The new Short Breaks Statement 2025-2028 has now been published.

Short Breaks are clubs and activities tailored to the support needs of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).  

The Statement sets out the Council’s Short Breaks offer, detailing:

• how the programme has been developed
• the different types of breaks
• eligibility criteria
• cost
• what families can expect from a Short Break
• details of universal services, the West Sussex Disability Register and other supports that are available for children/young people and their families

We have also produced a Summary Statement, which gives a brief overview of the programme. 

We are grateful to the West Sussex Parent Carer Forum who have helped to update the documents and collaborated with us.

The Statement and Summary Statement can be found at the bottom of the Short Breaks page on the Local Offer Community activities and Short Breaks - West Sussex County Council

What is SEND Stay and Play?

Stay and Play is where young children can have fun in a secure, non-judgemental space where parent carers feel supported.

It is for children aged 2-5 with SEND: they do not need to have a diagnosis but need to be starting the process and waiting for a Child Development Centre (CDC) appointment. You can read more about it in this piece by Donna Brigden, SEND Stay and Play Co-ordinator.

With longer days and fresh energy in the air, we’re excited for the season ahead!

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We also welcome any enquiries—if you need information or signposting for the families you work with, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on office@wspcf.org.uk We're here to help!

You may start seeing the Together for Change logo on different documents and services. This means the document or service has been shaped with the help of our panel. It shows our commitment to working together and making a real difference for SEND families.

What is the Together for Change Panel?

It is a space where parent carers and professionals come together to share ideas, give feedback, and help make decisions. The panel focuses on improving services and making sure they truly meet the needs of families.

At the panel, we listen, learn, and take action. By working as a team, we can make real changes that have a positive impact on SEND services.

If you are a professional and have something you would like to bring to the panel or would like to attend as an observer, please email us at tfcpanel@wspcf.org.uk.

Here is a quote from someone who has submitted to the panel:

"Hearing the views of parent carers provides a balanced perspective on the next steps, ensuring we can make a greater impact on more families."

If you have any questions or would like to know more, please contact us on office@wspcf.org.uk. Or stay updated by heading over to our website,  Facebook or Instagram. 

Have you signed up to the Disability Register?

The West Sussex Disability Register is a database that collects information on those living with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) aged 0-25 in West Sussex and is managed by West Sussex Library Service. This information is used by West Sussex County Council and its partners to help plan and deliver services now and into the future.

Anyone aged 0-25 with a disability living in West Sussex can sign up and you do not need to have a diagnosis to sign up.

You can sign up online or the Disability Register team can speak to you over the phone to help complete the form. Those aged 13+ can self-register on their own or with the help of a parent or carer. We have a handy animation which helps explain what the register is which you can watch here.

NHS Sussex have been working with colleagues across West Sussex to support SEND inclusion.

In partnership with West Sussex County Council and the WSPCF, we have developed a dedicated “support while you wait for an assessment” page on the West Sussex Local Offer which has detailed guidance, resources and links to a wide range of condition-specific information. This includes Neurodevelopmental Pathways, Speech and Language Therapy, Physiotherapy, Dental, Community Paediatrics and child and adolescent mental health services.   

The “Support Whilst Waiting” work will continue to be developed through a newly established Task and Finish Group. NHS Sussex recognises the importance of this work and is committed to improving the journey of the child, young person and their families whilst they wait for a specialist health assessment.

The NHS Sussex SEND page has been refreshed, with additional guidance and information relating to Right to Choose, ADHD medication and support whilst you are waiting for a specialist health assessment. 

We are very pleased to have received funding from NHS Sussex to continue providing this much-needed navigation service for parents/carers of children and young people who are waiting on, undergoing or have completed an assessment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions on the West Sussex Neurodevelopmental Pathway.

This service is accessed via referral from a professional working with the child/young person and can support parent-carers in the following ways:

• Initial telephone support to establish the needs of families accessing the service
• Information and resources on your child's condition and needs
• Training workshops and courses on neurodiversity
• Access to a specially trained parent-carer befriender with a similar lived experience
• Access and support in attending one of our parent-carer support groups
• Access to other Reaching Families services
• Signposting to other relevant projects and services

For further information, including the eligibility and referral process, please visit the Reaching Families website.

Early Help are running a number of SEND Events across the county.

The sessions are open to all families with a child with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) up to age 11, and siblings.

They provide an opportunity for families:

• To access sensory activities in a supportive environment
• To learn about the range of activities for SEND children that parents can implement at home.
• To gain peer support from other parent/cares of SEND children.
• To have access to a range of professionals for information, advice and guidance.

Visit our website Find a Family Hub - West Sussex County Council to find your local Family Hub. Your local family hub will have details on dates and venues for the events.

Should you require further information, or have any questions please contact emma.bruton@westsussex.gov.uk  

Autism All Ages Consultation

West Sussex County Council wants to make West Sussex a better place for autistic people across all ages and for their families and carers.   

 To achieve this, we are working together with autistic people and their families and carers to co-produce an autism strategy and plan.   

 As a first step towards this, we are undertaking a consultation between October and December 2024. The consultation, which includes on-line surveys and workshops, focuses on finding out how autism-friendly West Sussex is and gathering information about people's needs and quality of life.   

 In the Spring of 2025, the consultation findings will be analysed and then used to coproduce a strategy and plan. There will be further consultation around the proposed strategy once it is drafted prior to it’s final agreement in early Summer 2025.    

Information about the surveys and workshops can all be accessed through this single link/page:  

https://yourvoice.westsussex.gov.uk/autism-all-ages-consultation

On 8 October 2024, the Law Commission published a consultation paper on disabled children’s social care law and whether it meets the needs of disabled children and their families.

The Commission is seeking views from young people, families, local authorities and social workers, and anyone else with an interest in or awareness of the area. The consultation is part of a review into the law to ensure that it is fairer, simpler and more up to date.

The consultation asks a number of questions, including:

• Whether there should be a new legal framework for disabled children’s social care, taking disabled children out of section 17 of the Children Act 1989
• Whether there should be national eligibility criteria for disabled children’s social care
• How we should define disability
• What remedies should be available for children and families when things go wrong

The full consultation paper and the consultation questions are available on the Law Commission website, where you can also find the summary document. If you need this summary to be made available in a different format, please email
dcsc@lawcommission.gov.uk.

The consultation is open until 20 January 2025. West Sussex County Council will be putting together a response as a Local Authority, and the West Sussex Parent Carer Forum is also formulating a response.  

You can respond directly yourself, using the links given, or send any responses or questions to Natalie McNeill at Natalie.McNeill@westsusex.gov.uk, who will incorporate them into the main response. Please keep responses as brief as possible to ensure they can be included in the main body of the Local Authority response.

Did you know that West Sussex Mind have various training courses, webinars and resources to help you support young people’s mental health and wellbeing? Whether you are a parent or carer of a child struggling with their mental health, or you are working as a professional supporting young people, there are lots of training sessions and resources available to help.

For parents

Our parents and carers service aims to increase your knowledge and awareness of mental health and boost your confidence in coping with and addressing your child or young person’s mental health. The service includes online and in-person peer support meetings, where you can discuss your concerns, build strategies to help you support your child and meet other parents and carers.

Our parenting support team also offers a range of free training webinars to help parents and carers support their young person's mental health. Topics include attachment, aggressive behaviours and emotionally based school avoidance.

Youth Mental Health First Aid

Youth Mental Health First Aid (MHFA®) courses are for everyone who works with, lives with or supports young people aged 8-18. They will teach you the skills and confidence to spot the signs of mental health issues in a young person, offer first aid and guide them towards the support they need. The course won't teach you to be a therapist, but it will teach you to listen, reassure and respond, even in a crisis - and even potentially stop a crisis from happening.

Reaching Families Benefits Advice Service - Supporting parent-carers with information and advice on Carers Allowance, Disability Living Allowance and Personal Independence Payment

We hope you are well and have had a positive start to the 2024/2025 academic year!

Do you know about the West Sussex Parent Carer Forum (WSPCF)?

Click here to have a look at our website to find out more.

“Parent Carer Forums are representative local groups of parents and carers of children and young people with disabilities who work alongside local authorities, education, health and other service providers to ensure the services they plan, commission, deliver and monitor meet the needs of children and families”.                                              

Para 1.13 SEND Code of Practice 2015

We are delighted to announce that Reaching Families Benefits Advice Service has restarted and is now available for parent-carers of a child or young person with SEND to access.

Thanks to major new investment we have been able to appoint a new benefits advisor and support worker to advise parent-carers on applications for Carers Allowance, DLA and PIP and undertake claim checks in advance of submitting.  The team have also been joined by a new benefits service administrator.

WSCC, NHS Sussex, West Sussex Parent Carer Forum and Reaching families have jointly developed some useful animations for children, young people and families going through neurodevelopmental assessments.

Please watch and share!

Autism assessment video  

ADHD assessment video 

Are you in contact with adults who cannot read or who struggle to read? Read On - West Sussex is a newly launched library initiative, which matches volunteers to adults who want to learn to read.

This project is aimed at adult learners (18+) who are fluent speakers of English but for whatever reason never learnt to read or struggle with reading. The volunteer meets the learner on a 1:1 weekly basis in their local library and follows a dedicated workbook.

If you know someone who could benefit from this service or would like further information, please email Read.On@westsussex.gov.uk

We have produced a Three Minute Guide to the changes to Short Breaks in West Sussex.

View and share the video on YouTube

Share the video on social media such as Facebook using this link.

We would encourage you to take three minutes to watch the guide and please can you share on your social media and through your parent carer networks.

For further information please email  cypp@westsussex.gov.uk