January 2024 Kirklees SEND Newsletter
The Big Plan!
We are pleased to introduce ‘The Big Plan’, our new document about the way SEND services are changing in Kirklees.
The Big Plan is a short, easy-to-understand version of our much bigger SEND Transformation Strategy - and lots of people helped us to produce it.
We value your opinions, so young people, parents and other partners all had a say in how we should describe what’s happening and how we aim to make a positive difference in local lives. They helped us to decide on simpler language and we would like to say a big ‘thank you’ for their time and advice. As well as families, support came from PCAN, Thriving Kirklees, Locala, colleagues in Health and the council and also schools via the Education Learning Partnership Board.
You can find The Big Plan on the Local Offer website:
Blossom
We’re really proud to be supporting young people with autism through a fantastic initiative with a local school.
Students at Woodley School and College are running a town centre shop which is owned and funded by Kirklees Council. The young people are making and selling products as part of their college work and this is helping them to learn vital new skills, gain work experience and increase their independence.
You can read the full story on our Kirklees Together news site.
Kirklees Together - Blossom article (opens link in new window)
JNA Social Value Programme
Students from Joseph Norton Academy made a difference to their local environment by taking part in a fun volunteering day. The young people helped to clear pathways and create scenic viewpoints when they spent time working at the River Colne, part of Huddersfield Riverside Nature Park.
Joseph Norton Academy caters for pupils with Social, Emotional and Mental Health difficulties and is due to relocate, as part of a major investment in special schools by Kirklees Council.
The school’s new site will be in Deighton and the company working on its design, Frank Shaw Associates, were also involved in the nearby volunteering day. They joined up with Environmental Projects in Kirklees (EPIKs), a not-for-profit organisation, to increase biodiversity on the stretch of river between the John Smith’s Stadium and Wakefield Road.
EPIKs organised the day and there were volunteers from Frank Shaw Associates, BWB Consulting Ltd, Anderson Green Ltd and Kirklees Council, as well as young people from Joseph Norton Academy.
A school spokesperson said: “Pupils were proud to join Environmental Projects in Kirklees in helping to improve green spaces near the location of our new school.”
Children and young people’s neurodevelopmental assessment service update
In order to improve the way that children and young people can be referred for a Neurodevelopmental Assessment (such as for ADHD and ASC), Kirklees Health and Care Partnership trialled a new process for referrals.
This trial was a success, and this process is now the permanent referral process for all Neurodevelopmental referrals.
What has changed?
Previously a referral could be made by anyone who knew the child or young person, including parents or carers. Referrals were first looked at by one team, while a different team did the actual assessments. This meant there were delays in the process before the assessment began and families were having to say the same things more than once.
Now referrals can only be made by professionals who know the child, such as education staff, GPs or other health professionals. The referral is completed over the phone by a member of the Neurodevelopmental Assessment team, which helps to ensure that the right children and young people are being identified for an assessment. When an assessment is not the appropriate way forward for a child, the new system also means families are signposted to the right support in a quicker and more efficient way.
Those using the service have found it much better than the old system:
“This new system is so much better than filling out the old forms. Being able to have a good conversation is so much more useful when making these referrals. The 45 minutes spent talking on the phone was a good use of time, compared to spending hours completing paperwork. I’m really liking this new system!”
“Having done two in the last week this is a much better process than the old way when we filled in forms. It takes a lot less time for school to complete and the questions asked are probing and really make the teachers think, way more in-depth than the information given before.”
You can find more information about the new process on the Local Offer:
Autism, ADHD and ADD support and assessment page (opens link in same window)
Assistive Technology
Assistive technology is a term used for devices which can support people with additional needs.
They can be high-tech or low-tech and are used for many reasons, including helping a person’s daily life or independence, to improve their general wellbeing or to keep them safe.
The council is increasingly using assistive technology with local children and families. This is because it can provide better solutions and also prevent families needing a greater level of help further down the line. It’s another way we are supporting children and families through our SEND work.
You can find out about some practical ways that assistive technology can be used to help children and young people with SEND on the Local Offer:
Assistive Technology Overview - opens link in same window
People can ask about assistive technology via any professional who works with their family (such as teachers, SENDCo’s, GPs etc). Your support worker (for example a Social Worker or Family Support Worker) will be able discuss your needs and, where appropriate, they will refer you for further advice.
Real-life examples of assistive technology in Kirklees (names are not real):
Huzafa is 15 and lives with his parents. His epilepsy was getting worse and his parents were very concerned about him having seizures in the night. An epilepsy sensor was installed and alerts the family when there is a problem. The whole family now has peace of mind, and their sleep has improved greatly, helping the children in the home to do better at school.
Luke has no awareness of risk or danger. He had tried to run away from home and there was a high chance of this happening again. Door and window sensors were installed at the house, linked to a carer assist device. Luke’s family have reported that the risk of absconding is now lower.
Chloe is dyslexic and was unable to read, despite the best efforts of her teachers. This had a big impact on learning, so we provided the school with a Dyslexia Reader Pen, which has the technology to read words aloud when the text is highlighted. Chloe can now access books like the other children and is much happier at school.