Thank you for continuing to be a member of the Plymouth Parent Carer Voice (PPCV) community. We are always pleased to hear from you and welcome new members. If you know Plymouth-based parent carers of a child/young person with SEND who would benefit from joining us, please forward our newsletter to them and encourage them to register by following this link.
In this newsletter you will find LOTS of information taken from our Preparing for Adulthood Conference which we held in February. As requested by a number of parent carers who could not attend the event in person, we have listed all the providers who were there with a link to their websites.
This newsletter also includes information about our 2023 SEND & Celebration event as well as a reminder about our PPCV portal which is FREE for you to access. As always, we would like to encourage you to take part in our latest SEND surveys as we work hard to ensure your voices are heard in the strive to improve SEND services for Plymouth.
Preparing for Adulthood Conference – an opportunity to meet the service providers
On Wednesday 22nd February 2023, PPCV held their Preparing for Adulthood Conference which gave young people, parents and carers the chance to meet and chat to service providers. It was organised as a result of feedback from parent carers who had stated last year that they found it difficult to find support and information about options for their young person with SEND as they transition to adulthood. This event was open to young people in Y9 or above and their parent carers. PPCV had spoken to the local authority and they had agreed that young people of Year 9 and above with SEND were able to attend as an educational visit with school permission.
The PPCV Preparing for Adulthood Support Course is still running – please email claire@plymouthpcv.co.uk for the latest dates and your availability.
If you were not able to attend and meet the providers in person, here is a list (in alphabetical order) of the groups that attended. They would still love to hear from you, so please do not hesitate about getting in touch. (Don’t forget to let them know that you found their details on the PPCV newsletter!)
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the service providers who joined us at this event. Here they are:
Achievement Training. https://achievementtraining.com/
Achievement Training are a post 16 full time education organisation. Their aim is to equip all learners with the skills, knowledge and resilience to contribute positively in key local economic areas. ATL are experienced in providing access to education for those with barriers to learning, whether these are long-standing or newly emerging, simple or complex. They state: “Many learners choose our services based on their perception of a supportive environment that they have been unable to find elsewhere and this has become a strong USP for the company.”
Careers South West. https://cswgroup.co.uk/
CSW are careers information, advice, guidance and transition management specialists for young people. They are commissioned by the local authority to support young people with SEND and their families with transitions.
Duchy College. https://duchy.ac.uk/
Post 16 Education Provider – offering a range of Land-based Vocational Courses across the campus and Independence, Skills and Employability courses within their Foundation Learning and Vocational Academy Department. The Duchy College SEND Careers Service offers individual and impartial advice across a young person’s whole college journey to support with planning next steps and future career pathways. The SEND Careers Service works holistically supporting young people and their parents/carers to navigate the range of opportunites available for education; employment; community engagement and living options.
Eat That Frog CIC. https://eatthatfrog.ac.uk/
Eat That Frog CIC are a Community Interest Company. They provide 1:1 specialist support for learners with Educational Health Care Plans (EHCP) who are 16 years and above. They work with learners to create bespoke education packages which can include vocational qualifications, Maths, English, pastoral topics, preparing for adulthood, work experience and life skills sessions.
Exim Dance Company. https://eximdance.org.uk/
Exim Dance Company, founded in 2011 mission is to improve people’s lives through dance. Their vision is to raise aspirations, celebrating and championing underrepresented and undervalued communities; through a person-centred approach, they seek to unite people using creativity to achieve life-changing positive outcomes. This is achieved through the delivery of 31 FREE wellbeing services in communities of low cultural engagement and economic deprivation, operating as an effective early intervention, reducing more Plymouth residents reaching crisis point. Their work supports the core value that anyone who wants to do something can do it.
Friends and Families. https://www.friendsandfamilies.org.uk/
Friends and Families support and empower families with children living with a disability. They do this by providing services and activities for the whole family so that everyone gets to live their best life.
Horizons. https://horizonsplymouth.org/
Horizons works with local young people (aged 8-19) and people with disabilities (up to age 25). They provide inclusive and accessible sailing opportunities for young people, and for adult volunteers. Horizons use sailing as a tool to learn practical skills through water based activities whilst also have fun, gaining confidence, problem solving skills, teamwork experience, and the awareness to keep themselves and others safe on the water. They deliver an after inclusive school sailing club, educational school trips, wheelchair accessible motorboating, training and qualifications for youth participants and adult volunteers, and a winter land-based youth club.
Improving Lives – Young Adult Carers. https://www.improvinglivesplymouth.org.uk/
Improving Lives provide support to young adult carers aged 18-25 with the aim of transitioning 16/17 year olds into the adult services too through an enhanced transition.
InFocus. https://infocus-charity.org.uk/
InFocus is a charity supporting young people with visual impairments – and often a broad range of other complex needs. On their site in Exeter, is their College, offering bespoke further education courses for 16-25 year olds. They are able to provide residential and day placements to young people who may have left the structure of school but are looking for the next step into adulthood. Their courses are designed around the unique needs of each student. All pathways ensure young people are helped to communicate better, improve advocacy, explore their potential and reach the greatest possible level of independence.
Kooth. https://www.kooth.com/
Kooth Plc provides an online mental health platform for young people at www.kooth.com and adults at www.qwell.io. Kooth is commissioned in Devon, Plymouth and Torbay for 11-19 year olds and Qwell is commissioned for everyone aged 18+. Kooth and Qwell are anonymous, free and safe websites where people can sign up, and log in, to access professional support, self directed support and community support.
LDAP (Learning Disability and Autism Programme). https://www.livewellsouthwest.co.uk/plymouth-autism-spectrum-service
LDAP (Learning Disability and Autism Programme) remit is to support young people with a diagnosed Learning Disability or Autism who are at risk of Tier 4 mental health admission or placement breakdown. They state: “We do not act as care co-ordinators or professional leads, or provide any direct therapeutic support, but work alongside other agencies to ensure that young people are getting the right support in the right way and at the right time. We currently work with young people up until 18, but are recruiting and expanding to support SEND young people up until age 25.”
NSPCC. https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/our-services/together-for-childhood/
The NSPCC is a charity, where they are currently working on their 10 year project, Together for Childhood. Their aim is to prevent child sexual abuse with the help all our agencies and the community.
Community Connections. https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/community-youth
The event was attended by a lead for the youth SEND innovation project. This group offers young people with EHCPs the opportunity to explore the different possibilities into work through taster days and residentials.
PIAS. https://www.plymouthias.org.uk/
PIAS is the SENDIAS (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information and Advice and Support) for Plymouth providing impartial information advice and support to children/young people and their families with SEND. They also facilitate Youth Ascends.
Plymouth City Council Youth Service – No Limits. https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/no-limits-youth-club
No Limits is Youth Club is open for Young People aged 11-24 who identify as having an additional need. They also run the Autism group 4 me and my Friends.
Plymouth Mayflower Specials. https://www.mayflowerspecials.org/
Providing year round sport with meaningful competition for people with intellectual disabilities.
Prince’s Trust. https://www.princes-trust.org.uk/
The Prince’s Trust supports 13 to 30 year-olds who are unemployed and those struggling at school and at risk of exclusion. Three in four young people supported by The Prince’s Trust move into work, education or training. The charity has helped over 1 Million young people since 1976 and supports over 100 more each day.
Routeways. http://www.routeways.org.uk/
Routeways offers a diverse range of social and leisure activities for young people with additional needs, as well as providing funded short break packages. They have two centres based in Devonport and Plymstock and have extensive knowledge of the activity offering across the city. They can help families to find appropriate provisions for their young people that meet their individual needs and offer stimulating and engaging activities.
Sensory Solutions. https://www.improvinglivesplymouth.org.uk/our-services/sensory-solutions
Sensory Solutions provides information, advice and equipment for people of all ages with concerns about sight or hearing. Family members, carers, friends, professionals and employers are welcome to use this confidential and impartial service provided by trained advisors.
Shared Lives South West. https://www.sharedlivessw.org.uk/
Shared Lives South West are an award winning charity that delivers long term and short break care services throughout Devon, Cornwall and Somerset. They provide care and support and are an alternative to supported living and residential care. Established in 2004, they are a highly regarded care provider, rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission. They specialise in supporting people with learning disabilities, autism, mental ill health, dementia and older people. Their Funding and Benefits team check that people who use our services are receiving the correct benefits and offer a money management service. They state: “We are passionate about training and investing in our team to ensure we deliver high quality services.”
Skills Development at City College Plymouth. https://www.cityplym.ac.uk/
Skills Development is for school leaving students with Special Education Needs/Disabilities as documented in their EHCP. Their courses offer a variety of subjects working up to Entry level 3. They offer an Employability qualification. As well as continuing with English and Maths, they teach Independent Living Skills, Personal Development and Vocational Sessions where students can use the college facilities, with support from staff, in areas such as catering, automotive, media, construction, hairdressing, engineering and horticulture. They show young people the different options that they may choose to move into after Skills Development. All students are offered, when they are ready, a work placement and learn work skills to prepare them to move onto another course or employment. For older students aged 19+ they have a part time course over 2 days. They would also complete the Employability qualification. Their supported internship programme, Project SEARCH Derriford offers 18-24 year olds with a diagnosed Learning Disability and a Plymouth Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) the chance to work for one year within Derriford Hospital. Interns will also complete a City & Guilds Level 1 Diploma in Employability Skills, and develop their Functional English and Maths skills.
Skills Launchpad. https://www.skillslaunchpadplym.co.uk/
Skills Launchpad Plymouth supports those who are seeking work, facing redundancy or changing careers through the Adult Hub for those aged 25 years+, and offering targeted support for young people aged 16-24 years including those with additional needs through the Youth Hub. The intention of the ‘Skills Journey’ through the Launchpad is to put the individual at the heart – recognising that not one size fits all and that anyone in Plymouth can access this free help. The service offers an ethical and inclusive front door, designed to help residents make independent and informed skills and training choices, leading to better access to real employment opportunities.
The Dove Project. https://www.thedoveproject.co.uk/
The Dove Project offers personalised care and support packages through out Devon, Plymouth and Cornwall Supported living, community enabling, inclusion and training, residential care, short breaks, transition and respite.
The Pluss Organisation. https://pluss.org.uk/devon/
Training and Employment Support Service for people with Learning Disabilities and Autism. The training units provide work skills training in a practical setting – these include light package assembly, craft, confidential shredding, woodwork and gardening. The Employment Team support customers with their pathway to gain experience into work to eventually sustain paid employment.
Save the date for SEND & Celebration 2023
The PPCV 2023 SEND & Celebration Conference will take place on Wednesday 24th May at the Guildhall, Plymouth.
SEND & Celebration is the name of the Plymouth Parent Carer Voice annual SEND conference. Just as the name suggests, it is an exciting opportunity for those with SEND and their parents, carers, professionals and anyone with an interest in SEND in Plymouth to meet, question and learn from each other.
PPCV invite local groups and companies to run a stand advertising all the groups and activities that are available for children and young people with SEND. You will be able to catch up with advisors and service providers (some examples are listed above) for an informal discussion. There will be presentations and workshops to join. A light lunch is included.
The event (including lunch) is FREE for members of PPCV so make sure you are registered. £5 for those who are not a member. Did you know that you can join PPCV at a Parent / Carer, a professional or an organisation? Join using the link below:
https://www.plymouthpcv.co.uk/join
Further details about the event will be released soon so look out for an email or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to be kept in the loop.
PPCV Members Portal
Did you know that being a registered member of PPCV gives you access to the members portal on our website? It is here that you will find recordings of the presentations from our SEND & Celebration Conference earlier this year and a number of presentations to our regular Coffee & Cake meetings.
Log in and take a browse. If you have any questions you would like to raise from the presentations, do not hesitate to contact us and if we can’t help you, we will point you in the right direction. https://www.plymouthpcv.co.uk/members-only/
PPCV Sensory Library
As a member of PPCV, you can access our Sensory Library. This gives you the opportunity to try out some sensory equipment to see if it is suitable for your child or young person’s needs.
You will need your membership number to view the library and to book out an item. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any queries about the Sensory Library.
A new set of packs is being made available to settings from £10 per week. Please get in touch if this is of interest to you. If you know anyone who would like to borrow our items, please encourage them to register with us.
https://www.plymouthpcv.co.uk/library/
Coffee & Cake Meetings
Our Coffee & Cake meetings continue to be held virtually every other week.
These meetings offer the opportunity for you to meet up with other parents/carers of young people with SEND in Plymouth. We are here to chat, share stories and help you find the right services and information.
You can also find out about opportunities to help shape and improve the vital services that we use. We often invite groups to join us to talk about what they can offer families in Plymouth. Our recent presentations have included PIAS, the Graduated Approach to SEND, Communication (with the Head of SEND for Plymouth), representatives from the Special Partnership Trust discussing the planned new ASD school and Devon Mind.
We would love to meet you – everyone is welcome. In the meantime, check out our website to see who we have got lined up for future meetings: https://www.plymouthpcv.co.uk/events/
Follow us on Social Media
For all the latest updates (including reminders about our workshops, events and regular Coffee & Cake meetings) follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You are welcome to share our posts to ensure we are reaching as many parent carers as possible.
