Thank you!
We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who took part in the recent Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Consultations by responding or helping to facilitate focus groups or drop-in events.
We are grateful to everyone who took the time to share their views on either the SEND Service Offer or SEND Home to School Transport consultation. During the 14-week consultation we have received over 400 responses via Ask Warwickshire, focus groups, online events and e-mail. All feedback from parents, carers, children and young people, professionals, schools, education settings and transport providers will now be considered and will help us to shape the services we deliver to improve SEND services for children, young people, and their families across Warwickshire.
The final decision about the Service Offer will be made by Warwickshire County Council’s Cabinet If approved, the SEND and Inclusion Service Offer will be implemented from 1 September 2023.
If approved, the new SEND Home to School Transport application process would be implemented in time for parents/carers applying for a school place for September 2024; the Needs Assessment Matrix would be implemented in August 2023 and used to identify transport options for children and young people starting school in September 2023; and the changes to the policy will take effect from August 2023.
Children currently accessing home to school transport will not be immediately affected but will be reassessed under the new assessment matrix if they move educational settings or house after 1 August 2023.
Free online events for schools and families for Autism Acceptance Week 2023
From 27 March to 2 April, Warwickshire County Council and partners across Coventry and Warwickshire, will be marking World Autism Acceptance Week with special online events for families and professionals. 
Organised by UK charity The National Autistic Society, World Autism Acceptance Week is an opportunity to highlight the importance of understanding more about autism and to inspire others to take steps to build kinder, more inclusive communities.
a person communicates with and relates to other people, and the world around them. Being autistic means your brain works in a different way to other people's and although there are common characteristics, each person's experience of autism is different. There is no treatment or “cure” for autism, as it is not a medical condition, but some people need support to help them with certain things. There are around 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK.
The National Autistic Society has made a short video that explains simply what autism is – you can watch it here.
amilies are encouraged to take part in the week by signing up to the free events on offer and taking the opportunity to discover more about autism, and the information and support available for autistic people and those who work or live alongside them.
- Autism Acceptance Week: Twilight event for schools - Mon 27 March, 4pm – 4.45pm. Eve Godwin, Specialist Teacher and Technical Lead for Autism at Warwickshire County Council will be joined by a young autistic person from Warwickshire Young Person's SEND Forum, IMPACT, to share experiences and top tips on supporting autistic children and young people and their families. Register here. If you have any problems booking onto the session, please email: meltwells@warwickshire.gov.uk
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Act for Autism: Self-awareness and self-identity including Q&A – Tue 28 March, 6.45 - 7.30pm. Be the first to see the latest film from the award-winning Act for Autism film project. Join the cast for a live Q&A and find out how working on self-advocacy (speaking up for yourself) and self-awareness (knowing about your autism) is the key to positive self-esteem for autistic children and young people. This is aimed at all those living with or working to support autistic children and young people however anyone can join. Register here.
- Nurturing a positive Autistic identity for professionals – Tue 28 March, 1pm – 2.30pm. Delivered by Cathy Wassell - a neurodivergent mum to neurodivergent young people. This webinar aims to provide professionals working to support autistic children and young people an opportunity to understand how they can nurture the young person to develop a positive view of their autistic identity and become advocates for themselves and others. Register here.
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Nurturing a positive Autistic identity for families and carers – Wed 29 March, 12pm – 1pm. This webinar aims to provide parents, carers and family members supporting a Neurodiverse young person to understand how they can nurture the young person to develop a positive view of their autistic identity and become advocates for themselves and others. Register here.
NHS England will also be running the following events during the week which are free to join:
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Collective, Connection and Community - ‘An autistic women’s collective share their experiences and discuss the power of finding connection and community post-diagnosis’ - Wed 29 March, 10am - 11.30am. Delivered by NHSE. A facilitated session discussing the personal experiences of neurodivergence throughout different stages in life, and explore some common themes and questions encountered. Click here to join the meeting
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Herding Cats, Sloths and Butterflies (and Rhinos), working with groups of autistic people - Thu 30 March, 2 - 4pm. Delivered by NHSE. This presentation will be made by Leneh Buckle, who is an autistic person who has conducted significant research into the concept of autistic inertia. The session will be interactive and will be a helpful way to consider how to support working with autistic people. Click here to join the meeting
Additional resources on autism
The websites listed below provide lots of information about autism which is relevant for people with or without a diagnosis. Autism Support has practical advice for managing various issues in life, at home, school and work.
Why not also take a look at: