Advice and support

Our local offer provides information on the support and provision available locally for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities. It is co-produced with:

• North Lincolnshire Council
• NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB)
• The North Lincs Parent Forum, and
• The Youth Council

All partners have a very important role to play in improving the outcomes for children and young people with SEND. The aspiration in North Lincolnshire is that all our children and young people with SEND will be:

• Safe
• Well
• Prosperous
• Connected

As partners working together, we set ourselves very high aspirations and expectations. So that equity of opportunity and excellence in achievement do become the norm for all.

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North Lincolnshire Community Hubs

Based throughout North Lincolnshire, Community Hubs make it easier for residents to access information, advice and support and participate in activities to improve their health and wellbeing.

Open to everyone, the hub spaces are a central point in the community with support and activities for all; young and old.

The aim of the hubs is to:

• improve health and wellbeing and outcomes for local people
• develop skills and employability for residents, with a clear path to skilled jobs
• create employment and volunteering opportunities
• reduce social isolation by connecting residents to activities and services in the community
• provide information, advice and guidance to local people based on individual need.

The offer in the hubs is built around the five steps to wellbeing. Easy-to-access programmes such as physical activity, social action, volunteering, health and wellbeing, employability and more are available. These activities enable people to maintain their independence, improve their health and wellbeing and develop a range of skills.

Community Hubs are located across North Lincolnshire within central and accessible locations in Scunthorpe, Brigg, Barton, Crowle, Epworth, Ashby & Riddings. Further information is available on the council website.

North Lincolnshire Family Hubs

The Family Hubs (formerly children’s centres) across North Lincolnshire provide a range of services for families, which can be found along with centre sessions on the North Lincolnshire Council website.

Helping families thrive, achieve and flourish

Our Family Hubs are here for everyone to enjoy. Offering advice, help and sessions to support families within North Lincolnshire. Our services are free of charge and activities are inclusive to all children, young people and parents/guardians.

We provide a range of family support and activities from early years activities, family health, parenting, money matters, training, craft activities, messy play, baby yoga and baby massage, sensory play and story times.

Family Hubs near you

To find a Family Hub near you please visit the North Lincolnshire Council website. For more information call 01724 296500 or email Family.Hubs@northlincs.gov.uk.

What is SENDIASS

SENDIASS is the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice and Support Service.

SENDIASS is a free and impartial service for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their parents and carers.

SENDIASS provides information, advice and support in relation to special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), alongside related health and social care matters.

Impartial means that we do not take sides or tell you what to do and the information we provide is based in guidance and legislation. All staff in the team are trained through IPSEA (Independent Parental Special Education Advice).

How can SENDIASS help?

Our aim is to empower families, by providing the information and advice they need to make informed choices and to actively participate in SEND processes.

The topics that SENDIASS can help with include:

• SEN Support in School
• Preparing for and getting the most out of our meetings
• Education Health and Care (EHC) Needs Assessment
• Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
• Annual Review
• Transitions
• Resolving Disagreements
• SEND Tribunal Appeals and Mediation
• SEND Complaints and Disability Discrimination
• Suspension and Permanent Exclusion

How can SENDIASS help young people?

NLPF advocate at the top level nationally with the Department for Education. There are 152 Parent Forum’s in the NNPCF network and North Lincolnshire’s all volunteer run forum is identified as one of the best.

They support families in North Lincolnshire with children and young people between 0 and 25 years of age at any stage of the process who also have special educational needs and/or disabilities. They provide this support by hosting events, like coffee mornings and evenings, family fun events at Air Kings and Fun Forest and the annual co-produced SEND Parent Carer Conference amongst many, many others, throughout the year for their parent carer members and their families. They also host a unique social media channel that members can join to access direct support and peer experience. This work is funded by a small grant that comes directly from the Department for Education.

NLPF is recognised as one of the key strategic partners in North Lincolnshire for all services that work with and for children and young people with SEND. These services include:

• North Lincolnshire Council’s Children and Families, and SEND teams
• North Lincolnshire and Goole NHS teams
• Carers Support Service and Carers in Partnership
• Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board

They also work alongside mainstream primary and secondary schools, specialist primary and secondary schools, alternative provisions and with further and higher education providers. They sit on a multitude of boards representing their members at the local, regional and national level.

Have you thought of joining the Parent Forum?

Are you the parent/carer of a child, young person or adult (up to 25 years old) with one or more special educational needs and/or disabilities?

If the answer is yes, consider joining NLPF by filling out their online form. It is free to sign up and you will be able to access all of their exclusive events, their private social media forums and access unique peer support from parent carers just like you.

On joining the forum you are able to access experts by experience volunteers who:

• work closely with North Lincolnshire Council and co-produce events multiple times throughout the year
• meet at informal coffee mornings and evenings
• are able to signpost you and guide you on your journey
• hold an Annual General meeting for their members and the annual SEND Parent Carer Conference
• advocate for you and your families with services throughout North Lincolnshire
• improve channels of communication between services, professionals and parent carers.

Their events are available via their website and if you choose to join you will receive a welcome email inviting you to their informal and formal events, and will be invited to join their social media platforms which are run by volunteers. You’ll also receive exclusive member events such as the family fun events which are SEND centred. NLPF look forward to meeting and welcoming you.

Jargon Buster

North Lincolnshire Parent Carer Forum (NLPCF) has compiled this list of acronyms, services and terminology that parents and carers may come across in their everyday life whilst supporting a child or young person living with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

This list is not exhaustive so, if you do come across something new or unlisted, please let us know via info@nlpf.co.uk.

The Carers' Support Service is where Carers in North and North East Lincolnshire can access a wide range of opportunities to help them manage their caring role and maintain their health and wellbeing. Support is Free, Friendly and Confidential.

Carers are unpaid and look after someone who cannot manage without them. The support they provide may be personal, practical, emotional or supervisory. They may care for someone who is ill, frail, has a disability, mental health condition or substance use problem.

Take a look through the website to see what support is available to you. The best place to start is on the services tab. Select the area that is relevant for you.

You can also go straight to the section on Parent Carers: https://carerssupportcentre.com/services/parent-carers/

Young Carers may be doing any number of supportive/caring tasks including: cooking, cleaning, nursing, personal care, shopping, childcare for siblings, emotional support.

Children are often very happy to help their parent or family member and it can be very positive. However, children also have the right to be looked after, and to have their own time to play, develop and learn.

What we can provide

An assessment of the young person’s needs in relation to the care they provide:

• help to find the right support for the young carer and their family
• group activities and opportunities to have a break from caring
• support to make new friendships and relationships
• transitional planning and education advice for parents about what moving from children’s service to adult care support involves
• support in moving from school into work
• we work with schools, colleges and other agencies to raise awareness about young people and young carers, including how to identify and support them effectively.

Making a referral

Anyone can make a referral to the Wellbeing and Young Carer Team. This includes, families, schools, social care and health services.

Young Carers' referral form

Carers’ Trust – Know your rights

There are different rights for young carers and young adult carers for them to get support depending on their age. In this Know your rights guide you can find out about what rights you have and how to get more support.

The first part of this guide tells you about what an assessment is, and the different kinds of assessments the law says you can have, depending on your age.

The second part tells you about how the assessment works, and what happens after the assessment.

If you have a baby or young child up to the age of five years old, you may find it useful to understand more about how they should be learning and developing, and whether they are making age related expectations. You can use the following resources to help with this:

• Activities to support your baby’s development and learning on the NHS website
• Read about baby reviews on the baby’s development page on the NHS website

Our aim is to support and enable neurodiverse children and young people with social communication and interaction challenges and those on the Autism Spectrum to:

• have equal access to every part of education
• achieve their potential and make a successful transition to the adult world
• be able to assert their individual perspectives and experiences of the world
• benefit from attending schools and settings who understand the impact of social communication and interaction challenges and Autism and work with children and young people to find solutions to identified challenges
• be included in schools and settings who understand neurodiverse needs challenges and ensure reasonable adjustments are used in a strengths-based approach.

We work closely with the Complex Behaviour Team who support and enable parents to support children with complex behaviour presentations linked to social communication and interaction and other neurodivergent needs.

There is a range of support available including:

• Information about the Autism Spectrum and the impact it can have on the individual
• Support for your child/young person
• Liaison with professionals and agencies to offer advice, support and enable families with a solution focused approach
• SCIP and SPAA course details. One day course with the opportunity to attend specifically focused satellite sessions. Families can attend the sessions that they feel would be most beneficial.

Autism Alert Card

An autism alert card or passport is a document you can carry to help communicate your needs as an autistic/neurodivergent individual to police officers or other officials when you are away from home. The card typically contains your details and advice for the officer you are speaking to. Alert card schemes are run in most police areas across the UK.

Autism Spectrum Education Toolkits

The Autism Spectrum Education Team (ASET) Support and Strategies Toolkit documents (print only):

The North Lincolnshire Sensory Needs Toolkit:

What is Bullying?

Bullying is deliberately hurtful behaviour that is repeated over a period of time. This could be:

• Name calling and teasing
• Threats and extortion
• Physical violence
• Social exclusion
• Spreading malicious rumours

Bullying does not just happen face to face. Sometimes bullying can happen through the internet or mobile phones.

In North Lincolnshire our Emotional Health and Wellbeing teacher supports groups of pupils, schools, colleges and settings with emotional wellbeing work. Support is free of charge under the local offer for children aged from 0-25. This includes:

• Working with families to resolve bullying complaints with schools
• Training on all forms of bullying with professionals
• Consultation on curricular opportunities for exploring mental health and emotional wellbeing
• Consultation on and evaluation of current practice and ideas for PSHE and SRE development
• Mini, Buddy, Peer and Ambassador training (in conjunction with LSCB trainer) for all education establishments
• Emotional Literacy Training
• Playground games session for Lunchtime Supervisors on mental health and emotional wellbeing themes
• Development of resources to support professionals in their work and teachers / early years practitioners in the classroom

Further information on bullying is available on the North Lincolnshire Council website.

What to do if your child is being bullied

All schools are required to have anti bullying procedures. If you have any concerns about bullying you should contact the anti-bullying co-ordinator at the school for assistance. Once the school is aware of a problem it is very likely that they will be able to deal with it effectively.

If you are still worried, you may wish to make an appointment to discuss your concerns with the Headteacher.

If you feel that the school has not responded appropriately to your concerns you may need to make a formal complaint to the school. You can do this by using the school’s complaints procedure.

Further information on reporting bullying and how to make a complaint is available on the GOV.UK website.

The Children’s Education Advisory Service (CEAS)

Children’s Education Advisory Service (CEAS) supports operational effectiveness through the provision of educational support to Service and eligible MOD civilian families.

CEAS provides advice, support and guidance regarding the educational well-being of the children and young people belonging to families in all 3 services and eligible MOD civilians who are based overseas. All advice given is professional, child-centred and focuses on the best interests of the individual.

CEAS provides advice and guidance on a wide range of educational issues including:

• parental rights and responsibilities
• children or young person’s rights and responsibilities
• special educational needs and/or disability
• school admissions and appeals
• overseas education in non-MOD school areas
• retention of quarters for educational purposes
• continuity of education allowance

Special Educational Needs and/or Disability (SEND/AN)

If you require information, guidance or support regarding your child(ren)’s special educational additional needs and/or disability, please feel free to contact CEAS or read Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) information.

For further support and guidance from CEAS, please complete and return the General Education Support along with any evidence to support your case.

Please also read the SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 years.

If you would like NHS advice about healthy living, including eating a balanced diet, healthy weight, exercise, quitting smoking and drinking less alcohol; visit the NHS Live Well website.

When you’re living with a mental health problem, or supporting someone who is, having access to the right information is vital. Visit the MIND website for help and advice.

Help for your child if you have concerns

If you have any concerns about your child’s development or health, whatever their age, you should talk to a professional.

There are many different professionals you can talk to about your child e.g. a nursery worker, teacher or social worker, a paediatrician or therapist, the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator at your child’s education setting, the Mental Health Champion or the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

Quite often, who you choose to talk to will depend on the age of your child.

If your child is very young you may want to discuss your concerns with your health visitor or GP. You can also go to your local Family Hub where staff will be available to give you support and guidance.

Help from Early Years

If your child is pre-school, and it is felt that your child may have additional needs then your health visitor, nursery or paediatrician may refer you to the Early Years Triage. The Early Years Triage is made up of representatives from:

• Health visitors
• Speech and language therapy services
• Educational Psychology
• Portage
• Autistic Spectrum Education Team
• Behaviour Support 2-12
• Other specialist teachers
• and the Early Years Team

A member of staff from Triage will follow up each referral and involve other members of the group when needed.

Help if your child is of school age

If your child is school age and you have concerns about their development and progress at home and at school, including having an Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), please talk to your Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo)/Mental Health Champion in school.

They will be able to use assessment toolkits and put some supportive strategies in place straight away. These toolkits have been designed by our specialist services. They include one for autism, one for behaviour and one for sensory differences. You can use the strategies suggested at home too.

Through the Graduated Approach they will gather information together and they will be able to refer your child to Specialist Teaching Services, Educational Psychology and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) if appropriate.

The Family Hubs can also give you advice and support or give you information about a useful course or activities for your child to join in with. The Family Hubs have a close link with Health Visitors and nursing services. They offer guidance on sleep, positive behaviour strategies and living with teenagers.

North Lincolnshire Family Toolkit

The North Lincolnshire Family Toolkit is intended to support families of children and young people with communication and interaction differences in the home. It will help you to:

• Have a better understanding of why your child might do what they do
• Identify things to try at home
• Help you give information about your child’s strengths and challenges to others.

Families can use the toolkit directly or with support from any involved professional to identify and discuss areas they would like help with.

Spectrum is a multi-award-winning, parent-led children’s charity. We provide events, sessions, and support for families of children with Autism, additional needs, learning difficulties, and disabilities.

As an organisation, we are family-focused, advocates of collaboration, passionate about increasing inclusion and reducing isolation whilst supporting Special Education Needs & Disabilities (SEND). Our membership is free. Our team are all parents of children with Autism, additional needs and disabilities, or work with SEND every day.

We understand the journey, hurdles and frustrations that many families face. As a registered Spectrum member, you can also access our dedicated child and family support from the comfort of your home, as well as gain assistance with EHCP and DLA. Furthermore, we are proud to be a leading UK distributor for Max Card. The Max Card helps make days out more financially accessible for the families of children with additional needs.

To apply for a Max Card please head to www.spectrum.org.uk/max-card. For any additional questions or queries you can also reach us on maxcard@spectrum.org.uk or on 01223 955404.