Our Voice

Drop -in, all-ability cycling sessions take place at Bush Hill Park every Monday from 10 am to 3 pm. The sessions are designed for people from age 5 upwards with learning, physical and/or sensory disabilities to enjoy cycling on a range of adapted cycles, including single/tandem tricycles, side-by-side cycles for two or more people, wheelchair platform cycles and go-kart style recumbent cycles.  After being shown how to use the cycles by the friendly volunteers and staff, attendees are free to cycle around the park or green space with their friends, family or carer. Please note that one-to-one support is not available,  but parents and carers are encouraged to ride alongside the people they are supporting. As sessions are popular and there are only a limited number of bikes (particularly those suitable for children) you may have to wait for the bike that you want to use to become available.  If possible, you may prefer to visit in the afternoon which is normally quieter.

Full details at https://www.bikeworks.org.uk/all-ability-clubs/

If you have any questions, please email all.ability@bikeworks.org.uk

Carers are encouraged to consider making a contingency plan for those they care for, in case something unexpected means that they are no longer able to provide support themselves.

Enfield Carers Centre, with support from Carers and Parents in Enfield (CAPE) and Preparing for Adulthood (formerly known as Moving On) are running a series of events for the carers of adults with a learning disability (aged 17 or over) looking at this topic.

The sessions will be held on the first Friday of each month from 5^th August to 2^nd December and will be from 12 to 2 pm at the Park Avenue Resource Centre.

Please see the flyer here and the ECC website here and email casmanager@enfieldcarers.org to book your place 

The Government is currently consulting on changes to the legislation which supports children and young people (0-25) with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. 

The proposals are set out in the SEND Review Green Paper* and parents and carers now have an opportunity to give their views on the proposals through a consultation running until 22nd July, and through the NNPCF survey running until 30th June. 

This is the first review of the legislation introduced in the Children and Families Act 2014, and is very significant. Much of what is in the 'Green paper' is positive but there are also some concerning aspects, and it is important for parents and carers to give their views to shape the final legislation. 

You can see the presentation from our discussion event on 27th June here.

All the resources are available on Gov.uk

The full green paper is here.

This is 104 pages long so you may find it helpful to use this summary and this presentation from the National Network of Parent Carer Forums (of which Our Voice is a member) which sets out the proposals and some of the possible implications. You can also see a recording of the presentation. 

The National Network of Parent Carer Forums (NNPCF) has set out its initial response to the proposals here. 

You can respond to the consultation using the online survey here - the deadline is 22nd July. 

You can also reply to the NNPCF survey here - the deadline has just been extended to 7th July. This will enable your views to be included in the response put forward by the organisation that represents all parent carer forums across the UK. 

You may also want to have a look at the Schools' White Paper* which will work alongside the Green Paper and which sets out plans which will impact all children and young people in schools (including, but not specific to, children with SEND). See the paper here and the NNPCF initial response here. 

Accessible versions of the information are available: 

• A full British Sign Language (BSL) version to support those who are deaf or have a hearing impairment
• An easy read version to support those with learning disabilities 
• A guide to help children and young people with SEND, or those in alternative provision, to understand the green paper and respond to the consultation. 
• If you would like a Braille or audio version of the Green paper or a different accessible format, please email SENDreview.consultation@education.gov.uk

* What is a Green Paper and what is a White Paper? 

The term 'White Paper' refers to a published statement of government policy or strategy. THey often include the reasons for, and some details of, planned legislative change. 

The term 'Green Paper' refers to a government consultation on policy. Green Papers usually outline proposals and alternative options and seek views from interested parties before proceeding. A 'Green Paper is often (but not always) followed by a White Paper on the same topic, which sets out proposals as the ideas are firmed up. White papers may also invite further comments. The NNPCF will be commenting on the Schools' White Paper. 

The Summer Uni is a programme of activities for the school summer holidays for young people aged 11 - 19, or up to 25 if they have SEND. 

The programme for Summer 22 is now out and details are in the brochure here. An early sign up option is currently open exclusively for young people with SEND until Friday 8th July, after which booking will be open for all young people.

If you would like to take advantage of early booking, to give your young person the best chance of obtaining a place, you will need to fill out the SEND referral form which you can access here. This will also give you the opportunity to explain any support that your young person will need to access the activities. 

Our Holiday Playschemes and short breaks 'Meet the Providers' Event will take place from 9.30 am to 12 noon on Tuesday 14th June, and will be held jointly with the Local Authority. 

The event will give parents a chance to hear directly from organisations providing playschemes and activities during the school holidays, to help you think about your options for the summer holidays and beyond. 

No need to book - just join using the link provided on this flyer.

More details are on the flyer including the full agenda. 

Our booklet on what's on this May half term can be seen here - full of information on SEND playschemes, leisure activities and days out, in and around the Enfield area.

The Local Authority's booklet on playschemes and activities updated for May 22 is here. 

You can also see a booklet on the ECYPS Teenscheme here.  

ECASS (Enfield Communication Advisory Support Service) is running a programme of events for parents and carers of children and young people with communication difficulties. 

For details and the booking links see this flyer. 

The events are: 

Tuesday 10th May - Recognising Behaviour as Communication ages 5-7 - 10 - 11.30 am

Thursday 19th May - Recognising Behaviour as Communication ages 8-11 - 10 - 11.30 am

Tuesday 7th June - Recognising Behaviour as Communication in Secondary school-aged children - 10 - 11.30 am

Monday 4th July - What to do if I am concerned about my child's speech language and communication - 10 - 11.30 am

Thursday 7th July - Independence Skills for children with SLCN 9.30 - 10.30 

See our guide to activities and playschemes during the Easter holidays here and the Local Authority's booklet on playschemes and activities here. 

The Easter Holiday Activities and Food programme provides free activities and food for children in receipt of benefit related free school meals. See the booklet here. This is not a SEND-Specific programme so please talk to individual providers about your child's specific additional needs. 

The Our Voice 'Meet the SEND Heads' parents conference is the most important event in our calendar. 

On 11th March 2022, we held our sixth annual 'Meet the SEND Heads' event with an online Q&A panel session. 

We were joined by the Heads (or their representatives) of: 

• SEN Services
• Social Care/Short Breaks/Joint Service for Disabled Children
• Education
• Educational Psychology Service (EPS) 
• CAMHS/SCAN
• Health (including Speech and Language, OT, Physio)
• ILDS (Integrated Learning Disability Service)
• Early Years
• Transport and Travel Brokers 
• EASA (Enfield Advisory Service for Autism) 

Before the event, we published updates from the different LA / Health Areas which you can see in this pack here. 

Following the event, we have collated the questions and answers from the session, along with many of those which were asked before or during the session and which we didn't have time to address. You can see the full Q&A here (updated version at 30.3.22) and the additional structure/contact chart from SEN Services here. 

 Enfield's Local Authority have developed a new draft SEND Strategy which you can see here and there is an easy-read version here.

They know that your experiences as parents and wealth of information concerning SEND are very valuable and would like your feedback on the draft strategy. 

Please give your views by completing the short survey here by 5pm on Tuesday 22nd March.