methods of communication.

"Some children will build up a vocabulary of symbols over time, while others will use signs if they're non-verbal.

"When children are excited and feeling enthusiastic, they communicate to demand more bounces, but the idea is that over time the users' communication methods or pathways build up and transfer to other environments, such as back in the classroom."

A word in all bouncers vocabularies is "more". As the teachers bring the trampoline to a stop and ask: "Do you want more?" They are met with screams of delight - and a non-verbal student signals "yes" by hitting the trampoline.

George, not his real name, says the therapy has given him a "hugely changed child" whose health has improved because of it.

He says: "Their face explodes in a smile when they're on the trampoline. They have got so much more strength, they completely enjoy it, so they engage with school really well.

"Rebound is very supportive emotionally too. It gets you emotionally engaged and builds up trusting relationships with adults."

The centre has a ceiling hoist, the largest of its kind in the world according to the manufacturers, which means wheelchair-users can be picked up and lowered onto any of the trampolines.

"In previous schools, a manual hoist was wheeled out and our child could only be put on the edge of the trampoline. Now, they can go on any of the trampolines," George says.

The therapy continues once the student has finished bouncing. The area surrounding the trampolines has physical equipment which rolls, rocks, swings, and vibrates, in order to meet the children's sensory needs before they return to the classroom.

Abbie Clelland, 19, attends weekly community sessions.

Her mother, Debbie, says: "Rebound makes Abbie focus and concentrate. It's when we get contact and vocalisation, which is a major step for her. I've always wanted her to do physical activity and exercise, and it is lovely to see it making her so happy. She's a giggler!"

Hadrian School has started to offer advice to other schools about how they might use trampolines for therapy, which the NHS also offers. And Rollings and Oglethorpe are also collaborating on a book about it.

The school also hopes to build a hydrotherapy pool adjacent to the rebound centre.

Headteacher Chris Rollings, who has been a rebound specialist for 40 years, says: "The big issue is that when our young people get to 19, the support in the specialist sector stops.

"We've made the rebound centre accessible to the whole community after hours, and we hope to do the same with the hydrotherapy pool.

"Hopefully, it'll become a disability centre for the northeast."

For more disability news, follow BBC Ouch on Twitter and Facebook and subscribe to the weekly podcast on BBC Sounds.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

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Rebound therapy: The zero-gravity exercise that gets children screaming 'more'

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Trampolines can be a fun way to blow off steam. But for those with physical and learning difficulties they can also offer a gravity-free way to exercise and improve communication skills, as Daniel Hall explores. The ambient lighting changes from green to purple and music plays as children bounce up and down.

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David, Bev, Daniel and Amy can help parents with:

Documenting your child's absence

School meals

Absence requests

Booking community rebound sessions

EHCP annual review paperwork and meeting organisation

Passing messages to teachers during teaching time

Booking training courses - https://headstraining.co.uk/training/

Contact details:

Contact details: 0191 273 4440

Teachers2parents service: 07786207779

admin@hadrian.newcastle.sch.uk

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Elaine Quinn - Senior Teaching Assistant / Parent Support Officer 

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Elaine Quinn - Senior Teaching Assistant / Parent Support Officer 

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Elaine can help parents with:

Funding application advice

Referral advice

Sign-posting of local services, charities and agencies

Advice around supporting a children with SEND at home

Personlised support via the Confident Parenting course

Holiday club information

Contact details: 0191 273 4440

elaine.quinn@hadrian.newcastle.sch.uk

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Ellen Jankowski - Teacher / Parent Support

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Ellen Jankowski - Teacher / Parent Support

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Ellen can help with:

Sign-posting of local services, charities and agencies

Advice around supporting a children with SEND at home

Personlised support via the Confident Parenting course

Contact details: 0191 273 4440

ellen.jankowski@hadrian.newcastle.sch.uk

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June can help parents with:

Sign-posting of local services, charities and agencies

Advice around supporting a children with SEND at home

Information around CYPS

Holiday club information

Contact details: 0191 273 4440

june.ball@hadrian.newcastle.sch.uk

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Mr Rollings has an open door policy and is happy to meet with parents to discuss their child and their time at Hadrian.

Contact details: 0191 273 4440

admin@hadrian.newcastle.sch.uk

If you want to learn more about Mr Rollings visit - https://hadrian.newcastle.sch.uk/chris-rollings/

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Information about home to school travel support for pupils with Special Educational Needs Disability (SEND) or a medical need.

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This section provides information about home to school travel support for pupils with Special Educational Needs Disability (SEND) or a medical need.

Our SEND home to school transport service is under extreme pressure at the moment and some families are unfortunately finding themselves without the agreed service at short notice. Whilst we did have transport arranged for all school children prior to the new Academic year, some providers have been unable to deliver due to a lack of drivers. So that we can meet our high standards of service, we only allow drivers specifically trained and approved for SEND work. We usually ensure that our providers have sufficient qualified staff to work on our SEN journeys and to provide cover in cases of staff absence or resignation. However, since the pandemic there has been a national shortage of drivers and we are unable to enforce this point. This means that if no qualified drivers are available for our work, then we must withdraw transport rather than provide a sub-standard service.

Please understand that we only withdraw transport when we are simply unable to provide a safe, quality service. We understand how difficult this can be and do our best to reinstate service as soon as possible. In the meantime, if a child is eligible we will work with the family to help make alternative arrangements. This could include providing funds to enable families to make their own travel plans. Our phone lines are extremely busy, and we are struggling to respond to all calls so would ask that parents call us only once to allow us to resolve queries in the shortest possible timescale. We will be contacting those families affected twice a week to provide an update.

SEND travel support will make every effort to fulfil their statutory duty to provide home to school transport during this pandemic. However, if transport staff are required to self-isolate in line with the government's guidelines, routes may need to be cancelled for the isolation period if suitably trained staff are not available to offer cover. We will inform families at the earliest opportunity and make every effort to find a solution by identifying the best way for families to use a personal travel budget during the isolation period.

Parents and carers are responsible for ensuring children and young people get safely to school on time. This is true for learners with SEND many of whom travel to school without additional support from the Local Authority. In exceptional circumstances, some families will need additional support for an agreed period.

For a child or young person to access SEND Travel Assistance/ Transport they will need to meet the following criteria:

The young person is accessing a specialist educational setting that has been agreed by the Local Authority as the closest setting to meet the young person's needs.

The young person has a physical disability that would prevent him/her from making the usual type of accompanied journey.

The young person has a disability leading to significant social and/or emotional immaturity such that their behaviour leaves them extremely vulnerable in social settings, that would prevent him/her from making the usual type of accompanied journey.

An Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan, or attendance at a special school or Additionally Resourced Provision (ARP) does not guarantee travel or transport assistance. The pupil's individual needs will determine the entitlement, rather than whether an EHC Plan is in place.

Parents have a right in law to state a preference for a school for their children, but that does not carry with it a right to free transport.

If parents/carers would like to apply for travel assistance to help get their child/young person to and from their educational placement please complete the Application Form for Home to School Travel Support for Pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) or to request a paper copy email SENDTravelSupportApplicationForms@newcastle.gov.uk.

Please note we aim to make transport arrangements as soon as they are needed however this can often take up to 10 working days. However, during the pandemic, despite our best endeavours this period may be longer. If your assistance with travel application is declined you have the right to appeal the decision.

SEND home to school transport appeals

This process has been designed following the recommendations set out in the home to school statutory guidance.

You have the right to appeal against our decision about:

your child's eligibility for home to school transport

the transport offered

the distance measurement in relation to statutory walking distances or extended rights

the safety of the route.

Stage One:
You have 20 days from the day you receive the decision to appeal against it. If you wish to appeal, you should write a letter or email asking for a review of the decision. You should explain why you believe that we should review the decision and include any information you would like to be considered as part of the review. A senior officer will review the decision. They will then contact you in writing with their decision within 20 days of receiving your letter. They will explain:

whether or not they have upheld the local authority's home to school transport decision

why they reached that decision

the factors they took account in reaching that decision.

If the decision has been upheld, you then have the right to escalate your case to stage two of the process.

Stage Two:
If you wish to escalate your case to stage two, you must send a letter or email within 20 days of receiving the outcome of stage one. An independent panel will review your case. The panel members will be independent of the original decision and will ensure that the local authority complies with our statutory duties, that a balance is achieved between meeting the needs of parents and of the local authority and that no child is placed at unnecessary risk.

It is important to note that you can only appeal on the grounds shown above . Circumstances such as work commitments or siblings attending other schools do not count towards a child's eligibility for transport assistance.

This review will take place within 40 working days of our receipt of your request. The Chair of the panel will notify you in writing of the outcome within 5 working days. They will clearly explain:

whether or not they have upheld the local authority's home to school transport decision

why they reached that decision

the factors they took account in reaching that decision.

If the original decision is upheld by the panel, you may then be able to complain to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

Parents may complain to the Ombudsman if they believe the local authority has refused help unfairly, made a mistake or not handled their application for home to school transport correctly.

SEND Transport is intended to facilitate attendance at school and is not intended to cover any travel between educational institutions during the school day, or any travel to and from social or child care arrangements or at other times. It is the responsibility of parents to make any such arrangements.

It is the responsibility of the parent or carer to ensure that their child gets to and from school at the required time each day, and to accompany them if necessary. A parent or carer's social or work commitments are not a consideration when considering eligibility for free school travel.

Home, for the purposes of establishing entitlement to free school travel, is the permanent address at which the pupil lives with a person who has parental responsibility. It is not the address of a relative or child-minder. Where there is joint residency, the address used is the one where the child lives most of the time. If a child spends time equally with both parents, then it will be the address which is closest to the school. In the event of a dispute the address of the person in receipt of child benefit will be used to assess entitlement.

Our policy only applies to pupils living in Newcastle.

If a pupil is in receipt of free travel and moves to another address, the child's entitlement will be reassessed using the policy in place at the time of the move. Eligibility may change in these circumstances.

We do not provide free travel where families move to a new house and wish their child to remain at their current school if there is a closer suitable school to the new address with available places.

There is no sibling link in the home to school travel policy, nor do we take account of feeder school arrangements.

Children in the care of the local authority are assessed under the normal terms of this policy.

Behaviour on transport that endangers other pupils, the driver or other passengers will not be tolerated. Transport operators and the local authority will withdraw travel support in the case of serious or persistent poor behaviour for either a fixed period or on a permanent basis.

Parent carers need to ensure that in their dealings with drivers, travel escorts and SEND travel support staff they remain calm and courteous. Any threatening or aggressive behaviour towards staff is taken very seriously and may result in door-to-door transport being withdrawn and the only assistance offer would be a personal travel budget.

SEND Travel Support Parent and Carer's handbook

A handbook of useful information about SEND Travel Support.

Types of travel assistance

We will consider the needs of the child and the travel assistance offer will consist of a scale of options depending on that need. Options include:

Travel permit for use on public transport

Payment of a personal Travel Budget (PTB)

Travel skills training to enable the pupil to use public transport or to travel independently. This will be delivered in partnership with parents and the education setting

Home to school transport for example, shared taxi or minibus from the home address or from a pick-up point

If a pupil cannot reasonably walk to school, parents will be encouraged to use their own transport to take their child to and from school.

The offer of a Personal Travel Budget (PTB) will be explored as the primary offer to families

Where home to school transport is provided it is the parent's responsibility to ensure that the pupil is ready for collection at the agreed time and place. If necessary, they should be accompanied by a responsible person until transport arrives and collected at the agreed time. If for any reason they are unable to attend school and a bus or taxi has been provided to transport the child, then parents should notify the SEND Travel Support as soon as possible.

Further information about SEND Travel Support is available using the contact details below during business hours only. If you contact the service outside of business hours, please leave a message with your name and contact details and a member of the team will respond when the service reopens.

SEND Transport business hours
Term time - Monday to Friday 7.30am - 4.30 pm
School holidays - Monday to Friday 9.00am - 3.30pm
Contact us
SEND Transport Service
Newcastle City Council
3rd Floor
Civic Centre
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 8QH

Email: SENDtransportservice@newcastle.gov.uk

Phone: 0191 277 4646

Website: Newcastle Local Offer

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Special Educational Needs Disability (SEND) Travel Support

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Provides a range of therapies to children with disabilities in the North East

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North East Children’s Charity -Heel & Toe Children’s Charity

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Heel & Toe Children’s Charity is a North East Children’s Charity that supports children with Cerebral Palsy & Other Physical Disabilities.

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This project is funded by National Lottery Community ...

Everyone agrees it is important for people, ...

Citizenship is important because it reminds us that ...

Thu 31 Oct

Fri 8 Nov

View our latest easy-read eBulletin.
Click here to read

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Inclusion North - inclusion for people with a learning disability or autism

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This project is funded by National Lottery Community ... Everyone agrees it is important for people, ... Citizenship is important because it reminds us that ... Thu 31 Oct Fri 8 Nov Click here to read

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A local charity supporting people across North Tyneside who have lived experience of learning disabilities, learning difficulties and autism.

They believe that everyone deserves to have fun, spend time with friends and feel good about themselves and our mission is to support people to do just that, from birth right through to older life. They want to achieve equality and social inclusion, so people can live their life their way.

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If you would like to sign up to our seasonal newsletter and keep up to date with all the good news stories here at LD:NorthEast please fill out the form below!

Notice: JavaScript is required for this content.

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Home - LD:NorthEast - Registered Charity in North Tyneside

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LD:NorthEast are a local charity supporting adults and children with learning disabilities to live life to the full and be part of their community.

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Pathways 4 All provides leisure and social opportunities for children with disabilities and additional needs in the North East of England.  Pathways 4 All is a parent-led charity providing a range of activities and events specifically tailored for children with disabilities and additional needs and their families. They also offer ongoing support to family members through informal advice, information and social networking.  No referral required.

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Although we largely support families, we also work with a number of special schools in the area, in addition to a range of other local charities and community organisations that work with disabled children too.

Pathways 4 All offer a range of services including family-focused events and seasonal parties; supervised youth activities for children, teens and young adults, plus very popular Easter and Summer holiday playschemes.

Pathways 4 All also work with wider family members too, providing family carers with the opportunity to come together for parent-to-parent support at our regular term-time coffee mornings.

We know that having a disabled brother or sister can impact on family life, so we offer support to siblings through social activities just for them.

The majority of our services operated from our specialist play and leisure provision, the Tim Lamb Children's Centre.

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Welcome Making a Difference in Disabled Children's Lives Pathways 4 All is a parent-led charity, providing play and leisure services for disabled children and young people, situated at the Tim Lamb Children's

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The Alan Shearer Centre is a highly specialist, respite, residential and social facility for people living with complex disabilities and acute sensory impairments. Situated in its own grounds on the outskirts of Newcastle.

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Working for the common good by enabling people to develop to their personal potential. Welcome The Alan Shearer Centre is a highly specialist, respite, residential and social facility for people with complex disabilities and acute sensory impairments. Situated in its own grounds on the outskirts of Newcastle, the Alan Shearer Centre comprises three specialist facilities...

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The Challenging Behaviour Foundation (CBF) support people who care for someone with severe learning disabilities who has some ‘challenging behaviours’.

They offer:

Family support service : information and support about the needs of your family member with a severe learning disability

peer support calls from a fellow family carer who can listen and understands what you’re going through

Carers’ catch ups: informal chat groups with other families

Family Carers’ email network to share experiences, information and support with other families around the UK

online information and resources

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Claire

Malachy

Laura

The 2022 Learning from Lives and Deaths (LeDeR) report, which looks at the deaths of people with a learning disability and autistic people and aims to improve health and care, has been published. We send our condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one.

The government has published the final report by Baroness Hollins on the Independent Care, Education and Treatment Reviews programme, which aimed to move people with a learning disability and autistic people out of long-term segregation, alongside its response to this report

Charities and organisations have written to the Prime Minister about the omission of the Draft Mental Health Bill from the King's Speech

Do you support someone with severe learning disabilities and behaviours that challenge? We can help.

If you are involved in supporting people with severe learning disabilities and behaviours that challenge, we can help.

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Homepage for the Challenging Behaviour Foundation

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The CBF aims to improve the life opportunities and quality of life for people with severe learning disabilities and their families.

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When planning a trip to Newcastle you need to know if the place that you want to visit is accessible. Help is available to make your visit as easy as possible.

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Accessible venues in Newcastle - Information Now

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When planning a trip to Newcastle you need to know if the place that you want to visit is accessible. Help is available to make your visit as easy as possible. AccessAble surveys places in Newcastle such as museums, restaurants, […]

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Moving from Children's to Adults social care

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Moving from Children's to Adults social care

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Moving from Childrens to Adults Social Care - Information Now

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What is Children’s Social Care? Children’s Social Care and Early Help supports families with children and young people under the age of 18. They work with families to make sure that children and young people are safe, healthy, and have […]

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Speech and Language Therapy - Newcastle NHS Foundation Trust

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Speech and Language Therapy - Newcastle NHS Foundation Trust

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Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

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You can translate this webpage, and all other pages / leaflets by clicking accessibility tools at the top of this page.

If you click the icon then you can select a language that is listed.

How can speech and language therapy help?

Our commitment is to help children and young people communicate to the best of their ability.

We aim to minimise any negative impact of speech, language or communication difficulties for children and young people and their family, as well as on their education and social lives.

Our geographical boundary is Newcastle and we also treat children and young people through regional services.

We can provide specialist support for:

Our team of highly trained speech and language therapists and dedicated support staff will ensure that children and young people receive the best possible healthcare and treatment, tailored to their individual needs.

We aim to provide children and young people centred, integrated support. We assess children and young people's needs and work closely with children and young people, parents/carers, and other specialists to develop an individual care plan which links seamlessly to the child's everyday activities, enabling them to continue their normal lives as much as possible.

There is an open referral system which means that anyone, including parents, can refer.
You can find our referral guidelines here
Gavin Stockman-Brown, office manager on 0191 282 3085

Useful websites
Newcastle support directory BBC - tiny happy people Speech and language UK Talking point Newcastle Hospitals - 0-19 service NHS start for life: Learning to talk (2 to 3 years)
Training for practitioners
The Speech, Language and Communication Framework (SLCF)

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Speech and language therapy for children and young people - Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

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Our children's speech and language therapy team provide support and guidance to help children communicate to the best of their ability

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Parents often talk to us about the importance of siblings and the difficulties that can arise for the siblings of a disabled child. These challenges rarely stop the relationship siblings have with their disabled brother or sister being one of the most important in their lives.

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The pages contains information about some of the issues that may crop up for siblings of a disabled child and give tips to respond to them.

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SENSE - support for young carers & siblings of disabled people

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SENSE - support for young carers & siblings of disabled people

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Sibs - Getting support for a young sibling

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Sibs - Getting support for a young sibling

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Sibling groups Many siblings will benefit from attending a sibling group to feel less isolated and to learning coping strategies for difficult sibling situations. Sibs charity does not run sibling groups. We train professionals to set up and run sibling groups within their own services, schools and local authorities. You will need to find out … Continued

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A link to Hadrian Outreach Communication & Interaction Padlet

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A link to Hadrian Outreach Communication & Interaction Padlet

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Requesting an EHCP - the process in Newcastle

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Requesting an EHCP - the process in Newcastle

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What is an Education Health and Care Plan?

An Education Health and Care (EHC) plan is a legal document which describes a young person's needs, what provision will meet those needs and which school or education setting this child or young person should attend. Plans must be person centred, focusing on the needs and aspirations of the child. An Education, Health and Care plan is for children or young people who have a need for special education which cannot be reasonably provided within the resources normally available to mainstream education settings and which would not be possible without an EHCP.

Who are EHC plans for?

Children and young people have to be between 0 and 25, and in education or training (not university), or wanting to remain in education.

Most children and young people with special educational needs and disability (SEND) don't require an EHC needs assessment. This is because the local school, early years or college setting can support their learning and progress from extra help that they can make available. This is known as SEN Support. Take a look at this short video which talks about the support available for children and young people in mainstream school /settings without an EHC plan, this is sometimes called 'the Graduated Response').

What is an EHC needs assessment and how do I request one?

For a few children and young people extra help provided as part of SEND support may not be enough to meet their needs and support their learning and personal wellbeing.

These children and young people may need an EHC needs assessment. The EHC needs assessment is a detailed process to find out what the child's or young person's special educational needs are and what provision should be put into place to meet them. It will show whether it is necessary to issue an EHC plan setting out the additional help, over and above what is available to the mainstream school or setting, to meet needs.

If you feel that a EHC needs assessment and plan is necessary you should talk to your SENCo. The recommended way for families to request a needs assessment is through the school or education settings. Usually schools /settings complete the request form with parent/carers.

The assessment may not lead to a plan being issued.

Notes for schools/settings:

We are now only taking requests from professionals through theSEND Portal.

The request form asks for more information than the old one, but this means that schools and settings will no longer have to complete an additional education advice form. However, if we haven't got all the information we need on the request form we may need to get in touch again. Or if you get hold of additional information please upload it to the portal.

Schools should note that short term outcomes for the child/young person will not be included in the EHC but should be added as an appendix and included in the individual education plan. This is at the advice of the DfE and is set out in the .

Requests from parents/carers or young people

Requests for assessment do not have to come from a school and can be made by:

The child/young person's parents/carers (or somebody on their behalf)

The young person if over the age of 16 (or somebody on their behalf) or

A person acting on behalf of an early years setting, school or post 16 institution, (this should be with the knowledge and agreement of the parent/carer or young person where possible)

In addition, anyone can inform the local authority about a child or young person who has, or may have, Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND). This could include foster carers, health and social care professionals, early years practitioners, youth offending teams or probation services. It may also include those responsible for education in custody, school or college staff or a family friend. Again, this should be done with the knowledge and agreement of parents/carers or the young person where possible.

If a local authority (LA) is requested to carry out an EHC needs assessment by a parent, young person, school or college, they must consider:

1. whether the child or young person has or may have special educational needs (SEN)

2. and whether they may need special educational provision to be made through an EHC plan.

This is often referred to as the '2 Legal Tests'.

If the answer to both of these questions is yes, they must carry out an EHC needs assessment.
Citizen's Portal
Did you know you can put your request in via our Citizen's Portal?

This will mean that as your request progresses you will be able to see professional advices that are coming in and ultimately draft and final EHC plans.

The link to the portal can be found here: Citizen Portal - Sign in

On our Local Offer page for the SEND Portal, we have included a video to show parents how to use the portal. You can watch it by clicking here

Below there is a parent request form that you could use to put your request together and upload to the portal. The webpage also includes a number of different forms at the bottom of the page to help guide you and get children's views. The following guidance forms have been co-produced with parents/carers and children and young people to help put ensure their views are included in the assessment and plan.

How long does it take?

Requests for an EHC assessment follow a 20 week process as set out below. You will be allocated a SEND Caseworker who will help to guide you though the process. If you want more detailed information take a look at the Parent/Carer Guide to SEND process.

How we make decisions

We have set up 'panels' of professionals from schools, settings, education, health and social care services who consider requests for Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan assessments, whether to issue an EHC plan and the monitoring and review of EHC plans. Having a range of officers from different services ensures a joint collaborative approach to support the Local Authority in making transparent and equitable, well-informed decisions. Ultimately though it is the Local Authority's decision and the Team manager of the Support, Assessment and Review Team Chairs the panels. Details of the what the panels do and who the panel members can be found by clicking here.

Newcastle SENDIASS

(Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice and Support Service)

'How to' Guides for Parent/Carers

If you are not happy with a decision regarding an EHCP assessment or review.....

Call us

We will work with you to resolve any concerns you may have and explain further about why the decision has been made. If any further advice or evidence is now available, please send us a copy and we will consider this as it may make a difference to the original decision. Please contact:

SEND Support, Assessment and Review Team

Tel : 0191 277 4650

Email: sencaseworkers@newcastle.gov.uk

SEND Information, Advice and Support service (SENDIASS)

If we can't reach agreement or you are still dissatisfied you can also contact SENDIASS an independent team who will give you information and advice. Here's how to contact them:

Tel: 0191 211 6255

Email: sendiassadmin@newcastle.gov.uk
http://www.newcastlesendiass.co.uk
This you tube video tells you more about how SENDIASS can help you: Introduction to the Information Advice and Support Service - YouTube

Seek Mediation

If we are unable to come to an agreement independent mediation arrangements are in place to help discuss, resolve or prevent any disagreements linked to decisions about EHC needs assessments and plans. An adviser will provide you with information on how they can help. Please contact:

Sue Hall, Chapel Mediation & Consultancy Service

Tel: 07792227526 or

Email: suehall113@gmail.com

Please note if you wish to make an appeal to the SEND Tribunal you may only do so after contacting the mediation service and discussed whether mediation might be a suitable way of resolving the disagreement. They will issue a certificate.

Apply to a SEND Tribunal

If you still wish to appeal to the tribunal, you should do so within two months of receiving this letter or one month from the date of a certificate being issued, whichever is the later. Information on how to appeal to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal can also be obtained from:

HM Courts & Tribunals Service

Special Educational Needs & Disability Tribunal

1st Floor Darlington Magistrates' Court

Parkgate

Darlington DL1 1RU

Tel: 01325 289 350

Advice on making SEND appeals to the Tribunal is available from:
www.gov.uk/courts-tribunals/first-tier-tribunal-special-educational-needs-and-disability

Other useful information

Transport Eligibility

For further information in relation to travel assistance eligibility please visit: www.newcastle.gov.uk/services/schools-learning-and-childcare/special-educational-needs-andor-disabilities-send/special . The SEND Travel Support team can also be contacted on 0191 277 4646

Below are the details of the other support services available to families who support children and young people with special educational needs in Newcastle

The Parent Carer Forum - https://www.newcastlepcf.co.uk/contact/

Pass it on Parents Advice and Support at Skills for People - Facebook page- Pass it on Parents Newcastle upon Tyne | Facebook

The Access Fund - The Access Fund - Nunsmoor Centre Trust

Get connected - Get Connected | Newcastle Support Directory

The Art garden - Art Garden and Music Garden at Scotswood Community Garden

Newcastle Carers Centre - Newcastle Carers - Local Carers Support Services Near Me | Carers Trust - Carers Trust

We want to hear your views about the EHC process

If you have been through the EHC planning process we would really appreciate your feedback. Please complete the short survey at : Tell us what you thought about the EHC process - quick survey

Or scan this QR code:

The EHC plan template

The EHC request form has been written to feed directly into the new EHC template which was co-produced in 2021/2022.

In Autumn 2021 we consulted on whether we should develop a single 0-25 years EHC plan template and we received some strong opinions about why we should keep two plan templates. As a result, the PCF carried out a survey to get views about which plan option is preferred. The feedback received was very mixed, an even split between parents/carers wanting one EHC plan and some wishing to keep the two as they are now. Parents/carers who have the post 16 EHC plan were worried about losing the focus on preparing for adulthood and living independently.

As a result, we commissioned NDTI to facilitate a series of collaborative and interactive workshops, aiming to discover and share our strengths and dream big together about how we can make the EHCP template the best it can be to support people to lead amazing lives.

The first workshop in February 2022 was attended by 34 delegates including, parent /carers, our Voice trainee, the SEND Information and Advice Support Service and SEND Professionals from across schools, education, health and care.

Some of the discussions from the workshop are attached here.

We then split into groups to come up with different template options, which were presented to the full group, who identified the best parts of each to create the template. We also 'mocked' up the templates with some real EHC plan examples. This was very hard to do because the new template is very different from the old ones.

The workshop delegates agreed that we went through a really interesting and exciting journey to come up with the final template, where we had an opportunity to have open discussions be creative and develop the template by mutual consent.

The new EHC template aims to:

prompt preparing for adulthood discussions from the earliest years

make it clear that only provision above that expected in mainstream school is included

show a clear link between outcomes and provision

allow families to put forward their views however they wish to do so

be colour coded and more accessible than previous versions and looks good on a mobile phone

meet all legislative requirements.

The new template can be seen in the pictures below.

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Requesting a new Education, Health and Care Plan

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In most cases the request for an education, health and care plan (EHC Plan) will come from a school or education setting. Children and young people who already have a statement should refer to the page Moving from Statements to Education Health and Care plans

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SENDIASS - Newcastle Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice and Support Service

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SENDIASS - Newcastle Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice and Support Service

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Education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment | Newcastle Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice and Support Service

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An EHC needs assessment is a detailed look at the special educational needs (SEN) of a child / young person, and the support they need in order to learn. The assessment is to see if your child or young person needs an EHC plan.

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What is an Education, Health and Social Care (EHC) plan? (updated 2019)

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If you have a child with additional needs and sleep issues, bedtime can be tricky.

Whether they struggle to communicate how they're feeling, have increased anxiety, sensory issues or social cueing problems, sleeping well may be difficult. For example research estimates that between 40-80% of children and young adults with autism have sleep problems. If your child regularly has difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, it may be a sign of a sleep issue.

Lack of sleep can impact in the following ways:

Aggression

Depression

Hyperactivity

Increased behavioural problems

Irritability

Poor learning and cognitive performance

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If a child struggles to communicate how they're feeling, have increased anxiety, sensory issues or social cueing problems, sleeping well may be difficult.

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Sensory differences - a guide for all audiences

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A general guide to some of the sensory differences autistic people may experience, and strategies to help with this.

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Sensory processing disorder advice and easy wins!

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Sensory processing disorder advice and easy wins!

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What is SPD and how does it affect people? What can I do at home or school to reduce sensitivity in the classroom or when learning? Practical strategies and tips how to relieve the senses for special educational needs SEND

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When kids have sensory issues with clothing it can be overwhelming, confusing, and exhausting. Learn why they may have a sensory sensitivity and how you can help them! Plus, ideas for sensory friendly clothing.
I'm standing in the kitchen trying to enjoy the hot coffee that just spit out of my Keurig and I wince when I hear my son, Isaac, crying in the distance. I realize that makes me sound like a horrible uncaring parent, but I know why he's crying before my foot even hits the first step to see what's the matter.

Two minutes ago, he had just left the kitchen to get dressed for school, and it's one of the first colder days of fall. That means he can't wear shorts.

He hasn't had a pair of pants on in months.

I was secretly hoping this wasn't going to be a big deal, but as I climb the stairs, I take a deep breath to brace myself with loads of patience because I know what the scene will be when I open his bedroom door. And, it's just as I expected. He's standing there in his underwear, hardly able to talk because he's crying so hard.

I notice his pant drawer is open and a bunch of pairs are tossed out all over the floor.

I bend down in front of him and tell him to take a deep breath, as I finally understand what he's repeating through his tears, "I can't wear pants, I hate the way they feel on my legs." Any compassion I was previously lacking is now quickly present. I give him a tight hug because he loves that, and then I say, "Don't worry, we'll work it out."

In that moment, I don't know exactly what the solution is, but I've got some ideas!

Does my Child Have Sensory Issues with Clothing?

This story about my son and I may sound all too familiar to you. The fact is that a lot of kids are particular about what kinds of clothing they wear. It could be their socks, pants, or a preference to wear no clothing at all!

This is quite different than the child that refuses to wear anything other than blue or to always be in a dress because they like to twirl.

What I'm talking about is way more than a style preference. Instead, it's about refusing to wear clothing based on the way it feels. If your child is demanding to wear or not wear certain clothing because of a seam, particular fit, or type of fabric, then it's likely because of their sensory system. Some might say they have sensory issues with clothing.

Now don't hit the panic button because that sounds kind of scary, but actually, this is quite normal and doesn't necessarily mean that your child has something "wrong" with them.

Why Kids Have Sensory Issues with Clothing...

Each of us and every kid has a unique sensory system. We each have sensations that we like, don't notice, and avoid. Some kids have more of those preferences than others. This all depends on their own individual brain, which is why it varies so much from person to person. Sensory issues with clothing become a concern when they start to interfere with a child's ability to function in daily life. (Head over to "What is Sensory?" to learn more)

In these cases, a child may have Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), or other diagnoses like ADHD or Autism.

But lots of kids, like my son, have a sensory sensitivity to certain types of textures and no diagnosis. Sensory issues with clothing are specifically related to our sense of touch or the tactile system. (Read more about the tactile sense) For Isaac, his brain is getting so many signals that the pants are on his legs, that it's hard for him to focus on anything else. He perceives this as uncomfortable and begins to cry at the thought of wearing those pants.

Most kids that have sensory issues with clothing will often react this way. In fact, it could even be full-out tantrums and total fits over a pair of socks.

As parents, it's frustrating and exhausting. It can also be hard to understand why they can't just put the pants on. We may even force them to. But, our kids are literally yelling out because those pants might be downright painful. They aren't being bad when they refuse to wear jeans, socks, or whatever, it's simply how their brain works, and they don't quite know how to put that into words.

Also, many kids that have sensory issues with clothing also don't like to get messy or are particular about what they will touch and perhaps even eat. That's because all of those activities are related to the tactile sense. If you see your child having a general sensitivity, head to everything about sensory sensitivity to learn more.
Affiliate links used below. See our full disclosure.
What Should You Do About Sensory Issues with Clothing?

Let's talk about the basics because this is where we should all start when we're facing a child's sensory issue with clothing. And honestly, just having this simple plan will give you a lot of peace and knock the frustration level down a few pegs because you'll have a plan that you can start right now.

1. Try to understand - Sounds like a small detail, but don't overlook this step because this is what helps us keep our sanity. When you find yourself getting frustrated or exhausted by your kid's sensory issues with clothing, try to imagine how uncomfortable it must be for them. The added benefit to this is that over time, your kid will notice your understanding and start to communicate better because they know you get it and are there for them. It's pretty cool when that happens.

2. Don't Force - Oh so tempting, but forcing a pair of socks, pants, or fancy lacy dress can have a pretty detrimental effect on their sensory system, making matters only worse. Not to mention that they are going to fight you more in the future because they'll think you don't get it and aren't there to help.

3. Allow for extra time - This is a hard one for me, I always push everything to the last minute, but when you know your child has sensory issues with clothing, this can be a total game changer. One thing I didn't mention earlier is that kid's sensory systems are always in fluctuation, which means that what bothers them one day might not the next. For some kids, it can be hard to predict when they're going to have a total meltdown over the jeans. Having that extra time to work through it might be exactly what you need.

4. Offer Choices - As soon as kids feel like they have some control over what their body experiences, they are more willing to push themselves out of their comfort zone. If possible, give them two pairs of pants to choose from, ideally of different textures or fit. If they aren't sure, you can talk about the differences, "You can choose the black pants with no buttons, or these jeans with a zipper and snap. Which would you like to wear today?"

5. Think sensory friendly clothing - While every child is unique, by in large, most sensory issues with clothing are because of seams in socks or pants, or a strong preference for comfortable clothing like sweatpants. Although some kids prefer tight-fitting clothing, as well. Notice what your child seems to complain about or gravitate towards.

For Issac, he particularly dislikes jeans and any pants that have buttons or the hidden adjustable waistband. I know exactly what bothers him, so in his case, having elastic waist comfortable pants would be helpful. It may be different for your child.

Here are a few examples of sensory friendly clothing:

6. Use a time limit - Isaac also hates, probably more than jeans, button-down shirts. I ask him to wear these to church sometimes, which is really challenging for him. He'll often concede if he knows he can take it off as soon as we get back home. If you have a special outfit you want your child to wear, then telling them when they get to take it off will help.

7. Get more help - If you try all of the above steps and can't seem to get past the daily battle about what clothes your child is going to wear, I'd recommend a sensory evaluation with an occupational therapist, which could be tremendously helpful for you and your child. Head over to sensory integration therapy to learn more.

How to Get Over Sensory Issues with Clothing

As an OT, I love strategies to help us get through challenges with our kids, like those listed above, but what I love even more is to get to the root of the problem. Let's uncover the best ways to help your child improve the way they process sensory information about their clothing, that decreases their tactile defensiveness.

1. Wilbarger Brushing Protocol - Frequently referred to as "brushing", and as strange as it sounds, is taking a specific brush (looks like a surgical brush) and with a firm pressure, taking 2 minutes to firmly rub it all over your child's back, arms, and legs. While this is very easy, it's copyright states that it can only be taught in person by an occupational therapist that's been certified to do so.

The good news is the majority of pediatric OT's have this certification or training. If your child is already in OT and they have sensory issues with clothing or other signs of tactile defensiveness, ask the OT about it!

2. Sensory Bins - Again, this may sound surprising or even strange, but if your child regularly plays in different textures (think: sand, dry rice, shaving cream, finger paints, etc.) their tactile system can greatly improve and the sensory issues with clothing can all but disappear. I've certainly seen this happen with Isaac over time! Head over to Sensory Bin Ideas to get organized.

And, I'm not the only one that sees these changes, check out this post from my free help for picky eating facebook group:

3. Repeated Exposure - Although we don't want to force, it's helpful to encourage them to try, especially if it's a clothing that can't be worked around. Try small doses at home and build up your time.

4. Firm Pressure - When your child does push through their sensory issues with clothing and they are still a bit uncomfortable, a little bit of firm pressure goes a long way because for a lot of kids it's very calming to their sensory system. You can give firm pressure by:

Hugging them (if they like hugs!)

Squeezing their hand or wrapping your hands around their forearms and giving a firm squeeze

Pushing down on the tops of their shoulders

5. Use a Sensory Diet - Lots of times, if a child has sensory issues with clothing, they likely have some sensory issues in some other aspect of their life. Isaac is also very wild and while he's sensitive to certain textures with his tactile system, he craves and seeks out other sensations like proprioceptive and vestibular input. When I give him a chance to get his sensory system balanced through certain activities, his refusal to wear certain types of clothing diminishes.

Check out this sensory diet template to learn more about how to set a sensory diet up for your child.

Finding the Solution That Works for You and Your Child

The morning that I walked into Isaac's room a few months ago, wouldn't be the last like it, but on that day and other days since, I've used a combination of all the strategies you just read about. I pulled out two of his most comfortable pants to choose from, helped him put them on, and then firmly rubbed his legs right away.

Fortunately, he quickly got over wearing pants but, we do have frequent conversations and negotiations around which days he'll wear jeans. Together, we also search for the softest jeans in his drawer and usually pick out a shirt he really likes.

However, believe me when I say that I know full well that this may be too big of a step for your child. For you, it may mean letting your child wear shorts, even in the winter, as you work through their sensory issues with clothing. Or, your solution could be stocking their closet with tight performance fit clothing because it's one less battle you have to have, and you notice that they're way more chill when they have it on anyways.

Get More Help, NOW!

If you'd like to learn more about how to help your child with their sensory difficulties, then join me in the free workshop: 3 Expert Secrets to Calm and Focus Your Child with Specialized Sensory Activities!
CLICK HERE TO GET A FREE SEAT!
More on Kid's Sensory Issues
Epic Messy Play List that's Sensory-filled, Inspiring, and Easy! 60 Printable Sensory Diet Cards for Kids to Thrive 100+ Awesome and Easy Sensory Diet Activities What is a Sensory Diet: Does My Child Need One?
Did You Pin This?

So much info here, it'll be hard to remember it all. Pin it to your parenting or sensory board for safe keeping:)
Alisha Grogan is a licensed occupational therapist and founder of Your Kid's Table. She has over 14 years experience with expertise in sensory processing and feeding development in babies, toddlers, and children. Alisha also has 3 boys of her own at home. Learn more about her here

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The Best Solutions for Sensory Issues with Clothing in Kids

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When kids have sensory issues with clothing it can be overwhelming, confusing, and exhausting. Learn why they may have a sensory sensitivity and how you can help them! Plus, ideas for sensory friendly clothing. I'm standing in the kitchen trying to enjoy the hot coffee that just spit out of my Keurig and I wince when I hear my son, Isaac, crying in the distance.

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Sensory Smart Seamless socks & more for sensory sensitive kids

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Seamless Socks, seamfree underwear & clothing for sensory-sensitive kids & adults. ASD, Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, sensory seeking, AFO, KAFO, splints, braces, Eczema, Diabetes, Neuropathy

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Marks and Spencer - Easy Dressing Range 

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Marks and Spencer - Easy Dressing Range 

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Adaptive Clothing for Kids | Assisted Dressing | M&S

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Discover adaptive clothing for kids in our easy dressing range. You'll find carefully crafted garments and soft cotton materials in the range at M&S

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Find out about how we can help if you’re the parent or carer of a child with a disability or additonal need.

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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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Newcastle Directory of funding opportunities

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Newcastle Directory of funding opportunities

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Funding Opportunities | Newcastle Support Directory

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Rise Early Years Bursary Scheme At Rise, we value the importance of embedding physical activity and movement in the early years and want to support settings and staff across Northumberland and Tyne & Wear to have the skills, resources and confidence to do so. As of Monday 3 April, we will be launching our Early Years Bursary scheme which will enable and support the sector to achieve this. Who can apply?

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Newcastle Local Authority Parental Support Groups

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Newcastle Local Authority Parental Support Groups

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Newcastle Local Authority Parental Support Groups | HEADS Training Centre

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Incredible Years Incredible Years is a 14 week programme usually running for 2 hours per week focusing on, Play, Praise, Effective Limit Setting, Using Ignoring Strategies, Using Time Out. The Incredible Years Programme has two long-range goals: The first goal is to provide cost-effective, early prevention programs that all families can use to promote social, emotional, […]

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Skills for People support people with learning disabilities and autism and their carers. They give information, advice and support services, to disabled children and their families. This includes help with:

Information Advice and Support

In Depth Casework

Grant Funding Applications

Coffee Morning / Drop ins

Workshops / Training

They run:

Pass it on Parents: a parents group that supports families with children who have additional needs living in Newcastle - https://www.facebook.com/groups/passitonnewcastle/

Parent and Carer coffee mornings where you can find out more about support available and chat with other people with shared experiences

Drop in sessions

Family meet ups

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Skills For People – Better Lives, Better World

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We work to make sure that disabled people and their families can be in control of their own lives, strong, confident and included in the communities of their choice.

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Our Confident Parenting workshops are run to support families and to give parents/carers an opportunity to meet informally with professional guidance to overcome issues around managing their child’s behaviour.

The workshops run over 6 weeks and you are expected to attend all of the session.

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Newcastle Carers - Parental Support Groups

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Newcastle Carers - Parental Support Groups

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Caring for someone can be exhausting, so it’s important to have the opportunity to take time away from your caring role to look after your wellbeing and avoid burnout. Joining a carer support group to connect with other carers can provide much-needed emotional and mental health support and be a great source of help.

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Support groups at The Toby Henderson Trust

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Support groups at The Toby Henderson Trust

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TTHT host FREE support group sessions for families living in the UK – A Grandparents Guide to Autism Group and a group for Families of Autistic Girls. These sessions are held over Zoom. Please contact them if you would like further information.

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Support Groups - The Toby Henderson Trust

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At Toby House we have a programme of support sessions and groups for parents and professionals with at least one seminar being delivered every month.

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You might be struggling mentally and looking for strategies to help you cope.

Or maybe you just need to talk to someone who understands the extra challenges you face.

Our Listening Ear is here for you.

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Our 1-1 telephone appointments for parent carers looking for emotional support.

You might be struggling emotionally and looking for strategies to help you cope. Or maybe you just need to talk to someone who understands the extra challenges you face and who can point you in the right direction to get the support you need for your family.

To help, we offer 1-1 telephone appointments with a family support adviser for parent carers looking for a listening ear, reassurance and practical and emotional support.

Making an appointment is simple: Choose the day (morning, afternoon or evening), and when you register choose the time slot you want. Appointments are regularly updated and are subject to availability.

Important information before booking

Please ensure that you book your call for a time that you know you will be free to talk and somewhere that you feel safe and is quiet so that you can get the most out of the time you have

All appointments are one hour long.

BOOK A FREE APPOINTMENT
Watch our senior parent adviser Shona talk about Listening Ear below to find out more about what the service is, what parents can talk about during their call, what families think of their Listening Ear experience, and some of her most memorable calls so far.

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Our 1-1 telephone appointments for parent carers looking for emotional support. You might be struggling emotionally and looking for strategies to help you cope. Or maybe you just need to talk to someone who understands the extra challenges you face and who can point you in the right direction to get the support you need for your family.

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"To whom it may concern

Food banks should not exist! However, I am so pleased that they do. The North Newcastle Food Bank at the Brunswick Park Centre is quite literally a life saver. The help and support offered by all the team, and the donations from local businesses, are making a massive and unquestionable difference to our lives.

We are able to give our children (and ourselves) a better quality diet that would not be possible without this service. The money that we partly save on our food bill helps towards energy bills and providing our children with the things they need.

I hope that one day we will not be so reliant on the Food Bank, however until that time, I am so grateful for the support we receive.

I give permission to anyone at the North Newcastle Food Bank, to use the contents of this email, in any way they see fit, fully or partially, in any way that supports the amazing work they do".

David Mckitterick

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Families 1st is a Chairty helping provide Food Poverty, S.E.N & community support to vulnerable families & individuals.

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Rescare supports families who have loved ones with a learning disability. They are run “by families for families”, with members all over the UK. Their services include:

Telephone helpline where you can ask questions about being a family carer, health and social care, education, housing and more

Advocacy

Online Family Forums

Campaigns

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Charity supporting families of people with Learning Disabilities : Rescare

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Rescare is a UK charity for people with a learning disability. We support their families and carers, too. Find out more about our services and get involved

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National Network of Parent Carer Forums - NE & Cumbria

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National Network of Parent Carer Forums - NE & Cumbria

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We have 13 Parent Carer Forums who work in partnership with their local area partners as well as working across the region collaboratively.

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National Network of Parent Carer Forums C.I.C

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We have 13 Parent Carer Forums who work in partnership with their local area partners as well as working across the region collaboratively. Please find the contact details of all the forums listed …

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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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Help in a crisis

The Learning Disability Helpline is a very busy service, and we help as many people as we can. If you send an email or use our online form, we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

However, we are not a crisis service and we cannot always respond straight away to urgent issues.

Crisis Advice

Got a question?

Complete the contact form and one of our advisors will get in touch with you shortly.

Get in touch now

What can the Learning Disability Helpline help you with?

We can talk to you about anything to do with learning disability. This could be help and advice, issues or available services in your area.

These are the Helplines focus areas of information and advice:

We will also offer information and advice in the following areas:

We can offer information only (not advice) on these subjects

Read our helpline privacy notice

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The Learning Disability Helpline is our free advice service for people with a learning disability and their families and carers. Call 0808 808 1111 or complete our contact form.

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Action for Children - Strategies for supporting children with additional needs when eating

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Action for Children - Strategies for supporting children with additional needs when eating

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Support for Parents from Action For Children

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My child won’t eat properly and has additional needs

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Any child can be a fussy eater. But refusing foods is common if your child has special educational needs or additional learning needs.

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Action for Children  - Characteristics of good practice in teaching food and nutrition education to pupils with additional needs

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Action for Children  - Characteristics of good practice in teaching food and nutrition education to pupils with additional needs

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Support for Parents from Action For Children

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My child won’t eat properly and has additional needs

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Any child can be a fussy eater. But refusing foods is common if your child has special educational needs or additional learning needs.

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The Children's Nutritionist - The division of responsibility

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The Children's Nutritionist - The division of responsibility

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Sarah Almond-Bushell, MPhil, BSc (Hons) RD

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How to raise a happy healthy eater using the division of responsibility | The Children’s Nutritionist

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Can the Division of Responsibility Help You Feed Your Child? - Kids Eat in Color

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The Division of Responsibility can help you feed your baby, toddler or picky eater. It can also help your child have a healthy relationship with food.

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Tune in to our parenting podcast to learn about effective parenting and hear questions from real parents answered by Dr. Becky, creator of Good Inside.

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A wonderful book

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Buy Siblings Without Rivalry: How to Help Your Children Live Together So You Can Live Too (How to Help Your Child) 1st. New Edition : 1st. Printing by Faber, Adele, Mazlish, Elaine (ISBN: 9781853406300) from Amazon’s Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.

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Good Inside Podcast - Sibling dynamics and conflict resolution

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Good Inside Podcast - Sibling dynamics and conflict resolution

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Sibling Dynamics and Conflict Resolution Workshop

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Learn Dr. Becky’s framework for understanding sibling dynamics, how to handle conflict and strategies for building healthy sibling relationships.

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Child Mind Institute - Mindful Parenting

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Child Mind Institute - Mindful Parenting

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Use mindfulness techniques to take stress and anxiety out of raising kids

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Cynthia Braun remembers all too well what weekday mornings used to be like at her house. Since her husband had to leave early for work, it was up to Braun, a pediatrician with a practice in Pleasantville, New York, to get Anika and Devon, then 6 and 3, up and dressed, give them breakfast, pack their lunches and get them to preschool. "Our morning routine just was just a lot of work," she says. "Nobody was doing what they were supposed to be doing. They couldn't care less about the time, while I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to get everything done."

It's a familiar scenario for a lot of parents with school-age kids. And for parents of kids with issues like ADHD, transition times like getting to school or moving from one activity to another can be especially difficult. Another mom, Sandy Isaac, says that when not one but both of her kids, then 8 and 4, were diagnosed with ADHD, it was a lot to take in. She realized things at home had to change.

Both Braun and Isaac enrolled in Dr. Mark Bertin's mindfulness-based parenting class. "I felt like I was not being as good a parent as I wanted to be and I wanted to figure out if mindfulness could give me a better perspective and some strategies to implement," says Braun.

Related: School Mornings Without the Stress

Overwhelmed parents

Dr. Bertin, a developmental pediatrician who specializes in treating kids with issues like ADHD, autism and learning disabilities, says in general he runs a pretty traditional medical practice. But he's been a practitioner of mindfulness for nearly 20 years. In 2007, he began offering Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Classes for parents of kids with and without special challenges. "Often when you have a kid with ADHD," he says, "you have a very stressful family situation and I think one of the things that happens is that things get very focused on helping the children, which is fine except that the parents get stressed and overwhelmed."

The largest section of Dr. Bertin's book, The Family ADHD Solution, is devoted to mindfulness for parents because, he says, "parenting in general, but especially parenting kids with disabilities, is really, really stressful. And when it comes to ADHD, there's research showing that parents are at a much greater risk for anxiety, depression and marital stress. "

Slow things down

Braun says through Dr. Bertin's class she not only developed a mindfulness practice of her own (which includes guided mediation, body scan, and breathing exercises) but she learned that slowing things down, stepping back and observing her own reactions, gave her the perspective to effectively restructure her family's morning routine. "I realized I was pushing them to do things really fast. He's three, he wants to choose his own clothes, and if he puts it on backwards, I was realizing that's okay. It's okay for them to be mismatched. It doesn't really matter if they have toothpaste on their T-shirts. Things don't have to be a certain way. I'm going to make my morning slower. I'm going to wake them up earlier. I'll have to get up earlier, but I want our mornings to start with a happy mood instead of all this stress and rushing.'"

Mindful mornings may be less efficient, but they're more pleasurable. "What's happening right now is all there is," Braun adds. "Why make everybody unhappy? If we're five minutes late to preschool it doesn't change anything. What changes things is the frustration, and the stress that builds up and then everything unravels."

Isaac says she learned from Dr. Bertin techniques to keep things from escalating when somebody isn't on board with whatever the agenda is. "He brings a lot of insight into really taking the time to step back," she says, "and looking at what creates that situation, and slowing people down.

Set kids up for success

Slowing life down in general seems to be a common theme, something that's simple but important for parents, especially parents of kids with ADHD and other disorders that involve difficult behaviors, to do: to take a breath and listen to what their children are trying to tell them with their behavior. "It makes you stop and think about how you're running things as a parent and how you're setting things up for success or not," says Issac. "If you have two kids with this stuff going on and you make the routine of the day one where everyone is rushing, rushing, and you pack too much into it, there's not enough downtime, then that's just a recipe for making it worse."

Parents, Issac says, often forget what their children need. "Because the other component to the whole thing is-and I don't think I just speak for myself," she says, "the parents are busy, busy people and wrapped up in whatever the day is, and also, this stuff runs in families."

Related: Why Do Kids Have Trouble With Transitions?

Stress is contagious

When parents become stressed that stress becomes contagious; children know when their parents are tense and overwhelmed. In fact, according to Dr. Amy Saltzman, a holistic physician and mindfulness coach (and creator of the Still Quiet Place CDs for Young Children and Teens), "Data shows that the greatest source of childhood and adolescent stress is not school work, extracurricular activities, or peer pressure, but parental stress." So being a good parent means learning to manage your own stress.

Dr. Elisha Goldstein, a psychologist who uses mindfulness in his Los Angeles practice, thinks parents often have an innate sense of inadequacy when it comes to their own children. When it comes to parenting mindfully, says Dr. Goldstein, "a lot of the work is about learning to make peace with our imperfections. Because we're going to do things that are going to land our kids in therapy, we're gonna do things that hurt our kids. We can beat ourselves up. But if, instead, we were able to make peace with our imperfections and begin to regulate our emotional state, we can be calmer and more present for our kids and cultivate some self-compassion."

End the perfectionism

Ending the perfectionism can also set a good example for kids, observes Dr. Goldstein, whose mindfulness book The Now Effect: How This Moment Can Change the Rest of Your Life includes a parenting chapter. "Parents serve as role models for kids," he says. "Kids are sponges. So at the end of the day that's really good modeling for the kids because the kids are also going to be imperfect in their lifetime."

There's science to show that taking a deep breath and staying calm when your children are pushing you to the edge actually causes positive changes in the brain. Let's say it's the end of a long rainy Sunday and you've been stuck inside with three little kids. One child is picking on another, who in turn is crying, while the third spills juice all over the floor. "If you can just say to yourself in that moment, 'This is chaos,' " Dr. Goldstein says, "not in an anxious or fearful way, but just name it, research shows us we turn the volume down on the amygdala, which is the fear circuit of the brain, and bring more activity to the pre-frontal cortex, so we can be more aware of what's happening right now.

Create a safe environment

Your calm response helps kids calm down, too, he notes. "They say, 'Okay, I can trust my parent to be in control, this is a safe environment.' And they feel more secure and they thrive. So that's another benefit of parents practicing it on their own."

It seems there's no one right way to parent mindfully. Happily, there are many right ways. Sometimes the smallest adjustment in a child's schedule can change a whole family's day-to-day life. And sometimes, Dr. Bertin says, "It's as simple as practicing paying full attention to our kids, with openness and compassion, and maybe that's enough at any moment."

Read More:

The Power of Mindfulness
How to Avoid Passing Anxiety on to Your Kids
Mindfulness in the Classroom

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Practice Mindful Parenting | Mindfulness Techniques | Child Mind Institute

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Cynthia Braun remembers all too well what weekday mornings used to be like at her house. Since her husband had to leave early for work, it was up to Braun, a pediatrician with a practice in Pleasantville, New York, to get Anika and Devon, then 6 and 3, up and dressed, give them breakfast, pack their lunches and get them to preschool.

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Headspace - Mindfulness for parents and kids

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Headspace - Mindfulness for parents and kids

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Mindful Parenting: Nurturing Your Mental Health for a Happier Family

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Mindful Parenting: Nurturing Your Mental Health for a Happier Family

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Parenting is a rewarding yet challenging journey that often demands a great deal of time, energy, and emotional investment. In the midst of juggling countless responsibilities, it is so important for parents to focus on their mental wellbeing. Taking time out for self-care not only benefits you as a parent or carer but also contributes to a healthier and happier family environment. In this blog, we will be exploring different ways that parents can look after their mental health and find those few precious moments for themselves. Schedule "Me Time":
Life can get overwhelmingly busy, but it's crucial to carve out at least a little time for yourself. Take regular breaks where you can and engage in activities that you enjoy. Whether it's reading a book, taking a walk, or practicing a hobby; setting aside time for self-care is essential for mental rejuvenation. We know it doesn't always feel possible to do this, but it could be the smallest thing, for example sitting out for a few minutes and enjoying a hot drink.
Connect with a Support System:
Parenting can often feel very isolating, but you're not alone. Cultivate a support system of friends, family, or fellow parents who understand the challenges you face. Share your thoughts, concerns, and victories with others who can provide empathy and advice. Social media often has some great local parenting groups that you could tap into as well, where we are sure you will find many other parents or carers in a similar situation.
Embrace Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques:
Incorporate mindfulness and relaxation techniques into your daily routine. Whether it's deep breathing exercises, meditation, or yoga, these practices can help reduce stress, improve focus, and create a sense of calm amidst the chaos. There are also apps that can help with taking a few minutes to breathe in moments of parenting madness.

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Mindful Parenting: Nurturing Your Mental Health for a Happier Family - Little Lives UK

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Parenting is a rewarding yet challenging journey that often demands a great deal of time, energy, and emotional investment. In the midst of juggling countless responsibilities, it is so important for parents to focus on their mental wellbeing.

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CALM - Mindful parenting: what it is, benefits & 10 ways to practice

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CALM - Mindful parenting: what it is, benefits & 10 ways to practice

# data[].attributes.headline
Choice wellbeing services for parents of children with additional needs. 

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Choice wellbeing services for parents of children with additional needs. 

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We offer a specific counselling offer for parent carers of children with additional needs with or without a diagnosis.

This service is structured around you, at a time that suits you, including evenings, working around your schedule?

There is no cost for this service, we have had wonderful feedback thus far, and there is a minimal wait of only two weeks to be allocated a therapist.

If you are interested in accessing our service, you can refer yourself here:

https://forms.wix.com/r/7176215568259743829

Team CWS

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Choice Wellbeing Service (CWS) is designed to support the mental health and wellbeing of parent carers.

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Five ways to manage your wellbeing as a parent

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Five ways to manage your wellbeing as a parent

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Our wellbeing is often nurtured by having a daily routine, a structure to our lives. If the day feels endless and without a plan, anxiety can easily be triggered. Staying focused, knowing what happens next and feeling proud of achieving our goals makes us feel good. But it is not easy. At present, juggling the multiple roles of parenting, home schooling and working can leave parents feeling that they are spread too thinly - and that we're not doing a good job at any of our roles. This is hard.

Try having achievable timetables with attainable goals. Each evening, if we map out the following day, it can help us to feel reassured because we know what we expect to happen. Ideally, each family member will have a sense of their own timetable, with children involved in planning their own. Where possible, if everyone's daily plans work well together, you will also benefit from an agreed time for shared activities or quiet time. This working together as a family will also help to boost wellbeing.

All families have their own rules, some more so than others. But developing some rules for how you can all manage at home at this time will certainly help. Working them out together, and including all your children in this, will make the rules feel jointly owned and fair.

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Five ways to manage your wellbeing as a parent during lockdown

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Our wellbeing is often nurtured by having a daily routine, a structure to our lives. If the day feels endless and without a plan, anxiety can easily be triggered. Staying focused, knowing what happens next and feeling proud of achieving our goals makes us feel good. But it is not easy.

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PBS is

An approach that support understanding of behaviours that challenge others

Overall goal is to improve quality of life

People are individuals with equal human rights as others

Uses a range of ways to build individual support

How to change the system to support someone rather than simple trying to stop the person’s behaviour

Reducing restrictive practices

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Helping you and your child sleep - Contact

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Helping you and your child sleep - Contact

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A child who does not sleep well can affect the whole family. Disabled children and those with certain medical conditions are more likely to experience problems with sleeping.

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Helping you and your child sleep | Contact

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Disabled children and those with certain medical conditions are more likely to experience problems with sleeping.

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This 1-1 telephone appointments for parent carers looking for emotional support.

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Our 1-1 telephone appointments for parent carers looking for emotional support.

You might be struggling emotionally and looking for strategies to help you cope. Or maybe you just need to talk to someone who understands the extra challenges you face and who can point you in the right direction to get the support you need for your family.

To help, we offer 1-1 telephone appointments with a family support adviser for parent carers looking for a listening ear, reassurance and practical and emotional support.

Making an appointment is simple: Choose the day (morning, afternoon or evening), and when you register choose the time slot you want. Appointments are regularly updated and are subject to availability.

Important information before booking

Please ensure that you book your call for a time that you know you will be free to talk and somewhere that you feel safe and is quiet so that you can get the most out of the time you have

All appointments are one hour long.

BOOK A FREE APPOINTMENT
Watch our senior parent adviser Shona talk about Listening Ear below to find out more about what the service is, what parents can talk about during their call, what families think of their Listening Ear experience, and some of her most memorable calls so far.

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Our 1-1 telephone appointments for parent carers looking for emotional support. You might be struggling emotionally and looking for strategies to help you cope. Or maybe you just need to talk to someone who understands the extra challenges you face and who can point you in the right direction to get the support you need for your family.

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Being a carer can bring unexpected expenses and challenges financially, particularly if you have had to reduce your hours at work or stop work altogether to care for someone.

Support schemes and grants might be able to support you as a carer and provide extra financial help.

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Young carers are people under 18 who look after somebody in their family who is ill, disabled, has mental health problems or is misusing drugs or alcohol. We talk to young carers and their family to understand their needs and how we can best support them – this is a Young Carer Assessment.

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Complementary Therapies from Newcastle Carers

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Complementary Therapies from Newcastle Carers

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Being a carer can be stressful and finding time for you can be difficult. It is important to take time out for yourself and at Newcastle Carers we can help you do this with our Complementary Therapy service.

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Our workshops and information sessions cover a range of topics around caring for your child.

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Our workshops and information sessions cover a range of topics around caring for your child.

In this article

About our workshops

We're currently running our workshops as virtual sessions, which take place via Zoom. We do look forward to being able to offer in-person workshops again in the future, once it is appropriate to do so.

Many of our workshops are tailored to different child age groups, particularly younger children. We also run a series of general workshops appropriate for parents of children of all ages.

We add new workshop dates all the time, so if you can't find what you're looking for, please come back soon.

Browse workshops by subject

Speech, language and communication

Virtual workshops for parents of children with communication difficulties associated with hearing impairment, language impairment and autism.

We run three versions of this workshop: for early years, primary school and secondary school-age children.

Browse on eventbrite
Browse workshops by age group

We run workshops for parents of children at different age groups. Browse our workshops for families of:

Regional workshops

Due to funding, some of our workshops are available to parent carers in particular areas. Browse our workshops for:

Rare conditions workshops

We run a range of workshops tailored to families with children who have rare conditions.
Browse on Eventbrite
All workshops
Browse all our workshops in one place

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Our workshops and information sessions cover a range of topics around caring for your child.

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The key topics to think about as your child moves into adulthood.

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The key topics to think about as your child moves into adulthood.

Browse this section

Getting prepared
Making a plan Parental responsibility & mental capacity beyond 16
Money & work
Benefits & money Wills & trusts Getting a job
Services & housing
Education, health & social care Independent living & housing
Growing up, sex & relationships
Developing self esteem Making friends Puberty and growing up Sex and sexual awareness Sex and relationship education in school

Do you live in Scotland?

Visit our microsite Talking about Tomorrow for advice and support on moving into adulthood for families in Scotland!

Working in partnership to develop this information for families

Contact worked in partnership with Carers UK, National Network of Parents Carer Forums (NNPCF) and National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi) as part of a consortium to develop these webpages.

The consortium was funded to do this by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) with the aim of supporting parent carers navigate the transition from child to adult services as their child approaches the age of 18.

Parent carers, who we recognise are experts by experience, were key to developing this information, and the information on our webpages is based on what they told us was needed.

Other stakeholders involved in the project included:

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In this section, we'll take you through the key topics to consider as your child moves into adulthood including benefits & money.

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The Preparing for Adulthood programme (PfA) was delivered by the National Development Team for inclusion (NDTi).

The programme was funded by the Department for Education as part of the Delivering Better Outcomes Together consortium.

The partnership brought together a wide range of expertise and experience of working with young people and families, at a local and national level and across government, to support young people into adulthood.

Use this resource to find a wide range of useful guides, toolkits and case studies to support young people with SEND achieve paid employment, independent living and housing options, good health, friendships, relationships and community inclusion as they move into adulthood.

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Support documents from the Council for Disabled Children

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Support documents from the Council for Disabled Children

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This site offers guides for health teams, social care teams, disabled children’s teams and Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) teams, particularly those responsible for EHC needs assessments and planning.

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Advice for Education, Health and Care Plans

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The purpose of these documents is to support local authorities (LAs) to set up processes that facilitate getting good health and social care advice. Health and social care teams need to have this in place to be able to adequately respond and contribute to good quality Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans that meet both the letter and the spirit of the Children and Families Act 2014.

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When going out and about it is useful to find where the nearest toilets and changing places are.

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Accessible and public toilets - Information Now

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When going out and about it is useful to find where the nearest toilets and changing places are. Public toilets You can find public toilets in Newcastle at the Grainger Market There are also toilets available to visitors at venues […]

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SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) Support, Assessment and Review Team is responsible for managing the process of Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plans.

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SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) Support, Assessment and Review Team is responsible for managing the process of Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plans. At some point during their

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Alexandra Loewe, BMus, MA, DipTCA, ADHD Coach, Life Coach, Mindfulness Coach

Alexandra Loewe, BMus, MA, DipTCA, ADHD Coach, Life Coach, Mindfulness Coach

Alexandra Loewe has worked for 25 years in education and mentoring, working with young people to develop their social and creative skills, with elderly with dementia to regain communication pathways and with adults and children on the autism and ADHD spectrum.

She has worked in schools as a mindfulness practitioner and runs workshops in emotional intelligence and mental resilience, incorporating mindfulness practices, and has an online video course in Mindfulness for ADHD.
In 2015 Alexandra trained as a Life Coach specialising in neurodiversity and now works as an ADHD coach with recently diagnosed adults and children. She runs parenting programmes to support parents with neurodivergent children and adolescents and offers "ADHD in the work place" training days to support neurodivergent employees.

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Essential Parenting Course | ADHD Centre

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Join the essential parenting course for ADHD at The ADHD Centre. Learn effective strategies for managing ADHD.

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Bringing up a child with ADHD requires different to traditional parenting skills. Normal rule-making and household routines can become almost impossible. It can become frustrating to cope with some of the behaviours which result from your child's ADHD, but there are ways to make life more manageable and to make living with ADHD more stress-free.

The ADHD Centre runs a programme for parents working through practical and relevant frameworks to better understand your child's symptoms, supporting you with implementing accommodations for your child's ADHD, and teaching you the tools and strategies to build your child's awareness and self-regulation.

This 8-step course combines learnings from the latest neuroscience studies, fun and dynamic exercises and worksheets, and an inside knowledge on what's it like to live with and support someone with ADHD. It is tailored to your needs as a parent so that you can become agents of change for your child's development.

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ADHD Parent Support Services | The ADHD Centre

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Access comprehensive ADHD behavior management services for parents. Book an appointment to support your child today.

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Special Educational Needs Transport for Pupils

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Special Educational Needs Transport for Pupils

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Special Educational Needs Disability (SEND) Home to School Travel Support Parent and Carer's Handbook

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Special Educational Needs Disability (SEND) Home to School Travel Support Parent and Carer's Handbook

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Special Educational Needs Disability (SEND) Home to School Travel Support Parent and Carer’s Handbook | Newcastle City Council

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For application for SEND Transport and Free School Meals

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Make sure you have read the admissions policy of the schools you are applying for. The admissions policy can be found on the individual schools websites.

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Personal Travel Budget for children with additional needs

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Personal Travel Budget for children with additional needs

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Personal Travel Budget (PTB) for children with additional needs | Newcastle City Council

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We are a Registered Charity who support the work of Hadrian School in Newcastle Upon Tyne.

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The Friends of Hadrian School. 2,130 likes · 223 talking about this. We are a Registered Charity who support the work of Hadrian School in Newcastle Upon Tyne.

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We encourage parents to order uniform online at www.border-embroideries.co.uk/search/hadrian

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Alex can help parents with:

EHCP process, funding and paperwork

Admissions

Transitions

Contact details: 0191 273 4440

alex.rayner@hadrian.newcastle.sch.uk

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The buses which the children travel to and from school on are controlled by the the local authority so unfirtunatelt this is not an area Hadrian Staff can help you with directly. If you have any queries or concerns about SEND transport or require further information use the contact details below during business hours.  If you contact the service outside of business hours, please leave a message with your name and contact details and a member of the team will respond when the service reopens.

SEND Transport business hours
Term time – Monday to Friday 7.30am – 4.30 pm
School holidays – Monday to Friday 9.00am – 3.30pm

Contact us

SEND Transport Service
Newcastle City Council
3rd Floor
Civic Centre
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 8QH

Email: SENDtransportservice@newcastle.gov.uk

Phone: 0191 277 4646

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Special Educational Needs Disability (SEND) Home to School Travel Support Parent and Carer’s Handbook | Newcastle City Council

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SENDIASS provide information, advice and support to

parents and carers of children with special educational needs and disabilities

children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities up to the age of 25 years

We specialise in education matters but can support with social care and health issues that impact on the child or young person’s ability to access education.

This is a free, impartial and confidential service.

Contact details:

Newcastle SENDIASS

4th Floor

Civic Centre

Barras Bridge

Newcastle

NE1 8QH

You can contact them on 0191 211 6255 from 9am – 5pm

Or you can email SENDIASSadmin@newcastle.gov.uk

They aim to get back to you that day or the following working day.