Week of SEND 2024

Presentation by - Samantha
Dyslexia Sparks was founded in August 2016, with a mission to support dyslexic individuals across the Hull and East Yorkshire region, born out of a passion for helping people reach their potential and find their inner SPARK. It’s a charity which is built on many years’ experience of understanding the barriers dyslexic individuals face, and a desire to ensure they can overcome these challenges.

Dyslexia Sparks provides diagnostic dyslexia assessments to children and adults aged 7+. They also provide specialist tuition support at their centre in Hessle, East Yorkshire.

Dyslexia Sparks works closely with schools to advise them on how to best support dyslexic learners, as well as providing dyslexia assessments to inform specific adjustments or additional support. Sparks also offer teacher training - a helpful step for many schools to ensure their staff can recognise and understand dyslexic learners and enable them within the classroom.

The monthly online support offers specialist topics each month for parents and teachers to gain ideas about how to best support dyslexic children. During the year they run additional free events to offer further support.

Visit the website, Facebook page, or Eventbrite, to find out more about the events happening right now.

If you would like to talk about any of the services, or get some friendly advice from one of the specialists, please get in touch.

Presentation by - Lesley
A leading early years charity delivering the Best Start: Early Years & Family Service across the 48 Children's Centres of Lincolnshire and outreach venues.

Offering Early Years support for families; supporting the understanding of children's learning and development and offering high quality Early Years sessions for families in Children’s Centres and at local outreach venues.”

Presentation by - Katie
The Holiday Activities and Food programme (HAF) is a Government funded programme that provides free holiday clubs for reception to year 11 pupils in receipt of benefits-related free school meals in Lincolnshire over the summer, Christmas and Easter holidays.

The HAF programme is designed to ensure a high-quality experience for children that will result in receiving healthy and nutritious meals and maintaining a healthy level of physical activity. Children who attend HAF develop a greater understanding of food, nutrition and other health-related issues and have the opportunity to take part in fun and engaging activities.
Children and young people attending a HAF club will also have the opportunity to have fun, meet new friends, socialise, learn new skills, encounter new experiences and gain confidence whilst enjoying happy, healthy holidays.

There are many benefits for children who attend the HAF programme. A high-quality experience that provides children with:
• receiving healthy and nutritious meals
• maintaining a healthy level of physical activity
• being happy, having fun and meeting new friends
• developing a greater understanding of food, nutrition and other health-related issues
• taking part in fun and engaging activities that support their development
• feeling safe and secure
• getting access to the right support services
• returning to school feeling engaged and ready to learn
The feedback from HAF providers, children and young people and their families has been amazing with children and young people reporting that they have tried new activities and sports, made new friends, tasted lots of different kinds of foods and learned lots of new skills.

Presentation by - Tarina
From our learning and research tools to our printing and computer facilities, discover a range of resources and services at Horncastle Library.

With events and activities for every age, like our Connect over a Cuppa and Rhyme Time, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

Horncastle Library is taking part in Children’s Mental Health Week to raise awareness of issues surrounding children’s mental health and highlight the support services that are available in our local area.

Presentation by - Sandy
Is one-to-one training designed to equip young people who are entitled by Lincolnshire County Council to home to school or college transport with the confidence and skills required to travel independently.

ITT is facilitated by Independent Travel Trainers who will work closely with school/college staff, parents, carers and the trainees.

Anyone who is entitled to free home to school transport or Post 16 supported home to school/college transport is able to apply for Independent Travel Training.

Presentation by - Clair
Are based at St Francis Special school and commissioned by Lincolnshire County council.

They provide free support to all Lincolnshire mainstream Primary and Secondary schools who are seeking support to include pupils with physical disabilities.
This includes pupils in transition at each key stage (Nursery and post 16). Their Outreach team has a wealth of experience in teaching and supporting pupils with physical disabilities.
They are able to offer guidance and support in curriculum access as well as moving and handling needs. They regularly Liaise with NHS Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech and Language Services.
They offer support, advise and associated training in the assessment of needs and provision.

Presentation by - Diane
Sense Specialist Services for Children & Young People is a team of specialist teachers of multi-sensory impairment (QTMSI) and Senior/ MSI practitioners with a wide range of skills and experience working with children and young people who are deafblind/multi-sensory impaired.

The Team Supports:
• Children and young people who are deafblind/multi-sensory impaired
• Children and young people who have medical conditions that is likely to cause problems with sight and hearing as they grow older – for example Usher syndrome.
They also offer some support to children (and their families) that have either a hearing or vision impairment, and additional needs, which impact on access to information, communication and mobility. This could include information and advice, signposting and access to family events and pre-school groups.
Sense Specialist Services for Children include:
• Information and advice from a named practitioner within the specialist services team
• Support with the EHCP/review process including; attendance at educational meetings, joint working with professionals and provision of specialist advice to support access to appropriate learning environments.
• Support at hospital appointments and health clinics including; support to access appointments, liaison with health professionals and specialist advice regarding their multi-sensory impairment.
• Supporting letters and reports to help navigate the education, social care and health systems.
• Reports to identify their multi-sensory impairment, to ensure that they receive the specialist support they need.
• Holistic assessments to highlight their individual strengths and identification of strategies to support them to develop.
• Advice and support as they prepare for transition to school/college/ adulthood.
• Signposting to specialist assessments where appropriate

Virtual Buddying(Sian) - Our free virtual befriending service matches anyone with disabilities aged over 5 with a volunteer. You'll meet online once a week with someone who has shared interests, sense of humour and personality. You could catch up about your week, watch a film, do an online class, craft, game or bake together.
Siblings and Young Carers - We know that being the brother, sister or child of someone who has disabilities can be challenging. Sometimes, it's nice for these people to be able to chat or do activities with people their ow

Presentation by - Ingrid & Anne-Marie
The Virtual Autism Hub is an innovative source of all age autism support to empower autistic people and their parents/carers. They work closely with community groups and organisations to strengthen support for autistic adults, children and young people and parent/carers, increasing the range, breadth and reach of these groups.

As part of this, they offer a grants programme. They are now opening the 2023-2024 registration process for autism groups (existing or new) to apply for funding, and the deadline is the 31st January 2024.

They will offer Specialist Autism Navigators to work directly with people across the county to help them access statutory services and other local support. This support will be non-clinical and include advice, signposting to local groups and services, information about autism and diagnostic pathways, as well as some practical support with things like filling out forms or accompanying to first meetings.