Many parents can be worried about their children regarding: suspected autism, behavioural problems and learning difficulty / disability. It is easy to become very anxious re their children and frustrated in waiting for the school to carry out their assessment, which can take up to a year. During this time parents still require help and support for their children and themselves to help with situations at home and for general advice.
We have collected some useful resources here that may help families and provide extra support here.
Please remember to ensure you have full access to your GP electronic health records and that of your loved one so that you can ensure you have the correct diagnosis including what disabilities their may be so that you can share this with others if and when you need them. Your GP can help if you are unsure what to do. Being able to easily book appointments, order prescriptions, send secure messages and access your electronic health record as a patient or as a carer will make life easier for you. (71% of all our patients with Learning Disability already have full access to their records). You can also refer to this webpage to keep yourself up-to-date with the latest information as well. Please inform us if you find other resources that may have helped you too so that we can add to this list as well for the benefit of others. Scroll down to the bottom to learn more about the Special Parent!
Remember to register as a Carer if you care for a child with special needs. Please ask at reception or speak to a doctor or nurse to find out more. You can learn more here. See what Trevor Clower has to say as the carer for his own son.
Children with Special Educational Needs and Disability
Tameside Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Information, Advice and Support (IAS) Service. Tel: 0161 342 3383.
What kind of things does Tameside SENDIASS provide?
SENDIASS aims to encourage and develop partnership between children, young people, parents/carers, schools, the local authority and all other partners who are involved in working to identify, assess and meet the special educational needs of children and young people.
- Confidential and impartial information, advice and support to children, young people and their parents/carers on Education matters and Health and Social Care matters in relation to education.
- Information, advice and support on subjects including local policy and practice, personalisation, personal budgets, preparation for adulthood, the law on SEN and Disability, Health and Social Care.
- Information, advice and support throughout the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) assessment process and review process. Also information about existing Special Educational Needs (SEN) Statements and review process.
- Information, advice and support about SEN Support in settings, schools and further education.
- Individual casework.
- Support in preparing for and attending meetings.
- Help in filling in forms and writing letters/reports.
- Support in resolving disagreements, including Disagreement Resolution, Mediation and Tribunals.
- Signposting to other local or national sources of advice, information and support.
- Links to local parent support groups and forums.
- Information about Tameside’s Local Offer
- Information on the role of Independent Supporters (IS) and how to access this support
Our kids eyes
What We Do
We apply for funding to enable us to organise clubs, activities, discos, day trips & residential weekend breaks. We provide confidential advice and support for parents on a whole range of subjects but, if we don’t know the answers we will find someone who does!
Who We Are
OKE is a Registered Charity based in Tameside. Our charity i sun by volunteers, who are local parents of children who have special needs, who know first hand the impact of having a child with special needs has on the whole family. Our office is open 9:30am-2:30pm (term time only)
Contact us
If you would like more information about the work that Our Kids Eyes does, then please feel free to contact us either by phone 0161 371 2084 / 0161 371 2066 or via the contact form.
Tameside Autism Network
Click here to find out more about what support is available for children with Autism and their families.
Tameside Autism Group (T.A.G.)
Monthly drop in for adults (18+) with Autism Spectrum Disorder. A new group aimed at giving people with Autism Spectrum Disorder the chance to meet and explore areas of common interest and promote greater social confidence. The group will be shaped by those that attend who have already made it clear that they want a relaxed, support focussed group that encourages positivity and inclusion. For more information, please see advert below:
Another new group aimed at parents of adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder but also including partners of those on the spectrum and open to all those who know and/or support family members or friends. The group aims to provide friendship, understanding and sharing with others who might have similar experiences. Please see below for more information.
Tameside Action for Social Communication and Autism Support Group (T.A.S.C.A)
TASCA are a parent run support group for autistic children and their families within Tameside and Glossop area. They have a monthly drop-in coffee morning at Rose Hill Children’s Centre in Ashton and monthly evening event at Bizzy Bouncers Play Centre in Hyde, exclusive to tasca children and their siblings. They have recently launched a monthly ’10 up zone’, organise regular trips and outings and host an internet forum.
Further information
If would like to know more about autism, current developments in Tameside, or if you have any questions please contact Ged Ratchford – Autism Specialist Nurse.
Healthy Young Minds (Formerly CAMHS) Tameside
Healthy Young Minds (Dedicated website for young people, parents or carers and those looking after young people)
You can find out more about specialist services here
NHS Choices
- Dealing with Child Behaviour Problems
- Learn about Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder in pre-school children
- Signs and symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder in school-age children
- Other conditions associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Clinical Knowledge Summaries
Patient.co.uk
Health Unlocked
Miscellaneous
The Special Parents Handbook
Yvonne Newbold says “Doing whatever it takes to make life easier for special needs families and the staff who work with them”. Being the parent of 3 children with Special Needs, she realised parents like her are Special Parents because only they know their child better than anybody else and often know more about what is going on with their child than everybody else including the “experts” looking after your child. That makes sense really but have you ever thought about it like this. No?
Yvonne Newbold is a writer, speaker, workshop facilitator and consultant in issues relating to disability who has written a book named The Special Parent’s Handbookbased on her experiences of bringing up her own disabled children.
Yvonne Newbold, Author of The Special Parent’s Handbook describes the realities of being a parent with observations on what makes the difference for her and her child at the #CYPExp event in London
You can find out more about Yvonne here. If you would like to contact Yvonne, please follow her on facebook, twitter or e-mail her at [email protected] or visit her website www.yvonnenewbold.com where you can learn much more too including:
- Keeping in touch
- How Harvey’s Gang Makes Blood Tests Less Scary
- Mental Strength and Emotional Resilience for Parents
- This is NOT your fault
- 15 Resilience Tips for parents of SEND children
- Autism and Learning Disability – Overcoming the Challenges
- Violent and Challenging Behaviour – the Basics
- Breaking the silence on violent challenging behaviour
- and more…