Ambitious about Autism has today launched the UK’s first online platform for autistic young people – please find further details at https://ambitious-youth-network.ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk/page/ambitious-youth-network

This will offer autistic young people aged 16 to 25 a safe and moderated online space to help them understand their autistic identity and reduce isolation and loneliness that many feel.  Young people will be able to take part in peer support sessions, share experiences and find volunteering, work experience and employment opportunities. There will also be opportunities for them to work together and campaign for change.  

Sign Health, working in coalition with a number of other charities, is launching this report today on the Health Accessible Information Standard.

They would like to draw attention to the urgent priorities that are included which they believe would significantly improve people’s access to and experience of health and social care.

Earlier this week the government announced support to transform education and opportunities for the most disadvantaged children and young people, including those with SEND.  

Package to transform education and opportunities for the most disadvantaged  

 ' On 1 February, the government announced a package to level up education and opportunities. In particular, we wanted to outline what this offer means for children and young people with SEND.  

New funding for respite and Supported Internships will come alongside more than £45 million of continued targeted support for families and parents of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). These programmes will: 

·                   target support to improve monitoring, support and intervention for local authorities and local health and care partners’ delivery of statutory SEND services, with a focus on underperforming areas and sharing best practice 

·                   improve participation and access for parents and young people for high quality advice and support; and 

·                   directly support schools and colleges to effectively work with pupils with SEND, for example through training on specific needs like autism. 

You can read the full press notice here: 

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/package-to-transform-education-and-opportunities-for-most-disadvantaged

Will Quince MP, Minister for Children and Families, has written an open letter to parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), their families and those who support them.

In the letter, the Minister reaffirms his commitment to delivering the SEND Review and the importance of supporting the most disadvantaged children and young people. He outlines his plans to continue to visit schools, nurseries and colleges around the country to directly hear first-hand from children, young people, parents and carers, school, college and local authority staff as well as meet with SEND organisations and experts so they can influence proposals.

To read the letter in full, visit: https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2021/11/10/an-open-letter-to-parents-and-carers-of-children-and-young-people-with-special-educational-needs-and-disabilities-from-children-and-families-minister-will-quince/

Alongside the letter, the Department for Education has published information about the members of the SEND Review Steering Group. The new group was set up to assist the department conclude the SEND Review at pace and advise on proposals to be set out in a SEND Green Paper to be published in the first three months of 2022.

For further information on the group, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/send-review-steering-group

 

Details of this steering group, which brings together government departments with representatives for parents, schools, colleges and early years, local government, health and care and independent experts to advise and help conclude the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Review can be found through this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/send-review-steering-group

On 20 July 2021, DfE SEND division confirmed that they would be continuing the extended powers given to the SEND Tribunal to hear appeals and make non-binding recommendations about health and social care aspects of Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans, provided those appeals also include education elements. These extended powers were being tested under a National Trial, which ended on 31 August 2021.

The guidance has now been updated https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/extended-powers-send-tribunal-national-trial ‘SEND tribunal: single route of redress national trial’ to remove references to the National Trial and explain that the extended powers will continue, providing details on how appeals which include health and social care aspects (now known as extended appeals) work.

This guidance is intended for all local authorities, health commissioning bodies and parents and young people in England.

 

The Department for Work and Pensions today published the National Disability Strategy.
It can be accessed through this link:
 
 

Improving the lives of autistic people is the focus of a new multi-million pound strategy launched by the government today. 

Backed by nearly £75 million in the first year, it aims to speed up diagnosis and improve support and care for autistic people. The funding includes £40 million through the NHS Long Term Plan to improve capacity in crisis services and support children with complex needs in inpatient care. It also includes £600,000 to fund training for staff in early years settings, schools and colleges, to improve the experience of autistic children in the education system and prepare them for adulthood.  

The five year strategy was developed following engagement with autistic people, their family and carers. It will support autistic children and adults through better access to education, more help to get into work, preventing avoidable admissions to healthcare settings, and training for prison staff to better support prisoners with complex needs.  

This strategy will align with wider government work through the National Disability Strategy and the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) review. The government will ensure issues relevant to autistic people are considered as part of these programmes of work. 

This strategy’s accompanying implementation plan will lay the foundations in the first year, for what the government aims to achieve over the course of the next five years. It will be refreshed in subsequent years, in line with future Spending Reviews.