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MHST parent/carer forum session on anxiety

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MHST parent/carer forum session on anxiety

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Echelford Parent Forum - General Anxiety

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Surrey Team Around the School Support Hub shared this informative session with parents on SEND support and applying for an EHCP.

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The Echelford-Understanding SEND Support at your School

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Surrey's Quick Guide to Mental Health Support

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Surrey's Quick Guide to Mental Health Support

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Understanding biting - support for parents and carers

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Understanding biting - support for parents and carers

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Demand avoidance support for parents and carers

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Demand avoidance support for parents and carers

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To support communication for children with language difficulties.

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Local Offer parents and carers - Surrey County Council

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Information and resources for parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs and disability (SEND).

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2025-26 Surrey EHCP decision making process

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Neurodiversity advice for Parents/Carers from Surrey County Council

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Neurodiversity advice for Parents/Carers from Surrey County Council

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The Stages of School Provision - 25-26 PDF

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The Echelford Early Identification Process 2025-26

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Emotional wellbeing and mental health services for children and young people, including the CAMHS service, now known as Intensive Interventions.

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Navigating the Maze – a toolkit of strategies for parents of neurodivergent children

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Navigating the Maze – a toolkit of strategies for parents of neurodivergent children

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What is Navigating the Maze?

Navigating the Maze is a workshop for parents of children who have needs that may be associated with ASD and/or ADHD. Its purpose is to support parents to become experts to their children, by understanding and therefore responding to their presenting needs. In doing this, parents can become co-therapists to their unique children, and in doing this uncover and recognise their amazing gifts. The workshop was created by professionals with both lived experience and knowledge and experience of working clinically with neurodivergent children.

What does the workshop involve?

It is a six-week online programme.

Weeks 1 & 2 explore your understanding of neurodevelopmental (ND) needs and how you respond to them. These lay the foundation for the following weeks. To get the most out of this workshop, it is really important to try to engage with each week fully.

Week 3 explores different presentations of neurodivergence.

Week 4 examines neurodivergence in the context of the developing brain.

Week 5 focuses on independence skills and strategies to support these.

Week 6 is an overview of the workshop and also examines the importance of play.

What can you expect after attending the workshop?

The workshop is a supportive tool and not a cure-all solution. It targets parents of children spanning a range of neurodevelopmental needs, ages, and across different points in their journeys. Therefore, parents can watch this workshop before, during, and/or after their journey of ND discovery.

If you are considering requesting an assessment for your child, please be aware that it is a very long process, because demand is so high. Most of the referrals do not require an assessment. ASD and ADHD are lifelong diagnostic outcomes, and as such can never be treated as urgent. Needs associated with them, however, can be supported in all environments.

Should you complete this workshop, and you decide to complete a screening pack for consideration of assessment, you will be required to evidence this by noting which support and strategies you put in place following the workshop, and the outcomes of these.

Where will the workshop be held?

Our workshop is held online so that parents/carers can access and revisit it whenever they choose. You can access our workshop here.

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Navigating the Maze - a toolkit of strategies for parents of neurodivergent children

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Navigating the Maze is a workshop for parents of children who have needs that may be associated with ASD and/or ADHD. Its purpose is to support parents to become experts to their children, by understanding and therefore responding to their presenting needs.

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Freemantles Training for Parents and Carers

Cygnet Training for Surrey parents

From Spring 2024 we are coordinating the delivery of Cygnet courses for Surrey parents. This is a 6 week parent support programme for parents and carers of children and young people, aged 5-18, who are autistic. Click there to find out more

Being the parent of an autistic child

A course of parents, carers and family members

]Presented by: Justin Price, Executive Headteacher, Freemantles School

Summer 2025:

6-8pm 24/04/25

Advocating for children growing up in a neurotypical world

6-8pm 01/05/25

Working proactively in partnership with schools

6-8pm 08/05/25

Belonging; a parent's role in promoting this in school and in life

Sessions are held in the Secondary and FE Building at Freemantles School, Smarts Heath Road, Mayford, Surrey, GU22 0AN
The cost is £10. To book, visit https://www.trybooking.co.uk/BNMA

Being the Dad of an autistic child

Presented by: Justin Price, Executive Headteacher, Freemantles School

As a part of our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion drive we have designed this course specifically for Dads and Male relatives that want to learn, as we want to be inclusive and we have identified that:

Dads often miss out on other training being offered as Mums are so keen to go.

Dads often open up less if attending with their partners

Previous feedback on specific Dads training has been hugely positive

The Understanding Autism course will cover the same content and will be open to all.
Spring 2025:

6-8pm 13/03/25

Advocating for children growing up in a neurotypical world

6-8pm 20/03/25

Working proactively in partnership with schools

6-8pm 27/03/25

Belonging; a parent's role in promoting this in school and in life

Sessions are held in the Secondary and FE Building at Freemantles School, Smarts Heath Road, Mayford, Surrey, GU22 0AN
The cost is £10. To book, visit https://www.trybooking.co.uk/BNLZ

Social Understanding
Why do children and young people with autism struggle to negotiate the social world and what can we do to support them? Summer 2-day course:
Wednesdays 23 rd and 30 th April 2025

A look into the issues around context blindness faced by many of our young people and the social context teaching which is needed to help this.

A training package designed to enable staff and parents to use Comic Strip Conversations effectively to support social understanding.

The full Social Stories™ accredited training package, delivered on behalf of Carol Gray by members of the Freemantles Social Stories Satellite School. Social Stories are a social learning tool that supports the safe and meaningful exchange of information between parents, professionals, and people with autism of all ages.

This training is intended for parents or professionals working with young people with autism. The cost for professionals is £210. The cost for parents is £50.
Lunch will be provided on both days.

Sessions are held in the Secondary and FE Building at
To book, visit https://www.trybooking.co.uk/BGPZ
Freemantles School, Smarts Heath Road, Mayford, Surrey, GU22 0AN

Teenlife

The Teen life programme is a National Autistic Society affiliated course to support young teens aged between 10-18. Each session looks at aspects of teenage life, showing you what you can do to help.

Session 1: Understanding Autism, The hidden presentation of autism in women and girls, Autistic perspectives.

Session 2: What is self-esteem, communication, Spending time with other people.

Session 3: Stress and anxiety, Understanding behaviour.

Session 4: Understanding your diagnosis, Understanding intense interests, Managing expectations.

Session 5: Puberty, Independent skills (including keeping safe)

Session 6: Education, Planning for the future.

There is a small fee of £50 for each family. This is to cover all literacy, workbook, shared information and handouts.

This is a programme that is strongly recommended for all family, friends and professionals involved in the teenagers life.

We will be running three programmes this year;

The first programme will run from Wednesday the 18 th of September 2024 and will run for 7 weeks. This will be held in the secondary building at Freemantles school. Starting at 9.30 am and finishing at 12.

The second program will run on-line via Teams. This will start on Wednesday the 15 th of January 2025 and run for 9 weeks. The sessions will run from 9.30 am-12.

The third program will run from the 30 th April 2025 and will run for 7 weeks The sessions will be held in the evening from 6-8pm.

teenlife leaflet a4.pdf

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Freemantles Training for Parents and Carers

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AOFS aims to increase understanding of autism and support Surrey Schools to become more ND inclusive, through training, resources and referrals for individuals

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Ordinarily Available Provision - a guide for parent carers

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Ordinarily Available Provision - a guide for parent carers

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Introduction

The Ordinarily Available Provision (OAP) guidance for schools document sets out the support that schools can provide to support learners with additional needs from ordinarily available resources. It is a tool for schools to use to help all children learn and access the curriculum in a way that suits them best.

Surrey County Council has been working with school leaders, Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCOs), parents, carers and children to create revised guidance document for schools on OAP.

As part of the review process, we received feedback from parent and carers supporting the development of a parent/carer guide to OAP. We worked in with Surrey schools, and Family Voice Surrey, to arrange parent participation groups to establish this guide.

This guide is intended to provide helpful information for parents and carers about OAP in schools. We hope it will help you to navigate OAP and understand what support may be available to support your child in school.

Who is this guide for?

Parents and carers of children who attend a mainstream school.

The OAP guide for parents and carers aims to:

support parents and carers to understand who to talk to - who can help, when they are concerned about their child accessing the school curriculum

provide guidance for speaking with Teachers and school staff about children's needs.

explain what OAP is and how it is used in schools alongside high quality teaching

share some of the support and strategies that schools may use to help children access the curriculum

Clarify what additional support is available, and when a formal diagnosis or Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plan may be appropriate.

Who can help at school

Class teacher - plan lessons, tailored to the needs of the children in the class. They provide a positive and engaging environment where children feel safe and supported. Class teachers assess children to monitor progress and identify next steps for learning.

Teaching Assistants (TA) support teaching staff and children in the classroom. Some TA's complete additional training so that they can further support teaching and learning in the school.

Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) - coordinate Special Educational Needs (SEN) provision throughout school.

Headteacher and leadership team - work closely with children, staff, parents, governors, and local partners, stakeholders in the community. They ensure the school is a happy, healthy, and safe environment where children can learn and thrive. They monitor the quality of teaching, and report to the governors.

School Governor helps schools to reach long-term plans and goals for school improvement. They are volunteers, with a range of backgrounds, knowledge and experience. Some Governors have children attending the school. Governors are not part of the day-to-day running of the school.

Designated teacher champions education of children looked after, and/or children who have experienced care. They have lead responsibility for writing and updating Personal Education Plans for children who are the looked after by the local authority.

What does high quality teaching in schools look like?

A positive and safe environment where your child feels valued.

Teaching that helps your child learn and grow.

Regular updates and chances to talk about your child's progress.

Support during times of change, like moving to a new class or school.

How you can work with your child's school

Share what works well for your child at home.

Ask about the support your child is receiving and how it's reviewed.

Discuss reasonable adjustments the school might make.

Talk openly about your child's strengths and challenges.

Work together to find the best ways to help your child succeed.

What can you do if you are concerned

Speak to your child's class teacher.

If you are still concerned, you can ask to meet with the school SENCO.

You can also access the Surrey Local Offer website for useful resources, guidance, and support - including information on what to do if Ordinarily Available Provision is not meeting your child's needs.

Different types of SEND (often referred to as 'area of need')

Cognition and Learning - refers to how some children learn at a slower pace than others their age, have difficulties with organisation and memory skills, or have a specific difficulty affecting one part of their learning such as literacy or numeracy.

Social and Emotional Mental Health - refers to how some children have difficulties managing relationships, are withdrawn, or behave in ways that may disrupt their own and others' learning.

Communication and Interaction - refers to speech, language and communication difficulties which make it difficult for them to understand language and to communicate effectively.

Sensory and Physical - refers to children with visual and/or hearing impairments, or a physical need that means they must have additional ongoing support and equipment.

Speaking with your child's school

When you talk to the school about your child's needs, it can help to look at the support ideas in the OAP for Schools Guide. Not every school will use all the strategies in the OAP - some might use different methods. It is possible that some of the ideas are not right for your child. If you're worried about the support your child is getting, you should speak to their class teacher. If you're still concerned, you can ask to speak to the school's SENCO. You can also find more help and information on the Surrey Local Offer website.

What is Ordinarily Available Provision (OAP)?

OAP is a tool for schools to use to help all children learn in a way that suits them best. It makes sure every child can do well and grow. Schools do this every day with the resources they have, as part of good teaching and learning for everyone.

Definition of Ordinarily Available Provision

OAP is part of a school's approach to inclusive education based on individual needs. It removes barriers to progress and supports the development of every child. It forms part of everyday provision that schools are expected to deliver, within their resources, and is available to all children as part of high-quality teaching and learning practice.

Key principles of Ordinarily Available Provisions

Developed together with school SENCOs, the key principles describe the intention of OAP.

1. Empowers children and young people to be independent and develop their decision making in preparation for adulthood.

2. Takes a personalised approach that acknowledges success looks different for everyone.

3. Holds the views and aspirations of children, young people and their families central to planning, and ensures they are included in decision making.

4. Ensures assessment and intervention focus on identified needs and not a diagnosis. This refers to a need led approach that centres on inclusion and adaptations.

5. Is a whole school approach, where inclusion is fully integrated, not something extra.

6. Places a strong focus on inclusive practice where schools endeavour to remove barriers to learning, adapt to support progress and social inclusion, create environments that offer a strong sense of belonging for all learners.

How does OAP work in schools

Schools use lots of different ways to support children in schools, including:

building positive relationships with children and families

providing extra help when needed (like different teaching methods or making small changes in and around the classroom)

making reasonable adjustments to remove barriers (like quieter spaces or special equipment)

high-quality teaching tailored to each child's needs.

Support around the child

Describes the process used in school to ensure the right support is put in place and reviewed at regular intervals.

The school is likely to use an approach called "Assess, Plan, Do, Review". This is a cycle which may need to be repeated several times to identify the right support is in place to help your child make progress, feel happy and successful in school. Examples of support include:

teaching your child new skills

teaching in a different way

small changes to the physical environment

adjusting the timetable

additional support in class.

The changes put in place should aim to make it easier for your child to be happy and successful in school. They should be reviewed at regular intervals to ensure they are appropriate and relevant.

Speaking with your child's school: When you talk to your child's school, you can ask about the support that is already in place. Find out when it was last reviewed, when it will be reviewed again, how it has helped your child so far, and what the next steps might be.

Reasonable adjustments

This section includes a description of reasonable adjustments, including what the law says, and seeks to clarify what is and is not 'reasonable'.

Whilst it is not possible to say what is and is not reasonable, because situations and circumstances are different, schools will likely consider the following when thinking about the reasonable adjustments they can make.

What is already in place?

Cost and resources available to the school.

Potential impact/outcomes.

Is it practical?

Health and safety requirements.

Impact on school standards (incl. academic, musical, sporting).

Interests of other pupils and prospective pupils.

Speaking with your child's school: When you speak to your child's school about reasonable adjustments, you can use the bullet points above to help guide your conversation.

How schools support learning through high quality teaching

This section looks at what schools deliver as part of high quality teaching.

'High quality teaching', as described in the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Code of Practice, is teaching that is tailored to meet the needs of children where progress:

is significantly slower than that of their peers starting from the same baseline

does not match or better the child's previous rate of progress

does not close the attainment gap between the child and their peers

widens the attainment gap.

High quality teaching is the first level of support, and is broken down into six areas:

working in partnership with parents

pastoral care

teaching and learning

equipment and resources

skills and training

transition and change.

Teachers will think about the needs of all children when planning lessons, and may use the examples from the OAP, to support learning in all subjects

Speaking with your child's school: When talking to your child's school, share what is working well at home and how this could be applied flexibly in school. The examples below may be helpful.

How the school can support your child using OAP

This section is broken down into the four areas of need (different types of SEND):

cognition and learning

social, emotional mental health

communication and interaction

sensory and physical.

It identifies some of the ways the school can support your child, based on their needs. All the ideas can be adjusted to support children based on their age and stage of development.

The examples of provision, strategies, approaches, adjustments, and specific interventions given in this section are a starting point for early support. Not all strategies will suit every child and should be used only when appropriate for the individual child.

Speaking with your child's school: you may find it helpful to look at the examples of provision, strategies, approaches, adjustments, and specific interventions. Your school is likely to use these as a starting point to begin supporting your child as soon as possible. Be aware that not all strategies will be appropriate, but it may help to share your suggestions based on what you know about your child's needs to help tailor these suggestions where appropriate.

Where can I find more information?

In this section you will find links to further support and information, including details on the support available.

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A parent carer guide to ordinarily available provision in schools

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A document for parents and carers describing the support that schools can provide to support learners with additional needs learn and access the curriculum.

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Alternative Provision explained - a guide for families

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Alternative Provision explained - a guide for families

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Alternative Provision explained - a guide for families - Surrey County Council

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Guidance for parents and carers on Alternative Provision (AP) including what it is, the different types of AP and when it should be considered

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We are currently replying to contacts within 10 working days. Sorry for any convenience.
SEND Advice Surrey staff update can be found on the hot topics page below.
Our hot topics page has information on the most talked about topics for SEND Advice Surrey at the moment

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SEND Advice Surrey is Surrey's Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities information, advice and support (SENDIAS) service.

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A set of resources that help children to identify and express their emotions

Children can use the small coloured fans to identify and communicate how they are feeling at a basic level.

The Feelings chart allows children to identify different emotional states. By pointing to a symbol they can communicate how they are feeling and support their understanding of how they can develop skills for self-management and regulation of their emotions.

Download

PDF

IP3

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Children can use the coloured fans to identify and communicate how they are feeling. The Feelings chart allows children to identify different emotional states.

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Our School-Based Needs team has created flashcards for children and young people to use in school or at home. They can assist with voicing how the child or young person is feeling or what could help in that moment to reduce them feeling overwhelmed.

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Our School-Based Needs team has created flashcards for children and young people to use in school or at home. They can assist with voicing how the child or young person is feeling or what could help in that moment to reduce them feeling overwhelmed. Print this page

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ADHD BEHAVIOUR for parents and teachers-_

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Freemantles helpsheet - Talking to your child about their autism diagnosis

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Freemantles helpsheet - Talking to your child about their autism diagnosis

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Freemantles Helpsheet - Preparing for the day

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Freemantles Helpsheet - Preparing for the day

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Freemantles helpsheet - a way to avoid the meltdown

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Freemantles helpsheet - a way to avoid the meltdown

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Games and activities to do at home - HFW ideas