news
See what PaCC & amaze are talking about...
Amaze seeks Head of Young People Services (Sussex)
We are looking for a passionate and dynamic professional with experience of managing young people’s programmes and a good understanding of the lives and needs of young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families, especially around preparing for adulthood. The role will lead our young people’s work and be part of...
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PaCC seeks Participation Worker
Can you help strengthen the voice of parent carers of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Brighton and Hove and East Sussex? Come and join our amazing team in helping SEND families have improved access to the support they need to ensure better lifelong outcomes Brighton and Hove Parent...
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PaCC & ESPCF seek Parent Carer Forums Partnership Co-ordinator
Can you help strengthen the voice of parent carers of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Brighton and Hove and East Sussex? Come and join our amazing team in helping SEND families have improved access to the support they need to ensure better lifelong outcomes. Brighton and Hove Parent...
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PaCC seeks Vice-Chair
Can you help strengthen the voice of parent carers of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Brighton and Hove and East Sussex? Come and join our amazing team in helping SEND families have improved access to the support they need to ensure better lifelong outcomes. Brighton and Hove Parent...
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Amaze report on the impact of the pandemic on parent carers
Earlier this year, Amaze won some funding from the NHS England (NHSE) Think Carer strand to evaluate the impact of the pandemic on parent carers. NHSE selected other organisations across the country to look at how Covid-19 affected other groups of carers and they are in the process of pulling all the findings together for...
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All change at Amaze
Rachel Travers, Amaze’s Chief Executive Officer, is stepping down from her role after 13 years at the helm. She says that working alongside incredible parent carers and young people with additional needs to develop and deliver our services has been a “great privilege”. “I have been so fortunate. Amaze is an exceptional organisation with highly...
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Face 2 Face support over the summer, new group and Family Fun event
Here’s what’s coming up with our Face 2 Face peer support project in Brighton & Hove and East Sussex, including support over the summer, a new group in Brighton & Hove for parent carers of 16 to 25 year olds, and our upcoming Family Fun event: Learn more about Face 2 Face peer support, or...
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Amaze thanks businesses across Sussex for their support
Amaze is so grateful to local businesses who are supporting our vital work with families with disabled children in Sussex. Morrisons in Eastbourne are currently hosting young people from our Amazing Futures group, who have been helping to create food bank bags whilst learning valuable job skills. The Eastbourne branch of Plumbase recently donated £315...
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Amaze seeks Fundraising Assistant
***EXTENDED DEADLINE*** We have two great opportunities for proactive, creative, and organised people to join Amaze’s small, but growing, fundraising and marketing team. Both are new roles so you will be able to help shape how they develop. We are looking for a Fundraising Assistant and an Individual Giving Fundraiser. This page is for the Fundraising...
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Amaze seeks Individual Giving Fundraiser
***EXTENDED DEADLINE*** We have two great opportunities for proactive, creative, and organised people to join Amaze’s small, but growing, fundraising and marketing team. Both are new roles so you will be able to help shape how they develop. We are looking for an Individual Giving Fundraiser and a Fundraising Assistant. This page is for the...
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Amaze seeks Young People’s Peer Support Interns
We are hiring Amaze Young People’s Peer Support Interns 12 hours a week for up to 8 months with the potential of extending this to a year funding permitting £9.90 per hour (based on living wage guidelines) Watch our short film to find out what it is like to be an Amaze intern. We are...
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Amaze seeks SENDIASS Adviser (temporary)
Up to 20 hours per week Salary: Equivalent NJC 21-22 £25, 445 – £25,963 pro rata. Amaze hourly rate £13.98-14.27 (based on 35 hours week) Fixed term contract until end of September 2022 This is an exciting opportunity to work at the heart of our friendly team, supporting parent carers of children and young people...
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Amaze seeks Befriending Project Worker (East Sussex)
18 hours per week Salary: Equivalent NJC 21-22 £25, 445-25,963 pro rata. Amaze hourly rate £13.98-14.27 (based on 35 hours week) Fixed-term to July 2023, with possibility of extension subject to funding Amaze is a Sussex-based charity that supports families with children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Face 2 Face...
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New East Sussex neurodevelopmental pathway family service coming soon
Amaze is delighted to share the news that the East Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) have commissioned us to provide a service to offer more support for families whose children are on the neurodevelopmental pathway (NDP) for conditions including autism and ADHD, both before and after diagnosis. See the Jargon Buster box below if you...
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East Sussex Parent Carer Forum seeks Engagement Worker
Can you help design a new family support service in East Sussex and strengthen the voice of parent carers and SEND families in the process? (SEND is Special Educational Needs & Disabilities) East Sussex Parent Carer Forum (ESPCF) is seeking an Engagement Worker to play a key role in helping design and develop a new...
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New guide to mental health for Peer Supporters
Our Amazing Futures interns in East Sussex have created a brilliant guide to mental health for the young people who volunteer as Peer Supporters with the project. And even if you are not a volunteer or a young person, it’s a great resource for anyone wanting to know more about supporting young people’s mental health....
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Foundations for our Future – improving mental health and wellbeing services across Sussex
The number of children and young people needing help and support for their emotional health and wellbeing across Sussex is growing every year. And it isn’t surprising that this has increased further, and at a faster rate, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The majority of families contacting our SENDIASS advice line are facing mental health...
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Holiday and Food (HAF) activities this Feb half term
Did you know that children and young people, aged 4 to 16 in receipt of benefit-related free school meals are eligible for free sessions during the school holidays? The sessions include fun activities and a meal for every child. It’s a great opportunity for children and young people to enjoy a range of fun things...
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Amaze seeks SENDIASS volunteers
Interested in supporting other families with children with SEN and disabilities? Consider becoming a SENDIASS volunteer. Volunteers are really important to the work that our Special Educational Needs & Disabilities Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) does across Brighton & Hove and East Sussex. Our SENDIASS advice line volunteers help pick up the messages from...
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Easy read letter regarding new treatments for those more at risk of COVID-19
You may have seen, from 16 December, the NHS are using new treatments for coronavirus: NHS treatments for coronavirus (COVID-19) This is for those age 12 and above who are more at risk of COVID-19 including people with Down’s Syndrome, who will be receiving a letter and a PCR test to keep at home and get...
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Helpline holiday – getting advice, information and support over Christmas
The Amaze SENDIASS helpline will close for Christmas and New Year on Thursday 23 December at 1pm and re-open on Tuesday 4 January at 9.30am. You can still send us a message and we will pick this up on 4 January but it may take us a few days to reply: sendiass@amazesussex.org.uk or 01273 772289....
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Booster vaccinations in Sussex: latest NHS statement
Our local Sussex NHS CCGs have just released this update about the vaccination programme following Government guidance on 12 December 2021. “Across Sussex, the NHS and its partners are working extremely hard to roll out the COVID-19 booster vaccination programme to our communities. All adults are eligible from Monday 13 December, and you will be...
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Amaze launch NDP Family Navigation and Training Service in Brighton & Hove
We are delighted to be launching a new service in Brighton & Hove – the NDP (Neurodevelopmental Pathway) Family Training and Navigation Service. This service has been commissioned by Brighton & Hove Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). The new NDP service aims to provide support to local parent carers at each stage along the neurodevelopmental pathway,...
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Our Amazing Gifts Campaign and other fundraising news this winter
There are lots of fundraising events in the coming months, hopefully something for everyone to enjoy, take part in, spread the word or donate to! Amazing Gifts Campaign This December, we are excited to launch the Amazing Gifts campaign designed by young people with additional needs who attend our Amazing Futures groups in Brighton &...
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New East Sussex parent carer groups to launch in new year
Face 2 Face is pleased to announce that we have some extra funding to start two new parent groups in East Sussex. Face 2 Face is Amaze’s peer support project for parent carers in Sussex. One group will take place in Hastings and one in Eastbourne. They will be hosted by Face 2 Face and...
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Carers Rights Day 2021
It’s Carers Rights Day on 25 November, and this year the campaign focuses on the rights that unpaid carers have. We’ve found some staggering statistics on the Amaze Compass West Sussex database, which shows just how hard parent carers on the Compass are working to look after their child or young person with additional needs...
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Stay Well This Winter
Amaze is working alongside the three other carers’ organisations in East Sussex to support all local carers to Stay Well This Winter. If you look after a relative, friend or neighbour, we would like to support you to focus on your well being, improve your physical health and maintain social connections. This winter there is...
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Vaccination Update – end of October
What’s the latest on Covid-19 booster vaccination for carers and vaccination for children and young people? Vaccination is a personal choice but most families of children with SEND want to know where they stand with vaccination so Amaze continues to try to keep our community up to date. The Sussex Vaccination programme website has the...
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Secondary school admissions – advice on choosing a school
Is your child due to start secondary school in September 2022? Now is the time to start booking visits to the schools you are interested in. Your local schools should have posted information about open evenings and taster sessions by now. If your child has an EHC plan there will be an Annual Review of...
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Covid-19 Vaccination – where are we now and what’s next?
The coronavirus vaccination programme has seen a series of changes and developments recently so here is an update with the essentials for parent carers and children and young people, including vaccination for children and booster shots for carers. Is it too late if I didn’t take up vaccination when I was offered it? No. If you...
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Free infection prevention and control support for unpaid carers in East Sussex
Unpaid carers in East Sussex can now get free support with infection prevention and control from East Sussex PA Infection Prevention & Control Project (PA IPC). Since January this year, PA IPC has been supporting East Sussex’s paid personal assistants with key actions to help reduce the transmission of germs and infections. The good news...
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More progress on improvements to the neurodevelopmental pathway
Amaze and the local parent carer forums are getting involved in developments to the neurodevelopmental pathway (NDP) in both Brighton & Hove and East Sussex. The neurodevelopmental pathway (NDP) describes the different steps that a child or young person goes through from referral to the diagnosis of a neurodevelopmental condition such as autism or ADHD....
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East Sussex Children and Young People with SEND Joint Strategic Needs Assessment
The East Sussex Children and Young People with SEND Joint Strategic Needs Assessment report has been published. What is the SEND Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA)? If you are a parent carer in East Sussex, you may recall completing a survey earlier this year, asking about your family’s views and experiences of SEND services in...
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Latest news about vaccination for children and young people
16 or 17 year olds If you have a 16 or 17 year old, your child can be vaccinated if you and they want this. There are walk in clinics across Sussex this week which you can use instead of booking via the invitation from your GP-linked vaccination service. Details of walk in sessions are...
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Update about vaccination for under 18s
The Sussex Vaccination Programme has released an update about vaccination for under 18s on 20 August. They set out what is happening for three groups: clinically extremely vulnerable 12 to 15 year olds 12 to 15 year olds who live with someone who is immunosuppressed all 16 and 17 year olds If you have a 16...
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Amaze seeks Information, Advice and Guidance Co-ordinator
Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to co-ordinate and deliver a service that makes a significant difference to the lives of young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Sussex? Amaze is an award-winning local charity that provides a range of information, advice and support to children and young people with SEND...
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DLA and PIP information and advice over the summer
Our Disability Benefits team will be taking some well-deserved leave this summer, so we will have reduced support for this service over the next month. If you need help with your DLA or PIP claim, please read on. We have put together guidance to help with your next steps (including any information we need from...
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12-15 year olds at increased risk from coronavirus (Covid-19) to be offered a vaccine
On 19 July, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) announced that children at increased risk of serious coronavirus (Covid-19) disease are to be offered a vaccine. This follows their announcement in June that the Pfizer vaccine has been approved for use for 12 to 15 year olds. Based on scientific advice, vaccination will...
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Amaze seeks Information Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) Manager
Are you looking for an exciting new opportunity to lead a service that makes a difference to the lives of families with children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Sussex? Amaze is an award-winning local charity that gives information, advice and support to children and young people with special educational...
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PaCC seeks Vice-Chair
Exciting opportunity with the Brighton & Hove Parent Carers’ Council (PaCC) Are you looking for an exciting new opportunity to really make a difference to the lives of families with children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Brighton & Hove? PaCC is the parent-led forum which represents parents and carers...
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Your Choice, Your Voice: our new group for sharing views and shaping Amaze services for young people
Your Choice, Your Voice is a new group that has been set up by some of the young people from our Amazing Futures peer support project. The group aims to give young people more responsibility and a voice within Amaze to shape the offers and opportunities we provide. Through participating in the group, young people...
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Schools Wellbeing Service and Mental Health Support Team working together with parents and carers
A new partnership between Brighton & Hove Inclusion Support Service (BHISS), Amaze and PaCC has recently launched. The aim is to enable families with children with SEND living in Brighton & Hove to access information on wellbeing and mental health, either online or by attending workshops. The first workshop took place in June and offered...
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Could you befriend another parent of a child with SEND in East Sussex?
Our Face 2 Face project is all about parent carers using their experience and insight to help others who are just starting out on their journey as the parent of a child with additional needs, or going through particular challenges. Could you be one of our volunteer befrienders in East Sussex? We’d offer you full...
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Amazing Futures Kickstart Traineeship
Amazing Futures have a Kickstart Traineeship vacancy, advertised through Eastbourne Job Centre. To apply for the Amazing Futures Kickstart Traineeship, please download and complete the following application and diversity monitoring forms (and apply through Eastbourne Job Centre): Kickstart Amazing Futures Trainee Application Form Diversity Monitoring Form
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Amaze seeks Young People’s Peer Support Interns
Paid Internship Opportunity Two roles available: in Brighton & Hove and Eastbourne 12 hours a week for up to 8 months with the potential of extending this to a year, funding permitting £9.50 per hour (based on living wage guidelines) Watch our short film to find out what it is like to be an Amaze...
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Amaze’s Lizzie Batten awarded MBE
We are so delighted and proud to announce that our DLA/PIP project manager, Lizzie Batten, has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for her services to children and young people with disabilities and their families! Lizzie has been actively supporting parents and carers of disabled children in a multitude of ways...
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Reduced funding means some changes to services at Amaze
We are sorry to share that Amaze is having to cut back in a few areas of our service delivery, due to not getting all our funding agreed. Firstly, as our National Lottery Community Fund funding was not renewed for our work with young people with SEND, we have had to slightly reduce the number...
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New Sussex Police autism passport now downloadable
We’re happy to pass on information about the new Sussex Police autism passport. This passport was co-produced by autistic people, the Sussex Police and the local NHS neurodevelopmental service, based on similar cards in other areas. The aim is to make sure that if someone comes into contact with the police or other services there...
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Symptom-free Covid-19 tests now available to parent carers
Parent carers can now access regular Covid-19 lateral flow (rapid) testing if they live in Sussex. These tests are normally available for anyone over 18 who lives or works in Sussex who cannot work from home and who does not have access to a symptom-free test through other routes. However, carers have been told they...
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Update on the East Sussex SEND Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA)
We’d like to say a huge thank you to all the parent carers who participated in the recent survey for the East Sussex Joint Strategic Needs Assessment for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). East Sussex Parent Carer Forum, East Sussex County Council, the Clinical Commissioning Group and Amaze worked together to develop the survey...
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events
See what's happening...
Amazing Futures groups and peer support [Brighton & Hove and East Sussex]
01st July 2022 - 01st September 2022 - All Day
Cuppa, Cake & Chat – Eastbourne Well-being special
13th September 2022 - 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Amaze Eastbourne
56-58 Seaside, Eastbourne, BN22 7QL
EastbourneCuppa, Cake & Chat – Hastings Well-being special
13th September 2022 - 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
The Nest
High Street, Hastings, TN34 3EW
HastingsFree Amaze Zoom Workshop - How to claim DLA
15th September 2022 - 10:30 am - 12:00 pm
How to claim Personal Independence Payments (PIP)
28th September 2022 - 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
What is SEN Support in School or College?
29th September 2022 - 10:30 am - 12:30 pm
Free Amaze Zoom workshop: Annual Review - Getting the most from your EHCP
05th October 2022 - 10:30 am - 12:30 pm
Cuppa, Cake & Chat – Hastings
13th October 2022 - 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
BN21 1QJ
The Nest Old Town High Street, Hastings, TN34 3EW
HastingsFree Amaze Zoom workshop: Preparing for Adulthood- Planning from Year 9
17th October 2022 - 10:30 am - 12:30 pm
Free Amaze Zoom Workshop - How to claim DLA
19th October 2022 - 10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Cuppa, Cake & Chat – Eastbourne
20th October 2022 - 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Amaze Eastbourne
56-58 Seaside, Eastbourne, BN22 7QL
EastbourneHow to claim Personal Independence Payments (PIP)
03rd November 2022 - 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Cuppa, Cake & Chat – Hastings
08th November 2022 - 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
BN21 1QJ
The Nest Old Town High Street, Hastings, TN34 3EW
HastingsFree Amaze workshop Understanding EHC plans & how to make a request for one
10th November 2022 - 10:30 am - 12:30 pm
Cuppa, Cake & Chat – Eastbourne
16th November 2022 - 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Amaze Eastbourne
56-58 Seaside, Eastbourne, BN22 7QL
EastbourneFree Amaze Zoom Workshop - How to claim DLA
30th November 2022 - 10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Free Amaze Zoom workshop: Preparing for Adulthood- Planning from Year 9
06th December 2022 - 10:30 am - 12:30 pm
Cuppa, Cake & Chat – Hastings
07th December 2022 - 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
BN21 1QJ
The Nest Old Town High Street, Hastings, TN34 3EW
HastingsCuppa, Cake & Chat – Eastbourne
13th December 2022 - 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Amaze Eastbourne
56-58 Seaside, Eastbourne, BN22 7QL
EastbourneHow to claim Personal Independence Payments (PIP)
13th December 2022 - 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm