SEND Update for SENCOs and SEND Staff 11 January 21

Welcome from Jeanette Savage, Babcock LDP Strategic Lead for SEND and Inclusion

Welcome everyone and Happy New Year

Supporting all schools

As we move into Lockdown 3, the teams at Babcock LDP want to ensure we are here to support all our colleagues in schools during these ongoing challenging and different times.

Since the first lockdown in March, we recognise that schools have moved a long way in being able to support their children & families, offer remote learning and, also, that most vulnerable children are accessing school on a regular, if not, daily basis. It makes sense therefore for us to adapt our support too, so in this lockdown, SEND teams will not be checking in routinely with all schools, but instead we will continue with our usual engagement offers.

Of course, if schools or members of your teams have concerns around a child, or would like some direct or more personal support, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us. We are happy to talk through the provision for any of your pupils and to support your evaluation of the risk assessment for those pupils with EHCP's. We are very much here to continue to support and offer guidance as much as we can in this quickly changing landscape.

Happy New Year and Welcome from your new Babcock LDP SEN Advisor, Tanya Haigh

Firstly, I would just like to take this opportunity to wish you a Happy New Year and also hope that you and your school's are beginning to settle a little into this 'new normal' of Lockdown 3. I know that the new situation we find ourselves in has incredible demands for you and your school leadership teams at the start to this new year.

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and ensure that all those involved in supporting our SEND learners across Devon, know that myself and the Babcock LDP teams are here to fully support you.

My name is Tanya Haigh and I have just started as Babcock LDP's SEND school advisor this term. I am very excited to be joining not only the team at Babcock LDP, but the Devon team of schools and leaders, in ensuring we meet the needs of all our young people. I was very lucky to be able to spend some time with Amanda Burrows, your outgoing SEND advisor, before the holidays and to learn about some of the amazing work that is going on across our schools. Amanda continues to be with the Babcock team, having stepped across to the Quality and Performance arm of Babcock LDP, so I'm sure some schools will continue to have contact with her going forwards.

My background is very much in SEND and Inclusion, having been a SENDCo and Inclusion Manager myself during my teaching career in South Gloucestershire. I have also held a number of leadership and school support roles over this time including teaching and learning consultant and also Headteacher. These roles have given me the opportunity to work across Primary and Secondary settings, as well as working with Early Years teams also. I am passionate about ensuring we get things right for all the young people in our schools and am very much looking forward to finding out more about the 'Devon way'. It is a privilege to be able to come into schools and work with SENDCo's and leaders and I very much look forward to meeting all of you over the next few months, even if this may initially be in a virtual capacity!

Please do feel you can get in touch if needed, during these more challenging times or at times of 'normal service'. Whether it be through school reviews, bespoke work, networks, meetings or conferences, or even through the NASENDCo award, I'm very much looking forward to getting to know our Devon SENDCo's across our many schools.

If you would like to make contact directly, my email is tanya.haigh@babcockinternational.com, or telephone 07708485301. Also, please remember the SENDCo helpline is always available Tuesday afternoons between 12 and 4pm: Tel: 01392 287248.

SEND Toolkit

During July 20, Devon County Council and Babcock LDP created a SEN Toolkit, that incorporated key messages from DfE, to provide guidance with statutory processes during lockdowns and as children and young people prepared to return to schools and settings.

This guidance is currently being updated for you and will be circulated shortly. In the meantime, key messages and updates from DfE and DCC can be found here.

SEND Network Meetings:

Following the success of the free virtual network meetings last term, we are pleased to offer new dates for this term:

SEND Spring Networks - North and East schools: 24/02/2021 13:00 - 16:00
SEND Spring Networks - South and Central schools: 25/02/2021 13:00 - 16:00

For more information and details of how to book please click here.

Update From Babcock LDP Communication and Interaction Team

Babcock LDP Communication and Interaction team have created a wealth of resources to support you as practitioners and the children and young people you support to cope and thrive especially during this latest lockdown.

Click here to see for yourself.

C & I advisory Clinic dates and information

Click here for information of how to book your slot at the C& I clinic in your area to access support and advice for children and young people with C&I and SLCN needs.

FREE TRAINING: SLCN and SEMH Network Meetings - Language and Behaviour

The SLCN needs of pupils presenting with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) difficulties can be misidentified, misunderstood or missed altogether

In these two network meetings, advisory staff from the Communication and Interaction, SEMH and Educational Psychology teams will join forces to explore the links between language difficulties and behaviour and support you to find solutions

Book your space here

Ambitious about Autism have created a handy diagram to support anxiety in children and young people with ASD.

Click here for your copy.

Update from Babcock LDP Sensory and Physical Team

NDCS have created a virtual family programme that cover a wide range of topics.

Click below to see the January to March 21 events.

NDCS events jan mar 2021.pdf

Also Buzz are providing 2 technology online to support sessions for teenagers in January - 20^th /21^st . Click here for more details.

Support for schools and families

During the current lockdown, our advisory teachers will continue to support children and young people, schools and families.

You can contact your advisory teacher directly or via our email address:
LDP-Sensoryandphysical@babcockinternational.com

We are regularly updating our webpages to include useful information to support you. Click here for information about maintaining specialist assistive listening devices, supporting positive mental health, gross and fine motor skills activities, using technology to support learning and much more.

Remote learning tips for teachers

NDCS have provided guidance for teachers to support Deaf children and young people with remote learning.

Perkins School for the Blind have created a video (and a handy transcript) that provides excellent advice for undertaking remote learning with children and young people who have visual impairments. Click here for more details.

Update from Babcock LDP Social, Emotional and Mental Health Team

Support for schools and families

Babcock LDP SEMH team have created a handy guide for SENCOs to support maintaining connections with children and young people during lockdowns or periods of isolation.

Click below for your copy:

SEMH How could I Maintain Connections.docx

SEND Signposting

DIAS: Click here for latest information from DIAS

Early Help: Early Help is the extra support families can get if they need it. It may be that they want to prevent a problem, or change things before the problem becomes more serious.

During the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic incident Early Help know that some families will be facing new or increasing pressures and challenges. We want to reassure families that our Early Help system is still there for you. We are working together to ensure that you get the right support, in the right place, at the right time. Click here for more information.

Devon Young Carers

Devon Young Carers are able to provide a card for young carers to carry who either need to go out to shops on their own during lockdown or who are not leaving the house for exercise due to feelings of anxiety about being challenged whilst out.
Young carers need to be registered with the service and have had an assessment. If Early Help colleagues are working with families with a young carer where this would be helpful please get in contact either with the allocated young carers worker or email youngcarers@devoncarers.org.uk

If new young carers are identified due to COVID please do continue to refer using the form found here

Just for fun: Action for Happiness calendar for January 2021

Click here for your latest calendar for a happier January.