Latest news and updates about special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Bromley.
Bromley Y June webinar events
Bromley Y are running a series of webinars this June. These include sessions for both parents and carers and young people. The webinars looks at some of the most common worries and sources of anxiety children may face when transitioning to secondary school.
Parent/carer workshops - summer term 2023
These sessions are being led by the complex needs team and are open to parents and carers of school aged children (5 -19) on the diagnostic pathway for an autism assessment. (They will have had their first paediatric appointment and have been referred onto the complex communication diagnostic service (CCDS).
Areas covered will include:
- The four areas of difference with a focus on understanding communication and interaction differences and practical strategies to support your young person
- An opportunity to network with other parents/carers
- How to work in partnership with education staff
Attendees will join a block of three sessions:
When - 6, 13, and 20 June from 7 - 9pm
Where - The Phoenix Centre, 40 Masons Hill, Bromley BR2 9JG
For further information please contact Emma Donovan-Brown, Emma.Donovan-brown@bromley.gov.uk
Pupil resource agreements
Starting from this term, pupil resource agreements (PRAs) will be replaced by funded inclusion plans (FIPs).
This is following a system-wide review, focusing on children and young people with identified and emerging special educational needs/disabilities (SEND) whose needs are currently best met with enhanced levels of SEN support. This is aligned with Bromley’s ordinarily available provision and SEND graduated approach frameworks.
b-Hive
A new website for parent/carers to support them with their child’s communication development, physical skills and independence.
Created by local health services and Bromley Council to pull together the range of therapies that support the communication development, physical skills and independence of children, teenagers and young adults in Bromley.
The guide incorporates a collective range of therapies, such as: emotional wellbeing and mental health; occupational therapy; physiotherapy; speech and language therapy; and special educational needs (SEN) advisory service.
The b-HIVE is shaped around six core areas of child development which support the child
Visit the new b-Hive website www.bromleytherapyhub.org.uk
Family support through the Bromley Children Project
Our new front door is live, should you wish to make a referral to the Bromley Children Project for 1:1 family support or light touch intervention please telephone the Bromley Help, Support & Safeguarding Hub for Children and Families on 020 8461 7373/ 7379/ 7026 or email mash@bromley.gov.uk
There is no change to how you can access the wider offer from the early intervention and family support service (EIFS) provided by the local authority which includes:-
• The wide range of parenting courses, seminars, webinars
• The wide range of activities at the Children and Family Centres,
• Information advice and support service
• ASC family support worker, and the BCP parenting hotline (telephone 020 8461 7259)
Transformational reform begins for children and young people with SEND
The SEND and alternative provision improvement plan published on Thursday 2 March confirms investment in training for thousands of workers so children can get the help they need earlier, alongside thousands of additional specialist school places for those with the greatest needs - as 33 new special free schools are approved to be built as at the time of publishing.
Read more about the plans ahead for children and young people with SEND.
There is an easy read version of the SEND and alternative provision plan.
Funding agreed for two additional Changing Place facilities
Bromley has recently received confirmation that our applied for funding for two additional Changing Places toilets has been successful – this is great news for the borough. This means that we will be able to deliver six new Changing Places during 2024.
Within the borough, we have one registered Changing Places toilet for the public in the Glades Shopping Centre and one in Bromley’s Vue Cinema.
Following engagement with Changing Places users and their families, the intended locations will be spread across the borough and at different venue types, opening a variety of opportunities for Changing Places users of all ages.
Families told us that these toilets will:
- Mean that they will be able to go to the toilet or have continence needs met in privacy and in a dignified way.
- Allow them to take part in leisure activities to support their health and wellbeing.
- Allow them to enjoy social activities of my choosing in the local community in places they would like to visit.
- Enable them to participate in employed or voluntary work for them to maintain and develop their independence.
Suggested location of these facilities included:
- High streets, shopping centres and supermarkets
- Parks and open spaces
- Leisure facilities
For further information or to find a Changing Place please visit https://www.changing-places.org/.
Autism assessment pathway
SEL Integrated Commissioning Board (which replaced the Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group July 2022) are seeking parent and young people’s views on how they can improve the experience of the autism assessment pathway.
Please select the appropriate link to access the survey.
Survey for children and young people
Education, health and care plan (EHCP) eligibility guidance for schools
Following recent discussions and meetings with school colleagues, partners, and parent/carers, the council has published a document outlining our education, health and care plan (EHCP) eligibility guidance for schools.
The London Borough of Bromley works closely with educational settings and other partners to ensure that children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities can access the right support at the earliest possible opportunity. Please speak to your school SENCO if you would like further information on SEN support and the graduated approach.
Leisure activities
Find out more about leisure activities clubs and schemes.
Bromley Brighter Beginnings
Bromley Brighter Beginnings, run entirely by volunteer mums, helps families in poverty who cannot afford basic items, such as nappies, baby formula and school clothing. They have a comprehensive local support directory providing lots of information about services within the local area.
To read about some of the great work that they carried out in 2022, please have a look at the Bromley Brighter Beginnings newsletter.
Send Matters newsletter
Our SEND Matters Newsletter provides parents, carers, young people and professionals with information and updates that inform you of the latest news, developments and services for children, teenagers and young adults (aged from birth to 25 years old) who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Bromley.
In this edition you’ll learn more about how your feedback and views have shaped the development of new services, new project initiatives and new partnerships alongside upcoming events.
The Bromley All Age Autism Strategy
We are pleased to share our first Autism Matters newsletter for 2022 which replaces our Bromley All-Age Autism newsletter. Find out more about our Autism Strategy in Bromley
Disability Living Allowance for children
The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) have produced two playlists of information videos that explain Disability Living Allowance, the process for applying for it, what happens after you have claimed and what happens when a child turns 16. DWP Disability Living Allowance information videos
These are also available in British Sign Language. DWP Disability Living Allowance videos in British Sign Language.
National Disability Strategy
The government's National Disability Strategy, outlines its plans to make our country better for the 14 million disabled children and adults in the UK.
This ambitious strategy sets out 100 immediate commitments supported by £1.6bn of funding alongside an ambitious agenda for future reform.
Watch the National Disability Strategy overview video
National autism strategy for England
The government has published its autism strategy, which sets out how it plans to support autistic adults and children in England over the next five years.
Read the national strategy for autistic children, young people and adults 2021 to 2026
The national strategy for autistic children, young people and adults 2021 to 2026 (easy
Online safety
Online safety remains of paramount importance for professionals and parent / carers and everyone has a role in ensuring that all of our children and young people remain safe when going online.
We would like to make you aware of a few resources which you may find useful.
LiveStreamingEbooklet.pdf (anncrafttrust.org) This gives an outline of how platforms can be used to live streaming, and potential risks associated, some details on safety settings for these platforms
I-have-made-a-new-friend-online-F.pdf (anncrafttrust.org) This is an easy read guide around making friendships online, covers sexting, seeking help, being groomed.
Online Safety Guides – Social Media – Our Safety Centre These are one page documents on a range of online social media platforms showing clearly where to access privacy/safety settings of different online platforms.