FACT Bucks Page

Just confirming the timing as 10am - 12noon tomorrow. Please drop in any time.

Meet the iSEND Team - Chiltern, Wycombe and South Bucks July 2024 | FACT Bucks | Parent Carer Forum Come for a friendly chat and meet the iSEND team in the Aylesbury area. This is an informal session for parent carers to ask questions and share experiences. No booking required, just drop in.

Happy Friday!
Here is the link to our latest Newsletter, packed with headline information on our work.

Newsletters | FACT Bucks | Parent Carer Forum FACT Newsletter July 2024 Newsletter May 2024 Newsletter February 2023 Newsletter October 2022 Newsletter May 2022

Please share this meet the iSEND team meeting
on Tuesday 23rd July at 11.30am - 1.30pm.
This is an informal session for parent carers to ask questions and share experiences. 👂 No booking required.
Refreshment will be provided. 🫖
📍Venue: Potting Shed Cafe, Chesham, HP5 3BP

Meet the iSEND Team - Chiltern, Wycombe and South Bucks July 2024 | FACT Bucks | Parent Carer Forum Come for a friendly chat and meet the iSEND team in the Aylesbury area. This is an informal session for parent carers to ask questions and share experiences. No booking required, just drop in.

Happy to share video link for the webinar for:

Preparing for Adulthood - Independent Living - FACT Bucks _ Bucks SENDIAS Service webinar

Preparing for Adulthood webinar 28 June 2024 Preparing for Adulthood Independent Living FACT Bucks Bucks SENDIAS Service webinar28 June 2024

Has your child or young person been seeking support/input from the Integrated Therapies Service (Speech & Language; Occupational Therapy; or Physiotherapy) and received a response of ‘not known to service’ in 2024? If so, please share when this happened and whether it was in response to a ECH needs assessment or a specific referral to an individual service. We are working with the service provider to ensure that this is no longer happening.

FACT is pleased to be sharing this on behalf of a young person who is studying for A levels and currently undertaking some research as part of the Young Expert Citizen programme. She has developed a survey which is aimed at autistic young people in Bucks aged 16-25 and is seeking their views on the support they receive or previously received at school.

The survey is completely anonymous, the young people are not even asked to name their school or college. Please share if you can.

Hi, I’m Niamh and I am 17 and autistic. I want to improve support for autistic young people in school. If you are autistic, aged 16-25 and have views on what support would help, please complete my survey. It’s anonymous and only takes 25 minutes to complete. Thank you


The survey can be found at this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfxQWdpqPIF20vEpEBvCFcU7qY4Jvv0Bdg07U7JilX3QUZW7g/viewform?usp=sf_link

School support for autistic young people Hello! My name is Niamh and I am working with a research organisation called The Centre for Education and Youth, to find out about support for autistic young people at school. I need your help to do this. I want to ask you some questions about the support you’ve had in school as an autistic studen...

💰Worried about your child's financial security? This warm and welcoming event is designed to empower YOU! Gain valuable insights and practical strategies to manage your finances effectively while building a secure future for your loved one with SEND.

📍Click on link below to book a free place:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/financial-education-for-send-families-in-high-wycombe-tickets-936461701157?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl

📢 FACT Bucks is recruiting a Team leader. See our website for details. Please share. 🗣

https://www.factbucks.org.uk/news/could-you-be-our-next-team-leader/

Could you be our next Team Leader? | FACT Bucks | Parent Carer Forum We are recruiting a Team Leader Families & Carers Together in Bucks (FACT) About Us: FACT Bucks is the Parent Carer Forum for Buckinghamshire, as required by the Children and Families Act 2014. Parent Carer Forums are representative local groups of parents and carers of children and young people wit...

https://www.factbucks.org.uk/news/announcement-of-resignation-of-the-team-leader-of-fact-bucks/

Announcement of Resignation of the Team Leader of FACT Bucks | FACT Bucks | Parent Carer Forum Announcement of Resignation of Andrew Howard, Team Leader of FACT Bucks Dear Families, Parents and Carers, We are grateful for Andrew's commitment and hard work on behalf of the parents and carers of children and young people with additional needs in Buckinghamshire. Andrew's leadership and vision h...

Are you worried that your child with SEND is not able to look after themselves in the way you would expect for their age?

This webinar will inform and empower you - It will help you to know your rights and what to expect.
FACT Bucks / SENDIAS Independent Living live webinar 28 June 10-11.15am, sign up link below:
fbdddaba-7c08-4ade-ad11-fbe8bc2c27cb@7fb976b9-9e28-48e1-8086-1ddabecf82a0" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/fbdddaba-7c08-4ade-ad11-fbe8bc2c27cb@7fb976b9-9e28-48e1-8086-1ddabecf82a0

We will look at how children and young people with SEND can learn life skills to help them to:

- Make choices and decisions
- Have control over their lives and the support they need to live as independently as possible
- The session will be recorded and published on our webpage with our previous recorded webinars: SENDIAS news, events and webinars

Tickets only available until 12 noon on Thursday 27 June so please sign up as soon as you can. Joining instructions will be sent as soon as you register.

events.teams.microsoft.com Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities? Are you worried that they are not a___

Please share this meet the iSEND team meeting
on Thursday 20th June at 11.30am - 1.30pm.
This is an informal session for parent carers to ask questions and share experiences. 👂 No booking required.
Refreshment will be provided. 🫖
📍Venue: SENDias offices, Annex A, Walton street, Aylesbury, HP20 1UX

Meet the iSEND Team - Aylesbury June 2024 | FACT Bucks | Parent Carer Forum Come for a friendly chat and meet the iSEND team in the Aylesbury area. This is an informal session for parent carers to ask questions and share experiences. No booking required, just drop in.

Thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts on the current post-16 transition process. We used your insights to create a short presentation on parent aspirations, which we presented at the recent multi-disciplinary training workshop for the 2025 process.

Key themes included:

- The need for early engagement
- Clear information
- Transparent responses
- Greater overall aspiration

We also highlighted that current processes do not accommodate the growing number of young people not in school and emphasised the need to improve options for 'meaningful activity.'

📢 The Healthwatch/FACT Bucks report on transitions from child to adult health services is on our website. https://www.factbucks.org.uk/news/child-to-adult-transitions-report/

Key recommendations include:
🔹 Clearer information for families
🔹 Improved communication on transfers/discharges
🔹 Promotion of health/hospital passports
🔹 Enhanced support for young people with mental health issues

We're also forming a focus group for parents interested in Preparing for Adulthood (PfA). If you're passionate about making a difference, let us know! 🙌💬 Healthwatch Bucks

Child to Adult transitions report | FACT Bucks | Parent Carer Forum The Healthwatch/FACT Bucks report on transitions from child to adult health services has been published and is available here. Its recommendations include clearer information for families; better communication of decisions to transfer or discharge; promotion of health/hospital passports; and better....

The Family Fund, a national charity, launched a new 'Discover more support' search tool.

Parents and carers can use it to browse through 130 organisations that can help on topics such as:

money and benefits
mental health and wellbeing
education and learning
disability

Discover more support - Family Fund Browse the range of charities and organisations who can help you and your family using our ‘Discover more’ search engine

Our latest newsletter is out. Click on the link below to download it:
https://www.factbucks.org.uk/information/newsletters/
We'd love to know what you think of our new format so do let us know in the comments below!

Newsletters | FACT Bucks | Parent Carer Forum Newsletter May 2024 Newsletter February 2023 Newsletter October 2022 Newsletter May 2022

Meet the iSEND Team - Aylesbury June 2024 | FACT Bucks | Parent Carer Forum Come for a friendly chat and meet the iSEND team in the Aylesbury area. This is an informal session for parent carers to ask questions and share experiences. No booking required, just drop in.

Input needed on Post-16 transfers
FACT have been asked to offer a 5 minute reflection at the start of the iSEND team training day on Post 16 phase transfers for those in Special Schools (maintained or Independent). We have been asked to speak with a specific focus on the importance to young people and families of early planning.
Could you or someone you know offer any thoughts or experience to frame the input? Please get in touch through [email protected] if you are interested.

An important consultation for views on unregistered alternative provision closing on Friday 5th July.

Strengthening protections in unregistered alternative provision - Department for Education - Citizen Space Find and participate in consultations run by the Department for Education

For information, here are some details of a consultation from the Department for Education on the faith school admissions process.

It requires an individual response so FACT are not responding as a forum.

Closing on 20 June 2024.

You can read more about our proposals and take part in the consultation here:

Faith school designation reforms We are seeking views on religious designation reforms for new special academies and new and existing free schools.

Following on from Fact's training, we've had several requests for more information about Co-production and how services approach it, here is the link to the Co-production Charter Buckinghamshire Council.

https://familyinfo.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/send/get-involved/send-co-production-charter/

Buckinghamshire’s SEND Co-production Charter How Buckinghamshire Council works with families, young people, and professionals to shape services and information for people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)

The chance to connect with like-minded people who have walked in your shoes.

Walking With You is a parent led support group for anyone supporting children and young people, up to the age of 25, experiencing mental health difficulties.

You can take part discussing shared experiences with other parents and carers as well as having mental health professionals from CAMHs on-hand to support and answer any questions you may have.
Currently sessions are being ran by Microsoft Teams. you can join or leave as any point (meetings are not recorded).

Our next sessions are:
Friday 17th of May, 10am – 11:30am (Teams only) - Low mood and depression
Friday 14th of June 10am-11:30am (Teams only) – PDA and boundary setting

If you would like to join our session/s or would like further information, please contact:
Roxy Uritescu Participation Lead Barnado’s Bucks CAMHs & Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust at [email protected]

Andrew Howard, FACT Bucks' Team Leader, delivered training to members of the iSEND team this week as part of their ongoing CPD programme. He spoke about co-production and the importance of the Voice of the Child.

You can see the full set of slides here: https://www.factbucks.org.uk/information/news/

We are sharing this short survey for those who have experience of using Physiotherapy services. It is from a Physio who is looking to develop an app for parents and professionals. Please feel free to share:

Physiplay LTD Survey This survey is aimed to develop a comprehensive understanding of our customers and users and to identify the main pain points during their experience within the physiotherapy landscape.

If you have a disabled child or young person that is currently in a mainstream setting, or about to start this September, you might be interested in our "Supporting Disabilities in a Mainstream Setting" workshop.

There will be information shared about the following:

- How children and young people are supported with their special educational needs in mainstream settings
- What are Special Educational Needs?
- What is the legal framework?
- What is SEN Support?
- Education, Health & Care Plans (EHCPs/EHC Plans)
- Right to appeal
- Support available

Register to attend here: https://ow.ly/A0CP50RtA36

The live webinar is now full but you can still request a recording of the session here:
https://www.ipsea.org.uk/.../webinar-recording-request-form

Parents and carers of children with SEND 📢

Join us on Wednesday 8 May for our FREE webinar, 'The SEND journey and your rights as a parent/carer'. We'll be explaining what support children and young people with SEND are legally entitled to, what you can do if the law is not followed, and where to find further help and guidance.

Spaces are limited, so book your place here: https://buff.ly/3Zv7HjO

If you can't attend on the day, you can also request a copy of the webinar recording via the link above.

Could you be our new Communications and Information Officer?
We are recruiting to this paid position to work on increasing our engagement with parents and carers. See website for more details and how to apply.
Please pass on to anyone who might be suitable.

News | FACT Bucks | Parent Carer Forum Could you be our Comms & Information Officer?Beth Knighton2024-04-30T10:06:11+01:0030th April, 2024| FACT Bucks is seeking a motivated, flexible person with a passion to raise awareness of FACT Bucks and its work by further developing and...

Have your say in National Wrap around Childcare https://www.factbucks.org.uk/information/news/

News | FACT Bucks | Parent Carer Forum National Parent Carer Forums’ Conference 29th Feb 24Beth Knighton2024-04-16T11:40:30+01:0016th March, 2024| Following the Joint NNPCF and Contact Parent Carer Forums’ Conference 2024 in February, the recordings and presentations for the sessions are available to share from the day. click...

If your child has additional needs, it is not easy learning to understand and manage their speech and language challenges. Getting the right information and support can be hard work.

We have created two workshops just for parents. These sessions will help you to think about how you can best understand and support your child and how you can share this knowledge with others who are involved with your child.

You are welcome to attend just one or both workshops, start with the one that sounds right for you and your child.

Click here to book: https://ow.ly/OUtF50RiNZ5

NOTE: If your child is older than 5 years, much of the content of this workshop will not be relevant and you may find it more useful to contact our helpline or visit our website.

On Monday we asked parent carers to share tips & tricks that they thought other parent carers should know, and we had a wonderful and overwhelming response.

Here's one of our favourites from Talia, a parent carer: "Short break/social worker assessments for respite. Its a slog but worth it when it all lines up."

We have more information about carer's assessments and how you can access one here: https://ow.ly/K7Z550RgjXh