SENDIS Information Event
The Civic Centre, Trowbridge
Friday 24th February 2023
ONLINE ATTENDEE PRE-EVENT INFORMATION PACK
Overview of Event
Information about the Workshop
Page 1
Page 2
Why this Event is in Trowbridge
Page 3
Why this Event is not in the Evening
Page 4
If Your Plans or Availability Change
Page 5
Anticipated Agenda
Information about Stands
How to Book
Page 6
Page 7-10
Page 11
Where and When!
The event is being held on Friday 24th February 2023, at The Civic Centre, Trowbridge from 10.00am - 2.00pm Please arrive from 9.30am to sign in
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 for attendees!
There will be a refreshment area open throughout the event, so that all attendees can enjoy 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.
Prizes!
Visit the WPCC stand to see if you might be one of the lucky ones and win one of the number of prizes available on the day, including Sensory Toys and Gift Vouchers.
Information!
In addition to our popular Market Place of information, there will be a brief presentation to update on the Local Offer website at the start of the day and an Information Workshop that will be repeated twice in the day to update on the Wiltshire 2020/23 SEND and Inclusion Strategy. (Limited spaces available - first come first served)
The Wiltshire 2020/23 SEND and Inclusion Strategy was coproduced with parent carers and other partners over three years ago, and set the strategy for children and young people with SEND in Wiltshire. This strategy sought to capture what parent carers and young people with SEND felt was most important to make the most difference to their lives.
Key principles within the strategy that were set out by parent carers and other partners included: being safe, feeling safe, having choice wherever possible, access to information, having needs identified early and being educated as close to home as possible.
As a result of consultation with parent carers and other stakeholders, the strategy identified six priorities: developing holistic plans with children and young people, inclusion and removing exclusion in education, inclusion and wellbeing in the community, improving the range and quality of provision, progress and attainment, well-planned transitions.
The workshop session will be facilitated by colleagues from Wiltshire Council. Lasting an hour, the session will aim to give an overview of the current strategy and outcomes/ progress achieved, as well as recognising current challenges. Although there will be sessions and opportunities later this year to begin coproducing the next strategy, we are hoping this session will also provide an early opportunity for attendees to begin considering what the principles and priorities for the next SEND and Inclusion Strategy might be. This session will be repeated on the day to ensure as many attendees as possible can participate if they wish to. 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
We are sometimes asked by parent carers why we hold our big information events in just one location. In the past, this has typically been Devizes or Trowbridge.
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.
We realise the Civic Centre isn’t as centrally located in Wiltshire as The Corn Exchange, but we are guided by the responses to surveys we previously sent out about planning our events, as well as feedback from the events; the majority of people say they prefer the Civic Centre for this event.
People who have attended previous WPCC events at the Civic Centre have told us in their evaluations that parking was better, the venue was brighter and more modern, and the layout of the venue meant it felt more accessible. The Civic Centre is a 10 minute walk from Trowbridge train station which has regular trains from towns including, Salisbury, Warminster, Westbury and Chippenham. There is a large multi-storey car park adjacent to The Civic Centre, offering some free parking places. There is also a large long-stay pay and display car park which is two minutes from the venue.
We thank you for your understanding, and as always, we will pay parent carers' travel, car parking and childcare expenses.
One or two parent carers have in the past 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 also recently surveyed parent carers about the possibility of holding this event during the half term holiday; we received an overwhelming response saying this would not be convenient for the majority of respondents.
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.
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
Organisation Information
Julia's House Children's Hospice Caring for critically ill children and their families across Wiltshire and Dorset.
Wiltshire Portage SEND Early years, Educational home visiting Service.
Home-Start North Wiltshire
Designability - Wizzybug Loan Scheme
Marlborough and District
Dyslexia Association and Wiltshire Dyslexia Association
Elizabeth House
Providing emotional and practical support to parents of children under five.
Wizzybugs are innovative, fun powered wheelchairs for young children from 14 months to approximately 5 years old which are provided free of charge to families by the charity Designability, based in Bath.
Provide support for anyone requiring information about dyslexia and they campaign for a dyslexia friendly society.
Provide a range of opportunities for individuals with disabilities, offering a relaxed and friendly environment for people to gain confidence and independence for choice, creativity and responsibility.
Barnardo's Out of school activity clubs for young people aged 6-18 eligible for the local offer funding.
Starfish Hydrotherapy Pool/ Seahorse Hydrotherapy Pool
Water hydrotherapy pools in Chippenham and Trowbridge suitable for families where children have additional needs. Experienced in working with children with complex needs; hoists and changing beds are available to ensure the pools really are fully accessible for everyone! Both pools only operate one session at a time so are a great alternative to busy leisure centres.
4 Youth (South West) SEND Youth Club in the south of the county.
Voyage Care Supported Living and Residential services for people with LD.
The Brandon Trust
Provide support to individuals with learning disabilities in Wiltshire. Also provide supportive living and flexible support packages.
Organisation Information
Wiltshire Wildlife Trust Care Farms
Wiltshire Wildlife Trust currently has two Care Farms which provide a supervised, programme of farming-related activities. There are now around 180 care farms in the UK, each showing how contact with nature has a powerful role to play in helping those with mental ill-health, autism, social and communication difficulties, disabilities, and those in need of emotional support. They provide opportunities for social interaction, skills-building and purposeful work.
Soundabout
The Whole Life Commissioning Team
Wiltshire Centre For Independent Living (CIL)
Run interactive and inclusive music making sessions for people of all ages with a learning disability. Their offer includes the Wiltshire Inclusive Choir, online sessions and website resources for families to use together.
Commissions support services for adults of working age who may present with mental health needs, learning disability, ASC, physical or sensory needs, social, emotional and behavioural needs, speech, language and communication needs. They also support young adults (16 -25) to enable a smooth transition in preparation for adulthood.
Support disabled people living in Wiltshire to have choice and control to live independent lives. Provide a range of services to support disabled people who live in the county. Also provide disability advice, information and training to interested organisations, professionals or individuals.
Wiltshire Parent Carer Council (WPCC)
FearLess
Help carers to access services, information, respite, and breaks from their caring role. They ensure carers have a voice and work with health and social care professionals to raise carer awareness and develop best practice.
Signposting and support for parent carers of young people aged 0 - 25.
Support, advice & information for those who have experienced domestic abuse aged 16+ throughout Wiltshire and Swindon.
HCRG Care Group
Healthwatch Wiltshire
Medequip
Wiltshire Council: SEND Team
Family and Community Learning
Representatives from HCRG Care Group will be available to answer any questions you may have regarding Wiltshire Children’s Community Health Services.
Your local health and social care champion. They make sure NHS leaders and other decision makers hear your voice and use your feedback to improve care. They can also help you to find reliable and trustworthy information and advice.
Medequip provide the Community Equipment Loan Service in Wiltshire on behalf of Wiltshire Council and the NHS.
Carry out EHC Needs Assessment and monitor and review EHCPs.
Have a range of single-session and short courses taught online or at venues across Wiltshire. Build your confidence, gain new skills, reconnect with learning, take your next steps to further learning, volunteering or employment. Their courses cover a variety of topics including wellbeing and confidence building, English, ESOL, maths, IT, work-related skills, family skills and independent living skills. Their online courses can be accessed via laptop, tablet, or smart phone.
Specialist SEN Service
Wiltshire Council: Shared Lives
Local Authority support service with specialist advisory teachers of SEN. They support schools and parents to meet the needs of young people with communication and interaction/autism and/or cognition and learning needs. They also deliver training to schools.
Supporting young people on their Pathway to Employment, this includes travel training, volunteering support, community access, internship program and support finding paid employment
Helps people with care or support needs, to live as part of a family home. As a Shared Lives carer, you would welcome an adult with care or support needs into your home on a short-term or longterm basis. You would support them to develop their skills, independence, and social inclusion.
Organisation Information
Wiltshire Adopters Networking Development and Support (WANDS)
Created and run by volunteer adoptive parents, W.A.N.D.S offers adoptive families living in Wiltshire suggestions for positive solutions, empathic, practical advice and support, information sharing and networking.
Adoption West
Wiltshire Council: Kinship & Fostering Service
Avon & Wiltshire
Mental Health
Partnership NHS
Trust / Wiltshire
Autism Diagnostic Service
Wiltshire Council Learning Disabilities and Autism Service
Wiltshire Service
Users' Network and the Wiltshire Autism
Hub project
Scan
A dedicated adoption service, for the children across Wiltshire among other areas, and their families. The aim is to deliver an adoption service that offers improved outcomes for both children and those who want to adopt. Working together as part of a larger region helps recruit new families more effectively, enables children to move into their permanent homes faster and will improve adoption support services.
Wiltshire Council's Kinship & Fostering service is keen to recruit local foster carers to provide safe and loving home to our children in care.
Diagnostic service for adults/ signposting post diagnostic appointment.
They are a specialist social work team for people with learning disabilities and autism.
Supports individuals 14+ years, with a diagnosis of Autism. Provide direct assistance to help with particular issues you might be facing. Offer 1-2-1 peer support, peer group support and travel support. The hub was created to provide signposting to further advice and guidance to support individuals, families, parents, carers and professionals.
the QR code to go to a form where you can let us know of services you would like to see attending future events!
We hope you have found this Pre-Event Information Pack helpful and informative.
You are kindly asked to book places to attend.
To book your place to attend the event, simply click:
www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/InfoEventFeb2023
We very much look forward to you joining us on Friday 24th February 2023 at The Civic Centre, Trowbridge.
Please remember to book early, as places are limited.
Booking closes at 5pm on Friday 17th February
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.
