Keeping in Touch. Giving your family the know-how Telephone:

Transcription

1 Families Information Service Keeping in Touch A guide to support and services for parents & carers of children with disabilities Giving your family the know-how Telephone:

2 Contents 8.Support services Council services Health Help for carers Independent support 30.Childcare Making the right decision What is registered childcare? Childcare options Childcare at school Short Breaks 41.Schools Statutory assessments Choosing a school Extended services 48.Financial Help Free early education for 3 & 4 year olds Childcare vouchers Disability living allowance Direct payments Warm Front Cold weather payments Advice on Heating Cinema exhibitor s card Mobility Family Fund Carer s allowance Disabled persons road tax exemption Council tax reductions Tax credit 58.Leisure Passport to Leisure Milton Keynes Council Sports development service Football first Bookstart Inter-action MK The Toy Library Milton Keynes Youth Services Sure Start Children s Centres Bletchley Leisure centre 68. Safeguarding children 70. National and local contacts list

3 Welcome to the first edition of Keeping in Touch! Bringing up a family these days can be both a joy and a challenge! Every family and every child has different needs and although there is a great deal of advice, help and support out there, discovering just what is available can be complicated and time consuming. This guide has been developed by the Families Information Service at Milton Keynes Council to help you understand some of the help and support you can get in Milton Keynes as a parent or carer of a child with disabilities and/or special needs. You will find information about support, financial help, childcare and leisure activities available in Milton Keynes. There is also a useful contacts list which lists both local and national support and services. 4

4 1 2 3 If you can t find what you are looking for, need specific information or need help getting information from websites talked about in this booklet, get in touch! We re here to help you find the information to make you the best parent or carer you can. Keeping in Touch will be linked with a quarterly newsletter to keep you up to date on services and activities throughout the year. If you have this guide but haven t let the Families Information Service know your details, get in touch! We can then ensure you have the most up to date information. This edition of Keeping in Touch has been published in 2010 and your feedback is appreciated in order to ensure we can develop and improve future editions. Please complete and return the questionnaire that can be found at the back of this booklet. If you provide a service for disabled children or for parents/carers of children with disabilities and would like us to promote your services, please complete and return the form called Promote me! at the back of this booklet

5 What is the Families Information Service? The Families Information Service provides free, impartial and up to date information about services for children and young people in Milton Keynes. Being a parent or carer is probably one of the most fulfilling roles you can ever have, there are however occasions when it can also be the most demanding. We understand this and want to ensure that you have all the advice and information you need to make family life run smoothly. 6

6 How can we help? The Families Information Service can provide: Information about childcare provision during term time and school holidays. Local leisure information for 0-19 s. Parent support information that covers the age range of 0-19 years to support children, young people, families and professionals. Free information and advice to help working parents establish their employment rights, including information about maternity and paternity rights. Information about working with children including the latest job vacancies in childcare and becoming a childminder. Information for parents and carers of a child or young person with disabilities. Tailor made services built around your requirements, e.g. lists of childcare providers who can pick up/drop off from specific schools or provide overnight care if you work nights. Freephone: (Monday to Friday 0830 to 1700) childcare@milton-keynes. gov.uk Website: uk/childcare This information has been compiled by the Families Information Service at Milton Keynes Council. All information, images and other material unless otherwise stated are copyright of Milton Keynes Council Disclaimer: The Families Information Service (FIS) is a free and impartial service: we cannot therefore endorse or recommend in any way any of the providers listed within this document. The FIS cannot accept responsibility or liability for any inaccuracies or changes in the details listed within this document. It is recommended that users check all details with providers to confirm that levels of service meet detailed requirements

7 Welcome to chapter 1 Support services Parents and carers of children with disabilities have a lot to think about. With all the information you may receive, it s hard to know where to start! In some cases you might not have had that much information so Keeping in Touch can give you ideas about where to look to get the support you need. If you don t find something in this section or need more information or help, contact the Families Information Service. 8

8 Council services Children with Disabilities Team The Children with Disabilities Team consists of social workers, social work assistants and assistant psychologists. The team links with many other professionals routinely such as school, health and housing as well as offering consultations to the main-stream teams as and when needed. The Children with Disabilities Team work with children and young people aged between 0-19 years who have a severe or complex disability. The team carries out initial assessments, core assessments, court and safeguarding work. The team also carry out carers assessments which may then lead to putting together a care package that could include overnight respite either in the child s house or in the local authority run respite unit. It can also include a direct payment or a commissioning of a short break either in or out of the home. The term short break is explained in the types of childcare section. To contact the Children with Disabilities Team you can call between 0930 and 1300 Monday to Friday

9 Aiming high Aiming high is a government initiative to enable children and young people with disabilities and their families to participate and help in planning to improve services for children and young people. Milton Keynes Aiming high is focusing on creating opportunities to access short breaks. Aiming high has funding from the Central Government for the next two years to deliver this. Short breaks enable children and young people living at home to engage with play and leisure activities, and where appropriate, have access to care, and where possible funding will be made available. It is aimed specifically at those with the most complex and challenging needs who otherwise would be excluded from mainstream activities. Aiming high s aim is to create opportunities for as many of these young people as possible to be able to access as many activities and breaks in a wide range of settings. The following children and young people will be eligible for short breaks through Aiming high: Children with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder who also have other impairments such as severe learning disabilities or challenging behaviour. Children with complex health needs. This group will include those with a disability or life limiting condition who have reached the palliative care stage of their life as well as children with physical, cognitive or sensory impairments. These children are likely to be dependent on technology like gastrostomy feeds or have complex drug regimes. Children who require equipment and adaptations to help their movement. Children where challenging behaviour is associated with other impairments (e.g. severe learning disability). Young people 14+ who are severely disabled and require services that are appropriate to their age. 10

10 If you think you and your child may benefit from a short break, please contact the Children with Disabilities Team on

11 Sure Start Children s Centres Sure Start Children s Centres are part of the Government s strategy to provide good quality integrated services to children and their families, in order to give every child the best possible start in life, and have a broad and lasting impact on children, their parents and the wider community. For further information contact the Families Information Service or visit: You can also surestartchildrenscentres@milton-keynes.gov.uk 12

12 Sure Start Children s Centres are being developed across Milton Keynes with the aim of bringing together local people and different services in new ways. As part of this ongoing development services and activities will be enhanced to meet the needs of the children and their families so that all children will benefit and reach their potential to: be healthy stay safe enjoy and achieve make a positive contribution achieve economic well being Sure Start Children s Centres provide access to a number of free services, but some services offered do incur a minimal charge. Each centre is slightly different in terms of the space and activities it provides but all of them offer: a range of exciting activities for parents, carers and children 0-5 years. These may include stay and play sessions, music and rhyme sessions, soft gym play or outdoor play. Sessions are planned to help babies and young children get the most out of their play experiences and encourages a range of skills information, advice and support for parents on a wide range of subjects including childcare, employment and training, finance and benefits and parenting Children with additional needs are warmly welcomed at all our sessions. All Sure Start Children s Centre activities are fully inclusive. Centre staff are available to support children to participate as fully as possible. Parents are very welcome to talk to a member of the team before coming along to one of the activities to ensure their child s needs are catered for. Sure Start Children s Centres can be an ideal family friendly base for meetings, support groups and training. Each centre is fully accessible and provides access to a wide range of toys and equipment. A number of centres include a dedicated sensory room, which can be booked for individual family sessions or support meetings. Across Milton Keynes, the Sure Start Children s Centres offer a number of groups specifically for families and children with additional needs. These are ideal for children who would benefit from a quieter group. Parents can meet up with each other for support and families have access to a range of centre resources

13 Educational psychologists Educational psychologists can support behavioural issues, provide advice to parents and schools, and discuss long-term support for children. They apply psychological knowledge, skills and understanding to support all aspects of children and young people s development. Educational psychologists also promote the emotional well-being and learning of children, particularly those who are vulnerable or who have special needs or disabilities. For all children there may be times when they: Find it difficult to keep up with classwork. Find classwork too easy. Have difficulty with reading, writing or understanding. Find it difficult to get on with classmates or adults in school. Feel withdrawn or miserable for no clear reason. Find it hard to get organised. Have difficulty expressing themselves or understanding what others say. Have a medical condition that affects their educational progress. 14

14 The educational psychologist may become involved in these situations to help with planning an appropriate response. It is possible for educational psychologists to make a difference for some children through a process of discussion with adults. There is never just one way to respond to a child s difficulty. Conversations with an educational psychologists are intended to introduce new ideas for teachers and parents in support of their work with each child. With parental agreement, the educational psychologists may suggest a range of activities that involve a child more directly. For example, the educational psychologist may offer to: Talk individually with a child. Involve a child in the problemsolving meetings with adults. Support for dads Observe a child in class or at play. Check a child s current level of attainment in areas like reading, spelling, writing or number work. Use standardised tests to help clarify a child s relative strengths. Teach a child a simple task to help understand their approach to learning. Engage younger children through play in order to explore their thinking and learning. Educational psychologists visit schools on a regular basis and their involvement is co-ordinated either by the headteacher or by the special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCo). In the first instance you should talk to your child s school about any concerns you have Increasingly fathers are becoming more actively involved in the day to day care of their children and are experiencing the joys and frustrations of active parenthood. There are several organisations and support groups offering help, advice and companionship for dads. For more information contact the council s Parent Support Co-ordinator on Please also see the independent support section for more help for dads

15 Health support Health visitors Health visitors are normally the first person to talk to if you have any concerns when you have a child under five. Every family with a child under five has a named health visitor. The health visitor s role is to offer support and encouragement to families through the early years from pregnancy and birth to primary school and beyond. Health visitors work closely with doctor s surgeries and with other support services such as social workers, speech and language therapists and nurses. You will normally have specific appointments with your health visitor but various drop in clinics will also be available. You can also ring your health visitor to discuss any concerns you have or to request a home visit. You can get in touch with your health visitor by contacting your doctor s surgery. 16

16 Nursing support for families caring for children with complex health needs The children with complex needs team is a nurse led service which provides assessment, care, case management and the provision of supplies to children with complex needs. To get help from the complex care nurses, children must be: Registered with a Milton Keynes GP (or have an agreement in place with a neighbouring Primary Care Trust). Under 19 years. They must also have one of the following: Severe, unpredictable or complex health conditions and/or a disability or medical condition which means they have a high use of health care. A life threatening or life limiting illness. A long term or complex condition which makes them medically unstable requiring input from health professionals and/or regular hospital admissions. Children can also be referred to the service that attend special schools in Milton Keynes and have complex epilepsy, require medical supplies or have continence needs which need specialist input. A parent or carer can refer their child to the service or any professional can. A referral is followed by an initial assessment by a community paediatric matron and the referral is discussed at the next available multi agency children with complex needs panel. The parent/carer or professional will then be informed of the outcome. For more information you can contact the complex care team administrator on

17 Help for carers Counselling for carers Sometimes parents and carers feel unable to cope with aspects of their life especially when a disabled child is involved. You may have worries about the future and need to talk to someone to explore your thoughts and feelings in a confidential setting. Counselling can help a person discover their own answers and feel more comfortable with their life and relationships. The counsellors at the City Counselling Centre will help with the following difficulties: Relationships with partners and family members developing coping strategies assertiveness stress management bereavement/loss life changes moving on Referral to the counselling for carers service can be made either by the carer themselves, or a key professional. Carers are entitled to 10 sessions of counselling in order to support them in their caring role. The first session will be to explore your specific needs and if appropriate you will be offered a further 9 sessions. Initial appointments are made by contacting the Carers Counselling Project Co-ordinator at the City Counselling Centre on:

18 1 2 Carers Milton Keynes Carers Milton Keynes support all unpaid carers (usually family members) looking after someone with any kind of illness or disability. Parents/carers who support a child with a disability under the age of 19 can get support in various forms: advice and information signposting to other organisations emotional support training social events and support groups There are 2 support groups for parent carers. Carers Milton Keynes also produce a newsletter which comes out 3 times a year. This gives details of social events, training available and other information and advice for carers. You can read the latest newsletter at or call to subscribe

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20 Independent support Care Forum MK Limited The Care Forum MK is a home support service for children and young people with a physical or learning disability. Their aim is to support families caring for a child or young person (aged 0 18) with a learning or physical disability by giving carers a short break for their child either in their own home or in the wider community. The Care Forum MK can offer home support services in the surrounding areas including Milton Keynes, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire. The Care Forum MK services are commissioned by local authorities and by individuals using direct payments. You can be referred to the Care Forum by Milton Keynes council or your social worker Alternatively you can get in touch with the Care Forum MK as a parent and carer on or see more about them at

21 Milton Keynes Parent Partnership Parent Partnership is a statutory service. This means that by law every local authority has to provide this service. Parent Partnership is funded to give information, advice and support to parents/ carers of children and young people who have (or who may have) a special educational need (SEN) or disability, with regard to educational matters. Parent Partnership s aim is to equip parents and carers with enough information and support to enable them to understand school and SEN processes and procedures, which will help them make the best choices and decisions for their children. Parent Partnership try to help parents and carers to become equal partners with schools and the local authority when it comes to decisions made about their children, and help to make sure that parents views are listened to. Parent Partnership is a confidential service for parents/carers, they don t share information with professionals unless they have been given permission to do so. Parent Partnership is also honest and open and will give a realistic opinion of what the likely outcome might be of the choices made. Parent Partnership can also offer the following: Information and advice on all aspects of Special Educational Needs. Explanation of educational jargon. Explanation about Statutory Assessments and Statements. An Independent Parental Supporter(IPS), if you would like one. Help with understanding and writing reports and letters. Support in meetings with school or with the local education authority. 22

22 Help with understanding and writing reports and letters. Support in meetings with school or with the local education authority. Help to explore the different options open to you for your child s education. Put you in touch with other organisations and support groups who can help you. Link you to local and national voluntary organisations. Explain how Milton Keynes Services for Special Educational Needs work. Promote dispute resolution where communication with a school or the local education authority is breaking down. Explain the right of appeal through the 1 st tier tribunal. You can contact Parent Partnership on or visit website Parent and Carers Alliance (PACA) PACA is an independent and voluntary group of parents and carers, all caring for children and young people with special needs. 3 4 Their goal is to get better services for all children with special needs in Milton Keynes. PACA work with service providers in health, education and social care. PACA provides regular consultation with parents/carers to discover what is really happening within the services. They can signpost parents to useful sources of information and provide opportunities for like-minded people to share experiences. For more information visit www. pacamk.org or contact or Alternatively you can pacamk@gmail.org

23 Milton Keynes Children and Young People s Rights Service An advocate is someone who speaks up for other people. Advocates can help you get your opinion heard. The Milton Keynes Children and Young People s Rights Service work with young people to help them understand their rights. The service can help in a range of areas including social services, health and school. How can they help? You may think you have been treated unfairly You don t feel safe You are unhappy with arrangements to see your family You want help to make a complaint You are unhappy with what has been happening at school You are not being asked your opinion You are not getting the help you need They can attend meetings with you They can help you write letters Who is this service for? Young people up to the age of 25 Parents or carers People who work with young people People who manage services which affect young people The Milton Keynes Children and Young People s Rights Service aim to help put forward your wishes and views, treat everyone fairly, only act when you say so, ask what you think about the service and encourage you to participate in everything they do and promote children s rights. The service also has a dedicated participation officer for children and young people with disabilities. 24

24 Contact the team on Alternatively you can childrens.rights.service@milton-keynes.gov.uk

25 Not sure of your next steps? If you re and need free advice on careers, friendships, money or anything else, you can always talk to a Connexions Personal Adviser. Get in touch with us at school or college, or at the Connexions:MK Centre: Connexions:MK Centre The Point 602 Midsummer Boulevard Central Milton Keynes MK9 3NB Tel: or visit for more info Milton Keynes Autistic Spectrum Parent Support Group (MKASPS) Milton Keynes autistic spectrum parent support group run monthly support meetings. The meetings offer the following for anyone who has a child suffering with an autistic spectrum disorder: A friendly atmosphere for parents who need support or just someone to listen to. A wealth of knowledge through 50 strong members. A well established library for information on Autistic Spectrum Disorders (they are currently looking at options to house these books somewhere where the public can view them.) The group meets at Walnuts School in Milton Keynes on the last Thursday of each month from 1930 to If you are interested in going along mkasps@googl .com 26

26 Contact a family Contact a Family provides support, advice and information for families with disabled children, no matter what their condition or disability. A free phone helpline is available for parents and professionals across the UK. This is staffed by trained parent advisors. Contact a Family can give information and advice on a wide range of issues including welfare rights, education, short breaks, local services and local support. Contact a Family also produce a wide range of publications including newsletters, parent guides and research reports, helping parents and professionals to stay informed. You can call the free phone helpline on or visit

27 Dad Talk Dad talk offers news, articles, free legal and financial advice, all aimed at supporting guys who want to be great dads. The web service includes the Pubtalk forum, where dads can talk anonymously about the highs and lows of fatherhood. Through peer to peer support, experts and trained moderators, dads not only feel less isolated, but empowered in their parenting. There is also information available on being a dad to a disabled child. The Child Brain Injury Trust The Child Brain Injury Trust supports children and young people with acquired brain injury (an injury to the brain that has happened after birth), their families and the professionals involved with them. They can provide support in 3 main ways: training and information, raising awareness and child and family support. Child and Family Support Officers can provide support to families when they need it. Childhood acquired brain injury changes lives and families often have little time to prepare for these changes. Child Brain Injury Trust support can include: meeting families in hospital attending discharge planning meetings with families supporting families as they return home from hospital attending school meetings with parents, carers and children identifying what s available locally for children, young people and their families accessing financial support for families putting families in touch with each other For more information about the Child Brain Injury Trust s child and family support in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, please call For more general information see 28

28 VICTA Visually Impaired Children Taking Action VICTA was originally set up by a group of parents from the Milton Keynes area with blind and partially sighted children who were struggling to meet the needs of their children. The charity is now a national service for all families with a visually impaired child. VICTA provides support and information to parents/carers/visually impaired young people and organisations. VICTA also make grants available to individuals, groups and research projects. Find out more about VICTA VICTA can also be contacted on or at admin@victa.org.uk

29 Welcome to chapter 2 Childcare 30

30 Making the right decision Having a child with special needs can make looking and finding childcare a very daunting prospect! All childcare providers are bound by the duties of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to make reasonable adjustments for disabled children and through the SEN (special educational needs) code of practise to meet the needs of children with disabilities. Through this legislation and guidance, all childcare providers have to ensure that they must not treat a child less favourably for reasons related to the child s disability or special need. You also need to make sure the childcare is right for you and your child and that you are happy with the care that will be provided. There are some general tips you can think about before you start looking for childcare: Don t leave it till the last minute! Give yourself plenty of time to think about what childcare you will need. There may be waiting lists or a lot of arranging and paperwork to do, especially if you are going to hire someone to care for your child in your own home. You will also need extra time to talk with childcare providers about what special needs your child has and how the childcarer will be able to meet these. Research! Make sure you have a list of your basic requirements as you will be able to rule out a lot of childcarers quite quickly this way. The Families Information Service can provide you with lists of childcare in your area with basic information about it. If your child has a disability or special need make sure you tell the Families Information Service as they will be able to tailor the childcare list to suit, taking some of the hard work off you!

31 Shop Around! Make sure you visit a few places to get a feel for things and to compare what s on offer. Even if you think one particular place is perfect, it s worth visiting another just to make sure your instincts are correct. Check references! Most childcarers will be happy to let you know of other parents/ carers you can speak to who have used their facilities. Ask if other children with special needs have attended before and how the childcarer was able to adapt to meet their needs. Be imaginative You may think help in the home is the best option for your child s needs but would like them to get some socialisation with other children too. You could use home childcare for the majority of the week but use a nursery or childminder for a couple of afternoons. There s nothing to stop you combining care. Don t feel guilty about double checks Childcarers should be happy for you to visit them a number of times to get a feel for the place. You may also need a few meetings about your child s needs so this is a good opportunity for you to see how things are on a number of different days. Don t forget to take your child to visit as well to see how they like it and how they react to the staff/other children. Some specific questions you could ask childcare providers are: What training and/or qualifications do staff have, are they relevant to your child? Are staff willing for you (or a health professional) to show them how to look after your child s need? Are they willing to provide practical support with things like personal care? Is the building accessible? Does there need to be any special adaptations? What equipment is essential for your child s care? Are staff willing to be shown how to administer medicine? Do they have relevant insurance? 32

32 What is registered childcare? It is important that you find out as much information as possible about a childcare setting before you decide to send your child there. As well as visiting them and asking lots of questions, there are some legal requirements of childcarers that can also put your mind at ease. Ofsted is the national body that regulates and inspects childcare and children s social services. It also inspects schools and colleges. All childcare providers for children under the age of 8 are inspected by Ofsted. Ofsted produce reports about their inspections which you can view on their website. These are useful when deciding on childcare as you can establish what rating a childcare provider has been given from Ofsted. There are 2 different registers a childcare setting or school can be on: The Early Years Register All childcarers who look after children up to the age of 5 must be on this register. The Childcare Register This has 2 parts, a compulsory part and a voluntary part. All childcarers and schools who look after children aged 5 to 8 must be on the compulsory childcare register. The voluntary childcare register is for childcarers who look after children from 8 to 18. This is voluntary but childcarers like nannies, crèches, out of school clubs, sports clubs etc. may choose to be on this register. To view Ofsted reports and to get more information, go to As well as Ofsted, Criminal Record Bureau checks (CRB checks) can be used by anyone employing people to work with children or vulnerable adults. This includes childcare but also clubs and activities for children and anywhere else where adults will be dealing with children directly. CRB checks are used by childcare providers to add another level of protection to children in their care. Before a person is employed, a CRB check can be done on them to see if they have any previous criminal convictions and whether they are on any criminal list which means they cannot be employed to work with children

33 Childcare options There are a wide range of childcare options available in Milton Keynes; it is up to you to decide which you think will be best for you and your child. The following sections outline the basic facts about each type of childcare available. Childminders Registered childminders can look after your child along with other children, usually in their own home. They are often flexible about the hours they work. These can include, before and after school care where they can drop off/pick up children from local schools. Some also provide evening; weekend, school holiday care and some even offer overnight care. Childminders are registered and have been inspected by Ofsted. This can give you some peace of mind about the standards they have. Childminders are self employed and their rates can vary. Some childminders specify that they can care for children with disabilities and sometimes parents and carers find this is a good option as the child is cared for in a home environment similar to their own. As with all childcare providers, make sure you visit the childminder and ask lots of questions! For a list of your local childminders or to get more information please contact the Families Information Service. Make sure you let us know your child s specific needs and we can try to tailor the list around these as far as possible. Milton Keynes Council runs a childminding network which can further help you decide if a childminder is the best choice for you. The next section talks more about this. 34

34 Milton Keynes Children Come First Childminding Network Milton Keynes Children Come First (CCF) Childminding Network is a free quality assurance scheme accredited by the National Childminding Association (NCMA) and managed by Milton Keynes Council. The scheme has been running in Milton Keynes since Childminders who wish to become members of the network must hold a recognised level 3 or above childcare qualification. They are assessed, monitored and observed by a network coordinator and are visited in their homes at regular intervals. Network childminders can also enhance their career by becoming accredited childminders by undergoing further assessments. This means they are able to access nursery education funding and they will also receive support from a dedicated early year s consultant together with the coordinator. The childminders work towards the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) as legislation requires and are regulated by Ofsted. They are also working towards the outcomes of Every Child Matters. All network childminders work to NCMA quality standards including additional standards for those who are accredited. Most network members are childminders with a vast range of experience in childcare and child development, many to degree level. Many have previously worked in a nursery or pre-school setting and all are willing to undertake further specific training as required. They can be flexible in their working hours and some even offer overnight care. The coordinators are happy to come out to groups and explain in more detail how a network childminder may be able to help a child or family who may need special flexible care. If you would like more information about network childminders please contact the network childminding team on or

35 Day nurseries Day nurseries provide care and education for children under the age of 5. They can be based in a workplace or in the community, run privately or by the local council. Opening hours can vary between 0700 and 1900 and normally offer flexible care, both full time and part time. Day nurseries are usually open all year round; however some are only open term time or have set holiday shut downs so make sure you find this out. Nurseries are run by a team of staff and activities are planned to help children enjoy learning appropriate to their age. They are registered with Ofsted so you will be able to view their latest inspection results to see what the standard of care is like. All nurseries should have a special educational needs policy and a special educational needs coordinator (SENCo). It is always a good idea to include the SENCo in the meetings you have with the nursery. For more information about day nurseries and a list of day nurseries in your area contact the Families Information Service. Pre-schools Pre-schools provide early years education for children aged 3 to 5 years and aim to provide learning experiences through structured play and give children the opportunity to mix with other children and adults. They offer sessions between 2.5 and 4 hours either taking place in the morning or the afternoon. Many offer 12.5 hours of free early learning for 3 to 4 year olds. Pre-schools are open term time only while some provide care for children aged 2 and under. All pre-schools should have a SEN policy and a special educational needs coordinator. It is always a good to include the SENCo in the meetings you have with the pre school. For more information about pre-schools and a list of pre-schools in your area contact the Families Information Service. 36

36 1 2 Nursery schools Nursery schools and nursery classes provide a range of early education and childcare for children between 3 and 5 years old (some settings will take children from 2.5 years), and are open during school hours usually between 0900 and 1530, offering full and half day sessions. Nursery schools can be run either by schools or by private or voluntary sector organisations. Nursery schools and nursery classes offer a range of structured based on learning through play, which has been developed for preschool facilities. For more information contact the Families Information Service. All nursery schools should have a special educational needs (SEN) policy and a special educational needs coordinator (SENCo). It is always a good idea to include the SENCo in the meetings you have with the nursery school. Creches Creches give parents and carers the opportunity to access training courses, leisure activities or shopping whilst their child is cared for in a play environment. Some crèches must be registered by Ofsted depending on how long children can stay there. Crèches normally cater for children aged between 3 months and about 4 years but this can vary. Further information is available from the Families Information Service

37 Nannies and home based childcarers Nannies offer a flexible childcare service, they are employed by you and care for your child in your own home. Many, but not all, live in the family home. Nannies are sometimes known as home based carers. Nannies are often trained childcare professionals but such training is not compulsory. Nannies are not obliged to register with Ofsted but can choose to be listed on the voluntary section of the Childcare Register. It is essential that you meet with any nanny prior to them commencing employment and you are in agreement about the style of childcare offered especially with regards to your child s needs. If you are thinking about employing a childcarer yourself through your direct payments then the Disability Resource Centre can help you with this process. You can contact them on Au pairs An au pair is a person who comes from overseas to live as a member of the child s family and learn English. They are expected to help out in the home for 5 hours a day with at least 2 full days off per week and reasonable additional time off for English tuition. 38

38 Au pairs receive a weekly allowance, a room in the family home and their meals. Since Au pairs do not need to be inspected or registered it is essential that you interview them thoroughly and ask for any references that they can provide. If you are thinking about employing a childcarer yourself through your direct payments then the Disability Resource Centre can help you with this process. You can contact them on Babysitters Babysitters look after children in their home for short periods of time, e.g. so the parents can have an evening out, go shopping etc. There is no requirement for babysitters to be registered or inspected, although some registered childminders may also offer babysitting services. It is essential that parents know their babysitter quite well and have confidence in their level of maturity, trustworthiness, childcare skills and abilities. If possible use a babysitter who has been recommended by others who have used them Affordable play and childcare Subtitle Milton Keynes Children s Play Centres Milton Keynes Children s Play Centres provide affordable play and childcare for children aged 4 ½ to 14 years in a safe environment, offering fun and exciting indoor and outdoor activities after school and during school holidays. Coldharbour Children s Play Centre, West Bletchley Tel: Stony Stratford Children s Play Centre Tel: Netherfield Children s Play Centre Tel: The Warren Children s Play Centre, Lakes Estate Tel: Or visit for more information

39 Childcare at school As with all childcare, it is important you check that childcare at school can cater for your child s needs. Some things to ask could be: What will the children be doing? How are they supervised? What qualifications and experience do the staff have? Is there a quiet area? How much individual attention do they get? Have there been any other children with special needs attend? Here are the different types of childcare which can be provided by your school to help with the school day and school holidays. Breakfast clubs If you need to start work before the school day then breakfast clubs are ideal! They provide a safe and creative place for children to enjoy breakfast together, before school starts. After school clubs After school clubs provide additional support when the school day is finished but the office hours are not! These clubs usually run from 1530 to 1800 during term time, and can be held in either the school itself or another setting altogether. If held within another setting some play workers offer a service to pick-up from local schools. After school clubs offer a number of fun and relaxing activities, such as games, sports or art and crafts as well as homework facilities until your work day is done. Holiday play schemes Play schemes provide care for school aged children 4 to 14 years during the school holidays. Schemes typically run from 0800 to 1800 and can include a number of fun and relaxing activities, such as games, sports or art and crafts. Holiday play schemes can be run by schools, the local authority or privately, and can vary in cost. Remember there are other options for out of school care including childminders. 40

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41 Short breaks Short breaks can sometimes be referred to as respite care. Short breaks can provide valuable support for parents and carers as well as children, allowing parents and carers to have a break maybe to spend some time on their own relaxing or getting things done like the shopping! It also gives parents and carers a chance to spend time with their other children and allows the child to gain new experiences, become more independent and hopefully make new friends. Short breaks can be with a carer, maybe an outing or trip, it could be with another family in their own home. It could also be at a respite centre or house specifically for children with disabilities. Milton Keynes has some council run respite care homes but there are also other options you may want to look at to be able to take a break from caring. It is important to know that short break care cannot be accessed by everyone. A social worker will establish if you are eligible. If you are not eligible the social worker will go through alternative options available to you though.to speak to a social worker in Milton Keynes, you can contact the Children with Disabilities team on between 0930 and 1300 Monday to Friday. 42

42 Welcome to chapter 3 Schools 1 So you ve arranged childcare and pre-school but now you need to apply for a school, sometimes it seems there s always another thing to do! Before giving you some help on choosing a school, here s an introduction to the statutory assessment process and how this may affect you. 2 3 Statutory assessments 4 About one in five of all school children will need special help with their learning at some stage. The majority of pupils have their needs met through special provision in mainstream schools, maintained by the Local Authority. However, some children (about 2% nationally) cannot have their needs met this way. They require specialist support due to the severity and complexity of their needs. What should I do if I think my child has Special educational needs? If you are concerned about your child s progress at school you should firstly talk with your child teachers, his/her headteacher or the school s special educational needs coordinator (SENCo). Your child s school will be happy to talk to you about your child. Many voluntary organisations who work

43 with or for children with special educational needs can give you advice. The Parent Partnership Service can also help to support you. They can give you information and advice and can put you in touch with local organisations to help you get your views heard. The next step; when would my child require a statutory assessment? A statutory assessment can be done before a child starts school or when they are already at school. It is best to get in touch with your health visitor if you are concerned about your child before they start school. Requests for assessment could come from one of the following sources: the child s parent or carer. the headteacher of the pupil s school or education setting other agencies the pupil may be involved with, i.e. the Psychology Service This statutory assessment information is from the Milton Keynes Council SEN Casework and Development Team s website. You can find more information about the Special Educational Needs Casework and Development Team by going to The website is designed to give information to parents and carers about the following: the statutory assessment process appeals meetings they are expected to attend other websites they may find useful publications they may like to read other agencies the SEN team works with accessing the MK Schools Directory contacting the SEN Team 44

44 Special Educational Needs (SEN) Learners with Learning Difficulties and/or Disabilities (LLDD) A new online forum for parents, carers and professionals Tel: There is a new online forum for parents, carers and professionals where users can find information, share knowledge and ideas and offer and receive support. To register for the forum, please visit You can also research information relating to SEN and LLDD on the new Milton Keynes Council SEN website. Please visit For further information, please contact the SEN Team on or sen@milton-keynes.gov.uk. 7 45

45 Choosing a school Choosing a school can be a daunting prospect since your child will be there for most of their childhood. There are some things to think about though when deciding which is the best place to send your child. The following information is recommended by Direct Gov: If your child has a statement of special educational needs (SEN), they will usually be educated in mainstream schools or early education settings. However, you can also ask for them to go to a special school. Schools must give priority to admissions from children with a special educational need statement as long as: the school you choose is suitable for your child's age, ability, skills and SEN. your child meets any academic selection criteria the school has (although most state schools do not select pupils by academic ability). your child's presence will not have a negative impact on the education of other children already at the school. placing your child in the school will be an efficient use of the local authority's resources. Special schools usually take children with particular types of special needs. Many mainstream schools also have special provision for children with particular needs. You can ask to view a school's policy on SEN to make sure you know what can be offered. Every school has to have a Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator; you may want to find out who this is at the schools you are applying for making sure to ask some questions or arrange to meet. You can also arrange to visit a number of schools if you want to. If you want your child to go to a school that is not run by the local authority e.g. an independent school, the Local Authority has no legal duty to send your child here even if they have a statement of special educational needs. school if your child has a special educational need. 46

46 For more information about schools admissions you can visit schooladmissions. The website gives you information about starting school for the first time, application deadlines and guides to applying for a school if your child has a special educational need. You can also contact the admissions team on the following numbers: For primary school admissions telephone or For secondary school admissions telephone or