CORONAVIRUS and SEND 

We’ve been approached by a team of researchers at the University of York who are interested in how children with special educational needs and disabilities are feeling during the Coronavirus outbreak and how parents/guardians would like to be supported.  They would like to invite you to complete a 10-15 minute online survey by clicking this link

They’ve also compiled a list of online resources to support your wellbeing and your child’s wellbeing during the Coronavirus outbreak (see below).  If you have any queries about this survey, please contact the research team directly on ed-fabproject@york.ac.uk”

Coronavirus and Your Child’s Wellbeing 

• Autistica - coping with uncertainty for autistic people and their families - https://www.autistica.org.uk/what-is-autism/coping-with-uncertainty?dm_i=4U0R,BB4Y,2UR4W7,18O1Z,1 
• The Anna Freud Centre - supporting young people’s mental health during periods of disruption - https://www.annafreud.org/what-we-do/anna-freud-learning-network/coronavirus 
• The Mental Health Foundation - talking to your child about scary world news - https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/talking-to-your-children-scary-world-news 
• Young Minds - blogs aimed at young people on wellbeing and Coronavirus - https://youngminds.org.uk 

Coronavirus and Your Wellbeing 

• Mind -  your wellbeing during the Coronavirus outbreak  - https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing 
• The Mental Health Foundation - looking after your mental health during the Coronavirus outbreak - https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing 
• The NHS - how to look after your wellbeing whilst staying at home - https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing 
• The NHS - list of helplines if you need to speak to someone about your mental health  - https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing 
• British Association for Counselling Psychotherapists - how to look after your mental health and wellbeing during self-isolation - https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing

Cerebra

Please find below an extract from Cerebra's website with a link to a useful downloadable guide:

"Our Accessing Public Services Toolkit Workshops are designed to help families access the services that their children need, and are entitled to.

Our popular Accessing Public Services Toolkit aims to support disabled people and carers, as well as their families and advisers, who are encountering difficulties with the statutory agencies in relation to the provision of health, social care and education support services. The toolkit aims to unpick these problems and to develop effective strategies for resolving them."

Download Guide here

Mind Ed

This free resource is aimed at both families and professionals.  It is suited for use by schools, children’s care homes, health professionals, social care, Grandparents, advocates and many more.  It offers specific modules around autism, learning disabilities and behaviour that challenges

Please share this resource widely to help families, wider workforce, volunteers and advocates to be best prepared and skilled to support young people with Learning Disabilities and/or Autism.

Minded

Taste Buddies

What is Taste Buddies?
Taste Buddies is a community-based group programme, run by dieticians, for parents/carers of children with restricted diets who are registered with a GP in the Knowsley or St. Helens area.
Using the latest evidence around restrictive dietary intakes and by consulting with experts in occupational therapy, speech therapy and specialist teachers we have developed a group to support your child’s needs.  View/download further information below.

Useful Websites

St Helens Carers
Language, Autism and Social Communication Service (LASCS)
​​​​​Autism Links

For information about St Helens IASS (Independent Advice and Support Service) Please view/download leaflet below.