OVERVIEW OF NOVEMBER INFORMATION EVENT
This information pack has been developed to give early information about what you are likely to experience on the day. As we are still working on the finer details of the event, you are likely to see some differences on the day, for example a larger number of information stands than those described in this pack.
Where and When!
The event is being held on Thursday 28th November 2024, at The Corn Exchange, Devizes from 10.00am - 2.00pm. You can drop in at whatever time suits you and you don’t have to stay for the whole day!
Here is what you can look forward to on the day...
Information Stands from over 30 different services!
We are expecting over 30 services and providers to attend and promote information about the services and support they offer. This will be in our popular Market Place, where you will be able to walk amongst the information stands, talk to providers and find out more about what may be on offer to support your child or young person.
FREE Tea, Coffee, Cakes & Lunch for attendees!
There will be a refreshment area open throughout the event, so that all attendees can take a rare opportunity to sit with a free cup of tea or coffee and cake while chatting with other parent carers, helping you to realise that you are not alone and enabling you to meet other people who understand what it is like to be a parent carer. As this venue costs a little less than the Civic Centre in Devizes, we are able to offer a simple free sandwich buffet lunch. Attendees are welcome to bring their own lunch or refreshments if they prefer.
and there’s more on the next page...
OVERVIEW OF NOVEMBER INFORMATION EVENT
Information Update
We are grateful to members of the Moving on Service who will provide a short presentation about the development of the Transitions Passport. The aspiration for the Transitions Passport is that it will help to support young people moving from Children’s Services to independence and adulthood. This short presentation will take place at the beginning of the day, following the Welcome and Housekeeping. There will be further opportunities to have more conversations about the development of the Transitions Passport by talking to members of the Moving On Team at their stand during the day.
Information Workshop Session
Wiltshire College will be facilitating a session (repeated twice throughout the day) on a variety of topics focussing on building resilience and independence for learners with SEND. Including content about college readiness and employability skills, support available for individual learners with varying needs, what Wiltshire College does and what parents can do to help their young person to make informed choices regarding their future.
(Limited spaces available - first come first served)
INFORMATION STANDS
Voice It, Hear It
Wiltshire SENDIASS
Signposting and support for parent carers of young people aged 0 - 25.
An engagement project that works with people living in Wiltshire to get involved in shaping the services they use. They work with people with physical disabilities, sensory needs, learning disabilities, neurodiversity, mental health issues, long term conditions, complex needs, older people and people with dementia.
Provides a free, confidential and impartial support service to children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities offering information, advice and support for families and young people with SEND.
Provides specialist residential care to adults with learning disabilities, autism and complex health and mental health needs. They offer outcomes-based services and design bespoke environments, care and support around each individual enabling them to lead a fulfilled ordinary life on their own terms.
The first place to look for information about additional needs (SEND) for those 0 to 25.
Responsible for enforcing over 100 pieces of legislation, covering a wide range of business sectors and practices. They are a local government service that works to protect consumers from illegal trading practices and support the
INFORMATION STANDS
Organisation Information
Wiltshire Centre for Independent Living (WCIL)
Wiltshire Health and Care Continence Service
A Disabled People’s Organisation, ed by and for people with disabilities. Within the organisation is the SEND Young People’s Co-Production Team who work alongside Young People age 5 - 25 years in Wiltshire, who have any SEND need, to ensure their voices and views are informing services and communities as they grow up.
Provides adult clinical services across Wiltshire. Continence Nurse Specialists provide specialist clinical assessment, advice & treatment for patients with bladder, bowel or pelvic floor dysfunction & continence issues.
Fairfield College
Carers Together Wiltshire
A Specialist College for young people with additional needs. Fairfield has three main sites, and owns some residential houses close by. Offer a range of courses for young people that support them to develop new skills and learn how to become the best version of themselves. All courses at Fairfield are full time, highly practical and include elements of workbased learning.
Soundabout
Supports all unpaid carers in Wiltshire. Can provide parent carers of over 18 year olds with an assessment, signpost them to other support services and provide a monthly newsletter which offers useful information to parent carers and information about their events and groups.
Use music, sound, and silence to create opportunities where Learning Disabled people with complex support needs thrive. They offer a wide range of music making and training opportunities that enhance wellbeing, communication, community, self-expression, and enjoyment. They focus on what individuals can do and follow their lead.
Wiltshire Health Improvement Hub
Supports children and adults to achieve healthier lifestyles. Their skilled Health Coaches provide free behavioural support on healthy weight & stopping smoking. For children & young people, they help families achieve their goals around Healthy Eating, Physical Activity & Building Confidence through the Healthy Me programme. Also offer personalised support for those who would like to quit vaping and smoking. They can help you make these changes possible, supporting and guiding you every step of the way. 5 - 18
MARKET PLACE STANDS
Organisation Information
Medequip
Provider of the Wiltshire Community Equipment Loan Service. Commissioned by Wiltshire Council and the NHS to provide mobility and daily living equipment to support independent living
Employ My Ability SEND Education: Post 16/19.
Forward Carers "Carer Friendly Wiltshire"
- 25
Brings together a range of online resources to assist you in your caring role. If you’re caring for someone in Wiltshire, you can register for a Carers ID Card, access online support groups, access their Benefits Calculator to see what you may be entitled to and self-refer for help from local services.
Wiltshire Council SEND Transport Provide transport for eligible students with EHCPs 4 - 25
Whole Life Commissioning
Commissioning of services for children & families including Learning Disabilities & Autism, Mental Health Supported Living, Supported Accommodation, Residential, Day Opportunities, Adults, Domiciliary, Carer and Residential, Day Opportunities, Commissioning & Operational Services.
The Independent Living Centre Free and impartial Occupational Therapy assessments to empower, enable, and enhance your everyday.
Wiltshire Council: Preparation for Adulthood Team
Wiltshire Council: Post16 Participation Service
Wiltshire Council Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards Team
PfA SEND lead workers responsible for writing and maintaining EHCPS from year 10 and above. Working with schools and colleges and alternative providers.
Supports young people to move back into education, employment or training. These young people may face multiple barriers to their participation and need a different type of support.
Provide advice & guidance to Social Care Staff & providers in relation to the Mental Capacity Act. The Act provides a decision making framework for those aged 16+ who are unable to make decisions for themselves. They also operate the Supervisory Body process for the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. This is a legal process which upholds the rights of people aged 18+ who are being cared for in a hospital or care setting in circumstances that are considered to be a deprivation of their liberty.
10+
- 18
MARKET PLACE STANDS
Wiltshire College and University Centre
Wiltshire Family Hubs, offering supports to parents/carers of children up to 25 with SEND.
A Mainstream Further Education College & University Centre providing a wide range of vocational courses at various levels. Also support an extensive range of apprenticeships and part time courses for young people and adults.
Wiltshire Council: Opal Team
OPAL is a resource which outlines the provision and support that should ordinarily be available for children and young people in education settings, such as early years, schools and colleges.
Horizons College
Wiltshire Council: Homes4wiltshire
An independent specialist College based in Wootton Basset. Working with a wide range of learners including those with complex needs and those completing a Supported Internship.
Homes4wiltshire is the allocation system managed by Wiltshire Council and is used to allocate all social housing in Wiltshire. They will be on hand to discuss how clients can join the register and explain how the allocation process works.
Wiltshire Council: Court of Protection Team Advice and guidance on financial management under Appointeeship and Deputyship.
The aim of the Moving On Service is to better prepare young adults and their families for adult services and will work closely with other professionals to ensure a smooth journey from childhood to adulthood.
Wiltshire Council: 18-25 Moving on Service and Learning Disability and Autism Service
The LDA Service supports people with a learning disability diagnosis and autistic people from 18 years of age. The service undertakes Care Act 2014 needs assessments and supports people in reference to personal budgets and support planning. The team also undertake mental capacity act assessments in relation to care and support. They support people with care management and safeguarding and work to empower people to live their best lives The aim of the service is to support people to live as independently as possible within their communities.
- 25
OVERVIEW OF THE INFORMATION WORKSHOP...
Workshop
The information workshop will be facilitated by colleagues from Wiltshire College. The workshop will be on a variety of topics around building resilience and independence for learners with SEND. The session will include content about: -
• college readiness and employability skills,
• support available for individual learners with varying needs,
• what Wiltshire College does and what parents can do to support their young person to make informed choices regarding their future,
• supporting learners to move on from college and into adult lives
The workshop session will last an hour and will be repeated to enable as many people to participate as possible. We have asked the facilitators to build time into the sessions for questions and answers.
Spaces will be limited and booked on a first come, first served basis
WHY DON’T YOU HOLD THIS EVENT IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF WILTSHIRE?
We are sometimes asked by parent carers why we hold our big information events in just one location.
We recognise that holding our large information events in one location may mean some parent carers having to travel to attend and we apologise for any inconvenience. We take the decision to hold large information events in one location, as centrally located in Wiltshire as possible, for a number of reasons:-
• it costs on average at least £2,500 to host one of these events and we simply don't have the financial resources to repeat these events across the county; even events on a smaller scale, as the cost would not be sufficiently less.
• these events require the commitment from a large number of professionals and we would be unable to secure their time for several events.
• we sometimes have to pay for external keynote speakers and facilitators who typically charge in the region of £350 to £450 per day; repeating these events would significantly increase these costs.
Devizes is centrally located in Wiltshire, and this was the location most voted for in our recent survey.
We thank you for your understanding, and as always, we will pay parent carers' travel, car parking and childcare expenses.
WHY IS THE EVENT NOT IN THE EVENING OR AT THE WEEKEND?
One or two parent carers have asked why WPCC information events take place during the day and do not take place or are repeated in the evening or at the weekend; the WPCC Steering Group has considered and discussed this, and it has also been discussed with WPCC staff.
The WPCC Steering Group has made the decision not to hold or repeat its information events in the evening or at weekends. This is to respect the demands on WPCC staff and volunteers, most of whom are parent carers and would not be able to commit additional time due to their caring responsibilities. Additionally, it is unlikely that many professional colleagues would be able to commit additional time on top of their normal working day, and many are also carers. Venues often cost more in the evening and at weekends and this would have a significant impact on what the WPCC could offer. Repeating events of this scale would not be financially feasible for the WPCC.
We are sorry if this is inconvenient to some parent carers. We would encourage parent carers who wish to attend our information events to speak to their employer as many are open to considering the needs of carers. Carers’ UK explains on its website that people have the right to request flexible working if you are an employee with 26 weeks (six months) continuous employment at the time you make an application.
Your employer might also be agreeable to you attending one of the WPCC information events for just an hour.
Some parent carers attend our events in a professional capacity in representation of their work place. This creates an opportunity of benefiting the place where the parent carer works as they not only represent their place of work by attending and networking with others, but also take information back to their work place to share with colleagues.
IF YOUR PLANS OR AVAILABILITY CHANGE
We often have a number of people book to attend our events who don’t attend on the day. Some attendees kindly let us know if they are going to be unable to make it; we are very grateful to them and we appreciate the unexpected can happen.
Catering for large numbers of people who don’t make it on the day and don’t let us know they are unable to attend, is both wasteful and expensive and we want to do all we can to avoid this.
We appreciate that sometimes things happen that make it impossible to let us know, but we politely ask that if you have booked and you know you are not going to be able to attend, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can amend our catering numbers.
Thank you
We hope you have found this Pre-Event Information Pack helpful and informative.
Please remember to book early, as places are limited.
Booking closes at 5pm on Wednesday 20th November
To book your place to attend the event, simply click: www.surveymonkey.com/r/PFAInfo2024
We very much look forward to you joining us on Thursday 28th November 2024 at The Corn Exchange, Devizes.
If you find nearer the time that you are unable to attend, please let us know so that your place can be offered to someone else.
This also helps us not to over-cater and thereby not waste food or spend more of our funding on this event than necessary.