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20 December 2024 Having trouble viewing this email? . |
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Preparing for the Festive Season and Christmas 2024 |
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The Christmas period can be a very exciting but often a stressful time of the year for many neurodivergent children or children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities and their families.
It can be a time with lots of change, social interaction and expectations. They may find it hard to adjust and the changes in routine can affect how they feel.
Planning in advance can help you all adapt and enjoy the festive period. This list of resources may be helpful in making this festive period as special and stress-free as possible. - Preparing for the festive season and Christmas
- Christmas Special SEN Sessions and Activities
- Christmas in Bexley
- A visit with Santa
- Relaxed Theatre performances
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Education, Health and Care (EHC) Needs Assessment Request Toolkit for Parent/Carers |
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Bexley Information, Advice and Support Service (IASS) and the Bexley SEND Local Offer launch an updated version of the Education, Health and Care (EHC) Needs Assessment Request Toolkit for Parent Carers.
This toolkit will support parent carers to: - Ensure you fill out the correct EHC Needs Assessment form
- Help you gain an understanding of the acronyms and terminology used when referring to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
- Provide pointers relevant SEND Law, Regulations and Guidance to support the process and,
- Take you through each question of the EHC Needs Assessment request form step by step, guiding you into capturing the most relevant information to provide to the Local Authority
You can view and download a copy of the toolkit and the Bexley EHC Needs Assessment request form on the Bexley Local Offer website. |
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Bexley Voice Parent and Carer Forum 2025 events |
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Bexley Voice is
the Parent Carer Forum for Bexley. We
are a voluntary group of parents and carers of children and young people
(age 0-25) with special needs and disabilities (SEND) living in the London
Borough of Bexley.
We offer free membership and signpost, support and empower families to
obtain the best possible care and services.
Bexley Voice are providing workshops and other parent carer sessions
completely free of charge in 2025. - Tea & Talk parent/carer support group
- Autism Pre-Diagnosis Workshop
- Autism Post-Diagnosis Workshop
- Preparing for Adulthood - Choosing a college
- Preparing for Adulthood - Benefits including
Personal Independence Payment
- Preparing for Adulthood – Deputyship
- Preparing for Adulthood – Lived Experience Session
- Health Focus Day – supporting children and young
people with sensory challenges
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Bexley NAS (Bexley National Autistic Society) Coffee Mornings |
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The Bexley Branch of the National Autistic Society (BNAS) are a parent-led voluntary group, all of whom are parents, carers or family members of children and young people on the autistic spectrum
Bexley NAS parents and carers are warmly invited to join members of the Bexley NAS team for a coffee and chat. Come along and get to know other parent/carers and take some time for you. There is no need to book; just come along.
This coffee morning is for Bexley NAS Parents/Carers members. If you are not yet a member, we can support you to complete the membership application. Membership in BNAS is free of charge. - Time: 10am to 12noon
- Venue: The Coffee Bar at New Community Church, 24 Station Rd, Sidcup, DA15 7DU
- Dates: 29 January, 26 February and 26 March
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Are you looking for clubs, social groups or activities for your child? |
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The Bexley Local Offer website events calendar provides information about events happening in Bexley for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities and their families.
Clubs, social groups and activities include: - Bexley Voice Tea & Talk Parent/Carer Support Group
- Galaxy Additional Needs Social Clubs
- GOTS (Girls on the Autism Spectrum) Group
- Fun Friends SEN Social Groups
- Jesse's Place SEN Active Play Sessions
- Danson Youth Centre SEN Social Club
- Re-Instate’s Autism Wednesdays for young adults
- Bexley Snap Vibe and Empire Clubs
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Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) - Have your say! |
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Does your child or young person have an Education Health and Care (EHC) Plan? An Education, Health and Care plan (EHC plan) is a legal document which describes a child or young person’s special educational needs, the support they need, and the outcomes they would like to achieve.
Help us improve the quality of Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs) and Annual Reviews.
Have your say and give us your feedback! Your feedback helps us improve and make things better for EHCPs and annual review meetings for children, young people, and their parents or carers. |
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Learning & Enterprise College Bexley
Community & Family Learning - Courses in 2025 |
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Our Family Learning is aimed at supporting parents to learn and develop skills that will improve outcomes for their children and the family. This can be done through courses for parents to learn with other parents, or by parents attending courses with their child, where the parent is the learner. Courses offered through our Community and Family Learning provision are often free or subsidised courses. We offer courses to improve parents’ or carers’ ability to support children’s learning and development including: - Understanding Challenging Behaviour
- Understanding Neurodiversity
- Understanding SEND for Parents
- Understanding Teenagers
- Keeping Children Safe Online
- Managing Transitions from Primary to Secondary School
- Positive Parenting (Raising Happy Children)
- Supporting My Child with...(ADHD / Autism / Anxiety / Trauma)
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Bexley’s Safety Valve Programme: Summary Year 1 2023-2024 |
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Bexley’s Local Offer website provides parents/carers, professionals and organisations with information about Bexley’s Safety Valve Programme. In the first year of the Safety Valve Programme, we have: - Launched interventions including Talk Boost, FRIENDS Resilience and Emotional Literacy Support Assistants (ELSA)
- Increased our Early Years speech and language offer
- Expanded SEN Strategic Partner Support in schools
- Increased the number of special school places
- Supported young people placed out of the borough to return to Bexley schools and colleges
- Helped young people into paid employment via Supported Internships
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Emotionally-Based School Avoidance (EBSA) Parent/Carer Support Group |
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Many children and young people in Bexley have had experiences in Emotionally-Based School Avoidance (EBSA).
Emotionally-Based School Avoidance (EBSA) is when children and young people have feelings of uneasiness and worries about school and struggle to go to school or while at school struggle to go to lessons. Bexley Educational Psychologists are providing parent/carers the space to share their experiences, hear from others and gain support as part of a network for those supporting children and young people who are experiencing anxiety related issues around attending school. - Date: Tuesday 7 January 2025
- Time: 10am - 11.30am
- Venue: Bexleyheath Central Library (Dickens Room), Bexleyheath
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Service changes over Christmas and New Year |
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There are a number of changes over the Christmas and New Year period, including changes to waste and recycling services.
Please pass this information onto friends and neighbours who may not have online access. |
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