Walsall Short Breaks Expression of Interests – Summer 2023 School Holiday
We are pleased to announce the programme of Short Breaks taking place during the Summer 2023 school holiday (26th July-18th August over 4 weeks).
More information on the activities that are available, eligibility and how to express an interest for a place for a child or young people with a disability, are detailed in the attached booklet.
Important: An up to date short breaks passport (that has been reviewed and updated within the last 12 months) is required to access the programme, to ensure we have the right information for the planning of activities and support for our children and young people.
The information has been published online at
https://go.walsall.gov.uk/children-and-young-people/send-local-offer/social-care/short-breaks
The ‘Link’ below to submit Expressions of Interests (EOI) is also available on Page 3 (Point 4) of the attached booklet.
Expression on Interest Form – Summer 2023
Deadline for Expression of Interests – 12 noon on Friday 9th June 2023.
We want families to share with us their experiences of the Short Breaks Holiday Offer. Please direct any queries or feedback on your experiences of Walsall’s Short Breaks Services by email to Shortbreaks@walsall.gov.uk
Thanking you in advance for your feedback and valued responses. Information gathered will help us to develop Walsall’s Short Breaks Services and inform the future planning of services.
For more information on Walsall Short Breaks Service –
https://go.walsall.gov.uk/children-and-young-people/send-local-offer/social-care/short-breaks
Short breaks Holiday Booklet SUMMER 2023
AUTISM TRAINING FOR PARENTS/CARERS
Many of you have children who either already has a diagnosis of autism, or who are perhaps on a pathway towards a diagnosis. Some of you are perhaps in the early stages of this process or may just be starting to feel that perhaps your child has traits of autism. On the attached flyer are some details of training that is available for all parents in your position. It’s free to all Walsall parents. It’s exceptionally good training and it really helps you to understand your child, what they experience and how you can help them. Sadly, there isn’t much available in the way of support or training for parents of autistic children, so I would highly recommend that you get yourself booked on.
The parent training is shown on Page 4. You could take family members too – often it can be even harder for them to understand how to support your child.
SASSY SWIMMING LESSONS
Please find below information about some new Sassy Sensory Swimming and Sports sessions commencing in February.
These sessions are funded by Walsall Short Breaks and start Sunday 4th February at Bloxwich active living centre. These sessions will run monthly for children with special educational needs and disabilities in Walsall.
It is anticipated the demand for these sessions will be high so they are kindly asking if you could book one session per month, either the swimming session or the sports session.
Both sessions will be relaxed and will have sensory elements for the children to explore in a safe, tailored environment and siblings are most welcomed. For booking, please see below the links.
Sassy Sports Session – https://buytickets.at/sassysensorysurprises/835526
Sassy Relaxed pool session – https://buytickets.at/sassysensorysurprises/835531
Visual booklets can be requested for swimming. This booklet will provide visuals of the pool, changing room and entrance area and information regarding the session. We do ask an adult to enter the water with the children.
AUTISM WORKSHOPS
Please see attached flyer for information re the above over the coming months.
WALSALL SENDIAS INFORMATION
Please see flyers below from the Walsall Sendias Team based at Manor Farm Community Centre. The newsletter contains a lot of useful information for parents and carers including advice on the cost of living crisis. For information the toy appeal is now fully booked.
WEST MIDLANDS POLICE INFORMATION
West Midlands Police Anti-social Behaviour1 Off road bikes
WALSALL SEND LOCAL OFFER
Please see attached flyer for more information.
TRANSITION TIPS FOR PARENTS AND CARERS
EARLY HELP
The Early Help school ready team are excited to share with you the third edition of the Early Help newsletter. Within their newsletter, you will find information of groups and events in each locality as well as fun enriching activities to do at home
Newsletter 3rd edition – Final
You can also find lots of virtual activities on their Early Help Website: https://go.walsall.gov.uk/children_and_young_people/early_help/early_help_for_parents/things_to_do_with_your_children
UNDERSTANDING YOUR CHILD – SPRING CLEAN ON LINE COURSE
Parents and carers are able to take part in these free anonymous, evidence-based, online courses:
1. Understanding your pregnancy, labour, birth and your baby (antenatal)
2. Understanding your baby (postnatal)
3a. Understanding your child (0-19+ yrs, main course)
3b. Understanding your child with additional needs (0-19+ yrs, main course)
4. Understanding your teenager’s brain (short course)
5. Understanding your brain (for teenagers only!)
6. Understanding your child’s feelings (a taster course)
7. Understanding your child’s mental health and wellbeing (accompanies 3a and/or 3b)
8. Understanding your relationships (coming soon!)
Please click on poster below for more information.
WALSALL JUNIOR RANGERS CLUB
Below is a Junior Ranger information booklet for parents/carers of Year 7 and 8 pupils. All information, including who to contact for places, is covered within the booklet.
PROJECT ME COURSE
It is with great pleasure that I can announce a brand new free mental health initiative that is now available within the Walsall borough, called Project Me™.
After a successful pilot programme in 2020 The Big Happiness Experiment CiC have been awarded funding from The Big Lottery Community Fund to deliver a unique new programme designed to support those residents of Walsall (and the surrounding areas), who are suffering from anxiety, depression, chronic stress, burnout, low levels of confidence and a lack of self-esteem. These individuals may, or may not, have sought help from their doctor or other services, but may feel that they now need help to address their issues.
Project Me™ provides a unique framework of education, practical tools, and state of the art strategies that are combined with a safe social environment for those people struggling to cope with their current mental and emotional states. It equips participants with knowledge and tools in order that they can develop healthy attitudes towards mental health and greater emotional resilience, whilst strengthening their capacities to manage stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.
This project will be running for three years and opened its doors last month (September 2021). The grant funding has made it possible to launch a long-term solution for people in the community who are struggling with poor mental and emotional health.
Project Me™ is unique in structure and is ‘the new kid on the block’. It has been designed to support and enhance the existing services on offer to Walsall residents, who are unsure about where to turn next. There are no rigid criteria for entry; the project is open to anyone living in the Walsall borough (18yrs+) whether they are working, unemployed, currently receiving support, having been ‘signed off’ from support, or who have never received formal support, because they have not met existing service providers criteria, or have only recently started to struggle.
Project Me™ is a structured 14-week group programme, that also has an element of personal support, with each (in person) group taking place on a Wednesday morning. Alongside the weekly two-hour sessions, that take place from 10am till 12pm, there is also a substantial library of online classes, resources, and a complete toolkit that accompanies the programme.
For those people that may struggle to attend the Wednesday morning sessions in person, we are offering the opportunity to access this course virtually via our online platform.
The programme has been created, and is facilitated by, Jules Mitchell and her Aldridge based community interest company, The Big Happiness Experiment.
Further details are below:
https://bit.ly/ProjectMeBooklet
Project Me Flyer – PDF version
Project Me – Session Overview Information
FREE SLEEP WORKSHOP
School Health are offering a *NEW Workshop around sleep*. If any parents feel they would benefit from this workshop please follow the details on the flyer below.
School Nursing Sleep Workshop Flyer 2021
PHYSICAL SUPPORT GROUPS FOR PARENTS AND CARERS
Details of peer support groups in the Wednesday, Willenhall and Pelsall areas are detailed on the flyers below.
EARLY HELP ON LINE PARENTING WORKSHOPS
Below are details of workshops being run by the Early Help team that might appeal to parents and carers. Please contact James Hawkins, Family Welfare Officer, if you are interested in taking part in any of these courses.
Menu of parenting offer JUNE TERM 2021
UNDERSTANDING YOUR CHILD WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
A variety of courses are being run by Walsall Health Care and are available free of charge for Walsall parents and carers. These include:
Understanding your pregnancy (including a version for women couples)
Understanding your baby
Understanding your child
Understanding your child (0-19+ yrs) (main course)
Understanding your child with additional needs (main course)
Understanding your teenager’s brain (short course)
Understanding your brain (for teenagers only)
Understanding your child’s feelings (short, taster course) COMING SOON
To access any of these courses please click here
The code to use once on the website to enable free access is WALSAPARNT
If you have any problems or queries, please contact Bev Bailey, Family Welfare Officer.
LAUNCH OF FAMILY ACTION BY SEND IASS
Details of this new national charity that delivers support services helping to transform lives and build stronger families are on the flyer below.
Walsall SENDIASS support update
WALSALL INFORMATION ADVICE AND SUPPORT SERVICE (SEND)
Parents and carers can get free impartial and confidential information as well as support/guidance from the SEND Department at the EDC – see information below for more details.
Walsall Council SENDIASS are able to provide free, impartial, confidential advice and support about education, health and social care to children, young people and their parents on matters relating to special educational needs and disability.
Ordinarily they are based at the Education Development Centre in Pelsall but are currently available by email and telephone from home. Please see contact details below.
Aileen Overton. Aileen.Overton@walsall.gov.uk. Mobile: 07827 311786
John Bird. john.bird@walsall.gov.uk Mobile 07384821795
A number of on line zoom meetings have been organised by the SENDIASS team – details of which are on the flyer below.
THE WALSALL FOR ALL COMMUNITY DIALOGUE PROJECT
Are you a resident living in Walsall and interested in meeting new people from across the borough? This may be just the project for you: The Walsall For All Community Dialogue Project. Across three online dialogue sessions, facilitated by us, you will have the opportunity to:
- Share your experiences and stories with others
- Talk about the things that are important to you about living in Walsall
- Meet people from different backgrounds
If you are interested in getting involved as a participant or you would like a group that you are currently involved with to be part of the project, please register your interest by signing-up here and we will be in touch.
If you are having trouble accessing the form, or want to learn more, please get in contact with Daisy: daisy@faithbeliefforum.org or Jaishree: jaishree@faithbeliefforum.org
Jaishree Patel
Schools Programmes Officer, West Midlands
The Faith & Belief Forum
E: jaishree@faithbeliefforum.org
T: 0748 300 8153
FAMILY RESOURCES FROM EARLY HELP
Please find details below of a number of workshops organised by Early Help which parents and carers may find useful.
TOP TIP SHEETS AND VIRTUAL SESSIONS FOR PARENTS AND CARERS
Below are a number of coronavirus inspired information sheets that have been provided from the Early Help Team at Myplace which parents and carers may find useful.
RAINBOW BOOKLETS
The Rainbow booklets have been designed as part of the Black Country Rainbow Hour Campaign which seeks to provide all children and young people with access to one hour of wellbeing and physical activity each day. These booklets provides a range of wellbeing and physical activities for delivery in schools as part of their Rainbow Hour or can be shared with pupils still learning from home so everyone can be involved.
Black Country Rainbow Book_Edition2
Black Country Rainbow Book Edition3
FINAL_Black Country Rainbow Book_Edition13_Feb22(web version)
AUTISM GROUP FOR PARENTS/CARERS
On 8th October 2019 and on every second Tuesday from then on an autism group, Supporting the Rainbow, meets at lunchtime from 1:30-2:30 pm in the Community Centre (The old Annex, or Central Boys School), Brownhills, just off the Miner Island). The group is open to parents and carers for those with autism, and aims to offer a welcoming, helpful and supportive network to those coping with the condition.
Supporting the Rainbow is now an official charity affiliated with Rethink Mental Health! The new venue is in a beautiful room on the ground floor so it makes it easier for people with pushchairs and people with disabilities to manage.
The group are looking forward to this new change and for the lovely group to progress and move onward: workshops and so much more are being looked into.
The fortnightly meetings make it easier for some people who are unable to attend weekly and a raffle as well as tea and biscuits are also on offer.
AUTISM NETWORK FOR PARENT/CARERS
H
ope (Helping other parents to be empowered) is an autism support group that meets monthly at Rushall Library on a Tuesday at 9.15 am. Details of dates are on the flyer below.
Free online courses for residents of WALSALL:
- Understanding your pregnancy birth labour and your baby
- Understanding your baby
- Understanding your child
Walsall Council are delighted to announce that we have purchased a multi-user licence for three Solihull Approach online courses, for all parents and parents-to-be living in our borough. This means every single resident can access the courses completely free of charge!
These courses are for everyone who wants to be the best mum, dad, grandparent, carer that they can be.
The Solihull Approach aims to improve emotional health and wellbeing by supporting relationships (www.solihullapproachparenting.com ). The courses are written by CAMHS professionals with other health and education workers. They are evidence based and accredited by the DfE.
Together we are aiming to change the culture around parents‘ self-development and improve children’s wellbeing at the same time. A smoother home life is good for concentration, learning and performance at school.
Further information can be obtained from Bev or James in our Family Welfare department.
TALKING THERAPIES SERVICE
The flyer below gives information on the above service available to anyone over 17 who would like to access the service.
NEW ON LINE PARENTING COURSE
Parents and Carers may be interested in this on line course, Understanding Your Teenager’s Behaviour. Further details are on the flyer below.
Understand Your Teenager’s Brain
PARENTAL HANDBOOK
Please find a copy of our parental handbook which is shared with parents/carers when a child joins the school.