ssif

Topic Talks for SEND Information Day - We need your help!

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 10:37:45 GMT

SEND Information Day – 16th June

We’re planning our upcoming topic talks for our SEND Information Day, on Tuesday 16th June and we want them to reflect what you really want to hear about.

What would you like to know more about? What information or support would make the biggest difference to you right now?

The talks will be organised under three main areas:

• Education

• Health

• Social Care

Is there something you’ve been struggling to understand? A topic you feel isn’t talked about enough? Or something you’d really like clearer information on? – Your feedback will help shape the event talks.

Please note that we won’t be discussing the proposed SEND reforms on the day, as the consultation closes in mid-May and we’ll be waiting for the outcome by the time the information day takes place.

Please complete our short survey with your ideas.

Thank you for helping us make this day as useful and supportive as possible for parent carers

SEND Newsletter

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 10:46:06 GMT

Have you signed up to the monthly SEND Newsletter yet? ��

The SEND Newsletter is a monthly e-newsletter from the Southend SEND Partnership, bringing together organisations and services that support children and young people with SEND and their families in Southend. It’s designed to keep you up to date with local information, opportunities and support available to families.

We contribute to the newsletter each month too, so it’s a great way to see what we’re sharing alongside updates from other local services.

Subscribe here:

SEND Information Day - 16th June 2026

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 10:30:16 GMT

Event details

SEND Information Day

Southend SEND Independent Forum (SSIF) and the SEND Local Offer Team are pleased to announce the second Southend SEND Information Day on Tuesday 16 June 2026.

This is a free event for the Southend SEND community. It is open to parent carers or family members of children or young people with SEND, and professionals.

Venue: Southend Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, SS2 6ER
Time: 9.30am to 2.30pm

Hold the date - further information to follow soon!

For a taste of what to expect at the event in June, read about the 2025 SEND Information Day and watch videos here .

Pre-register for the event!

You can just drop-in on the day, but why not make things easier and pre-register?!

Get advance information about the event direct to your inbox, so you can plan your visit and make the most of your time.

SEND Reform Engagement and Listening Events

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 12:45:29 GMT

As Southend’s Parent Carer Forum, Southend SEND Independent Forum (SSIF), we encourage you to share your experiences — your voice really matters in shaping support for our children and young people.

We’re hosting informal drop-in sessions at Southend Civic Centre during the consultation period specifically to gather your feedback and thoughts on the proposed changes, so we can reflect the real views of parent carers in our response. Please come along to share your views or ask any questions — we’d love to see you there.

The SEND Partnership is also hosting an information Event and will present an overview of the key proposed changes, highlight the areas the government is consulting on, and empower parent carers with the information needed to share their views with confidence.

The SEND Partnership will require pre-booking tickets and you can do that here, tickets .

SSIF Coffee Mornings

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 11:29:18 GMT

One of our favourite Events is our regular monthly coffee morning, where Parent Carers can get together to share their experiences.

Every month we have the Local Offer team with us and invite 1 or 2 additional special guests from for example Health, Social Care, Education and more, to offer guidance and advice.

Please note that the coffee mornings for 2026 will temporarily be held at the Civic Centre and will again return to SAVS in September 2026

Come along and chat to other ParentCarers, get advice from one of our SEND support service guests and enjoy a hot drink with something sweet.

Booking is not required.

SSIF SEND Reform drop-in Sessions

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 19:26:43 GMT

We will be hosting a series of informal drop-in sessions for parent carers to share views and ask questions about the Government SEND reform proposals and consultation.

The Government's Schools White Paper, Every child achieving and thriving was published on Monday 23 February 2026. The Paper sets out proposed reforms to the schools and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system in England.

The Government's consultation on the proposed reforms is open until 18 May. You can read the proposals and share your views here: SEND reform: putting children and young people first - Department for Education - Citizen Space

As Southend's Parent Carer Forum, we encourage parent carers to engage with the consultation.

To support this, we are hosting informal drop‑in sessions where you can share your views and ask questions.

All sessions will be held in Southend Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, Southend, SS2 6ER on the following dates:

Friday 13 March, 9.30am to 10.30am Committee Room 2
Tuesday 17 March, 9.30am to 10.30am Committee Room 2
Monday 23 March, 12.30pm to 1.30pm Committee Room 3
Thursday 23 April, 10.30am to 11.30am Committee Room 7
Friday 1 May, 12.30pm to 1.30pm, Committee Room 7
Monday 11 May, 10am to 11am, Committee Room 4

The Southend SEND Area Partnership are also hosting an information session about the proposed SEND reforms on Friday 17 April 9.30am to 10.30am at Southend Civic Centre (Jubilee Room). You can book a place on that event here .

Southend SEND Area Partnership letter about proposed Government SEND Reforms

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 19:05:44 GMT

The Southend SEND Area Partnership have issued a letter about the proposed Government SEND reforms and the consultation.

You can read the letter in full here:

25 February 2026

Dear parent carers,

The Government's Schools White Paper, Every child achieving and thriving was published this week (Monday 23 February 2026). This White Paper sets out proposed reforms to the schools and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system in England. We expect more detail to become available over the coming weeks and will share further information with you as soon as we can.

We understand that these announcements may create uncertainty for families of children and young people with SEND. We want to reassure you that nothing about the support you currently receive will change at this stage. These proposals are part of a national consultation, and no decisions have yet been finalised.

Leaders from Southend-on-Sea City Council and the Integrated Care Board will now take time to carefully review the proposals so we can understand what they may mean for our local area. We are encouraged that the reforms aim to improve help and support for children and young people with SEND, with a commitment to ensuring the right resources are in place to deliver this.

The improvement work the SEND Area Partnership has undertaken over the last three years places us in a good position to align with the principles set out in the reforms – early and fair support, delivered through collaborative working and shared accountability.

The Government's consultation on the proposed reforms is now open and seeks feedback from everyone with an interest in SEND, including parents, carers, young people, and professionals. You can read the proposals and share your views here:
SEND reform: putting children and young people first - Department for Education - Citizen Space

The Partnership fully agrees that the voice of families must remain central as we consider these proposals and prepare our response to the consultation.

As Southend's Parent Carer Forum, Southend SEND Independent Forum (SSIF) encourages parents and carers to engage with the consultation to share your lived experiences as these are vital in shaping a system that truly reflects the needs of our children and young people. Throughout the consultation, SSIF are hosting informal in-person drop‑in sessions at Southend Civic Centre where you can share your views and ask questions.

Drop-in session dates:

Friday 13 March, 9.30am to 10.30am Committee Room 2
Tuesday 17 March, 9.30am to 10.30am Committee Room 2
Monday 23 March, 12.30pm to 1.30pm Committee Room 3
Thursday 23 April, 10.30am to 11.30am Committee Room 7
Friday 1 May, 12.30pm to 1.30pm, Committee Room 7
Monday 11 May, 10am to 11am, Committee Room 4

The Partnership will also host an in-person information session on Friday 17 April 2026 at Southend Civic Centre (Jubilee Room) from 9.30am to 10.30am. Find out more and book your place through Eventbrite: SEND Reform Family Engagement session

A further online session will be confirmed shortly. We encourage you to follow SSIF and the SEND Local Offer social media channels for updates:

It is important to note that the new system is not expected to be enacted until 2029. In the meantime, the Southend Area Partnership focus will remain on continuing the improvements achieved so far and ensuring children and young people in Southend receive the support they need.

Signatories:

Michael Marks, Executive Director, Children and Public Health, Southend-on-Sea City Council

Dr Giles Thorpe, Executive Chief Nursing Officer, Mid and South Essex ICB

Philomena Johnson, Strategic Lead for Education and Social Care, Southend SEND Independent Forum

Samantha Delve, Strategic Lead for Health, Southend SEND Independent Forum

Southend-on-Sea Unveils Three New Autism Resource Bases

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 10:32:43 GMT

We were pleased to recently attend the official opening of three new Autism Resource Bases (ARBs) at Blenheim Primary School, Thorpedene Primary School and Shoeburyness High School. These new provisions mark an important step forward in strengthening SEND support across Southend.

The ARBs have been purpose-built to provide specialist support for children with autism within a mainstream school environment. They offer calm, supportive spaces where children can access tailored help, while also having opportunities to learn and socialise alongside their peers in mainstream settings. This approach helps combine specialist provision with inclusion, supporting both learning and wellbeing.

It’s encouraging to see continued investment in local SEND services, particularly provision that allows more children and young people to receive the support they need closer to home. For many families, being able to access specialist education locally can make a real difference to daily life, routines and outcomes.

As a Parent Carer Forum, we welcome these positive developments and recognise the importance of expanding specialist support within mainstream schools. We look forward to continuing to work alongside families, schools and the local authority to ensure children and young people with SEND are supported to thrive.

Joint NNPCF and Contact - For families with disabled children National Conference for Parent Carer Forums (PCFs)

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 10:18:29 GMT

Representing Southend at the National Parent Carer Forums' Conference

Some of our team recently travelled to Sheffield to attend the joint National Network of Parent Carer Forums (NNPCF) and Contact – For Families with Disabled Children National Conference for Parent Carer Forums. It was a really valuable day bringing together parent carer forums from across the country to learn from one another, share experiences, and discuss the future of SEND support.

The conference provided a space for open and honest conversations about the current SEND landscape and the changes families are experiencing. There was a strong focus on SEND reform and alternative provision, alongside discussions about strengthening parent carer forums, building regional capacity, and ensuring long-term sustainability. Throughout the day, the importance of lived experience remained central — highlighting the need for clear communication, accountability and meaningful co-production with families.

There was also a focus on improving access and inclusion through a mix of online and in-person approaches, recognising that different families need different ways to engage and be supported.

We were pleased that senior representatives from the Department for Education joined the conference, including Claire Burton, Director for SEND and Alternative Provision, who spent the day listening to parent carers and taking part in workshops. The discussions highlighted both the challenges families continue to face and the commitment being made nationally to improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND.

One of the most valuable parts of the day was the opportunity to meet directly with Minister Gould, Minister for School Standards. We were able to share real experiences and feedback from families in Southend, helping ensure that local voices are heard in national conversations about SEND policy and practice. It was encouraging to see the Minister engage with parent carers and reflect on the issues being raised.

Alongside the formal sessions, it was great to connect with other parent carer forums from across the country, exchange ideas, and build supportive relationships. These connections are so important in strengthening our work locally and learning from what’s working well in other areas.

Overall, it was a full and productive day of learning, discussion and collaboration. We’ll be bringing what we’ve learned back into our work in Southend to continue improving how we listen to families, represent parent carers, and work alongside local services to create positive change for children and young people with SEND.

New Autism and ADHD Service Providers - Important Update

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 14:34:51 GMT

New Autism and ADHD Assessment Providers – Important Update for Parent Carers

Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) has announced an important update that may help reduce the long waiting times for Autism and ADHD assessments for children and young people.

What’s changing?

The NHS in Mid and South Essex has commissioned three new specialist providers to carry out Autism and ADHD assessments under the NHS Right to Choose scheme.

This means more choice for families and aims to help children and young people be assessed sooner .

New NHS Right to Choose providers

GPs in Mid and South Essex can now refer children and young people directly to the following approved NHS providers :

These providers have been quality assured by the ICB and meet NHS standards for safe, effective care.

They will work alongside existing local providers (EPUT, NELFT and Provide CIC) to help reduce waiting times.

What services do these providers offe r?

The new providers can offer:

Autism and ADHD assessments
ADHD medication services (starting and adjusting medication), where appropriate
Shared care arrangements with your GP, meaning prescriptions and reviews can often be managed locally

How referrals work (important)

Referrals must be made by your GP
Schools cannot refer to these new providers
Schools can continue to refer via My Care Bridge to the Community Collaborative as they do now

If you feel one of these providers may be suitable for your child, you can discuss this with your GP and request a referral under Right to Choose.

What about children already waiting?

The ICB is also working with existing services to support children and young people who have:

Been waiting over one year for an Autism or ADHD assessment
Are approaching transition to adult services

Some of these young people may be moved to the new providers to help speed things up.

More providers coming soon

The ICB has confirmed that four additional providers have also been commissioned and are expected to start accepting referrals later this spring .
This information will be updated when details are available.

Understanding your Right to Choose

Under NHS rules, patients have the right to choose their ADHD (and Autism) assessment provider.

However, the ICB encourages families to choose from locally commissioned and approved providers , as these:

Meet NHS quality and safety standards
Are linked with local services
Support joined-up care after diagnosis

Some Right to Choose providers only offer assessment and diagnosis , meaning further referrals may be needed for treatment.

Engaging in National SEND Reform Discussions

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 14:37:26 GMT

(photo credit - David Burton-Sampson MP (Team) - Facebook )

Engaging in National SEND Reform Discussions

As you are aware, the Schools White Paper is due to set out the Government’s planned reforms to the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system. We are very proud to be involved in these important discussions and are committed to engaging with every opportunity available to ensure parent carer voices are represented.

We have attended several ministerial meetings hosted by the Minister for Education, Georgina Gould OBE, MP , which form part of the Department for Education’s wider SEND reform programme. These meetings brought together a range of stakeholders to explore SEND reform through the five key principles set out by the DfE: early, local, fair, effective and shared .

Alongside these, we have also taken part in Parent Carer Forum (PCF)–specific meetings , which provide a dedicated space for PCFs to contribute directly to the reform process. We continue to attend both public ministerial and PCF-focused sessions, ensuring that we are fully engaged in all discussions made available to us.

Within the recent PCF-specific meetings, solution-focused discussions explored two key areas:
• what accountability is needed in a reformed system to support an effective and inclusive mainstream education system; and
• what the key foundations are for building trust with parent carers across the SEND system.

In addition to live discussions, PCF members shared extensive feedback through chat functions and written comments. This combination of lived experience, shared themes and practical suggestions was fed back collectively to the Minister to support ongoing SEND reform work. The Minister acknowledged both the complexity of the challenges and the value of the constructive contributions shared through Parent Carer Forums, recognising the importance of collective parent carer insight.

At a local level, we were also particularly pleased to meet with our MP, David Burton-Sampson , and are grateful for his time and engagement. This meeting enabled us to contribute directly to Southend’s response to the Schools White Paper , ensuring that local parent carer perspectives were included.

We remain committed to listening to parent carers, gathering shared experiences, and representing those voices wherever opportunities arise — locally, regionally and nationally — as SEND reform continues to develop.

(NB - photo credit David Burton-Sampson

What is a Parent Carer Forum (PCF) - A Simple Guide

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 10:59:25 GMT

We’re excited to launch our new mini guide, What Is a Parent Carer Forum? – A Simple Guide .

This guide builds on our original poster and was created in response to parent carers asking for more detail about our role.

Through a short series of videos, it explains who we are, what we do, and how a Parent Carer Forum supports families of children and young people with SEND.

Click the button below to watch the full guide.

SSIF 2024/2025 Academic Year Feedback Report

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 11:12:08 GMT

Our latest Family Feedback report is now available to read.

Each term SSIF collate the feedback and information shared with us by parents and carers via our Family Feedback Form (hosted here on our website) and our in-person engagements events, including our coffee mornings. We would like to thank all of the parents and carers who took the time to complete our feedback form and share their experiences with us. This information will be used to help shape and improve SEND services in Southend.

Our Family Feedback survey is available all year round, so please continue to share your experiences.

To read the full report and presentation click on the button below.

Southend SEND Information Day

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 19:43:26 GMT

On 6 November, Southend SEND Independent Forum (SSIF) and the SEND Local Offer Team co-hosted the first Southend SEND Information Day .

The event was attended by over 150 parent carers and professionals, with more than 50 teams and services sharing information about the support they provide. Attendees also had the opportunity to take part in three presentations covering Social Care, Health, and Education.

SSIF and the Local Offer Team would like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who attended, and to the many teams, organisations, services, and colleagues who gave their time, shared their knowledge, and helped make the day such a success. Your support and collaboration on the day were greatly appreciated.

If you attended the event, we’d love to hear your thoughts — your feedback is invaluable in helping us shape and improve future events. Share your feedback here .

Further details about the event, including information about the teams and services that attended is available on the Local Offer website .

The presentation slides from the information sessions are available to view below.

Thank you once again to everyone who supported or attended the Southend SEND Information Day.

Please use the buttons below to access the PowerPoint presentations from the day .

Southend SEND Information Day - 6th November 2025

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 09:17:24 GMT

��Southend SEND Information Day ��

Southend SEND Independent Forum (SSIF), and the Southend SEND Local Offer Team are delighted to invite parent carers of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND), as well as professionals to our SEND Information Day.

�� 6 November 2025

�� 9:00am to 3:00pm (drop in anytime)

�� Southend Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, SS2 6ER.

Come and meet a wide range of local services and organisations who support SEND families across Southend-on-Sea at our SEND Marketplace. You'll be able to speak with teams including The Specialist Teaching Service, Educational Psychology Service, Early Years Team, and many more.

There will also be talks on key topics:

▪ 10am to 11am: Transitions from the Children with Disabilities Team to adult social care

▪ 11.30am to 12.30pm: Health information session; Decision making; young people with additional needs

▪ 1pm to 2pm: Collaboration Counts: Supporting your young person with SEND in education

No booking needed, just drop-in at a time that suits you.

Free tea, coffee and water will be available. Food can be bought from the Civic Centre cafe, or people are welcome to bring their own. Civic Centre parking is limited, so attendees are advised to use public transport or town centre car parks.

Please note, the event is for adults and there will not be a creche provision or activities for children. The marketplace is open to all, but we kindly ask that babies and young children are not brought into the information sessions.

Please contact the Local Offer Team at localoffer@southend.gov.uk with any questions.

We look forward to welcoming you!

Visit the Livewell site for more information.

Children's Learning Disability Service (CLDS) feedback opportunity.

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 12:13:35 GMT

The Children's Learning Disability Service (CLDS) is due to be recommissioned in 2027.

We recently wrote to our membership to let you know about an opportunity to give your feedback on the Children's Learning Disability Service, (CLDS).

When a new contract is developed, it’s important that the voices of children, young people, and families are heard so that services meet their needs.

The Learning Disability and Autism Health Inequalities (LD/A HE) team are keen to hear your feedback and experiences, and details about how you can give your views can be found in our letter.

Read our letter in full below;

Dear Members,

Our colleagues from the Learning Disability and Autism Health Inequalities (LD/A HE) Team would like to hear your views about the Children's Learning Disability Service, (CLDS).

The CLDS is an offer for children and young people aged 5-18 living in Southend, Essex and Thurrock with a moderate to severe learning disability and behaviours which challenge. The service is provided by Essex Partnership University Foundation Trust (EPUT) and is a specialist community-based behavioural assessment and treatment service.

The CLDS is due to be recommissioned in 2027; this means the current contract will come to an end, and LD/A HE Team Commissioners will need to organise a new contract to be provided. To help them deliver the right service for children, young people and families who really need it, they are asking for your feedback.

The team would like to hear from you:

If you have used the service,
If you have not used the service but have tried to or would like to or
If you have not used the service but meet their criteria

To give your feedback, please click HERE

The survey will be live from 19th September until 3rd October. After this date the results will be analysed and will be used to help inform options for the new contract which will be considered in the design of the new service specification (the document describing what we want the service to do, and how we want the provider of that service to do it). This part of the process will start in 2026.

If you have any questions, or if you would like any further information about the survey’s or recommissioning process, please contact the team directly:
Becca King, CYP Commissioner – Rebecca.king2@essex.gov.uk
Claire Bate, DSR Coordinator – Claire.bate@essex.gov.uk

Best wishes,

SSIF

"Attendance Matters" - but its not that simple!

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 09:38:03 GMT

“School Attendance Matters” but its not that simple!

We know that that in recent years, at this time of year, social media and sometimes the news outlets too, become awash with campaigns relating to attendance at school and that this can be really distressing for some Parent Carers.

Unfortunately, in the information widely circulating there is no clarity in how this affects children and young people with medical conditions, serious mental health challenges, or special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

As Parent Carers, our first instinct is always to protect our children and young people. Many of us are navigating incredibly complex situations, where our children maybe want to attend school but the reality of doing so is far from simple. It can feel deeply unfair to then open social media and be confronted with campaigns suggesting that not being in school will damage our child or young person’s future. When you’re already doing everything, you can to support your child – often against huge challenges - messages like these don’t feel supportive. Instead, they leave us feeling blamed, judged, or as though we aren’t doing enough. When in reality, we are working tirelessly to give our children and young people the best chance in life!

We know there can sometimes be so much information that you don’t know where to turn but we thought it would be helpful to share some websites and information to find out more.

We know that it is long but we have attached the “Working together to improve School Attendance” guidance document here and in particular the section relating to our families can be found at the end of Paragraph 2, pages 23-26. The guidance acknowledges that children and young people with long-term medical conditions, serious mental health challenges, or special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) can face extra barriers when it comes to school attendance. Schools are encouraged to have compassionate conversations with families in these situations, recognising that it isn’t always straightforward.

If your child or young person struggles with school-based avoidance the first step we would encourage you to take is to reach out to their class teacher, SENDco or sometimes if available, the school mental health lead.

If you feel that you aren’t being supported, the Local Offer have lots of information available on their website which can be found here , including links to books and apps that may be useful and details of who you can speak to, for example, the Access and Inclusion Team.

SENDIASS also offer resources on their website with useful information about support available. Their information can be found here.

Young Minds is a charity offering advice and information to give young people the tools to look after their mental health. They also aim to empower parents and professionals to be the best support they can be to the young people in their lives. You can find lots of resources on their website here .

Similarly, Kids Inspire is a mental health charity that offers personalised recovery plans for children and families who have experienced trauma and have lots of information and resources on their website which can be found here.

If your child or young person is experiencing high anxiety or very poor mental health we would strongly encourage you to speak with your GP to seek further support.

If you feel able to, we would be grateful to hear about your experiences, please use our family feedback form on our website or better still come along and see us at one of our Coffee mornings! ��

SSIF Seminar - Educational Transitions - 23rd June 2025

Tue, 27 May 2025 12:06:44 GMT

Transitions in Education

SSIF invite ParentCarers of Children with SEND to their final Seminar this year. ‘Transitions,’ is the last in a series of valuable and informative events for ParentCarers that have run throughout the year.

About the Event:

This seminar is aimed at ParentCarers who have a Child or Young Person with SEND, who is approaching a Transition year at school. In this case when we say ‘transition’, we mean things like:

Starting nursery or pre-school,
Starting primary school,
Starting secondary school,
Leaving Secondary school.

We also mean any ‘Key Stage’ transitions – for example – the move from Early Years to Key Stage 1, or from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 2 and so on.

We will also be discussing your role and responsibility as a ParentCarer.

A panel of professionals from the Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) Team and Education will talk about the transition process. They will also bust some common myths.

We are inviting ParentCarers to submit any questions they have for the panel by email, by Monday 16 ^th June 2025, via email, to jody@southendsendindependentforum.org.uk . This is to save time in the room on the day as our speakers will build their presentations around the answers to these questions.

There will also be an opportunity for people to review a useful visual guide about the Transition process.

Please Note:

Babies, Children and Buggies. For insurance reasons and Health and Safety reasons we apologise but babies, children and buggies cannot be accommodated at these sessions.

Parking. There is limited parking available at the main Civic Centre Car Park. Other nearby car parks are available at Civic Centre East Car Park SS2 6LR, and the Beecroft Car Park SS2 6EU.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Book your ticket.

NHS Mid and South Essex ADHD Medication Update

Tue, 20 May 2025 08:27:15 GMT

UPDATE ON ADHD PRESCRIBING AND MONITORING IN MID AND SOUTH ESSEX

NHS Mid and South Essex have issued and update for young people, parents and carers, and those that support with arrangements for the prescribing and monitoring of ADHD medications for children and young people up to 18 years of age in Mid and South Essex.

Read the update in full .

Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP) Annual Reviews

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 18:40:16 GMT

Education, Health, and Care Plan's

SSIF invite ParentCarers of Children with SEND to their penultimate Seminar this year. ‘Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCP) Annual Reviews,’ is the fifth in a series of valuable and informative events for ParentCarers that will run throughout the year.

This seminar is aimed at ParentCarers who have an Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP) in place for their Child or Young Person but would like to find out more about the Annual Review process. We will aim to answer questions such as:

What does an Annual Review entail?
Which services are involved?
What can I do if my Child or Young Persons Annual Review is delayed?
What does the Law say?
I have never had an Annual Review, should I have?
What is my role and responsibility as a ParentCarer?

We have a panel of professionals from the Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) Team, Health and Education, who will talk about the assessment process. They will also bust some common myths.

We are inviting ParentCarers to submit any questions they have for the panel by email, by Thursday 1st May 2025, via email, to jody@southendsendindependentforum.org.uk. This is to save time in the room on the day as our speakers will build their presentations around the answers to these questions.

There will also be an opportunity for people to participate in a co-production session to develop a useful route map/flow chart of the EHCP Annual Review process.

Please Note: Babies, Children and Buggies. For insurance reasons and Health and Safety reasons we apologise but babies, children and buggies cannot be accommodated at these sessions.

Parking. There is limited parking available at the main Civic Centre Car Park. Other nearby car parks are available at Civic Centre East Car Park SS2 6LR, and the Beecroft Car Park SS2 6EU.

Book your FREE ticket.

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NNPCF attend a Roundtable meeting with Minister McKinnell, Minister of Education

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 11:29:32 GMT

The NNPCF together with other Stakeholders attended a Roundtable meeting this week with Minister McKinnel, the Minister of Education which focused on Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND).

The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the ongoing speculation surrounding SEND and Inclusive Education. The Minister shared insights into the government’s direction and engaged with key stakeholders.

NNPCF Announcement on NHS England being brought back into the Department of Health and Social Care

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 11:22:15 GMT

SSIF are members of the National Network of Parent Carers (NNPCF).

The Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that the government plans to abolish NHS England and bring it into the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), the government believe that this will remove a layer of bureaucracy and will eliminate duplication between DHSE and NHSE.

NNPCF have delivered a statement in response to the announcement confirming what work they intend to do to represent the voices of ParentCarers and children and young people with SEND.

Read both the press release and the NNPCF statement.

DROP-IN FRIDAYS. Come and meet your ParentCarer Forum

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 09:31:14 GMT

We know that some of you have shared that coffee mornings can be difficult to attend so we have organised a Drop-In Event once every half term.

The session is open to everyone, ParentCarers looking to find out more about what the Forum does, professionals who want to understand our role and those who would just like to join us for a hot drink and a natter.

We will be sharing the dates of the sessions on our social media channels so be on the lookout for future dates.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Contact & NNPCF Joint in-person Conference 4th February 2025

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 13:00:10 GMT

Highlights film now available!

SSIF attended the Contact & NNPCF Joint in-person Conference on Tuesday 4th February 2025 at the Mercure Northampton.

It was fantastic to catch up with other Parent Carer Forum's nationally to share ideas and experiences, discuss best practise and learn more about what is happening in other areas.

Watch the Highlights film from the day .

We are so pleased to have attended and found it incredibly valuable, we are already looking forward to next year!

New Guidance to support school governing boards.

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 09:37:18 GMT

The Department for Education and the Council for Disabled Children have recently published two sets of guidance to support school governing boards in understanding their role and responsibilities in relation to children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities and empowering them to hold their schools to account.

This updated guidance from the Department for Education provides a high level summary of the expectations of boards in relation to disability and SEN. It includes a checklist for governors/trustees and suggestions about how to use school performance data and build an evidence base to underpin its strategic oversight. Download and read the document here.

Equality Act 2010 and disabled pupils: A guide for governors and trustees can be found here. The Council for Disabled Children guide which was commissioned by the Department, focuses in more detail on the Equality Act duties to disabled pupils. It sets out the individually owed duties and the more strategic duties; and again it promotes a discussion about the evidence that governing boards need in order to understand how well the duties are being met in their school.

To illustrate how the duties work in practice, the guide uses examples from schools and from case law where claims of disability discrimination have gone to the Tribunal. At the back of the guide is a set of checkpoints that schools can use to inform a discussion between senior leaders and their governing body or board of trustees.

The new guide is a companion publication to the 2022 Disabled Children and the Equality Act 2010: What teachers need to know and what schools need to do which offers teachers more detailed practical guidance on meeting the duties to disabled pupils, read more about it.

We hope very much that the guidance will help governors and trustees in their school securing the best possible outcomes for pupils with SEN and disabilities.

SSIF Seminar - EHCNA (Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment)

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 10:27:44 GMT

Southend SEND Independent Forum (SSIF) continues its series of valuable informative events for ParentCarers of children with SEND with the fourth seminar of the year: "Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA)”.

This seminar is aimed at ParentCarers who have applied for or are thinking about applying for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), but would like to find out if it is necessary or right for their Child or Young Person.

We will aim to answer questions such as:

What does an EHCNA entail?
Which services are involved?
What happens after the assessment?
What is my role and responsibility as a ParentCarer?

We are inviting ParentCarers to submit any questions they have for the panel by email, by Monday 10th March 2025, via email, to jody@southendsendindependentforum.org.uk . This is to save time in the room on the day as our speakers will build their presentations around the answers to these questions.

There will also be an opportunity for people to participate in a co-production session to develop a useful route map/flow chart of the EHCNA process.

Book your tickets here.

Improving the way Ofsted inspects education

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 13:38:25 GMT

Ofsted want to know what you think about their proposed plans for inspecting schools and other settings where children and adults learn. This includes:

early years
state-funded schools
non-association independent schools
further education and skills ( FE and skills)
initial teacher education ( ITE )

In summary, they propose:

Report cards – these would give parents and carers more detailed information than the current reports, including a new 5-point grading scale to evaluate more areas of a provider’s work and short summaries of what inspectors found.
Education inspection toolkits – this tool shows providers and inspectors the evaluation areas that we’ll focus inspections on and how we’ll assess and grade providers (scroll down to see our toolkits).
Inspection methodology – changes to how we carry out inspection.
Full inspections and monitoring inspections, state-funded schools – we plan to end ungraded inspections of state-funded schools and change our monitoring programmes so that we can check that timely action is taken to raise standards.
Identifying state-funded schools causing concern – a new approach to how we’ll place a school into a category of concern.

Read the full report and respond to the consultation.

Kids Autism Hub

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 14:11:05 GMT

Kids the charity Autism HUB.

Are you a young autistic person who has just been diagnosed?

Are you a parent wondering how best to support your autistic child?

Do you want to connect with people like you?

Then The Kids Autism HUB could be for you.

The Kids Autism Hub is for young people aged 12 – 25 who are newly diagnosed with autism, young people who are on the diagnosis pathway, and the family members of those young people.

It is now possible to self - refer and you can find out more information and how to do this on the KIDS Website .

ISOS Report Update from the National Network of Parent Carers (NNPCF)

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 12:43:41 GMT

You may recall that in July, the Local Government Association (LGA) and County Councils Network (CCN), in partnership with ISOS, published a report titled “Towards an Effective and Financially Sustainable Approach to Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) in England.”

In their response, NNPCF expressed their hope that the report would serve as a platform for initiating important conversations and welcomed greater involvement with LGA and CCN moving forward. As a result, NNPCF has been credited by ISOS for helping use their report as a “platform” to discuss SEND reform.

SSIF Seminar - Support Plans and Support Whilst Waiting for EHCNA or EHCP

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 12:27:54 GMT

SSIF invite ParentCarers of Children with SEND to our third Seminar this year. ‘Support Plans, ISPs, Support Whilst Waiting for EHCNA and EHCP’ is the third in a series of valuable an informative events for ParentCarers that will run throughout the year.

This seminar is aimed at ParentCarers who are not sure of the support and information available to them and their families whilst they are waiting for an Education and Health Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA) or an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP).

We will aim to answer questions such as:

What is an Individual Support Plan (ISP), and who is it for?
What are Reasonable Adjustments and can I expect them to be made for my child?
What is the SEN Register? What is SEN Support?
What can I do to support my child or young person at home?
Are there any workshops or webinars I can access?

We have a panel of professionals from the Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) Team, Health and Education, who will talk about what support is available and how to find it. They will also bust some common myths.

We are inviting ParentCarers to submit any questions they have for the panel by email, by Monday 20th January 2025, via email, to jody@southendsendindependentforum.org.uk

There will also be an opportunity for people to participate in a co-production session to develop a useful route map/flow chart of the Support Whilst Waiting process.

Book your ticket here.

Autism and Parental Blame Research Report

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 10:20:13 GMT

Autism and Parental Blame Research Report.

The Autism and Parental Blame research project seeks to understand how parents of autistic children experience parental blame when they approach health, education, and care services for support.

The project is led by West Midlands ADASS in collaboration with the University of Birmingham, and has been commissioned by NHS England (Midlands Region).

The Project Organisers have been working together with families to identify common concerns and themes and make recommendations for changes to practice that will ensure families feel heard and understood when they look for help.

This Report findings have now been published and more details and the report itself can be found on their website.

The report Autism and Parental Blame: Blamed Instead of Helped, is intended for professionals, policymakers, researchers, and anyone who is interested in improving the lives of autistic children, young people, and their families.

SSIF Seminars 2025

Sun, 10 Nov 2024 14:04:39 GMT

We host in-person Seminars at the Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, SS2 6ER, covering a wide range of SEND related topics. We invite a varied panel of professionals to provide information and guidance to ParentCarers of children and young people with SEND (aged 0-25). Our events are hosted together with guest speakers from the Local Authority, Health Services, Education Services and more.

Save the dates for our upcoming Seminars in 2025!

We will release further details and confirm guest speakers nearer the time.

SSIF Seminar - Early Identification of SEND and the support available

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 13:20:00 GMT

Southend SEND Independent Forum invite ParentCarers of children and young people with SEND who are at their start of the SEND journey and who are looking for answers and support to our upcoming Seminar.

We will aim to answer questions such as:

Who are the key people involved in early identification of SEND?
Who can I expect to talk to?
What is a SENCo?
What is the SEN Register? What is SEN Support?
What should my child’s class teacher be doing?
What is the role of the GP, and do they need to be involved?

We have a panel of professionals from the Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) Team, Health and Education Services, who will talk about SEND identification and support in schools, when an education health and care needs assessment (EHCNA) is needed and bust some common myths.

We are inviting ParentCarers to submit any questions they have for the panel by email, by Monday 25th November 2024, via email, to jody@southendsendindependentforum.org.uk.

There will also be an opportunity for people to participate in a co-production session to develop a useful route map/flow chart of the Early Identification process.

Book your ticket here.

SSIF Seminar, Health Assessment Pathways

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 08:13:59 GMT

Southend SEND Independent Forum (SSIF) invite Parent Carers of Children with SEND to our first of six Seminars during this academic year on Friday 11th October.

‘Health Assessment Pathways’ is the first in a series of valuable and informative events for ParentCarers that will run throughout the year.

This seminar is aimed at ParentCarers of children with SEND who may need information and support regarding accessing Health Services. The Seminar will cover questions such as:

How do I access the Lighthouse Centre?
Do I need to involve my GP?
What happens in my appointment?
What role does the school play?
Who are CAMHS and can I access them?

Plus, any additional questions you may have*

We have a panel of professionals from the Lighthouse Centre, a Designated Clinical Officer, a representative from the Local Authority, among other special guests. They will talk about how they can support you and your child through the processes and meetings.

*We are inviting ParentCarers to submit any questions they have for the panel by Monday 30 ^th September 2024, via email to jody@southendsendindependentforum.org.uk.

There will also be an opportunity for people to participate in a co-production session to develop a useful route map/flow chart of the Health Assessment Pathways.

Book your ticket here.

My Care Bridge, online Portal is now live.

Sat, 14 Sep 2024 10:07:51 GMT

'My Care Bridge', an online portal for new referrals for children and young people's autism and ADHD services in mid and South Essex, is now live.

SSIF are excited to announce that the 'My Care Bridge' portal is now live. For the past 18 months together with Parent Carer Forums from Essex and Thurrock and led by the MSE (Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust) we have been involved in the development of the portal and are hopeful that it will streamline the referral process for families. The portal will advise families on next steps and will also provide options for support available locally, it will also be up-to-date with information shared and what is outstanding. The portal is a test and learn initially and we hope that in the future it can be expanded further.

Please see below for the communications from MSE regarding the Portal:-

"The portal is easy to use and secure and has been developed in collaboration with healthcare and education professionals, and families.

Educational settings (including nurseries, schools, and colleges), GPs, health visitors, and other health professionals can use the portal to make referrals.

Parents and carers will be sent a login when a referral has been made and you will be able to log in to the portal to provide information for your child’s referral, track the referral and access a library of support available locally.

The portal is for children and young people who are aged up to 18 years old and registered with a GP in mid and south Essex. This includes Chelmsford, Braintree, Maldon, Castle Point, Rochford, Southend, Basildon, Brentwood and Thurrock.

The portal is for new referrals only – current referrals will continue to follow existing administrative pathways.

At present, we cannot accept referrals made by parents, carers, family members or young people themselves. If you feel your child/young person requires an Autism or ADHD assessment, we encourage discussion with their education setting or GP about making a referral through My Care Bridge.

You will be emailed with access information when your referral is made by a GP, health visitor, or educational setting.

The portal been developed by the Mid and South Essex Community Collaborative, a partnership between Essex Partnership University Trust, North East London Foundation Trust and Provide Community. If you are having issues accessing the portal, please contact the service:

NELFT (Basildon, Brentwood and Thurrock): childrensautismADHDassessment@nelft.nhs.uk
Provide Community (Chelmsford, Braintree and Maldon): provide.cccpaediatrics@nhs.net
EPUT (Castle Point & Rochford and Southend): epunft.Lighthouse.ASD@nhs.net or epunft.Lighthouse.ADHD@nhs.net

Find out more information here "

Removal of Ofsted single word Judgements

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 08:34:43 GMT

A new post, “Removal of Ofsted single word judgements: what it means for schools and parents” has just been published on the The Education Hub blog.

Schools in England will no longer receive Ofsted single headline grades, also known as single word judgements, from 2nd September 2024. This is the first step towards delivering a better accountability system which will see School Report Cards introduced from September 2025, which will provide parents with a complete picture of how schools are performing. We explain more below, including on how parents can compare schools in the meantime. Why are we removing single headline grades? We know that one word judgements aren’t working for parents or schools. Ofsted research found fewer than four in 10 parents, and only 29% of teachers, support one-word …

Read the new post

SSIF Spring/Summer Term Feedback Report

Sun, 11 Aug 2024 20:06:54 GMT

SSIF Spring/Summer Term Feedback Report

Our first Family Feedback report and accompanying presentation is now available to read.

Each term SSIF collate the feedback and information shared with us by parents and carers via our Family Feedback Form (hosted here on our website) and our in-person engagements events, including our coffee mornings. We would like to thank all of the parents and carers who took the time to complete our feedback form and share their experiences since November 2023 through to July 2024. This information will be used to help shape and improve SEND services in Southend.

Our Family Feedback survey is available all year round, so please continue to share your experiences.

To read the full report and presentation click on the links below.

SSIF Seminar, Education and Health Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA)

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 16:40:04 GMT

Southend SEND Independent Forum (SSIF) invite Parent Carers of Children with SEND to their third Seminar this year on Wednesday 26th June.

‘Education and Health Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA)’ is the third in a series of valuable and informative events for Parent Carers that will run throughout the year.

This seminar is aimed at Parent Carers of children with SEND who may need information and support regarding the EHCNA process.

The Seminar will cover questions such as:

Who can request an Assessment? And how?
Who decides if an Assessment is needed? And how?
How are Assessments undertaken?
After the decision is made?
SEN Support and the Graduated Response.
Plus, any additional questions you may have*

We have a panel of professionals from the EHCP Team, SENDIASS, and more to be confirmed nearer the date! They will talk about how they can support you and your child through the processes and meetings.

*We are inviting Parent Carers to submit any questions they have for the panel by Monday 17th June 2024, via email.

There will also be an opportunity for people to participate in a co-production session to develop a useful route map/flow chart of the EHCNA process.

Book your ticket here

SSIF SEMINAR, Transitions up to the end of school year 8.

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 11:21:05 GMT

SSIF invite PC's (Parent Carers) of Children with SEND to their second Seminar this year. ‘transitions your child will encounter up to end of school year 8’ is the second in a series of valuable an informative events for PCs that will run throughout the year.

This seminar is aimed at PC's of children with SEND up to end of school year 8 who may need information and support regarding the different transitions your child will encounter. In this case when we say ‘transition’, we mean things like:

Starting nursery pre pre-school.
Starting primary school.
Starting secondary school.

We also mean any ‘Key Stage’ transitions – for example – the move from Early Years to Key Stage 1, or from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 2 and so on.

We have a panel of professionals from the SEND Team, the School Nursing Team and The School Attendance and Inclusion Team. They will talk about how they can support you and your child through their various transitions.

We are inviting PCs to submit any questions they have for the panel by Thursday 9th May 2024, via email.

There will also be an opportunity for people to participate in a co-production session to develop a useful route map/flow chart of the transitions process.

Book your ticket here

SSIF Coffee Mornings

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 10:45:56 GMT

Do you have questions or concerns around SEND? Join us at SAVS, Alexandra Street for our friendly monthly coffee morning where we will be able to help.

Each month we invite guests from different sectors such as Health care, Social care, the Local Offer Team, Education and more to answer any questions you have or they can simply offer guidance. We will publish details of guests attending our coffee mornings across our social media platforms.

If you are attending and have a child between 0-5 years old we also have a FREE sensory creche on site run by Chaos & Calm.

We look forward to seeing you.

National Network of Parent Carers (NNPCF) Annual Report 2022/23

Fri, 09 Feb 2024 10:24:05 GMT

National Network of Parent Carers (NNPCF) issue their Annual Report for 2022/23.

The NNPCF, of which SSIF are a member has issued their Annual Report for 2022/23.

The Report provides an overview of the work undertaken by Parent Carer Forums (PCF's) Nationally over the last year. We are pleased to have been mentioned in the East of England overview together with our neighbours at Essex Family forum for their work creating a Neurodevelopmental Resource together with local charities STRM and Myotas.

Read the full Report on the NNPCF Website.

SSIF SEMINAR - Early identification and support of SEND in schools

Fri, 02 Feb 2024 09:50:54 GMT

For families at the beginning of their SEND journey, who are looking for support navigating the system.

Southend SEND Independent Forum (SSIF) invite parent carers of children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to their first seminar of the year.

‘Early identification of SEND in schools and the support that is on offer’ is part of a series of valuable and informative events for parent carers that will run throughout the year.

This seminar is aimed at parent carers who are at their start of their SEND journey and who are looking for answers and support.

We have invited a panel of professionals from the Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) Team, Health and Social Care, who will talk about SEND identification and support in schools, when an education health and care needs assessment (EHCNA) is needed, and bust some common myths.

We will be asking parent carers to submit any questions for the panel in advance, by email, by midnight on Wednesday 21st February 2024. There will also be an opportunity for people to participate in our co-production session, to develop a useful routemap/flow chart of the support process

Book your ticket here .

SSIF SEND Parent Carer wellbeing day

Fri, 02 Feb 2024 09:41:23 GMT

SSIF Wellbeing Event for SEND Parent Carers - Strategies to improve your own wellbeing in collaboration with N.O.W's The Time for Change.

N.O.W's the time for change (National Online Wellbeing Services) working with SEND families across Southend, Essex & Thurrock are health based and therapeutic coaches who facilitate life changing tools and techniques from a natural and holistic approach to improve stress, emotional wellbeing and mental health.

SSIF have partnered with N.O.W's the time for change to provide a FREE wellbeing event for parents and carers of children and young people with SEND living in Southend following the success of a similar event last year.

If you are curious about how to improve your own wellbeing this event will be perfect for you to learn more about how to support your mind body & energy.

Breakfast, refreshments and a light lunch will be provided for attendees.

Wellbeing goody bags for participants will be given on the day.

Please be aware this is an adult only event - children and babies are sadly not permitted to this event.

Book your ticket now .

Southend SEND Independent Forum - 2023 Overview

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 11:37:22 GMT

SSIF had a productive 2023 and wanted to share with you a roundup of events and achievements undertaken by the PCF (Parent Carer Forum) over the course of the year:

Last January saw the team working on plans & developments for the year to come.

February we attended the NNPCF & Contact Conference in Bristol – it was great to see what being part of a PCF means on a national level and to meet colleagues & like minded ParentCarers from the 150+ other PCFs across the country.

We also received notice that Southend would have a full area SEND inspection under the Department of Education New Framework being 4 ^th in the country & 1 ^st in the region.

Ofsted and CQC carried out an inspection of Southend SEND services from 6 ^th – 10 ^th March 2023. Your voices were shared directly with Inspectors through the survey that was completed prior to the inspection. We are really pleased that so many SEND families responded to ensure their views and experiences were heard and considered.

The result was an Inconsistent outcome and the report was published. Read the Ofsted and CQC Report .

The Inspectors found that the experiences of children and young people with SEND in Southend-on-Sea can be very varied and the report reflects the experiences and feedback we have received from our families. We acknowledge that the Local Authority and Health services have implemented changes and improvements to the SEND systems, however too often our children’s and young people’s needs are not met in a timely manner.

In March we held a free Wellbeing event for SEND ParentCarers in collaboration with N.O.W’s the time for change and Hands above Massage at the Cliffs Pavilion. There were lots of different taster sessions available such as growth mindset activities, emotional freedom tapping & reiki. The event was a great success and due to popular demand we are repeating this event, with even more therapies in March this year – please see dates for your diary section at the end of this article.

We continued our Coffee Mornings at SAVS in Alexandra Street which have grown from strength to strength. Many of you have benefited from speaking with the Specialist Services that join us such as SENDIASS, Advisory SENCOs, Representatives from The Lighthouse Child Development Centre among others. We continue to run these monthly with Chaos and Calm, who provide a free, fun-themed, SEND specific creche to enable any ParentCarers who have little ones to attend our sessions.

In June we were joined by Mrunal Sisodia OBE & Jo Harrison (Essex Family Forum) & Eastern Region Rep who spoke about Understanding The Role of the PCF, from a Local, Regional & National perspective.

A large portion of our year was spent working on the SEND Strategy & The Strategic Action Plan, which were finally published in the Autumn Term.

On Friday 6 October, in conjunction with the Southend SEND Area Partnership we organised a SEND Area Partnership Network Event to explain and discuss more about -

Ø role of the SEND Area Partnership;

Ø outcome of the Ofsted and CQC inspection;

Ø the Southend SEND Network;

Ø the SEND Strategic Action Plan;

Ø the SEND Strategy.

And were thrilled to launch our Family Feedback Survey so you can tell us what life is like as a SEND family in Southend – what works, what doesn’t and everything in between!

We need to hear your stories so we can ensure we are representing the actual lived experience of SEND ParentCarers across our City.

SSIF works with (not for) the council, health and social care and we use the views and experiences you share with us to influence and inform the provision and services used by our children & young people and how things can be improved for them.

In November we took part in the NNPCF & Contact AGM, webinars & on-line conference.

For the Festive session at our SAVS Coffee Morning it was lovely to welcome back some of you who had joined us at various events throughout the year to share some festive treats and receive an early Christmas Gifts for both ParentCarers & our Creche attendees.

As you can see it was a busy year and 2024 promises more of the same plus some exciting new developments….

SSIF EVENTS - DATES FOR YOUR DIARY THIS TERM:

Tuesday 5th March

SSIF Parent Carer Wellbeing Day at The Cliffs Pavilion – as always advance information & priority booking will be given to our membership for this free event – so sign up today to become a member via the Join Us link in the top left hand corner above.

Thursday 7th March

SSIF Seminar on Early Identification & SEND Support in Schools

SSIF – ParentCarer Feedback Survey

SSIF continue to represent SEND families voices in Southend, to ensure that the necessary changes are implemented to best meet the needs of our children and young people.

One of the ways we do that is by gathering information from you, thank you so much to everyone who has taken the time to give their feedback so far, your lived experiences help shape our work and we could not do this without you – you can give us feedback on anything that you want - the good, the bad and everything in-between.

Complete our survey .

SEND Area Partnership Network Event

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 15:09:53 GMT

SEND Area Partnership Network Event – Friday 6 October

The Southend Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Area Partnership in conjunction with Southend SEND Independent Forum (SSIF) invite parent carers and stakeholders to an event running on the morning of Friday 6 October.

At the event you will hear about:

▪ the role of the SEND Area Partnership

▪ outcome of the Ofsted and CQC inspection

▪ the SEND strategic action plan

▪ the SEND strategy

▪ the Southend SEND Network

For further details and to book a place please visit Eventbrite via this link: http://tiny.cc/0rmavz

If there are any queries, please contact the SEND Local Offer team at localoffer@southend.gov.uk

Wellbeing at Garon Park

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 10:40:05 GMT

Garon Park are welcomming Gemma's Farm on site for a family fun day.

We are pleased to announce another exciting event taking place here on the site of Wellbeing at Garon Park.

So come join us on either the 8th or 22nd August for a Garon Park Fun Day with Gemma's Farm.

Tickets are available via the below link

https://www.trybooking.co.uk/CNZT

Ofsted Report

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 09:11:42 GMT

Ofsted and CQC carried out an inspection of Southend SEND

Your voices were shared directly with Inspectors through the survey that was completed prior to the inspection. We are really pleased that so many SEND families responded to ensure their views and experiences were heard and considered.

The report has now been published, and the result is an Inconsistent outcome.

The Inspectors found that the experiences of children and young people with SEND in Southend-on-Sea can be very varied. The report reflects the experiences and feedback we have received from our families. We acknowledge that the Local Authority and Health services have implemented changes and improvements to the SEND systems, for example the recent redevelopments at the Lighthouse Child Development Centre, however too often our children’s and young people’s needs are not met in a timely manner.

We will continue to represent SEND families voices in Southend, to ensure that the necessary changes are implemented to best meet the needs of our children and young people.

To find out more about how you can get involved and ensure your families voice is heard, please complete our membership form:

https://www.southendsendindependentforum.co.uk/join-us

If you wish to read the full report it can be found on the Ofsted website: https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50219405

NHS England to allow pharmacies to prescribe most common medications

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 12:38:21 GMT

NHS England to allow pharmacies to prescribe most common medications

NHS England has unveiled plans to make it easier for families to get medications from pharmacies without seeing a GP.

Under the plans, pharmacists will be able to prescribe medications, including antibiotics, for seven common ailments. These are:

Earache.
Sore throats.
Urinary tract infections.
Infected insect bites.
Sinusitis.
Impetigo.
Shingles.

More people will be able to self-refer for physiotherapy, podiatry and hearing tests and women will be able to get oral contraceptives without seeing a nurse or GP.

The proposals form part of NHS England’s Delivery plan for recovering access to primary care , which includes £240m funding for GPs to make technological improvements.

Some changes could be in place as early as September 2023, subject to negotiations with GP and pharmacy bodies.

Information from NHS England

Universal Credit childcare support to come this June

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 12:34:19 GMT

Universal Credit childcare support to come this June

An increase to the payment that eligible Universal Credit claimants can get towards childcare costs will arrive on 28 June 2023, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced.

The payment increase will allow eligible parents to claim up to £951 per month for one child and up to £1,630 per month for two or more children to cover childcare fees. This is up from £646.35 per month for one child and from £1,108.04 for two or more children.

This extra allowance is known as the childcare element of Universal Credit . It can cover up to 85% of a claimant’s childcare costs, up to the maximum amounts noted above.

Also from 28 June, parents on Universal Credit who are moving into work or significantly increasing their working hours will receive help with childcare costs upfront, rather than in arrears.

Eligibility for the childcare element

To qualify for the childcare element, you (and your partner, if you have one) must normally work. Any number of hours of work will do.

You may also qualify if you work and your partner is unable to provide childcare, either because they are incapable of work, or because they provide regular and substantial care to a disabled person (and are eligible for Carer’s Allowance ).

Not enough urgency to tackle lack of specialist places and higher costs

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt first announced these Universal Credit childcare support reforms in his Spring Budget earlier this year .

At the time, we said: “The Budget focused on getting people back into work. But it missed a large section of the working population: parents with disabled children. Help towards childcare costs through Universal Credit and for one- and two-year-olds is welcome, especially as childcare costs are eight times more for a disabled child. There were also some sensible proposals to address the huge gaps in the childcare workforce.

But the urgency and ambition required to deal with the scale of the problem was not there.

“Our Counting the Costs research found a combination of lack of suitable childcare for disabled children and prohibitive costs force parent carers to give up jobs and careers. We need a childcare workforce trained to meet the needs of disabled children.

This will ensure there are enough specialist places in all areas across the UK. And we need targeted financial help for families with disabled children who face significantly higher costs for childcare.”

Credit - Contact for families with disabled children.

MPs hear evidence on School absence of disabled children

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 12:22:46 GMT

MPs hear evidence on school absence of disabled children

MPs must address the disproportionate number of children with complex special educational needs (SEN) among severe-absence statistics, a parliamentary committee heard last week.

Speaking on behalf of the Special Education Consortium, of which Contact is a member, Dr Daniel Stavrou told MPs: “It feels misguided to approach this in a punitive way.”

The Education Committee listened to evidence from charity professionals as part of its inquiry into persistent absence and support for disadvantaged pupils.

We submitted evidence to the inquiry earlier this year . In our submission, we identified the biggest factor contributing to absence among children with SEN as unmet need. Just under 40% of calls to our helpline come from parents who say the school or local authority is not providing the right support for their child. Many parents are resorting to home schooling their child as schools become less willing to make reasonable adjustments.

We also hear from parents that the school environment and culture is detrimental to their child’s needs. Schools are under pressure to strive for high attendance from both OFSTED and the Children’s Commissioner. Chasing attendance figures is coming at the cost of pupil wellbeing and good relationships with parents.

A culture shift is needed

o rectify this, we suggest a culture shift. The government must look beyond the quantitative figures collected by OFSTED and focus on how schools are supporting pupils with barriers to attendance.

We would suggest seeking solutions by documenting good practice in schools achieving high rates of attendance for pupils with SEN.

Schools should also be building and fostering strong relationships with families. Parents should not be facing threats from schools for persistence absence, particularly where absence is authorised for medical reasons .

Schools should look into bespoke options for supporting children with SEN, including flex-Schooling.

School attendance advice for families in England

We have advice about school attendance on our website , including information on what your rights are if your child is absent due to medical reasons .

If you are considering home educating your child, visit our Home Education webpage to understand what your duties and options are.

£150 disability cost-of-living support

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 14:28:41 GMT

£150 disability cost-of-living support payment dates announced

The government has confirmed that disabled children and adults will receive their second £150 disability cost-of-living support payment between 20 June and 4 July this year.

As with last year’s payment , parent carers who have multiple children on disability benefits will get a separate payment for each child.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for the one-off £150 sum, individuals must have been in receipt of (or have begun an eventually successful claim for) one of these qualifying benefits as of 1 April 2023:

Disability Living Allowance (DLA).
Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
Child Disability Payment (in Scotland).
Adult Disability Payment (in Scotland).
Attendance Allowance.
Constant Attendance Allowance.
Armed Forces Independence Payment.
War Pension Mobility Supplement.

There is no need to apply. If you’re eligible, you’ll be paid automatically in the same way you usually get your benefit.

Most people will receive their non-taxable payment between 20 June and 4 July 2023. But your payment may arrive later if, for example, you’re awarded a qualifying benefit at a later date, or if you change the account your benefit is paid into.

More information on financial support for families

This £150 disability payment forms part of the government’s second round of support payments to help eligible low-income or disabled families with the rising cost of living in 2023/24.

For more information on what other payments will be made this year, visit our Cost of Living Support page or read the government’s factsheet .

If you need extra financial support to manage rising costs, see what help you could get with your household bills or take a look at our cost-of-living advice about benefits, grants, energy-saving tips and dealing with debt.

Credit - Contact for families with disabled children.

Understanding the Role of the Parent Carer Forum

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 12:40:35 GMT

A Very Special Coffee Morning

Instead of our usual coffee morning in June we will be hosting a SSIF SPECIAL EVENT -

Tuesday 13th June 9.30 – 11.30am at SAVS, 1st floor Conference Room, Alexandra Street, SS1 1BW

Southend SEND Independent Forum (SSIF) invite you to a very special coffee morning where you will have the opportunity to meet two leading PCF ambassadors:

Mrunal Sisodia OBE

Co-Chair – National Network of Parent Carer Forums (NNPCF)

East of England Lead

Jo Harrison

Strategic Development Co-ordinator (Health & Regional Lead) Essex Family Forum

Chair of Eastern Region of Parent Carer Forums (ERPCF)

NNPCF national representative

Learn about their roles regionally and nationally and how what SSIF does at a local level influences and contributes to their work.

Find out more about what we do, why we do it, the change it can make and why we need you!

Pre-school creche provided by Chaos & Calm.

We really hope to see you there!

Book your free space via Eventbrite

Transport for Southend entitlement.

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 12:36:40 GMT

Home to School - Transport Special

How does this service work?

Now an online event, Alan Smith - Transport Entitlement Office at Southend City Council and Glen Shuttleworth (Transport & general Operations Manger at Vectero together explain your benefits.

Coffee and chat with SSIF

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 12:23:47 GMT

Are you a parent or carer of a child or young person with Special Education Needs?

Plus special visitors from guests and SSIF support services.

Please join us at our friendly coffee morning to find out how Southend SEND Independent Forum Works and the services we offer.

It's Carers Week 2023!

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 12:41:46 GMT

It's Carers Week 2023!

The theme this year is 'Recognising and supporting carers in the community'.

Demand for our services increased significantly over the last two years and we know that there.

It's Carers Week 2023!

This years theme is 'Recognising and supporting carers in the community'.

Are you a carer living in Southend-on-Sea? Dealing with ongoing struggles such as social isolation, loneliness, need of a break and Cost of Living demands? Southend Carers may be able to help - visit their Facebook page or one of their Events this week where you can meet their new Outreach & Engagement Officer Sylvia Overton

On your bike!

Say hello to our new Outreach & Engagement Officer Sylvia Overton..... (& Dougie the Dog), who is going to be cycling about & hosting events all around the City during Carers Week 2023.

#southendcarers #carersweek #outreach #cycling #edi #community

ssif

Topic Talks for SEND Information Day - We need your help!

SEND Newsletter

SEND Information Day - 16th June 2026

Event details

SEND Reform Engagement and Listening Events

SSIF Coffee Mornings

One of our favourite Events is our regular monthly coffee morning, where Parent Carers can get together to share their experiences.

Every month we have the Local Offer team with us and invite 1 or 2 additional special guests from for example Health, Social Care, Education and more, to offer guidance and advice.

*Please note that the coffee mornings for 2026 will temporarily be held at the Civic Centre and will again return to SAVS in September 2026*

Come along and chat to other ParentCarers, get advice from one of our SEND support service guests and enjoy a hot drink with something sweet.

Booking is not required.

SSIF SEND Reform drop-in Sessions

Southend SEND Area Partnership letter about proposed Government SEND Reforms

Southend-on-Sea Unveils Three New Autism Resource Bases

Joint NNPCF and Contact - For families with disabled children National Conference for Parent Carer Forums (PCFs)

Representing Southend at the National Parent Carer Forums' Conference

New Autism and ADHD Service Providers - Important Update

New Autism and ADHD Assessment Providers – Important Update for Parent Carers

What’s changing?

New NHS Right to Choose providers

What services do these providers offe r?

How referrals work (important)

What about children already waiting?

More providers coming soon

Understanding your Right to Choose

Engaging in National SEND Reform Discussions

(photo credit - David Burton-Sampson MP (Team) - Facebook )

Engaging in National SEND Reform Discussions

What is a Parent Carer Forum (PCF) - A Simple Guide

SSIF 2024/2025 Academic Year Feedback Report

Southend SEND Information Day

Southend SEND Information Day - 6th November 2025

Children's Learning Disability Service (CLDS) feedback opportunity.

The Children's Learning Disability Service (CLDS) is due to be recommissioned in 2027.

"Attendance Matters" - but its not that simple!

SSIF Seminar - Educational Transitions - 23rd June 2025

Transitions in Education

NHS Mid and South Essex ADHD Medication Update

UPDATE ON ADHD PRESCRIBING AND MONITORING IN MID AND SOUTH ESSEX

Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP) Annual Reviews

Education, Health, and Care Plan's

NNPCF attend a Roundtable meeting with Minister McKinnell, Minister of Education

NNPCF Announcement on NHS England being brought back into the Department of Health and Social Care

DROP-IN FRIDAYS. Come and meet your ParentCarer Forum

Contact & NNPCF Joint in-person Conference 4th February 2025

Highlights film now available!

New Guidance to support school governing boards.

SSIF Seminar - EHCNA (Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment)

Improving the way Ofsted inspects education

Kids Autism Hub

ISOS Report Update from the National Network of Parent Carers (NNPCF)

SSIF Seminar - Support Plans and Support Whilst Waiting for EHCNA or EHCP

Autism and Parental Blame Research Report

Autism and Parental Blame Research Report.

SSIF Seminars 2025

SSIF Seminar - Early Identification of SEND and the support available

SSIF Seminar, Health Assessment Pathways

My Care Bridge, online Portal is now live.

'My Care Bridge', an online portal for new referrals for children and young people's autism and ADHD services in mid and South Essex, is now live.

Removal of Ofsted single word Judgements

SSIF Spring/Summer Term Feedback Report

SSIF Spring/Summer Term Feedback Report

SSIF Seminar, Education and Health Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA)

SSIF SEMINAR, Transitions up to the end of school year 8.

SSIF invite PC's (Parent Carers) of Children with SEND to their second Seminar this year. ‘transitions your child will encounter up to end of school year 8’ is the second in a series of valuable an informative events for PCs that will run throughout the year.

SSIF Coffee Mornings

Do you have questions or concerns around SEND? Join us at SAVS, Alexandra Street for our friendly monthly coffee morning where we will be able to help.

National Network of Parent Carers (NNPCF) Annual Report 2022/23

National Network of Parent Carers (NNPCF) issue their Annual Report for 2022/23.

SSIF SEMINAR - Early identification and support of SEND in schools

For families at the beginning of their SEND journey, who are looking for support navigating the system.

SSIF SEND Parent Carer wellbeing day

SSIF Wellbeing Event for SEND Parent Carers - Strategies to improve your own wellbeing in collaboration with N.O.W's The Time for Change.

Southend SEND Independent Forum - 2023 Overview

SEND Area Partnership Network Event

SEND Area Partnership Network Event – Friday 6 October

Wellbeing at Garon Park

Garon Park are welcomming Gemma's Farm on site for a family fun day.

Ofsted Report

Please note that the coffee mornings for 2026 will temporarily be held at the Civic Centre and will again return to SAVS in September 2026

NHS England to allow pharmacies to prescribe most common medications