In the Spotlight...
Link Newsletter August 2020
What has been happening in Trafford to help prepare?
Talking to your child or young person
Managing Mental Health and Wellbeing
Trafford Reasonable Adjustments
Back to school
As the start of the new term approaches, now is the time to think about the practicalities of returning to school in September. This is the case for all families but particularly for the families of SEND children and young people.
We all want our children and young people to have as smooth a transition as possible back into school or college and to feel safe and happy there.
Professor Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer, said: “Education is essential for a child’s development so it is crucial we get children safely back to school in September. A number of important risk reduction measures have been put in place to help students and teachers return to school with confidence.”
Each school will be implementing these measures differently to suit their building and the children or young people that attend. All schools are updating their whole school risk assessments in light of the most up to date guidance.
We recommend that you work with your child’s school to follow the guidance they have set out, to understand what you are being asked to do and how this may affect your child or family. Staff should be able to let you know how they will be moving forward in an effort to make sure that returning to school will be as safe as it can be.
We must remember that not one of us has lived through a pandemic in our lifetimes, so working together to find solutions is key. We all react differently to significant events. Some people may feel worried, some excited, some nothing much at all. Be reassured that different reactions are normal and okay.
Children and young people may settle into school within a few days and others may take longer. You can discuss any questions or concerns with your child’s class teacher in working together to support your child.
Be hopeful and keep things positive. You can tell your child that many people are working to make this better. Even though it is serious, everyone is doing their best to help people.
Teachers have been working hard and are looking forward to welcoming children and young people back to school.
Government guidance and communication
What parents and carers need to know about early years providers, schools and colleges in the autumn term (updated 21 August 2020)
DFE / DHSC Joint ministerial letter to children and young people with SEND, their Families and those who support them (published 21 July 2020). See also: Council for Disabled Children’s Response.
Government guidance to education settings:
Guidance for full opening: schools (updated 7 August 2020),
Guidance for full opening: special schools and other specialist settings (published 2 July 2020),
Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance on isolation for residential educational settings (updated 20 July 2020)
What has been happening in Trafford to help prepare?
Education
Schools and Inclusion Services
We have been working really hard to respond to government guidance to make the return to school for all children to be as safe as possible.
We are holding a question and answer session with Trafford Parents Forum for parents to discuss concerns regarding returning to school with our team.
Trafford SENAS are running school SENCO cluster meetings in the second week of September to allow all Trafford schools to link with us and discuss latest guidance, as well as ask questions and share ideas.
Trafford Educational Psychology Service
We have written a helpful document in Supporting Children in Returning to School.
There is also a section on returning to school in our Advice and Guidance on COVID-19.
Further tips and guidance can be found at our Facebook page.
Trafford Early Years Service
We have worked alongside Trafford SENAS & TEDS Portage Service to create a Guidance Pack for Welcoming Back Children with SEND to Early Years Settings and Nurseries as well as written a full Covid-19 Transition Guide for Early Years that has been communicated out to all childcare providers in Trafford.
Both these documents are aimed at childcare professionals but have some useful websites and information that could be helpful for families with an early years child with SEND.
We will continue our work with childcare providers to ensure the safety of your children at a setting or childminder.
Health
Trafford Complex Needs Service
We have been working with Head Teachers of Special Schools to support them in risk assessments for children with specific healthcare needs returning to school.
Health services are resuming their support in the schools alongside their education colleagues. We are all working together to ensure that we all work safely for the children and families of Trafford in all community settings, mainstream and special schools.
As visitors to schools the clinical staff will follow the school’s risk assessment and guidance and also health guidance from Manchester Foundation Trust. This includes the use of social distancing and PPE allowing for treatment contact in school as required.
A letter was sent out to all SENCOs regarding Trafford Occupational Therapy Sensory Assessment Service at the start of the month. Our Complex Needs Services Update (July 2020) document shows how we are continuing to provide our services during this time. All the relevant coronavirus information has also been included on our Local Offer listings.
Speech and Language Therapy Service
We are planning to resume visits to Mainstream Primary schools from September and will do their best to get in to see pupils who need an assessment.
We are asking schools to share their visitor policies with us so we can plan our visit – for example we know that some schools will limit our contact to pupils within a single bubble during one visit.
We look forward to supporting you to help children with Speech, Language and Communication needs to settle back in to school.
There are a number of pre-referral training courses online that are open to parents as well as school staff. Please view our Local Offer listing for more details.
Don’t forget our Facebook page for advice, links to training, videos and helpful ideas!
Talking to your child or young person
As well as keeping in contact with your school for the latest information and guidance, it is also important to have conversations with children and young people.
Be honest, but try to keep their fears manageable and explain in a context they would understand. Ask them what they have heard, have been told or know about the return to school.
If your child seems worried, it may be good to distract them with something that takes their mind off their worries. You might also want to set aside 10-15 minutes each day for them to talk about any worries, and to reassure them.
Share resources such as social stories or pictures to show what will happen each day. This will be similar to the conversations we have had with our children about hand washing, social distancing and people wearing face coverings during the pandemic.
How to talk to your child about Coronavirus advice and guidance page has helpful links to recommended general advice, videos, comics and social stories.
Managing Mental Health and Wellbeing
We know that going back to school after the long summer break can make many children feel anxious, and that is even more likely this year with them having spent months away from school and having lived through lockdown. Your child may be concerned about the prospect of returning to school.
Coronavirus (Covid-19) wellbeing and mental health support for children and young people advice and guidance page has lots of information about services and resources.
How Schools can help
There is a continuum of support for mental health in children and young people through the Graduated Approach which highlights specifically what teachers can do day to day to support the children.
Where a child’s mental health is affected advice can be sought by the school or families through the School CAMHS Information Line.
There are many services available in Trafford and Greater Manchester to support Mental health and Wellbeing during this time. See our Mental Health and Wellbeing Advice and Guidance article on page 8.
Virtual Mental Wealth Toolkit
Education, Health, Social Care, CAMHS, Commissioners and Trafford Family Information Service (FIS) are working together in Trafford to try to make signposting and accessing support less complicated.
A Virtual Mental Wealth Hub Toolkit is being produced to support schools and families. This will be available to view on the Trafford Directory website soon.
Trafford Reasonable Adjustments
A Trafford Reasonable Adjustment Request, endorsed by Trafford Council and Trafford Parents Forum, is available for you and your family to use when out in community spaces or when using public transport.
Having this can help other members of the public understand some of the difficulties in following recommended guidelines for a child or young person with SEND.
Some of the things listed in the Reasonable Adjustment Request are:
- Letting people know your child or young person has SEND and that they may find it hard to comply with social distancing rules;
- That they may be exempt from wearing a face covering due to their disability or health condition;
- Food items may have to be bought in larger amounts to meet the needs of a restricted diet.
Where can I get one?
The Trafford Reasonable Adjustment Request is available to download on Trafford SEND Local Offer and via Trafford Parent Forum.
National information
The government has said that children in all year groups in England will return to school from the beginning of the Autumn term in September.
It expects school kitchens to be opening too so school lunches will be provided as usual.
The government has said that breakfast and after school clubs should start to reopen in September, but acknowledge this might take longer for some schools.
The normal law on school attendance will apply. Children of compulsory school age (5-16) must attend school.
This includes children in the clinically extremely vulnerable group who were previously shielding, or living with someone who has been shielding.
Pupils will not have to attend school if they are required to self-isolate because:
- They have Covid-19 symptoms, or have tested positive for Covid-19.
- They are a close contact of someone who has Covid-19.
- They have been advised to do so on clinical or public health advice.
Contact’s Back to School Advice has more key information you need to know, getting to and from school, preparing your child to return to school, support being offered and more.
National resources and help
National Autistic Society Back to school - a guide for parents preparing your child for the return to school. This includes a table that lists the Government’s recommended protective measures, with questions that parents might wish to ask their school.
The Royal College of Occupational Therapists 'Top Tips' for parent carers worried about their child returning to school, especially if they find change difficult to handle.
Wellchild has a back-to-school checklist of questions you can ask the school before September.
National Deaf Children's Society has a checklist of what to expect and questions to ask your child's education setting for parents of children who are deaf.