SEND Health Focus Week is a series of interesting and engaging workshops and webinars by health professionals and Experts by Experience for parents/carers and professionals in Bedfordshire and Luton who care for or work with young people with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities.
These talks will cover a range of topics around SEND in children under 18.
All of the talks are free to attend and will be recorded in case you can't make it on the day. However there will be a Q&A after the talks which won't be recorded, so if you have any questions please try and come along!
SEND Health Focus week is bought to you in partnership with Bedfordshire and Luton Community Health Services, Bedfordshire and Luton CAMHS, Bedford Borough Parent Carer Forum, SNAP Parent Carer Forum (Central Bedfordshire and EPIC Luton Parent Carer Forum.
If you have any queries regarding these events, please contact ccs.co-production@nhs.net.
Talks & Times
Check back later to see the full list of talks and times as soon as they are able to be booked. Don't worry if you can't make a session - they will be recorded and able to be watched back any time. However the Q&A afterwards won't be recorded.
Monday 10th June
Preparing for Adulthood - Annual Health Checks, 10-11.30am
Would you like to find out more about Annual Health Checks? Come and join our Local Health Equalities Service to find out more about how Annual Health Checks can benefit you and your child, what you can expect, and how you can access them.
Book your place here.
How to support your teenager preparing for adulthood and navigating SEND, with the School Nursing Team, 1-2.30pm
This workshop is aimed at parents/carers or professionals who support young people with SEND. Come and join the Bedfordshire and Luton school nursing team to discuss how best to support our young people in preparing them for their next steps as well as navigating their world as a teenager with SEND!
Book your place here.
Tuesday 11th June
Lived Experience of Autism and Mental Health Services, 10-11.30am
This session will explore Autism from those with lived experience and their journey from receiving their diagnosis. They will be sharing what support they received from mental health services, advice on what was helpful and what could’ve been different to support them better. Come along to hear from the young people who helped to create the Autism training video and hear about other resources in development and the impact they are having.
Book your place here.
Gender Identity and Lived Experience, 1-2.30pm
Gender Identity and Neurodiversity is a controversial topic. This workshop will share different people’s lived experience, what people and families have found helpful, and how we support young people at CAMHS. Every young person is different and this workshop is about supporting young people and their families.
Book your place here.
Wednesday 12th June
The Positives of Neurodiversity, 10-11.30am
Join consultant community paediatrician and Autism lead Dr Francesca Omisakin to discuss the strengths and opportunities being neurodiverse brings, and the importance of celebrating young people with neurodiversity for parents/carers and professionals.
Book your place here.
Step Away from the Screen, 7-8.30pm
We will discuss the benefits of exercise for individuals with SEND, including those with mental health difficulties. Topics include how exercise impacts sensory regulation and ideas to get young people involved in physical activity.
Book your place here.
Thursday 13th June
Misconceptions and Lived Experience of Tics and Tourettes, 10-11.30am
Navigating the world with tics and tourrettes can be tricky. There is lots of misunderstanding and misconceptions about the disorder. This workshop aims to reduce these, explain the difference between tics and tourrettes, and how best to support young people with these presentations. Learn from experts by experience what life looks like and the struggles some people may face. Covering external factors like alcohol and sleep deprivation and their effects as well as discussing the difference between normalising and trivialising the disorder. Whether you are a parent/ carer or a professional this workshop will benefit you in increasing your understanding of a normally shied away topic.
Book your place here.
ADHD in Females and those Assigned Female at Birth, 1-2.30pm
Our understanding of ADHD presenting in those assigned female at birth has massively increased world-wide over the last few years. Due to this, we’ve seen a big increase in those presenting with ADHD symptoms and in turn, parents/ carers and professionals wanting a wider understanding on how you can support a young person with the diagnosis. This workshop gives you an opportunity to hear from young people and those with lived experience, ask questions and understand what is important to them. Non-traditional discussions around making home-life easier, navigating the educational system and support post diagnosis.
Book your place here.
Friday 14th June
SEND and Dietetics: Making Mealtimes Manageable, 10-11.30am
Whether you have a picky or highly restrictive eater you will find out more about why your child eats this way and what you can do to improve their food intake and make mealtimes less stressful.
Book your place here.
To watch the recordings from last year's SEND Health Focus Week, please see below.