Local Offer Live - Greenfields Specialist School for Communication

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SPECIAL NEEDS INDEX
SNIX
SNIX
Welcome…
to the Spring edition of SNIX NEWS,
a newsletter for children with special
educational needs or disabilities and
their families.
ISSUE 55 Spring 2015
If you need further information
or details about any article in this
or any other issue of SNIX NEWS
please email:
[email protected]
SNIX NEWS is compiled by the
Local Offer Team.
Local Offer Live
The Local Offer is now
producing the SNIX newsletter
and this is our first edition. We
have included articles about
Early Years, sports, activities,
information for parents, news
and training.
In the last edition we promised
you news about the search
functions on the Local Offer to
make it easier to find what you
need and we are really proud to
be able to announce that this is
now found on:
www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/
localoffer
Please have a look at the website
and let us know what you think by
using the links on the feedback
page, or with the “rate this page”
on every page or by using the
online form or by e-mailing us.
We use social
media a lot, and
know that lots
of you follow
us already, but
please tell your
friends, follow
us on Twitter,
and like us on
Facebook:
We aim
to inspire
and amuse
as well as
inform.
Welcome
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News
PAGES 2 –3
The Local Offer Team
One Page Profile
How to support us:
• Get involved
We are:
• Tell us about your service
A service for children and young
people aged 0-25 years with Special
Educational Needs and Disabilties
• A single point for information on
services and provisions available to
children, young people, their families
and professionals
• Tell us what you want
• Give us feedback
• Tell other people
about our service
Information Advice
Support Service for SEND
in Northamptonshire
•Does your child have a Statement
of SEN?
•Do you want to know how the law
around SEN has changed?
•How will these changes affect you
and your child?
• Easy to understand and easily
accessible
What’s important to us:
• Created with and for young people,
parents and professionals
•Consulting with children, young
people, parents and professionals
•Receiving feedback on the service
•Creating an accessible portal
that’s easy to use/understand
•Spreading the word about what
we do
•Our information is trustworthy and
reviewed regularly
Find out more about the system for
transferring Statements of SEN into
the new EHC system.
Booking is essential – please choose a session
and contact us to book your place before
Monday 16th February 2015.
Email:
Phone:
Website:
[email protected]
01604 636111
www.npps.info
When booking, please indicate which of the
following sessions you would like to attend.
Abbey Centre, Northampton NN4 0RZ
Tuesday 24th February
Registration/Coffee 9.30am
Session 10 – 12am
Daventry Leisure Centre, NN11 4FP
What people like
and admire
about us:
•Information all in one place
•Easy to understand and
easily accessible
•Friendly and approachable team
Monday 2nd March
Registration/Coffee 12 noon
Session 12.30 – 2.30pm
Tithe Barn, Wellingborough, NN8 1AH
Tuesday 3rd March
Registration/Coffee 6pm
Session 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Corn Market Hall, Kettering, NN15 7QA
Wednesday 4th March
Registration/Coffee 10am
Session 10.30am – 12.30pm
Free School Applications in
the County
The Secretary of State for Education
has decided that the following Free
School applications within our authority
should proceed to the next stage of the
process (pre-opening stage):
Wootton Park School is a 4-19 mixed, nonfaith school due to open in September 2016 and
grow to full capacity of 1,260 by 2022;
Daventry Special Academy is a 4-18 special
school for pupils with profound and multiple
learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties
and autistic spectrum disorders. The school will
open with 65 FTE in 2016 and grow to capacity of
175 FTE in 2019.
Green Oaks Academy Special School
is a 3-18, mixed, non-faith school for pupils
with autistic spectrum disorders, Asperger’s
syndrome and severe learning difficulties. The
school is due to open in September 2016 and
grow to full capacity of 100 in 2022.
Next steps
The pre-opening stage is the period between the
approval of free school applications and when
the free schools open. During this phase, the
free school proposer groups will finalise plans,
develop policies and undertake a statutory
consultation.
News
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News
PAGES 4 –5
Information Advice and Support Service for SEND
in Northamptonshire
(Previously Northamptonshire Parent Partnership Service) is an impartial and
confidential service which gives free information, advice and support about matters
relating to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. The service operates at arms
length from the local authority and clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) through
independently trained staff.
The service is for parents or carers of children
aged 0-25, and young people up to 25 with special
educational needs and/or disabilities. You can
self-refer or with your permission someone else
can refer on your behalf. As a result of the changes
young people (aged 16-25) can ask for support
separately from their parents or carers if required.
•Individual casework which may include support
with meetings and contributing to assessments
and reviews
•Help with writing letters
•Help with understanding and interpreting
information and applying it to your situation
What information and advice can the
service give us?
•Help when things go wrong, including resolving
disagreements and providing support to
manage mediation, appeals, exclusions, and
complaints on matters related to SEN
We offer information, advice and support about
any issue related to special educational needs and
disability including:
•Information about other services or sources of
support locally or nationally
•Local policy and practice
•Advice through parent/carer support groups,
youth groups or training events
•Northamptonshire’s Local Offer
•Educational support as well as health and social
care matters
•Access to an Independent Supporter if required
for support with an Education Health and
Care Plan
•Statements/Education Health & Care Plans
•Personal Budgets and personalization
Is there any other support available?
•Additional information about these topics is
available on our website.
Independent Supporters (IS) are an additional
resource, independent of the Local Authority, to
help families navigate the new Education Health
and Care (EHC) planning process. Core Assets
have been commissioned through Government
funding to work with local stakeholders to provide
the service in Northamptonshire until 2016. You
can find out more about Core Assets and this
work on their website:
What kind of support is available?
We give practical, factual and impartial information
advice and support to enable you to participate
fully in decisions about education, health and
social care. This may include:
•Advice and support by telephone or email
www.coreassets.com/what-we-do/
independent-support-service/
Independent Supporters can help young people
and their parents/carers in a range of ways
including accompanying families to meetings,
explaining the role of the Local Authority in the
process or supporting with the transfer of existing
SEN statements to the new system. They aim to
work with families to find the best solution.
Getting Involved
A key principle of the SEND reforms is that
families are at the heart of decision making about
both their own individual situations as well as
strategic planning and decisions about the
services that support them. Northants Parent
Forum Group (NPFG) is an independent parent-led
group formed and run by volunteers to represent
the views of all families of children and young
people up to aged 25 with special education
needs and/or disabilities in Northamptonshire.
They support by empowering parents in effective
participation with partners in Education & Social
Care within Northamptonshire County Council,
Health partners throughout Northamptonshire
and other local organisations to positively
improve services for children and young people.
They would love to hear from you if you feel that
you want to get involved by participating directly
in this work or just by registering for their
newsletter to keep yourself updated – you can get
involved at the level that you want to.
www.npfg.co.uk
or phone 07745 249094
Please contact us if you
wish to find out more
or access an Independent
Supporter.
Contact us
Telephone: 01604 636111
Website:ww.npps.info
Email: [email protected]
Information Advice and
Support Service for SEND
in Northamptonshire
Springfield
Cliftonville
Northampton NN1 5BE
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Shooting Stars Group
The Shooting Stars Group held their Annual General Meeting
on 25th September 2014 at Greenfields School and Sports College in
Northampton. They called it The Big Meeting. The group formally reported on their
work over the last year and this is an extract from the Chairperson’s report.
“The role of the group is to produce work and make
decisions on what could be done to help those
with reduced mobility and other special needs in
Northamptonshire.
As a group, we make it our responsibility to say
what we think should be done to help young
disabled people living in Northamptonshire ,
and make sure the facilities are suitable to them.
Ever since we all met in 2011, we’ve done many
things together and we have produced many
impressive pieces of work. Some examples include;
To be honest, I just enjoy the group as a whole,
having laughs and fun, working and using
teamwork to make changes.
• Making Newsletters
• Supporting County Council staff interviews
• Mystery Shopping
• Visiting Grendon Hall
It’s a really nice group, where friendships can be
encouraged further. Hopefully some of you think
its a good idea for young people to join this group,
we’d be more than happy for more young people
to join our Network, and it can give young people
experiences and confidence.”
• Attending training including
Young Inspectors
• Training and Easy Read Training
• Attending other meetings like ;
• Children’s Rights meetings,
• Shadow Board Meetings
• Inspections on public places, like local
libraries and leisure centres
Josh Armand
Shooting Stars Group Chair
Core Assets
Core Assets Children’s Services has
been commissioned by the Council
for Disabled Children to deliver
Independent Support to young people
and their families in partnership with
local Information, Advice and Support
Services (IASS), previously known as
Parent Partnership Services (PPS),
Local Authorities, and Parent Carer
Forums (PCF).
Independent Supporters are an additional
resource, independent of the Local Authority
and other professionals, to help families navigate
the new Education, Health and Care (EHC)
assessment and planning process during:
•Education Health and Care needs
assessments
How can an Independent Supporter help parents
and/or young people?
•Help to understand the Local Offer and local
referral processes
•Help to understand the EHC needs
assessment process and timescales
•Act as a named contact throughout the EHC
assessment and planning process
•Help to express their views in relation to the
EHC process
•Transfer of Statements of Special Educational
Needs to an EHC Plan
•Liaise across a range of services to help
gather and interpret information required for
an EHC plan
•Transfer of Learning Difficulty Assessments
(LDA) to EHC Plans
•Help to understand personal budgets
An Independent Supporter is a time-limited
resource available during the EHC assessment
process and their support ends when an EHC
Plan is finalised or if it is decided that an EHC
Plan is not necessary.
Independent Supporters are there to offer
support that is tailored to the needs of individual
parents and young people. This support may be
offered through face to face contact and/or via
telephone or email, and attendance at meetings
with you. Although they may give advice and
support, Independent Supporters cannot
make decisions for you or attend meetings
in your absence.
•Signposting back to the Information Advice
Support Service when the issue is outside the
remit of an Independent Supporter
In order to access an Independent Supporter
(for the parent/carer, the young person or both)
please contact:
Information Advice Support Service for SEND
in Northamptonshire
Springfield, Cliftonville, Northampton. NN1 5BE
Tel:
Email: 01604 636111
[email protected]
An Independent Supporter will be
allocated as soon as possible and you
will be contacted by them directly.
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Six Things you might not
know about your local
Library Plus.
Your local library is a vibrant community
hub tailored to the needs of local
people. It is a safe place with lots to
offer. If you haven’t been in a library
for a while the range of services might
surprise you.
1)
As well as books, large print, audio books
and DVDs we offer E-Books, E-Audio,
E- Magazines, E-Library, E-Music for free to
library members (including virtual members
who do not use libraries in person.)
2)
All Northamptonshire Libraries are open
1pm – 4pm on Sundays. The Central Library is
open from 11 am – 4pm. We are open when our
customers need us every weekend.
3)
FREE Wi-Fi is available in every library for all
to use at all times. We also offer use of our PC’s
(FREE on Fridays). Our Customer Advisors are
happy to help you get online. You can access the
“Local Offer” website for free at any time and print
outs from the site are also free.
4) Our Libraries are now called ‘LibraryPlus’.
Our services include, Concessionary Bus Passes
and help with online Blue Badge applications.
We also deal with many hardship enquiries
signposting customers to the correct help and
support and library staff have been trained by the
Citizen’s Advice Bureau to provide assistance for
anyone worrying about debt problems.
5)
We have many volunteer roles on offer in
our libraries. We understand that volunteering
can offer work experience, build confidence and
change lives. By getting involved at your local
library you can help us to deliver great services
to your community.
6)
Some of our libraries have regular job clubs
supporting jobseekers to write CVs, complete
job applications and prepare for interviews. We
also offer free workshops and drop-in sessions
for anyone looking to become self-employed and
set up a new business through our award-winning
Enterprise Hubs.
More information on what is offered at
your local library can be found on our
webpage below or why not visit, we’ll be
really pleased to welcome you.
www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/libraries
News
PAGES 8–9
Sport
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Sport
PAGES 10–11
Sporting Opportunities for Disabled People
I’m Graeme Wilson
and I am the Disability
Development Officer for
Northamptonshire Sport.
In this role my aim is to get
more disabled people and
those with a visual and or
hearing impairment in the
county participating in sport/physical
activity on a regular basis. All of this work is
a legacy of the 2012 Paralympics in London
which demonstrated to the world exactly
what disabled people are capable of as
opposed to what they can’t do which is
sadly so often the case!
There has been a slight and steady increase in levels
of participation in sport/physical activity by disabled
people in England since London 2012! However recent
research by The English Federation of Disability Sport
showing the gap in participation levels between non
– disabled people of whom 60% currently participate
in any sport/physical activity at least once a week
compared to only 20% of disabled people is a very
worrying one!
The same research however also shows that 70% of
those disabled people who are currently inactive would
actually like to participate in some regular sport, or
physical activity. However one of the main reasons that
these disabled people and their families/Carers said
that they didn’t participate in anything was that they
weren’t aware of any opportunities available to them.
This is a key area that I’d like to target for improvement
in Northamptonshire as if people don’t know sports/
physical activity sessions are happening then they’ve
got no chance of participating in them, finding they
enjoy them and wanting to do more.
The SNIX newsletter has been a key promotional
resource that I’ve used to promote opportunities to
young disabled people and their families/Carers and
encouraged other partners to do the same. I’m hoping
that with Northamptonshire County Council’s Local
Offer team taking on the running of SNIX it will only
help to improve this great resource. Therefore look out
for information about sporting opportunities in this and
future editions of SNIX as well as the other Local Offer
online platforms.
I’m extremely proud of the number of sport
and physical activity opportunities available to
disabled people of all ages and impairments in
Northamptonshire. They cover everything from
mainstream opportunities to multi-sport clubs who
cater for all, and impairment specific opportunities
such as Wheelchair Basketball for those with a
physical disability and Goalball for those with a visual
impairment to name just two.
Sport and physical activity are a very powerful tool
through which so much can be achieved. Aside from
the obvious physical benefits there is also the social
and mental wellbeing as well as breaking down
of social barriers. I’m extremely keen to see more
disabled people in Northamptonshire benefit from all
of these things and many more besides but can’t do
it alone! Therefore if you’d like more information about
what’s available around the county then please
contact me:
• either by phone on 01604 367953
• or email [email protected].
Daventry Disability
Forum
The Daventry Disability Forum was
setup by Everyone Active in July 2013 to
discuss district wide opportunities to
provide sport and physical activity for
less-abled people.
The forum is an open meeting and includes
representatives from local sports clubs, schools,
Northamptonshire Sport, local councillors, youth
clubs and parent support groups, amongst other
organisations. The group has been setup to
discuss current opportunities for disabled sport,
what further opportunities can be provided, and
advertising opportunities to the local community.
The forum would welcome more groups and
organisations to be involved in the meeting and
the next meeting will be held on:
Discounted Swimming
Lessons for Adults
A new scheme to offer discounted
swimming lessons for eligible adults in
Daventry has been launched by Everyone
Active at Daventry Leisure Centre.
The aim of the scheme is to increase the amount of
adults taking up swimming lessons in the area. It is
open to adults claiming benefits, in social housing,
with mental health problems or learning disabilities.
Participants will receive qualified coaching on their
stroke technique as well as being able to swim to
improve fitness. Funding for this scheme has been
provided by the Swimathon Foundation and is
supported by the Amateur Swimming Association.
Councillor Alan Hills, Community, Culture and
Leisure Portfolio Holder at Daventry District
Council, said:
“Swimming is a fun and healthy activity, so
it’s really pleasing to be able to offer these
discounted lessons. Hopefully it will
encourage many more people across
Daventry District to take up and
enjoy swimming.”
Thursday 5th March 2015 at Daventry Leisure
Centre from 10.00 am-11.30am.
Lessons available for customers to book will
be as follows:
Tuesdays
10.00-10.30am- Adult Beginners
10.30-11.00am- Adult Improvers
Wednesdays
6.00-6.30pm- Adult Beginners
6.30-7.00pm- Adult Improvers
Anyone interested in joining the scheme will need
to speak to Louise Lawrence, the Swim Lesson
Manager at Daventry Leisure Centre and will
need to bring some from of identification that
demonstrates their entitlement to the discount.
To book onto the course please contact the
leisure centre on 01327 871144.
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Clubs & Activities
PAGES 12 –13
Clubs
& Activities
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Clubs & Activities
PAGES 14 –15
Cinemas
Odeon – Kettering
Vue – Northampton
Cineworld – Northampton
Facilities:
Facilities:
Facilities:
•CEA Card accepted
•Guide dogs welcome
•Hearing loops
•Designated car park spaces for blue badge holders
•Level access to the box office, refreshment stand
and ticket machines
•Ramped access to main concourse, waiting area
and screens.
•Fully accessible washroom
•Wheelchair bays in all screens
•Disabled Access
•Assistance dogs welcome in all Vue cinemas.
•Lift and escalator access from street level
•14 designated car park spaces for blue
badge holders
•Two sets of accessible toilets
•All screens are located on flat level
•Full wheelchair access throughout the cinema and
into all theatres.
•Induction loop at our counters
•Lowered counter available
•Lowered automatic ticket machines available
•CEA Card accepted
•CEA Card accepted
•Automatic front doors
•Disabled parking spaces
•Wheelchair access
•Disabled toilets
•Guide dogs welcome
Screening Types:
Autism Friendly Screening - at over 95 ODEON
cinemas across the UK. Autism friendly films are
special screenings of children’s films - Lights are
left on low; the sound is turned down; Trailers and
adverts are not played; It’s ok for people to move
around during the screening and make a bit
of noise.
http://www.dimensions-uk.org/support-services/autismcare/autism-friendly-screenings/
Hearing Impaired and Visually Impaired
Screenings:
Audio description dialogue track where the action,
scene changes and the actors body language is
described in addition to the dialogue. This is
played via a lightweight headset.
Subtitled performances are available and Infra Red
headsets also available to improve your hearing of
the film soundtrack. Please enquire at the cinema
Box Office.
Disability and Accessibility Helpline –
0800 138 3315 or text phone 18001 0808 1560 609
Screening Types:
Autism Friendly Screenings; Autism friendly films are
special screenings of children’s films - Lights are left
on low; The sound is turned down; Trailers and
adverts are not played; It’s ok for people to move
around during the screening and make a bit of noise.
Autism friendly films are screened at this cinema at
10.00am on the last Sunday of every month. Social
stories can be downloaded for all Vue Autism
friendly films.
http://www.dimensions-uk.org/support-services/autismcare/autism-friendly-screenings/
Hearing Impaired and Visually Impaired
Screenings: Subtitled (ST) and Audio Described
(ADesc) films are available at this cinema; for details
please call: 08712 240 240.
Every auditorium is equipped with Infra Red
technology to provide hearing assistance; for
headsets to utilise this facility and Audio Description,
as mentioned above, please contact a member of
staff. Audio description is for visually impaired
people and describes what is happening in the film.
They can also still hear the soundtrack and dialogue
of the film.
Screening Types:
Autism Friendly Screenings: Cineworld host an
Autism Friendly Film at 11:00am on the 1st Sunday
of every month, at over 70 participating cinemas
across the UK. These are special performances of
recently released films which have subtle changes
to the cinema environment that means people who
have sensory differences may have a more positive
experience than they would in a traditional cinema
setting. Changes include the lights being kept on
at a low level, the sound being turned down and
there are no trailers or advertisements - just
the film.
http://www.dimensions-uk.org/support-services/autismcare/autism-friendly-screenings/
Hearing Impaired and Visually Impaired
Screenings: Audio description performances for
the sight impaired are available at certain cinemas.
Subtitles for the hearing impaired are available at
certain performances. Hearing loops (either infra
red or induction) are installed at all our cinemas
auditoria. Please check with the box office which
facility is available. Type Talk calls are available
on our telephone booking service.
For more information please contact our
Disability and Accessibility Helpline on:
0800 188 4044 between 10am – 10pm.
Clubs
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Early Years
PAGES 16 –17
Autism Concern Activity
Days and Youth Clubs
Do you have a child with an autistic
spectrum disorder? Looking for social
groups and activity days for evenings
and weekends?
Autism Concern runs days where children and
young people are supported according to
their needs.
Saturday Clubs
A wide variety of activities including arts and
crafts, sports, sensory play days, cooking and
much more
For young people aged 8 – 18 with ASD
Venue: Kingsthorpe Grove Primary School,
St David’s Road, Kingsthorpe, Northampton,
NN2 7QL
Time: 10:00 – 15:00
Cost: £10 per day
Go 4 It Youth Groups
Senior Go 4 It (13-18 year olds) and Junior Go 4 It
(8-12 year olds) run on alternating Tuesday nights
in Northampton
A wide ranging variety of activities whilst being
supported by autism specialist staff
These groups then do trips out in the holidays;
past excursions have included the Leicester
Space Museum, the London Eye and the Harry
Potter Studios
Time: 18:00 – 20:00
Cost: From £3
To register your child on the appropriate scheme
contact us on: 01604 239404,
email: [email protected]
or visit: www.autismconcern.org for further details.
Autism Concern, Suite 39 – 42 Burlington House,
369 Wellingborough Road, Northampton, NN1 4EU
Deafconnect
Giggles
The Deafconnect Tinnitus Support Group
meets at 2pm on the following dates
in 2015:
Giggles Play is a non profit social
enterprise set up to provide
sensory & soft play for children
with additional needs. We are
inclusive, for the whole family.
There is no age limit for children
with special needs and are also
great for all children up to five
yrs old. No pre-booking required.
£5 admission.
9th February
13th April
8th June
10th August
12th October
14th December
Admission is £1.50 for members £3.00 for
non members to help with refreshment and
administration costs. New members are
always welcome.
We are set up and run by parents
and people with experience of
children with additional needs and
are mobile so you need to check
out our website or Facebook to see
where we will be on different days.
We are open every Saturday and
Sunday and school holidays too.
Coffee Mornings
10am-1pm on the first and third Wednesday of
the month.
Not just a coffee morning but an opportunity
to meet other members of the Deaf, deafened,
hard of hearing, and local community, have a
chat and enjoy homemade cakes. We welcome
everyone who wants to come and join us.
www.gigglesplay.co.uk
www.facebook.com/giggles.play
Why not give it a try? Come along bring a
friend and make some new ones at the
same time.
Spencer Dallington Community Centre,
Tintern Avenue, Northampton NN5 7BZ
07817006817 or 01604 589 011
Ducklings
Thursday mornings 9.45–11.30am
At Kingsley School, Churchill Way
Pre-school group - for children with additional needs
Alternate land and water sessions
Call Kingsley School on: 01536 316880
or email: Ali Everitt on
[email protected]
Land Session Activities:
•Sensory Toys
•Cause & Effect Toys
•Use of our Therapy Room which includes trampette,
swing tunnels etc
•Soft Play Room
•Creative Activities
•Natural Material Play
•Hello Singing Session
•Access to the Foundation Department and all the
activities on offer in the department including the
‘nest’ covered outside area
•Playground Play (in warm weather)
•Parachute Activities
Swimming Sessions:
•1/2 hour session in our Hydrotherapy Pool
•Small group of children with their parent/carer
•Water Songs
•Water Toys
Both groups join together for drinks and snacks
before saying goodbye
Early
Years
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For Parents
PAGES 18 –19
Children’s Centre Services
In October 2013 Northamptonshire County Council’s
cabinet agreed to re-organise how children’s centre
services in the county are delivered. This was to ensure
consistent delivery of support for young families across
the county, to increase access to children’s centre
services and to improve outcomes for young children.
The new model has two main elements:
Libraries
The Northamptonshire County Council LibraryPlus
service will provide the enhanced universal services part
of children’s centre services for children under five and
their families, including:
•
•
•
•
quick connection to a range of information and
advice, resources and support to access further
children’s centre services,
children’s centre registration services,
universal activities such as stories, song and
rhymetimes etc.
recruiting and co-ordinating volunteers for children’s
centre services.
This will take advantage of the council’s existing
36 library facilities and resources (including seven
days a week opening), improving access to children’s
centre services.
Commissioned children’s centre services –
the children’s centre services that are delivered by
external organisations will continue to support the
delivery of some universal services to all families (such
as health services and Job Centre Plus advice) but will
primarily focus on activities for families who need extra
support or ‘early help’. This will enable more resources to
be used in supporting families with higher levels of need.
Contracts were tendered in ten procurement lots
covering ten geographical areas. Nine of the contracts
have been awarded as follows:
Daventry District – Action for Children
Pre-school group for children with
additional needs
Call: 01536 316880 or email Ali Everitt
on: [email protected]
An informal support group for all
parents/carers of disabled children.
Advice and information guides
Did you know that Contact a Family has an
extensive range of resources packed full of
useful advice? They’re free to download or
parents can get a free print copy by calling the
free-phone helpline:
Kettering Borough – Action for Children
9.30am-5pm
on 0808 808 3555.
Northampton Central – Action for Children
We meet every second Tuesday 9.30-11.30 at
PLACC Spinney Hill Road Northampton
NN3 6DW
Call Cindy Baylis on 07428610871
www.time4support.org
We have a group on Facebook which is a
very good way for parents/carers to share
information and find support in their area:
https://www.facebook.com/
groups/191625904220388/?ref=br_tf
Northampton East – Action for Children
Northampton North – Spurgeons
Northampton West – Spurgeons
South Northamptonshire – Action for Children
Borough of Wellingborough – Action for Children
Corby Borough - A contract for the Corby Borough area
was not awarded and will be re-tendered in the coming
months. Service level agreements with existing providers
will be extended in the meantime.
Do you look after a child or young adult
with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder?
Every Monday during term time from
1.30-2.30pm, at Kingsley School, Churchill Way
0808 808 3555
Monday-Friday,
Children Embraced)
at Kingsley School
Time 4 Support
East Northamptonshire District – Spurgeons
A.C.E. (Autistic
Stay ‘n’ Play
Contact a Family
We are a new Parent Support group in Kettering
and we offer help, support, information and
friendship to make life easier for you and your child.
We provide speakers, information evenings, private
1-1 consultations with the Autism Outreach Team
and we want to know what we can provide for YOU!
We meet on the 2nd Tuesday in every month at:
Kingsley Special School, Churchill Way, Kettering.
NN15 5DP. 7.30 – 9.30pm
2015 Dates: Jan 13th, Feb 10th, March 10th,
April 14th, May 12th, June 9th, July 14th
For more information call or text your details to:
07756523728
(If no reply, leave a message and we will get back to you)
Everyone welcome, we look forward to seeing you.
Face 2 Face
Face 2 Face is an expanding network
of local befriending schemes, providing
emotional support to parents whose
children have been recognised as
having a special need or disability. Local
schemes recruit and train volunteer
parents, who themselves have disabled
children, to act as “befrienders”.
Befrienders are able to share and
empathise with new parents because
of their own emotional experiences,
and support them to make positive
adjustments to their child’s disability.
Each befriender is carefully trained and
supervised by a professional Face 2 Face
coordinator, who is always on hand to
offer support and guidance.
If you would like to meet a
befriender please contact...
Diane, on: 07528 365429
or email:
[email protected] or
[email protected]
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Support for Carers
Support for Carers include:
Autism Concern’s Family
Support Team
• Holistic therapies
• Gym membership
• Carers’ Cafés
• Carers’ Support Groups
• Carers’ Lunch Clubs
• Carers’ Choir
Autism Concern’s Family Support Team
can advise and support parents, carers,
professionals and people about the
autism spectrum. It is not necessary to
have a diagnosis to access our services,
which include:
How to find out more about the services we
provide for Carers in Northamptonshire as well
as Lutterworth and surrounding area’s, please
contact us by one of the following ways:
General Enquiries Tel: 01933 677837
Carers’ Support Line Tel: 01933 677907
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.northamptonshire-carers.org
Carers’ Support Line
• Emotional support
• Behavioural advice
• Signposting to community services
• Understanding autism spectrum conditions
• Support with filling in benefits forms and
applications
To contact the Family Support Service:
email:
[email protected]
The Carers’ Support Line provides a confidential
service to support the needs of Adult, Parent
and Young Carers. The service can be
accessed by Carers, professionals or anyone
with a Carers related enquiry or issue providing:
or call:
0808 808 9090 (free from landlines)
• A listening ear and emotional support
• Signposting and referral to other organisations
• One-to-one telephone support
• Access to Northamptonshire Carers services
and support
• Information and access to Carers’ Assessment
• Information and access to Peer Support
Charity number:
1062611
Apprenticeship and Job
Fairs 2015
Horizons in partnership with Connexions will
be holding seven Apprenticeship and Job Fairs
across the county in February/March to help
match young people with local employment and
training opportunities.
The events are aimed at 16-19 year olds including this
year’s school and college leavers and young people
currently unemployed and looking for work or training.
The events provide a unique opportunity to visit career
stands and talk to employers, training providers and
colleges about their opportunities all in one place.
Young people can also take part in a series of brief
three-minute interviews with our Speed Networking.
Training
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Autism Training Sessions
(No diagnosis necessary)
Autism Concern is pleased to announce our new training programme for 2015 which is being
released across the county, starting in Northampton and Wellingborough in January through to
April. Each session costs just £9.50 per person and can be bought online at
www.autismconcern.org/training or by calling 01604 239404. If you book 5 sessions
you will get one free.
Northampton
The Doddridge Centre, 109 St James Road, St
James, Northampton, NN5 5LD
An Introduction to 123 Magic
Dealing with Challenging Behaviours
An introduction to the behaviour management technique
known as 123 Magic which encourages children to stop
unwanted behaviours and start appropriate behaviours, this
programme encourages an autism friendly approach.
Find out what challenging behaviours are, why they might
occur and how to support someone displaying challenging
behaviour effectively.
Sensory Sensitivities in Autism
Writing Social Scripts
Find out more about what sensory sensitivities are and
how they affect someone with autism. Learn useful
strategies and approaches for sensory stimulation and
how that can help your child.
Learn more about what social scripts are, why they are
a useful tool for communicating with people on the
autism spectrum. You will learn about what formats are
best used and for what situations.
Autism Awareness - What is Autism?
Mon 19th Jan
Autism Awareness - What is Autism?
Weds 28th Jan
Autism Awareness - What is Autism?
Mon 26th Jan
Tues 3rd Feb
Sharing Your Child’s Diagnosis With
Them and Others
Dealing With Challenging Behaviours
Thurs 29th Jan
The Importance of Visual Structure
and How To Implement It
Autism Awareness - What is Autism?
Encouraging Emotional Awareness in
People With Autism
Writing Social Scripts
Thurs 5th Feb
09.30 – 11.30
19.00 – 21.00
09.30 – 11.30
Weds 4th Feb
Tues 10th Feb
09.30 – 11.30
Weds 11th Feb
parents/carers of under 10’s)
The Importance of Visual Structure and How to
Implement It
Learn how to encourage your child to play and interact by
understanding what social impairments are and how they
can manifest themselves. You will learn skills and tips to
help your child play and foster relationships.
Here you will learn about the importance of visual
schedules to somebody on the autism spectrum, ideas
for different formats which will empower you to go on
and make your own resources.
Autism Awareness - What Is Autism? (£5 per person)
Sharing Your Child’s Diagnosis with Them and Others
This is an opportunity for parents and carers to learn about
autism and how it affects those on the autism spectrum.
We will discuss autism theory and then what you can do as
a parent or carer to support your child effectively.
After your child has been diagnosed it can often be difficult to
know where to turn, what to do next and what the implications
in the future might be. This course will help answer those
questions as well as give tips as to how to share an autism
diagnosis with your child.
Social Interactions and Relationships (For
parents/carers of over 10’s)
Encouraging Emotional Awareness in People with
Autism
Learn how to encourage your child or young person to
interact by understanding what social impairments are and
how they can manifest themselves. You will learn skills and
tips to help your child or young person foster relationships.
This session will enable you to understand how to help
someone with autism process their emotions, what
emotions mean and how to deal with them.
09.30 – 11.30
09.30 – 11.30
19.00 – 21.00
Mon 2nd Feb
09.30 – 11.30
19.00 – 21.00
Mon 9th Feb
Social Interactions and Relationships
(For parents/carers of over 10’s)
Sensory Sensitivities in Autism
Social Interactions and Relationships
09.30 – 11.30
(For parents/carers of over 10’s)
Weds 25th Feb
Facilitating Play and Social Interaction
09.30 – 11.30
(For parents/carers of under 10’s)
Tues 3rd March The Importance of Visual Structure and
09.30 – 11.30
How To Implement It
Weds 4th March Sharing Your Child’s Diagnosis With
19.00 – 21.00
Them and Others
Tues 10th March Dealing With Challenging Behaviours
Thurs 12th Feb
Facilitating Play and Social
Interaction (For parents/carers of
under 10’s)
An Introduction To 123 Magic
Mon 23rd Feb
Dealing With Challenging Behaviours
Thurs 26th Feb
An Introduction To 123 Magic
Mon 2nd March
Emotional Awareness
Thurs 5th March
Writing Social Scripts
Weds 11th March An Introduction To 123 Magic
Mon 9th March
Sensory Sensitivities in Autism
Thurs 12th March
Facilitating Play and Social
Interaction (For parents/carers of
under 10’s)
Sharing Your Child’s Diagnosis With
Them and Others
Dealing With Challenging Behaviours
19.00 – 21.00
Tues 24th Feb
09.30 – 11.30
19.00 – 21.00
Facilitating Play and Social Interaction (For
TESCO The Community Room, Victoria Park,
Turnells Mill Lane, Wellingborough, NN8 2EF
Tues 27th Jan
19.00 – 21.00
The child or young person in your care does not need to have a diagnosis of autism
Wellingborough
Tues 17th March Sensory Sensitivities in Autism
09.30 – 11.30
09.30 – 11.30
19.00 – 21.00
09.30 – 11.30
19.00 – 21.00
09.30 – 11.30
19.00 – 21.00
09.30 – 11.30
19.00 – 21.00
Weds 18th March Encouraging Emotional Awareness in
19.00 – 21.00
People With Autism
Tues 24th March Writing Social Scripts
Mon 16th March
Weds 25th March Social Interactions and Relationships
19.00 – 21.00
(For parents/carers of over 10’s)
Tues 14th April
An Introduction To 123 Magic
Mon 23rd March
09.30 – 11.30
09.30 – 11.30
Weds 15th April
Sensory Sensitivities in Autism
Tues 21st April
Facilitating Play and Social Interaction
(For parents/carers of under 10’s)
The Importance of Visual Structure and
How To Implement It
19.00 – 21.00
09.30 – 11.30
Weds 22nd April
19.00 – 21.00
09.30 – 11.30
Thurs 19th March
19.00 – 21.00
09.30 – 11.30
Thurs 26th March
19.00 – 21.00
Thurs 16th April
19.00 – 21.00
Mon 20th April
09.30 – 11.30
Thurs 23rd April
19.00 – 21.00
The Importance of Visual Structure
and How To Implement It
Emotional Awareness
Social Interactions and Relationships
(For parents/carers of over 10’s)
Writing Social Scripts
Sharing Your Child’s Diagnosis With
Them and Others
If you book 5 sessions you will get one free
For further details on what the courses entail and to purchase your tickets please
Visit our website www.autismconcern.org/training
Or email [email protected] Or call 01604
239404
Information
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Editorial Note:
The Local Offer Team reserves the right
to edit any submitted materials. The
articles printed and views expressed
are not necessarily those of
Northamptonshire County Council. Items
are correct to the best of our knowledge,
but we do not take any responsibility for
any errors in information provided to us
for inclusion.
Deadline Dates
Should you wish to advertise your
organisation, submit a personal story or
place an article in the SNIX newsletter
– please note our deadlines: We will be
advertising the holiday schemes in the
summer edition and Christmas events in
the Autumn edition...
Summer edition deadline
24th April 2015
Autumn edition deadline
11th September 2015
SNIX NEWSLETTERS
Local Offer and
Co-Production
Feedback and co-production is really important to
the Local Offer. Did you like what was in this new
SNIX newsletter? What would you like to see in the
next one?
Do you go to a group and you want to show off
what you have done recently? Do you need new
members? Please let us know. Send us some of
your photos or articles for publishing as long
as you have permission if there is a child or young
person in it.
Making Ourselves Heard organised a conference
in London before Christmas. EPIC, the group of
young people who advised the government on the
changes to the Children and Families Act that
affected special educational needs and disabilities
told Northamptonshire’s Local Offer that in their
opinion it is really important to publish information
about the Local Offer in a printable format that can
be distributed. The new SNIX newsletter is going to
fill that gap.
Our Local Offer is already too big to print, and it
would be out of date immediately, but the SNIX
newsletter will be more manageable. Tell us what
you want to see in it and we will find out the
information for you.
If you would prefer to have your SNIX newsletter
sent to you by e-mail, please let us know by
e-mailing [email protected]
with SNIX in the subject line and your name and
we will send them by e-mail in future. You will get it
quicker!
I look forward to hearing from you with your
comments on this SNIX newsletter, the Local Offer,
and I hope to see your successes and
achievements in the next SNIX newsletter. Please
“Like” our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and
use our forms on the website to tell us what you
like and don’t like about the Local Offer and SNIX
Kathy Forsdyke, Local Offer Manager
You can access a limited number of back issues
of Snix News on our website:
www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/snix
If you would prefer to have your SNIX newsletter
sent to you by e-mail, please let us know by e-mailing:
[email protected] with SNIX
in the subject line and your name and we will
send them by e-mail in future.