HPCI parent network update – 16th July

Welcome to this week’s HPCI network update.
There are updates here on:
Mental health services in Herts
Online workshops on health for adults with autism
Ofsted Parent View
Afasic guide on transfer to secondary school for speech, language and communication needs
Reminder about the Thrive & Survive guide to starting University

Emotional Wellbeing Workshops from Hertfordshire Mind Network
Hertfordshire Mind Network’s (HMN) Spot the Signs and Emotional Wellbeing project
offers a range of FREE mental health and emotional wellbeing workshops and
training to children and young people, parents/carers and families and youth
professionals. The aim of the project is to facilitate positive early experiences with
mental health services and create a safe space to explore feelings.
HMN’s bitesize mental health and emotional wellbeing training videos have been
created especially for parents/carers and families to help them improve
understanding and gain confidence in talking about mental health and emotions with
children and young people. The topics covered include an Introduction to Mental
Health, Five Ways to Wellbeing and Emotional Wellbeing and Coping Strategies.
Parents/carers or other family members of a child or young person, looking to learn
more about how to support them with their mental health (and their own), can watch
these videos at any time via the link below:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeAXhC4n43Uhwm14Y-i1jSWjvvjId7RF8

Plans announced for more Mental Health Support Teams in schools
National funding over the next three years has been announced, to enable
Hertfordshire and West Essex to continue expanding its Mental Health Support
Teams in schools (MHSTs) programme.  West Essex is included because that is how health is organised.
Newly established MHSTs are already working closely with schools in St Albans,
Broxbourne, Harlow, Stevenage and Watford. In addition, the new MHST for children
with special educational needs (SEN), is working with some SEN schools in
Hertfordshire and West Essex and is the first of its kind in the UK.
Professionals are delivering support and training for school staff and parents/carers,
as well as individual and group interventions for children and young people, helping
them to build their resilience and develop positive coping strategies.
The next areas to benefit from MHSTs for 2021/22 will be Welwyn Hatfield and
Hertsmere, hosted by Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
(HPFT). For 2022/23 new teams will be established in Dacorum, North Herts and Three Rivers, also hosted by HPFT.

Online workshops for adults with autism about health

Do you know about Ofsted Parent View?

Ofsted Parent View gives you the chance to tell Ofsted what you think of your child’s school.  It includes things like:
– how happy your child is at the school
– how the school manages bullying or challenging behaviour
If your child has SEND Parent View asks how well the school supports them.
The questionnaire can be completed at any time – you don’t have to wait until the school is being inspected.
Ofsted use your responses to help plan inspections. The information you provide can:
– inform discussions inspectors have with school leaders during an inspection
– help Ofsted decide when to inspect a school
Find it here: https://parentview.ofsted.gov.uk/

Afasic – Transfer to Secondary School: Moving on Moving up

National charity, Afasic, has a resource pack that aims to help families and schools support pupils with speech, language and communication needs as they face the key transfer from primary to secondary education.
The pack is designed for all pupils and includes a Pupil Profile Form for children with additional learning needs including speech, language and communication needs. There is a charge of £5 per pack. Further information via this link:
https://www.afasic.org.uk/resources/shop/education-and-schools/

Support with starting University
Thrive & Survive has been created as a guide to help young people adjust to
university life: providing ideas, information and advice on things they might need to
know to support their wellbeing. It has been developed with young people, so that it
covers all the important areas. in one place.  Find it HERE.