Useful Links/information
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Looking for a place at a Special School - some guidance
To attend a Special School, a young person needs to have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan in place
The admissions system for children with EHC plans is different; you do not go through the normal admissions system.
Part of the process of getting an EHC plan involves getting a 'named' school. This means that you can express a preference for the school you want at the time you first get the EHC plan or when your child moves to a different phase of education.
If your child is currently placed in a school, you can ask for a change of school at an annual review.
When you get a draft EHC plan, the name of the school in section I will be left blank. You will be asked for your preference of school, which might be mainstream or special.
You have a right to express a preference for any school in the following categories:
- Maintained schools (community schools and voluntary-aided or controlled schools)
- Academies and free schools
- Further education colleges
- Non-maintained special schools (independent but generally run not-for-profit)
- Approved independent schools or colleges on the government's 'section 41' list
The local authority must then consult with your preferred school; that normally involves sending the school a copy of the EHC plan and reports. The school will give an opinion about whether they can meet your child's needs, but the final decision on whether to name a school lies with the local authority.
The local authority must consider your preference as long as it is:
- Suitable for your child's age, ability, aptitude and special educational needs
- Not incompatible with:
- The efficient education of other children
- The efficient use of resources
As a school we may return a negative consultation for a variety of reasons:
- Your child doesn't fit the profile of the children that make up our main population, for example in terms of level of learning disability
- Taking another child would impact on the education of others in the school
- Your child has a primary need that is not in line with our main population.
It is the local authority that will inform you of the outcome of the consultation.
The local authority will also seek consultation with other schools in the area that it considers able to meet your child’s needs
As a school, we only get asked if we can accommodate needs.
The SENDCo at your child’s school is the best place to seek support with this process
Further information and guidance can be sought from the Casework Team, contactable through Somerset Direct 0300 123 2224
Therapy Directory
National Autistic Society
The leading UK charity for people with autism (including Asperger's Syndrome) and their families.
NAS Helpline: 0808 800 4104
NAS Somerset Branch
provides a range of quality, personalised support services for people on the autistic spectrum and their families and carers in Somerset.
Tel: 01278 760555
Email: somerset.service@nas.org.uk
Autism Somerset
A comprehensive website based directory and forum for families, health, education and social care practitioners and providers. Supporting all those affected by autism and associated conditions.
Somerset Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support (SENDIAS):
This service offers impartial information and support to parents and carers of children with special educational needs. This can be provided through individual one to one support, telephone help-line, email enquiry line, website or leaflets covering a range of SEN topics. The Service also offers information and training sessions on a range of topics relating to SEN for parent and special interest groups.
For more information, call 01823 355578
email: info@somersetsend.org.uk
Somerset Parent Carer Forum
A parent-led forum which is committed to finding out what parents and carers think, listening to what parents and carers have to say and getting parental/carers' views and voices heard by the Local Authority, Health and Government.
Tel: 01278 699397
Email: info@somersetpcf.org.uk
Parent Support Groups
Please visit http://www.somersetpcf.org.uk/default.aspx for further information and list of Autism Parent Groups across Somerset.
Somerset Local Offer
'Secret's of a teenage brain: a psychologist's guide for teachers'
'The mysterious workings of the adolescent brain'
‘Counselling Directory’
Counselling Directory was set up by a team who know how difficult it can be to find support. Through our own experiences of mental health issues, we have learnt how important having relevant information is and how the right support can help transform lives. Our team is passionate about counselling and we want to promote the huge benefits talk therapy can have.
Our website is a confidential service that encourages those in need to seek help and to connect individuals with qualified counsellors in the UK. The site contains information on the common reasons people turn to counselling, as well as articles, news, and events. To ensure the professionalism of our website, all counsellors have provided us with proof of membership with a professional body.
We are now a leading support network. On the website we have a page on Autism which can be found here: http://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/autism.html
Autism and Sleep Disorders
Sleep Help, a site devoted to spreading awareness of sleep health and wellness, specifically for helping children and adults with autism to get better sleep: https://www.sleephelp.org/autism-asd/
Researchers have found that autism can affect the body’s ability to produce melatonin at the correct times, causing autistic children and adults to experience daytime fatigue and difficulty falling asleep at night. Sensory issues in the bedroom can also make it difficult to fall asleep and sleep well throughout the night. Our guide covers these issues in detail and gives some simple, non-prescription options for getting a better night’s sleep.
The Complete Guide to Insomnia - and How You Can Manage It
https://howtosleep.co.uk/guides/the-complete-guide-to-insomnia
This guide contains plenty of information such as:
- An in-depth look at insomnia: what causes it, the different kinds of insomnia, and its effects on health and wellbeing.
- Advice for managing insomnia effectively with stress management and relaxation techniques, proper diet and exercise, good sleeping environment, CBT, and mindfulness meditation.
- How certain medications and treatments can affect sleep, the importance of routine for good sleep hygiene, and why you should keep a sleep journal.
- Links to other useful resources and websites to better understand and develop good sleeping habits.
Useful Videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mo5Ai9DzFLw&t=5s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wRlJ_3x8zc – LD health check â
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hrz2O463q6M&feature=youtu.be – Employability â
https://youtu.be/8RV43KUo7b0- Independent Living â
https://youtu.be/0gz0qjdXyxQ - Mental Capacity â
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSJGEjBr8Gs&app=desktop Employability – Education Business Partnershipâ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QRLUphaoTU&feature=youtu.be – Young People's Championsâ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv1oTJxF_ZE Life Hacksâ
Supporting students with autism
Engage recently published the guide entitled 'Supporting students with autism' to provide support to both teachers in the classroom, and also to provide parents with the information they need to provide continued support for autism at home.
You can view the guide here: https://engage-education.com/blog/supporting-students-with-autism-in-the-classroom/
The guide has been created as an easily digested overview of what autism is, including:
- Statistics and information about autism and education
- Strategies for supporting a child with autism
- Helpful materials for further reading and insight into educational autism resources
A useful guide for people with ASD using the internet:
https://www.wizcase.com/blog/internet-safety-guide-for-people-with-autism-spectrum-disorders/#8
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