Newbold Hope

No surprises here for those of us who are part of the UK SEND community, but it's good that the crisis in SEND education is getting media attention

https://www.theguardian.com/education/article/2024/aug/04/special-educational-needs-system-england-utter-disarray-ombudsman-amerdeep-somal?fbclid=IwY2xjawEdqRhleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHfQVrCjgZESvKAJbnGLMqWOeMKzoKMUCnZKQ3SrU9NMc3U1JSlO1V9fBtg_aem_FUOYxEE30LZabx7doJ2wRg

Special educational needs system in England in ‘utter disarray’, says ombudsman Exclusive: Young people and their families lack support, while social workers are overwhelmed, according to Amerdeep Somal

I absolutely love the work I'm doing with Gill Phillips of Whose Shoes, with the wonderful team at the Midland Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. Gill has put together a great video which really captures the essence of our recent day together. It was all about improving the whole experience for children in care. Everyone was invited; the children, recent care leavers, foster parents, biological parents, social workers, healthcare teams and education staff. Together we had vitally important conversations around every table - true co-production in action. If you've never been to a Whose Shoes event, this video will show you what you've been missing!

LISTENING to Care Experienced Children and Young People So, here it is. The film of our latest ‘Whose Shoes?’ event in Staffordshire, working with Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust. This time we are focusing o...

I've just listened to this superb podcast, episode, with my good friend, Gill, talking to Dr Tom Holliday who is a Consultant Paediatrician working in North West London. Tom has a real knack for being able to cut through the jargon, and explain why some of the established NHS systems aren't working, and how to make them work better for the children and families who use them. So many little nuggets here! Tom talks about how relationships have to be the starting point to get the best outcomes, how "integrated care" should be renamed "best practice care" and so many others. Huge thanks to both Gill and Tom for having such an important discussion and sharing it with all of us. https://www.buzzsprout.com/1838805/15363315

Next Monday, 15th July, I'll be at this Whose Shoes event with the Midland Partnership Foundation NHS Trust in Stafford. If you live in the area and have first-hand experience of the care system, either as a parent, a foster carer or a child or young person, it would be great if you could join us.

It's going to be a great day of rich conversations, where you'll be able to share your experiences, thoughts and ideas to help shape the services and the way they are practiced in the future.

Whose Shoes is a board game that gets people talking about real-life situations in an engaging and fun way, with a chance to talk about the things that really matter.

I'd love to see you there - just point the camera on your phone at the QR code and you'll be get a link to book your place. It's completely free, including a delicious lunch!

What a great football team where all the players have Down's Syndrome

BBC News - Young footballers look to score big at Arsenal

Arsenal helps footballers with Down's Syndrome to score big North London United players, who all have Down's Syndrome, aim to raise £21,000 at the Emirates stadium.

Years ago, when Toby was very little, even though he wasn't expected to survive, I still spent far too many hours, days, weeks, months crying oceans of tears for his future. I didn't think anyone else would be able to "get" him like we did. I worried about how life would be for him when he had to leave home and how how lonely, sad and isolated he'd be with nobody on his wavelength or able to properly understand him and what makes him happy.

What a waste of all those tears! We are there now, Toby is 30 years old now, still non-verbal and still autistic, and still with a profound intellectual disability and complex medical needs. He left home over 10 years ago - it was the hardest choice I've ever had to make, but I didn't have any other option. I had just been diagnosed with incurable stage 4 cancer and wasn't expected to live for much longer. It was urgent that I found somewhere good for him while I was still well enough to help him settle in.

Toby now lives in a wonderful care home, with fantastic staff who absolutely do "get him". They have just started a newsletter about what they are getting up to, and this is Toby's contribution to it, reproduced here with the care home manager's permission.

He has always loved blowing dandelions, but I don't think I've ever told the staff that specifically, but they know anyway.

We hear such awful things about abusive care staff, but please know that there are some fantastic places, and some wonderful staff out there too. Please know that things really can be very good for our adult children, even if they will never be able to live independently. Please don't do what I did and waste so much time crying about the future when you've got enough to worry about just today and tomorrow. The future will take care of itself and things can work out better than you ever imagined.

TW: - *please don't watch the video if you're having a difficult day"

This is beyond words. Both shocking and extremely upsetting. Why was someone who was sacked for gross misconduct as a Police Special Constable allowed to be the CEO of a specialist school full of vulnerable children? When are reports like this going to stop?

Children mocked and bullied by staff at special needs school One staff member was recorded saying he wanted to drown a pupil “like a kitten” - Panorama undercover.

It's not easy being an unpaid Carer for an adult or child who needs extra help due to disability, illness or additional needs.

Next week is National Carer's Week, which is an opportunity to highlight the many and varied challenges that Carers face every day. It's also an opportunity to recognise the enormous contribution that Carers make every day within their own families and communities.

That's why I'm delighted to be joining the the support group for Brain and Spine Foundation on Tuesday morning, 11th June, at 10.30 am.

I'll be sharing some practical tips, tricks and strategies which can help Carers feel happier and less exhausted.

If you're a Carer, it would be great if you could join us. Here's the link to sign-up, and hope to see you there.

Neuro Carers | Support For You | Brain & Spine Foundation Although caring for someone we love has great rewards, it can be tough for the carer to look after themselves too. We know that many people within our community are carers but we also know that often people may not realise that they are carers.

I'll be on Radio London just after midday today (Thursday, 7th June) talking about the work I do to support families in reducing episodes of childhood violence in children and young people with disabilities or additional needs. If you're not in the London area, you can listen online instead - here's the link

Radio London - Listen Live - BBC Sounds Listen live to BBC Radio London on BBC Sounds

Thank you to Affinityhub.uk for this excellent piece of work on SEND parent/carer trauma. It's well worth saving and sharing with the team who work with your child.

https://www.affinityhub.uk/userfiles/documents/PARENT%20CARER%20TRAUMA%20Discussion%20Paper%20-%20FINAL%20May%202024.pdf?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0qjxY9E-t6C_pg99L8MGkmxusvEaDO9ZPL2zZFoxfvQzPwGyIupfT5nUM_aem_AYpM7BKzg4CbQP3pM510FzBEj27l4uidwU9d-_WAnX2W969i5j2yXLFKkMQ7BIxZzVqmqzxlvYw-fhkBq8IJzbvh

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c25re540g2jo?at_link_id=DD4E9132-0C54-11EF-B74F-86B476C001AD&at_link_type=web_link&at_format=link&at_medium=social&at_ptr_name=facebook_page&at_link_origin=BBC_Hereford_%26_Worcester&at_bbc_team=editorial&at_campaign_type=owned&at_campaign=Social_Flow&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1w0LRUoxQR4lM_JiXQNPvb0NH6ngcflxsQCQ43iD4uYcNZ3_jth4TEits_aem_ATReiSSzBJPwmdvX6Dxh0c6LnctsOroEu3dP5ccJN2DgWj2vuA-EwtsABZTrir5M3ViwA0clwF0YX7boNXw0uffV

The Holt Heath farm giving young people a second chance Bonterre in Holt Heath, Worcestershire, has launched a fundraising campaign so it can expand.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0w0yl41r32o?at_medium=social&at_ptr_name=facebook_page&at_link_id=DB45F87C-0D48-11EF-88A0-F0521AB00ED1&at_bbc_team=editorial&at_campaign_type=owned&at_link_origin=BBC_Hereford_%26_Worcester&at_format=link&at_campaign=Social_Flow&at_link_type=web_link&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2t-XJC_ScXyIkM1LGl4E6KweGKQwl-0E-bBF_0P6vA2g93-Q4MznQVYxY_aem_Adxh-7K1RZUW4HqoomMiEWnIjmp0LESMZp6D_qcNaeR3ErssFjvSNq9Jrz8Grgb7PpsKrTeXlI-6zcWa8PENjthv

Herefordshire primary school to offer 'tailored' schooling The idea originated in the 1980s but Colwall Primary School say it is "not widely known".

Daily reminder that progress looks different for everyone 📈📉📊

Image credit: 🎨

Be kind to yourself. Always.

The importance of positive self talk.

Is it normal to talk to yourself? Dig into the psychological benefits of positive self-talk, and find out when it can become problematic.--Being caught talking to yourself can feel embarrassi...

Michael Klinkner Counseling ❤

When a child with SEND has a meltdown, it is not naughtiness, it is a cry for help.

This is a harrowing read of ongoing abuse in a special school where some of the staff involved are still working there. No words.

BBC News - Special school pupils ‘tortured’ in calming rooms, BBC investigation finds

Special school pupils ‘tortured’ in calming rooms, BBC investigation finds The BBC has obtained confidential material revealing appalling abuse and neglect affecting 39 pupils.

Stalen’s Way ❤

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Just leaving this here x