Meeting our service
The service is made up Head of SEND Support, the Early Years and Sensory Impairment Teams. The service works with schools and families to support children and young people with additional needs, who do not have an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP). This support can be in many different forms. It can come through direct work with the school or family. It can also be through signposting to other services within Cognus or other agencies. These services then provide the necessary advice and support.
The Early Years team has six advisors and the Child Development Officer. The advisors provide support for pre- schools, nurseries, and schools. They support settings to deliver high quality provision and meet safeguarding requirements. They also help settings to meet the needs of children with additional needs.
The Child Development Officer supports all Childminders within the London Borough of Sutton. This ensures that all Childminders meet the statutory safeguarding requirements. It also ensures that provision is in line with the Early Years revised framework. We ensure children aged 0 – 5 years receive the best start in their educational journey. The team ensure they are able to access all the necessary services to enable them to achieve and thrive.
Each team member provide face to face, daily support for our visually impaired. This includes hearing-impaired babies, toddlers, children, young people, settings, and families.
What can families expect from the service?
We provide high-quality advice and support, to children, young people, families, and settings. We build positive and strong relationship with all the families with whom we work. We put children and young people at centre of everything we do. We work to ensure we achieve the best outcomes possible.
Service updates are available through our termly Early Years newsletter or through our website.
How do I gain support if I have a question?
Our contact details are available on our website. Please give us a call or send us an email and we will do our best to help you. Every member of the SEND Support Team is very passionate about what we do. We will do everything we can to ensure the needs of our children and young people are met.
Online resources to support
The National Autistic Society: national information about autism including specific guides around autism-related strengths and difficulties as well as information for the wider family. www.nas.org.uk; http://www.nassutton.org.uk/
The National Autistic Society’s Autism Helpline has interpretation facilities. This enables them to provide information to families in 150 languages over the phone. Someone has to speak in English at first and give the language required. The helpline staff will phone the family back with the interpreter. Telephone: 0845 070 4003 or 0808 800 4104 (Mon‐Friday 10am‐3pm).
Parent to Parent Helpline: Parent to Parent is a confidential telephone service providing emotional support to parents and carers of autistic adults or children. The service is provided by trained parent volunteers who are all parents of an autistic adult or child. Telephone: 0808 800 4106 (leave a message and they will call back)
Sutton Local Offer: Information about the support and opportunities that are available locally including education, health and social care.
http://localoffer.sutton.gov.uk/
Sutton Parents’ Forum: https://www.suttonparentsforum.org.uk/
The Sutton Parents Carers Forum is run by parents for parents, primarily to make sure that the collective difficulties are recognised by the London Borough of Sutton, and that parents have a voice within the Local Authority to effectively inform decisions about resources, services and policies which will directly affect children.
SIASS – Sutton Information, Advice and Support Service: Email: sutton@siass.co.uk or Tel: 020 8323 0462
SIASS provides free impartial, confidential, and accurate information, advice and support about education, health and social care for children, young people and their parents / carers.
https://www.siass.co.uk/
Adapt to Learn: Provide a wide range of practical and relevant training opportunities to help increase understanding of children with social communication needs and autism. They offer individual assessments and strategies, training, consultancy and bespoke interventions. https://adapttolearn.com/about/
Playwise CIC: PlayWise offers new, innovative and bespoke interventions for families either at home, the community hub or in their learning setting. PlayWise supports children aged 0-8 years.
https://playwise.org.uk/
Activities for Young People
Knots Arts: inclusive, friendly, and fun sessions where children and young people feel safe and supported to develop their communication skills and build friendships. By meeting others who understand the challenges that social communication difficulties can bring, children are able to work together to embrace their differences and overcome any obstacles that they may present. For young people aged 4-25. Contact hello@knotsarts.com or 07947 212485
https://knotsarts.com/about-us/
15th Wallington Scouts Group: We run Beavers, Cubs and Scouts for young people (boys and girls) with additional needs, taking part in adventurous activities, nights away and other activities including games, craft, cooking. Beavers: 6–8-year-olds Cubs: 8–10-year-olds Scouts 10-14 year olds
Contact Catherine Keen on 020 8661 7532 or catherine_keen2000@yahoo.co.uk
http://15wallington.scoutsites.org.uk/
Sutton Eagles Special Needs Football Club: Contact Louise Bowman on 020 8669 6797 or louiseb@lineone.net
http://www.suttoneaglesfc.co.uk
Phoenix Rangers: run in the Wallington area every Thursday at 4.30pm during term times. For more information and to book a place please contact Olivia Griffin on 0208 647 8600 or email olivia@suttonmencap.org.uk
Post-16: SIASS Youth Forum (16-25). To join, email laura.haupt@siass.co.uk
Roundabout Dramatherapy: offering therapeutic support for young people:
https://www.sutton.gov.uk/directory_record/87659/roundabout_dramatherapy/category/231/primary_-_age_5_to_11
How is this funded: Direct payments, Personal budgets, Own funds
Disabled Swimming (Westcroft Leisure Centre, Wednesday 6.30-8.00pm, Thursdays 7-8pm)
iCount card entitles you to a £13 year membership so each swim is only £1 at these specific sessions. Booking required. https://www.everyoneactive.com/centre/westcroft-leisure-centre/#activities
Further groups here: https://www.nassutton.org.uk/contacts/children-teenagers/
Sleep Support
Our sleep workshop aims to help people improve their quality of sleep. Sleep can be affected by a number of factors and we use a model of sleep quality to explain how behaviour, thoughts and feelings around sleep are all connected. Through the course of the workshop, we look at how each component feeds into, and is affected by poor sleep. An action plan will then be made to put goals into practice in order to improve sleep.
For more information, please call us: 020 3513 4044
https://www.suttonuplift.co.uk/sleep
Toileting support
Children’s Continence Service is available for children and young people aged 5 to 18 years old, registered with a Sutton GP, who experience bladder and/or bowel difficulties including daytime wetting / soiling. Referral to the service is via your child’s GP or another health professional (e.g. School Nurse / Health Visitor).
https://www.suttonhealthandcare.nhs.uk/continence-service
ERIC: Download free resources here https://www.eric.org.uk/parents-and-carers Free helpline: 0808 169 9949
Autism Service YouTube
We have videos available via our YouTube Channel:
Parent workshops:
Top tips to support autistic young people
Autism Celebration videos
Young Sutton Voices
Sutton CPD (designed for school staff)