May 2024 Kirklees SEND Newsletter | Kirklees SEND Newsletters

Local Offer Live 2024 - 9th July!

Don’t forget the Local Offer is coming to life on July 9^th at the Local Offer Live!

The event at the John Smith’s Stadium, Huddersfield, is co-produced with PCAN (Parents of Children with Additional Needs) and the Kirklees Local Offer.

Come along and chat face to face with a range of people and services who support children and young people with SEND. They will help you get a better understanding of all the services and support available.

You can find more information on the Kirklees Local Offer website (opens link in same window).

Become a Speech Star

Speech Stars is a brilliant scheme in Kirklees which supports children with their speech, language and communication needs.

The council trains local students and adult volunteers to help children aged three to seven in schools and nurseries across the district.

All volunteers are fully trained to work directly with children. They increase skills in listening and attention, oracy, vocabulary, sentence building and turn taking.

Speech Stars has been a great success - and now families can sign up to support their child’s language skills at home.

A course for parents and carers is being launched so that you can learn how to develop your own child’s speech, language and communication in fun and effective ways.

There are weekly training sessions across Kirklees, which include a chance to ask questions and talk to other families.

The course features support for children with a range of needs, plus advice on feelings and emotions, praise and positive behaviour.

Are you interested in becoming a Speech Stars volunteer, or in supporting your own child’s speech, language and communication?

For more information, email speech.stars@kirklees.gov.uk or phone 01484 234153.

Kirklees SEND parenting courses

In addition to Speech Stars, there are several courses which can help with a range of issues that parents and carers might face when raising children with SEND.

There are different services offering courses and you can find them on the Local Offer website (opens link in same window)

Post-16 school transport changes

Changes are being made to the way post-16 young people with additional needs are helped to access their place of education.

A consultation took place during the winter and the changes have now been agreed. They will relate to young people of sixth-form age who are eligible for travel assistance.

To find out more, please visit the Kirklees Together website (opens link in new window)

Woodley School and College - have your say

Kirklees Council is working with Woodley School and College to create superb new facilities for pupils with complex autism.

The plan is to rebuild and relocate Woodley, supporting the council’s investment in special school places for local pupils.

You can have your say on these plans and help to shape the way forward. The consultation runs until June 17^th and there’s more information on the Kirklees Together website (opens link in new window)

Kirklees Keep in Mind

Kirklees Keep in Mind is the new emotional wellbeing and mental health service for Kirklees children and young people (aged 0-18) and families.

If you are concerned about your child's mental health or wellbeing, please speak to your school, if this is possible and appropriate. Schools can request support on your behalf.

However, you can also request support yourself. For more details about Kirklees Keep in Mind, please visit the Kirklees Council website (opens link in same window).

Please note that Kirklees Keep in Mind is not an emergency service. In the event of an emergency, please visit the South West Yorkshire Foundation Trust website (opens link in new window).

You can find out more about Kirklees Keep In Mind (KKIM) on the Local Offer (opens link in same window)

Update on PINS

We recently told you about a new pilot scheme to support neurodiverse children who attend mainstream primary schools.

PINS (Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools) is aiming to improve children’s attendance and wellbeing at school, as well as supporting them to achieve and fulfil their potential.

We are pleased to confirm that the following schools are taking part:

Birstall Primary
Bywell CE
Christ Church CE
Diamond Wood
Field Lane
Headlands CE
Hillside
Holy Spirit Catholic Primary
Oak CE
Orchard Primary
St John’s CE Golcar
Upperthong
Wellhouse
Westmoor

If your child attends one of these schools, you will be sent a survey to complete and PCAN will be meeting with parents and carers in the summer term. PCAN are looking forward to meeting with you soon.

For more information, please contact PCAN at pins@pcankirklees.org