Coronavirus and the SEND Community

17/03/2020

Today the National Network of Parent Carer Forums shared with the Government a paper highlighting the impact of Covid 19 on the SEND community and key issues that need to be considered to mitigate risk, not just for children and young people with SEND but for their families also.  The paper includes consideration of;

•            Provision of specific advice for special schools and vulnerable children

•            Communication, including the provision of easy read information, planned distribution networks that specifically target the SEND Community, proactive identification of those ‘at risk’ and co-ordinated and joined responses

•            Action for maintaining essential medication and supplies such as continence supplies and prescribed nutrition

•            Workforce support – back up care / notification of changes in short break provision / availability of emergency care / access to social workers

•            Support for SEND families who have to self-isolate

•            Co-production – continuing to work with parent carers to plan the response at this difficult time

The full information can be found on http://www.nnpcf.org.uk/nnpcf-input-into-covid-19-contingency-planning/?LMCL=kyD7zL&fbclid=IwAR0DgHNvgpdI4bm-DCBKNwbm06kgGIxhpm-0TQFCYZjk30ilbKL9vw4alyg

These key issues reflect the communications and conversations that PACC is seeing on social media locally and so we have shared this with senior leaders at Shropshire Council and Shropshire CCG, with the offer to support distribution of information about these or related issues to the Shropshire SEND Community.

We have also offered to help in preparing any information, by suggesting content or wording that would be suitable for the needs of our community. Due to the fact that PACC reps are in most cases parent carers of children and young people in vulnerable groups, we have also informed local leaders that PACC will not be attending any meetings on a face to face basis, for the immediate future, but that if possible we could join and contribute to discussions via teleconferencing or email.

This is a worrying and challenging time for SEND families and we hope that you all remain safe and well.  PACC will continue to share information which we think might be helpful to SEND families and encourage all of you to stay in touch with each other, providing the peer support and understanding that so valuable to our community.  If you need to contact PACC please do so via Facebook messenger or our email enquiries@paccshropshire.org.uk