things seem to be slowing down now ...

by Douglas Silas, specialist SEN solicitor.

Here is my update for this week.
 
It’s been a bit of a slow week again for SEN news I am afraid. Things seem to be really slowing down for summer now. However, although this now will be my last update on SEN and Covid-19 (don’t worry, I am going to restart my SEN Updates again as usual from September), I have  still managed to find some useful resources/information for you again this week.
 
I hope that this helps people again.

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1. What has happened this week?

The first thing that I want to bring your attention to is the website of Well Child, the charity for sick children. They have a lot of advice and resources available to or parents and carers of children with serious health conditions , including help accessing PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and supplies, plus information for companies and stay-at-home fundraising suggestions. I was very taken by their page called the ‘COVID-19 Direct Response Service’, which states: “In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are offering a Direct Response Service to get the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and support with supplies that parents and carers need”…
 
READ MORE

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The next thing that I want to draw you attention to is the webinar this week on 23 July 2020 entitled: ‘Returning To School In September’ being put on by 39 Essex Street chambers, where leading lawyers, Polly Sweeney, Steve Broach and Alice Irving will be delivering a webinar on the legal rights of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities returning to School in September and which says it will cover issues such as: ‘The latest government guidance and what is expected of families from September’; ‘What support and provision children and young people with SEND will be entitled to receive’; ‘Do children and young people with SEND have to return to School’; ‘Children and young people who have been shielding’; ‘In what circumstances parents can be fined for non-attendance’…
 
READ MORE

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 The last thing that I want to refer you to here is actually not a resource or useful information at all, but just a news piece that I found on the BBC’s website which I thought may be of interest to you, entitled: ‘'No plan B' for exams if schools disrupted in autumn’, which said…
 
READ MORE

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2. What does all of this mean?

I guess we will just have to wait and see what happens now in September/the Autumn. I don’t think anybody could have predicted what has  happened in the last 4/5 months or so and it would be foolish for me to try and predict now what is going to happen in the next 4/5 months.
 
However, I am going to leave you on an as positive note as I can if I may before I also break for the summer, by sharing a link to a video with you that I was sent a few months ago called: ‘The Great Realisation’. I apologise if you have already seen it, but it is so good that it is worth watching twice.
 
I hope that you find it as uplifting as I have done…

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3. Where can I find further information?

Aside from clicking on the relevant links for more information, I would again remind you of the very useful resources and information provided on the following websites:
 
- IPSEA
- Council for Disabled Children
- Contact
- Scope  
- Special Needs Jungle
 
I would also highlight again the fact that you can now get digital copies of the magazines: SEN Magazine and Autism Eye which are both very helpful to any parents or professionals involved with children/young people with SEN.

Keep safe until next week.

With best wishes
 
Douglas

P.S I understand that there are a number of educational or other useful resources now on the web - I would be very grateful if you could let me know of any that people are finding useful, so that I can direct others to them.

P.P.S.  I also want to highlight again the fact that there are currently a lot of scams out there, both online and through texts/WhatsApps. Please be extremely careful and help yourself and others not to become victims. You can learn more at: www.FriendsAgainstScams.org.uk.