How Banardos Support Children with SEND
As one of the lead providers of Family Hubs, Barnardo’s aim to ensure every element of our services is accessible for all families. From listening to suggestions of parents and carers, we also have specific SEND support available.
Free Programmes for Parents/Carers
Stepping Stones - Supporting parents or caregivers of children aged 0 to 12 with a developmental disability
Cygnet - Barnardo’s programme for parents/carers of children with ASD Parent/Carer Drop in – to ask any of those niggling questions, reach out for support or ask us to support you in accessing wider services
Free sessions for Families
Relaxed Stay and Play – much smaller and calmer sessions than our every day stay and plays and for children from birth to 5 years old.
Communication/Language Sessions - Children who have a Wellcomm screen resulting with a red screening outcome will be invited to these groups to support with speech & language development. These sessions have been developed with the input from speech & language team. At the end of the sessions a re-screen will take place, while we are supporting a watchful eye will be kept and completed to show progress or where additional support has been identified.
Specialist Stay & Play delivered by Sandwell Deaf Community Association – for deaf and hard of hearing families with children 0-5 years old. For hearing parents of deaf or hard of hearing children and deaf or hard of hearing parents of hearing children – all are welcome.
Sensory Support Team sessions - You will see the Local Authority team in and out of the hubs delivering sessions for children with sight or hearing loss. Available sessions will be advertised and shared via the sensory support team and the hubs. The team will be running a stay and play morning with activities for the children and an area to have a coffee and chat to the team/other professionals/families for parents/carers
Early Identification
We can support you through Wellcomm Screening, which is a language development screening for all children at 18 months old. Through this, you can see if your child is on track and if any needs are identified, you will be invited to attend one of our communication groups to support you and your child, meet other parents and have advice and guidance from professionals. Our team will create a Watchful Eye for your child which will monitor and support development which will enable you to access specialist services should they be needed.
We work closely with our partners in Early Years Inclusive Learning Services, Speech and Language Therapy, CAMHS and SENDIASS to ensure our services can meet your needs and also introduce you to wider support services in Sandwell such as Autism West Midlands, Sandwell Parents for Disabled Children and the Sandwell Parent/Carer forum; Sandwell Parents Voice United (SPVU).
Facilities
All of our core Family Hubs have Audio Loops, disabled toilets and disabled parking and are soon to have automatic doors fitted to enable easy access.