news and events

Following the outcome of the SEND review, in March 2023 the government published an Improvement Plan setting out proposals for making changes to the SEND system. In the autumn, the government announced nine regional Change Programme Partners (CPPs) who will test elements of the Improvement Plan over the next 18 months to 2 years, to inform future legislation, policy and guidance. East Sussex and Brighton & Hove are part of the South East partnership, along with Portsmouth (lead) and West Sussex.

Collectively, across all the four local authority areas, ten proposed reforms are going to be tested, including:

• local SEND and alternative provision partnerships – which set out how education, health and care agencies work together to drive change across the SEND system
• local area inclusion plans (LAIPs) – which describe how organisations plan strategically to meet SEND needs across their area
• SEND and alternative provision dashboard – how data is used to identify improvements and areas for development
• improving the systems around alternative provision and support for children with different levels of need
• early language support for every child
• EHC needs assessments – including:
  • multi-agency panels
  • EHCP template
  • strengthened mediation
  • advisory tailored lists of education provision

Government guidance sets out that parent carer forums should be involved in testing these proposed reforms. ESPCF and PaCC are working with the project leads from Brighton & Hove City Council (BHCC) and East Sussex County Council (ESCC) to understand how they will be involved, discussing the information families need to understand the changes being proposed, and how feedback will be gathered from the SEND community and shared within the Change Programme.

The reforms being proposed are complex, and government guidance is still emerging on each element. It’s fair to say that some of the changes are ones we might all agree are needed, for example improved alternative provision for children and young people who aren’t attending school. Similarly, developing a standardised co-produced template for EHC plans which all local authorities will then be required to follow sounds logical, and should improve the experience and outcomes of children, young people, and their families.

Other changes are potentially more contentious, if not confusing, for example the introduction of advisory tailored lists of school. Under this proposal, when an EHCP is created or amended, parent carers and young people would select a preferred placement from a so-called ‘tailored list’ that has been prepared by the local authority. The Department for Education states it wants the ‘advisory tailored list’ to aid parental choice, reducing uncertainty and what it describes as the ‘bewilderment’ parent carers face when expressing a preference for placement for their child or young person. Others are more cynical, seeing it as a tool that central and local government could use to restrain family preferences.

It is important to stress that families’ rights in law have not, and will not, change during the road-testing of these proposed reforms. The intent is to see if these policies are workable, for experiences and learning to be taken on board, before they are then rolled out more widely. We understand that families will also be able to opt out of being part of the testing.

At Amaze, we will be doing our best to stay up to speed on what the changes mean, so that SENDIASS advisers can answer questions and provide guidance. We will also support the parent carer forums in seeking to ensure parent carer and young people’s views are taken on board and shape the final proposals two years down the line.

For now, both BHCC and ESCC are busily drafting local area inclusion plans (LAIPs) which they are required to submit this month to the Department for Education. These will summarise the local SEND population, detail current provision, and priorities for the next three years – a sort of baseline, we assume, before the testing phase begins.

We’ll share more news as and when we have it.

The post SEND reforms Change Programme rollout appeared first on Amaze Sussex.

NDP Family Training and Navigation offers parents an in-depth navigation call, followed up by resources to cover things like understanding neurodivergent conditions, how local pathways work, information on support networks and help for common issues (including self-help options and where to try next). The training side includes regular courses like our popular “introduction to neurodiversity” and a variety of sessions on hot topics like sensory needs. This service is particularly helpful early in your family’s journey, whilst on waiting lists or soon after diagnosis.

Face 2 Face groups welcome all SEND parents whether or not your child has a diagnosis, but they are a great place to connect for support with other parents of neurodivergent children. There are online and in-person groups across the area with a warm welcome ready for you.

Amazing Futures groups are for young people with any kind of SEND age 14 to 25. They are a welcoming place where neurodivergent young people can have fun, make connections and be “unapologetically themselves” as they like to describe it.

You can refer yourself to any of these services and you don’t have to have had an assessment or diagnosis yet to use them, which is important with local waiting lists for assessment as long as they are.

We have mentioned previously that there is work happening across Sussex to try to address some of the challenges around the neurodevelopmental pathway. A lot of thinking, co-production and planning has been going on behind the scenes, led by NHS Sussex with the health services involved plus partners like the local authorities, voluntary organisations, and the parent carer forums. Despite everyone’s best efforts there has frustratingly not been much impact on the ground yet, so we will wait to update you once this moves along further.

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To apply, please email [email protected]  

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Transforming Care Keyworker services are being developed and rolled out around the country, as per the NHS Long-Term Plan. With funding transferred from NHS Sussex to Brighton & Hove City Council to run this service, Brighton Parent Carers’ Council (PaCC) has been working with officers to recruit the Brighton & Hove team and get the service set-up.

Children and young people are referred to the keyworking service when they are assessed as being ‘red or amber’ on the Brighton and Hove Dynamic Support Register (DSR). Amaze wrote about the development of the DSR some time back. NHS England provides further information (including an infographic) about DSRs and associated Care Education and Treatment Reviews (CETRs).

Some of the main features of the keyworker service are set out below:

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Youth Worker Job description Feb 2024

Benefits Policy

Terms & conditions

To apply:

• The closing date for applications is Tuesday 5^th March 2024 (we may keep the advert open depending on the response)
• Please upload your CV and a cover letter outlining how you meet the person specification here https://system.citrushr.com/Job?uid=kmamddgxyjnyuevpuxhz

If you would like an informal discussion about the role or have any questions, please contact Ella Burns, Young People Service Manager, [email protected]

The post Amaze seeks Youth Workers appeared first on Amaze Sussex.

At Amaze we are aware of the importance of short breaks for families so we are piloting this service at Easter, May half-term and during the summer, after which we will review whether the scheme has worked well for families, and is viable for us to continue. We appreciate this initial offer is limited but we hope families will also be able to access some of the other provision commissioned by Brighton & Hove City Council (BHCC) alongside the Amaze scheme. We know PaCC will be gathering feedback on these new arrangements and continuing to work with BHCC to enhance short breaks services in the city.

How will places be allocated?

Places in the Amaze scheme will be allocated according to a range of factors, our aim being to achieve a balanced and workable group of young people in each daily session. To try to ensure fair access, each young person will be able to book up to 2 sessions in the 6 days of scheme running at Easter. It would be helpful if you can select any dates from the 6 listed which your young person could attend and we will hope to allocate you 2 from these.

How to make a booking

The bookings window will be open from 10am on Monday 26 Feb until 5pm on Monday 4 March. After that, we will review all bookings received and consider the allocation of places possible within the scheme’s capacity. We will seek to confirm bookings with families for Easter by Fri 8 March. We will contact families directly to discuss a booking/gain further information on a young person’s needs if necessary.

Where all 1:1 places have been allocated, but where 1:1 or 1:2 level support is needed for a young person to be able to attend the scheme, we will welcome and support young people attending with a PA / carer if this is an option for them. We may also be able to work with BHCC to secure additional PA support.

There is a £10 contribution towards the costs of running the 4 hour session. This is payable online at the point in time at which a reservation is made, although payment won’t actually be taken until a place is confirmed. So you will only pay for bookings that become confirmed places.

If you wish to book a place and pay the £10 contribution by Direct Payments, please select the ticket option ‘Pay by Direct Payments’. We can then send an invoice as and when your booking is confirmed which can be settled by Direct Payments.

Where paying £10 is a barrier for a young person to attend the scheme, we also ask that you contact us directly to let us know and we will look into alternative options.

Once a session booking has been confirmed, it is non -refundable, due to the holiday scheme taking place so soon in April.

If you do not get a place this time, we will add you to our waiting list in case of cancellations and contact you if a place becomes available. We will also aim to give priority to young people who weren’t able to come this time to get spaces on our schemes in May and July – August.

Further information

To find out more about the Amazing Futures Holiday Scheme, please visit Brighton & Hove SEND Short Breaks/Activities · Eequ or contact [email protected]

Or read Brighton & Hove City Council’s latest statement about its new SEND Short Break and School Holiday Activity programme.

The post Amazing Futures Holiday Scheme and new short breaks provision in Brighton & Hove appeared first on Amaze Sussex.

• Upload your CV and cover letter here
• The closing date for applications is Wednesday 3rd April 2024. We will contact you if we would like to discuss your application or invite you to an interview. Please let us know if you need any help, or reasonable adjustments, to help you apply. 
• To support your application, please read:

To have an informal chat about the role and what it would entail please contact Sally Polanski, CEO on [email protected] or 01273 234020. 

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• South Downs Trek – Saturday 22 June 2024. Registration £40 and a minimum fundraising target of £235 – register here
• Snowdon at Night Trek – Saturday 3 August to Sunday 4 August 2024. Registration £65 and a minimum fundraising target of £290 – register here.

People who take part will receive an Amaze t-shirt to wear on their trek, as well as support from the trek team.  

Hannah Allbrooke, Head of Fundraising and Marketing at Amaze said: 

“We’re thrilled to launch these two exciting challenge events to raise funds for families with disabled children in Sussex. Whether it’s a lifelong dream or you’re looking for something new, we hope you will consider signing up.  

“If you’d like more information before signing up, please get in touch. Every penny you raise will help local disabled children and their families.” 

For more information about fundraising for Amaze click here.

The post Amaze challenges you to ‘reach new heights’ with South Downs and Snowdon treks appeared first on Amaze Sussex.

Local charity Amaze has launched a crowdfunder campaign for Amazing Futures. Amazing Futures is our youth work project supporting young people with SEND (14-25) in Brighton & Hove and East Sussex.

Amazing Futures helps young people with SEND tackle barriers they face in society. We support them to come together, make friends, have fun, try new activities, learn and be unapologetically themselves.

The crowdfunder includes a number of rewards. These have been donated by businesses and organisations across Brighton and Hove and East Sussex and includes:

• i360 Tickets,
• Amaze Merchandise,
• Family tickets to Drusillas Park
• Vouchers for Donatello and Alcampo Lounge
• Dual rider vouchers on Brighton Zip
• Tickets to Boulder Brighton
• and much more

CEO of Amaze Sally Polanski said:

“Young people tell us time and time again that having the opportunity to be with their peers in a fun, safe and inclusive space is life-changing, in helping them to develop skills and grow in confidence as they prepare for adulthood.

“We are so proud of our Amazing Futures project which has been created with young people and supported by our staff and volunteers with lived experience of SEND. We are grateful for all donations to this crowdfunder appeal, big or small, which will help to sustain this vital service, and hopefully grow it, so that we can support more young people with additional needs in Sussex for years to come.”

The crowdfunder opens Monday 22nd April, and a full list of prizes are available on the crowdfunder site.

Click here to support the crowdfunder.

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