Part 2 - Special Educational Needs
Elective Home Education Information Pack
The EHE Team are frequently asked for advice around SEN related issues. However, our support is generic to home education, so it is always advisable to seek advice from the specialists at Sandwell SEN department: 0121 569 8240 or by email at SEN_Team@sandwell.gov.uk
You may also contact SENDIASS for independent advice.
SENDIASS
The Sandwell SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) provides neutral advice and support to help parents and carers involved in discussions about their child's SEN. Their aim is to enable parents/carers, children and young people to make informed decisions about education, by ensuring they have the advice, information and support to make those decisions. They provide a range of information from education law to related law on disability, health and social care to help parents, children and young people in making informed choices and this enables them to play an active role in relation to educational decisions. So, if you are exploring whether your child needs an Education Health and Care Plan or if you need support or mediation regarding the plan then you need to self refer to this service, professionals cannot do this for you. They are based at Sandwell Council House, Freeth St, Oldbury B69 3DE. 0121 368 1166.
Autism West Midlands
There are several children in the EHE community who are on the Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome Spectrum. This organisation holds various groups and activities for families and children, which are held throughout Sandwell in local places that are easy to get to. 0121 450 7582 / 0303 03 00 111
SEN Specific Resources
There are an increasing number of children being home schooled who have particular needs that may have been diagnosed as being Special Educational Needs but there will be others who have no diagnosis but show signs of having difficulties. Sometimes these children require different approaches to those used for the majority of children, particularly if they are showing signs of Autism, Aspergers, Dyslexia etc. Listed below are some websites you may find useful:-
National Autistic Society
This website has an Autistic Toolbox with lots of useful tools, resources and strategies that can be used particularly with children showing signs of Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. One such tool is Social Stories which are used to describe a situation, skill, or concept in terms of relevant social cues, perspectives, and common responses in a specifically defined style and format. In essence the things that lots of us take for granted and understand but need explaining to a child with autism in a way they can understand.
Wave 3 Maths Intervention
The Wave 3 mathematics materials are aimed at children working at levels significantly below age-related expectations. The materials provide a series of short, focused teaching activities in topic areas like addition and subtraction in specific year groups. There are downloadable and printable resources including individual booklets, guides for using and even the worksheets, resource materials and games to go alongside booklets. Although it is now an archived resource it is freely available to use by anyone. It is still used in schools with children who are not able to follow National Curriculum methods taught within class.
Attention Autism Programme
This is a programme devised by Gina Davies to train people to know how to engage the attention of children who struggle to focus their attention and it also encourages communication skills. She offers training you can attend but the site offers other information that is useful for parents
SULP Social Use of Language
Social use of Language Programme (SULP) is a cohesive framework within which to enhance personal, emotional and social development from a communication and thinking skills perspective. Within this framework, it provides a series of multisensory activity sequences incorporating stories, modelling, talking pictures, games and carryover practice. The author claims the programme to 'have enormous benefit to this younger age group in order to enable the children to communicate with each other and to develop friendships'. (Rinaldi, W 1995)
She sells a range of resources that can assist in this area. It is also listed as being part of the essential Autistic Toolbox.
British Dyslexia Association
Lots of children experience issues with acquisition of literacy and numeracy skills and it could be that they are Dyslexic, have Dysalculia (so struggle with maths) and experience issues of short term memory, visual difficulties, sequencing issues etc. Dyslexia approaches often tackle and use strategies such as activities using strengthening of short term memory, sequencing and other skills that can assist other children even if they are not Dyslexic. This website offers lots of resources that you can buy through their shop and offers links to other sites too as well as loads of other useful advice and information.
Helping Hands
Supports families with children with Autism and ADHD.