Welcome to the SEND Matters Newsletter!
This termly newsletter aims to provide parents, carers, young people (aged from birth to 25 years of age), and professionals, with information and updates of the latest news, developments and services for those who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in the London Borough of Bromley.
In this issue
- New staff join SEND Services
- Upcoming Events - SEND Matters Live, SEND Network Champions
- Celebrating Autism Acceptance Event
- Project Me
- Help and Support for Families
- Early Years Interactive Parent/Carer Workshops
- Special Educational Needs Advisory Team (SENDAT) update
- New Launches! Good Works Bromley Exchange, Bromley Mencap TESS Programme
- Parent and Carer Engagement in Bromley
- Have your say and let us know what you think
- Celebrating SEND Hero
New staff join SEND Services
We are proud to introduce new members to our SEND services.
Meet Deena Wallworth, Group Manager for the SEN Outreach Teams
I am really pleased to have joined Bromley as Group Manager for the SEN Outreach Teams.
I will have the responsibility for ensuring the SEN Outreach Teams; Early Years Inclusion Team, SEND Advisory Team (SENDAT), Vision Team and Hearing Impairment Team, continue to provide a high quality and valued service which promotes the best outcomes for neurodivergent learners.
As soon as I began my teaching career, I knew I wanted to make sure all children had an equal opportunity to have the best possible future. This led me to specialise in SEND. I have been a senior leader in mainstream and special schools, from Early Years to Post 16. My most recent jobs have been in local authorities managing advisory education teams and developing countywide provision for children on divergent developmental pathways.
I am really excited to work with children and young people, their families and professionals to make sure all learners in Bromley have high aspirations, great life chances and a happy and independent adulthood.
Meet Bethan Doran, SEND Employment Officer
Hi, I'm Beth and I have started working with the SEND Programme Team as the SEND Employment Officer.
Having a background in schools and learning disabilities, I am passionate about building opportunities for people with learning disabilities.
I know how important it is to create more opportunities for those with SEND. The work I am doing links directly with the Preparing for Adulthood (PFA) channel of "Employment", building on key strategies to support a smooth transition into adulthood.
Working with schools, businesses, and community partners, I want to ensure an inclusive environment where every individual can reach their full potential.
Working with schools, businesses, and community partners, I want to ensure an inclusive environment where every individual can reach their full potential:
I am keen to hear your experiences and feedback. If you have any questions, please email me at SEND.Employment@bromley.gov.uk.
Please be aware that we do not facilitate the placement of children and young people into employment.
Meet Julie Hewett-Emmett, Children, Young People & Parent/Carer SEND Lead
I am delighted to have recently joined the SEND Programme Team as Children, Young People (CYP) and Parent/Carer SEND Lead.
My previous experience includes working in school settings offering support for SEND Children and families. I also have two children of my own with SEND which gives me considerable ‘lived’ experience to bring to this role.
Over the last few months I have already started to build good working relationships with Children and families through a variety of engagement initiates, where I am gathering much information around lived experiences, which are helping to inform services and processes.
I am involved or delivering information sessions for parents and carers around:
- Understanding the EHC needs assessment process
- Annual Reviews, and
- Transitions between key stages at school
More supportive information sessions are being added to the engagement portfolio.
As well as engaging with young people and families, I work closely with Bromley Parent Carer Forum and partner agencies such as Your Voice in Health and Social Care, Bromley Mencap, CASPA to ensure children and young people, parents and carers are supported and heard.
I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible over the coming months. If you have any questions, please email me at SEND.Engagement@bromley.gov.uk
Meet Pauline Cheung, Local Offer Development Officer
I am excited to have joined the SEND Programme Team as Local Offer Development Officer. I have over 16 years within the education field and have worked across both primary and secondary schools. Most recently I worked for a multi-academy trust leading on all aspects of governance and marketing across all the schools within the trust.
I have compassion and drive to support a population of children and young people with SEND and am inspired to make a difference by ensuring the services available are easily accessible through the Local Offer. Together with those in the SEND Programme Team, I will be working closely with our service providers, forums, and departments to publicise these services using my marketing experience.
I have many plans for the development of the Local Offer and am confident they will make a positive impact in helping children and young people with SEND grow, gain skills and work towards independence.
I am keen to hear your experiences and feedback. If you have any questions, please email me at LocalOffer@bromley.gov.uk.
Celebrating Autism Acceptance Event!
The London Borough of Bromley and charity CASPA have held events to celebrate Autism Acceptance week. In partnership we strive to celebrate Autistic people in the community.
Starting off with a ‘Road show’ style event at Oakley House, spectators came along to learn more about Autism and see Autism Speakers such as Councillor Jonathan Andrews, Michael Barton and Jordan James - The Autistic Photographer. Quotes included:
"I thought the speakers were so inspiring", Healthcare Professional
On Thursday 28th March, we held an event for the over 18’s at Connor’s Club Night which featured a silent disco and a “Wear Green To Be Seen” theme, in line with CASPA’s annual event.
It was a great fun night had by all who attended, with lots of dancing, a bar and free food!
The final event was a Family Celebration at Bromley United Reform Church which saw 170 people come along to learn more and enjoy a family day including a Bouncy Castle, Pop up Arcade, Family Yoga and Trains from The Engine Shed. One Parent said: “I’ve never been to an event that caters for the entire family, especially with two children who are autistic but we’ve had the most amazing day!"
Overall, the three events saw a footfall of around 250 people all wanting to celebrate and find out more about Autism. This shows that we must continue to advocate for the Autistic community and provide events that are inclusive and enjoyable for everyone to help raise awareness and understanding.
Wear Green To Be Seen this year saw 16 Schools in the Borough take part, with CASPA staff and volunteers visiting several schools to provide assemblies. Wear Green To Be Seen will return on the 2nd April 2025.
CASPA provides clubs and activities for Autistic Children and adults and provides support for their families, in and around The Bromley area. Founded in 2002, they have grown to be able to support over 600 members (and growing rapidly). CASPA desperately needs to raise £340,000 every year to keep its services running. Unlike larger charities, they do not receive any money from The Government and rely on the Community and Fundraisers to support them.
Project Me
Oakonsult Disabilities Outreach is currently running a ten-week programme for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) parent carers of children with disability or additional needs living in Bromley and neighbouring boroughs. The programme aims to support and empower parent carers from this community and will be delivered through training and workshop. The first phase of this programme has already begun, and the second phase will begin May – July 2024. It is free and will take place every Thursday at the Pavilion in Bromley from 10am-1pm with lunch provided.
Modules covered in this programme
- Mental Health
- Health and Wellbeing
- Healthy Relationship
- Employment
- Finance
- Faith and Spirituality
Eligibility for this programme
To be eligible for this programme you must be a parent/carer of a child with disability or additional needs, from the BAME group living in Bromley. We also accept self-referred parents.
The greatest benefit of this programme is the information and knowledge you will acquire which will enrich you and empower you to take charge of your life amidst the challenges of being a parent carer. Alongside this, you will be in the midst of other parent carers, professionals and consultants, which means you have access to free advice while having the opportunity to network, socialise and develop new friendships and relationships, a key component we will touch on in one of our modules.
Contact Details:
- Website: www.oakonsult.org
- Email: amy.adekambi@oakonsult.org
- Telephone: 07479 436823
Help and Support for Families
Welcome to the b-HIVE - A therapy collective for Bromley - b-HIVE (bromleytherapyhub.org.uk)
The b-HIVE has been 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 (the outer hexagons) which support the child (the inner hexagon).
Our services provide support for disabled children, young people, and young carers through to their transition into adult service. We offer advice and information, signposting, opportunities for peer support, short breaks, and leisure activities.
We have given an overview here of the recent Spring Budget and ways that Local governments could be affected, with more of a reference to SEND families.
Early Intervention Bromley Children's Project
SEN Learn & Play Sessions at Children and Family Centres
We are excited to share that SEN Learn & Play sessions will be running monthly at each of the Child and Family Centres, commencing after the Easter break.
The sessions are for the under 5's and are booked via the Children and Family Centres. There will be a minimum of 8 children per session alongside their parents/carers, and will take place in the afternoon. Due to popular demand, if we cannot accommodate, we will ensure the family is added to the next session either in one of our other centres or to the next session running.
New Enquiry Pathway Form
Social Communication Needs Support Service have launched their new enquiry pathway form for parents and carers. Parents and carers can use this form to make contact and to access information and support. Click on the button below to be redirected to the form.
New Flipbook
Check out the new Flipbook which will outline the service offer along with key information and resources that you may find useful. Click on the button below to view the Flipbook.
Early Years Interactive Parent/Carer Workshops
The Bromley Early Years Inclusion Team have run a series of very successful interactive parent/carer workshops which ran in each children’s centre focusing on areas that families have said they would find useful. Therefore we conducted workshops on:
- Communication;
- Using Visual Support in the Early Years;
- Supporting your child's difficulties in daily life (focusing on senses and looking at sensory differences);
- Transitions and Behaviour (the last workshop for the summer term).
There were lots of discussions where families shared their expertise and problem solved together.
Parent and Carer Answers to our Questions
Parents and carers were asked what elements of the workshop they found most helpful.
- Discussed a lot and able to relate to my child.
- Becoming more aware of just how many sounds could be affecting my little one when attempting to concentrate & why they may find this difficult. Realising that the mess all over the floor he makes too maybe just be what he finds visually more appealing.
- The interactive aspect of the workshop was very good as it allowed parents to ask questions relevant to their own experiences.
- Being with other parents going through similar experiences.
- Reassuring to know that there are so many children going through the same emotions as my son and being able to discuss situations that everyone understands.
What is the main activity or approach you will try with your child at home to support their communication?
- Expanding on vocabulary, using visual aids.
- Looking more at the sensory issues.
- Try and understand how they are feeling more and make them a little den type place to have their own space.
- To reduce sounds and distractions more when needing to communicate.
- Sensory needs, will limit exposure.
- Look into creating a social story to help my child’s understanding of some of the difficulties he faces around his sensory needs.
- Create a safety corner.
- Getting a better understanding of how it must feel for my son when he can’t tell me what he wants.
Do you have any other comments or suggestions for our workshops?
- No was pleased with everything.
- Presented so well and interaction.
- Thank you for the patience in answering our questions.
We would like to thank families for making time to attend the workshops and plan to do them next year.
Special Educational Needs Advisory Team (SENDAT) Update
Descriptors of Need Project
The SENDAT Advisory teachers have been busy working on a new Descriptors of Need Project. This project will create a shared language around describing the needs of children and young people with SEND. We want to make sure that families, young people, schools, partner organisations, and Bromley Council are all on the same page when it comes to understanding and talking about these needs.
Our big vision is to provide clear guidance that will help us all take a more consistent approach to providing support. This means everything from education settings to partner organisations. This links to the broader work Bromley is doing to improve SEND provision.
Our aims are to:
- Ensure a common language to describe the support and resource expected for children with SEND across a set of ranges.
- Provide a core framework for all practitioners working with children and young people to help assess and identify the needs of children and young people, and to put in place appropriate support.
- Give greater clarity for parents/carers, professionals and partner organisations about a child/young person’s needs and how these should be supported at school.
New professional Padlets
SENDAT have launched two new Padlet areas which are now available on the SENCO Hub.
Health Needs Padlet
SENDAT Health Needs lead has put together information for schools in relation to health and medical needs.
You can find the Medical and Health Needs Padlet by clicking on the button below:
The Padlet provides a range of resources and links that will support a better understanding of the most common and more uncommon health and medical needs that you may come across in schools. All resources have been collated collaboratively by education and health professionals but should not replace the advice of key medical professionals involved with a child or young person.
Post 16 Padlet
The SENDAT team have developed a Post 16 Information Padlet for students with SEND.
You can find the Post 16 Padlet by clicking on the button below:
The Padlet contains a range of information for Post 16 provision. This includes specific SEN information and resources including curriculum ideas, adaptive teaching ideas, Gatsby Benchmark resources and additional resources.
The Padlet currently covers 4 specific areas:
- Post 16 pathways and signposting;
- Year 13 and 14 curriculum and resources;
- Colleges including curriculum information and research;
- SEN resources and research.
New Launches!
Good Work Bromley Exchange
You may already be aware of the new Good Work Bromley Exchange that launched in Orpington.
This initiative has come about as a part of the UK ‘Levelling Up’ programme and is a new, inclusive employment and skills centre located at South East College's Orpington campus.
Intended to provide a greater level of support and skills training for people who are on the margins of employment this provision includes specialist and targeted pathways through Bromley Mencap and CASPA in collaboration with Bromley Council.
Bromley Mencap TESS
Bromley Mencap have launched a new Transitional Employment Support Service for Disabled people aged 16 to 25 who are not in employment. Please contact Bromley Mencap for further details. Click here to access the flyer in an accessible format.
Parent and Carer Engagement in Bromley
The Bromley Parent Carer Forum (BPCF) is an independent group of passionate parent carers dedicated to giving a voice to local SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) families. We understand how frustrating it is to be in a system that is difficult to understand, so our aim is to simplify the SEND landscape by supporting parent carers, ensuring their voices are heard, listened to, and help inform the shaping of services.
Vision and Values
Our vision is the cornerstone of our work. We want a future in which all children and young people with SEND will easily be able to access the Right Support at the Right Time. We are inclusive and we provide free membership for all Bromley-based parents and carers.
BPCF’s vision is guided by a set of values that underpin our commitment to our work. These include:
- Accessible support via workshops, events, and training
- Building and maintaining trust with local and national agencies to make a meaningful difference
- Listening to feedback and suggestions to further build our vision
- Empowerment for parents
Why join us?
By working together, we can influence policy and affect change. BPCF membership is free for all Bromley-based parent carers. We need parent carer views and lived experiences in order to offer the right support in the right place.
Membership is open to family members and carers of any child or young person up to age 25 with special and/or additional needs who lives in the London Borough of Bromley.
Key Partners
BPCF is part of the National Network of Parent Carer Forums (NNPCF) and engages with key partners in the London Borough of Bromley, including a seat on the interview panel for the Local Offer Development Officer; SEND governance board; Engagement Matters meetings; and the Local Offer focus group. We also have a seat at the Children's Executive Board, SEND Network Champion events, and more.
To find out more about Bromley Parent Carer Forum, please visit our new website by clicking the button below:
Have your say
Thank you to everyone who has taken part in the Local Offer survey. Your feedback will help us to improve our services and to make the Bromley Local Offer easier for you to access.
Key Points from the Survey:
Website
A number of comments received were in relation to the Local Offer website in that the information was difficult to find.
We are currently working towards changing the look and feel of the Local Offer website, which will make navigation easier and information more accessible to our SEND families.
Bromley Local Offer for Young People New Website
In Bromley we are committed for ensuring that our children and young people with SEND have their voices heard and are supported to move through to their adult lives with all the information and resources they need. The SEND Programme team are excited to have collaborated with young people from local schools and college settings to develop a new Local Offer for Young People.
Using comments and suggestions from young people, this website has been designed to bring together, in one place, information and useful resources that includes guidance on education, training and employment, housing, health services, and community activities. The website will serve as a central point of information and will provide young people with all they need to navigate the challenges of adulthood with confidence.
The website is in the final stages of development and is expected to launch in the coming weeks, but please do visit the pre-launch site and please use this link to give your feedback.
Let us know what you think!
We’d like to hear from you about what you would like to see in this newsletter.
So, if you know of anything locally that’s relevant to special needs and disabilities for children and young people, that other parents/carers and young people would like to hear about which includes local events, please let us know.
Just email us at localoffer@bromley.gov.uk or complete our Local Offer feedback form.
SEND Hero Mia
We are thrilled to announce that Mia, a remarkable young individual from our community, has been reached the final of the NHS National Child Hero Award for her exceptional courage and inspiring fundraising efforts.
Despite facing her own health challenges, Mia has shown unwavering determination and commitment to making a positive impact in the lives of others through her fund raising. Through her tireless efforts, she has raised awareness and vital funds to support research into her own health condition.
We are incredibly proud to share that Mia's outstanding contributions have not gone unnoticed. After winning an award at the “Bromley SEND Stars” celebration, she was subsequently nominated by the SEND Programme Team for a prestigious SEND National Award for NHS England. These inaugural awards, hosted by the National SEND Team in NHS England, aim to recognise the invaluable contributions made by individuals and organisations in the field of SEN/SEND throughout the year 2023.
The SEND National Awards, comprising ten award categories, have been co-produced through collaboration with key stakeholders and regional teams. Mia's nomination is a testament to her exceptional achievements and the profound impact she has made within our community.
Congratulations, Mia, on this well-deserved recognition!