Amaze SEND Noticeboard

03/10/2025

Does your child have an EHCP and are they moving schools next year?

There are have spaces available on Amaze's FREE online workshop: 'Preparing for your Annual Review – getting the most from the EHCP' next week (Thursday 9th October, 10am-12pm).

The timing of this workshop is particularly useful for anyone about to have a phase transfer review (planning to move from one setting to another), which will take place in the coming weeks.

Your current EHCP may be okay for the current setting where the school understand your child’s needs and how to work with them. The transfer review is an opportunity to make sure the EHCP is up to date and provides all the information the next setting will need.

Please book your place via: https://amazesussex.org.uk/events/preparing-for-your-annual-review-getting-the-most-from-the-ehcp/

Image description: The text 'Free SENDIASS Zoom Preparing for your Annual Review - getting the most from your EHCP' sits on a white background above an image of mother talking to her son, who has Down's syndrome. The Amaze logo is top right.

03/10/2025

Sight survey for parent carers of children who attend Special Educational Settings:

NHS Sussex is inviting parent carers of children who attend Special Educational Settings to share their views by completing a short survey about a new sight check and spectacle dispensing service that will be delivered in schools. They say: “Parent feedback is vital in helping us understand what works best for your child or young person and how we can make sure sight testing is accessible, effective, and tailored to meet their needs. Please take a few minutes to have your say and help shape the future of vision support in specialist education.”

This survey is only open until Thursday 9th October and only to parent carers of children and young people attending Special Educational Settings.

We have raised concerns about the inequality of access to the service for those who aren’t in an educational setting and about the inadequate timeframe for this consultation.

Complete the survey here: https://yoursaysussex.govocal.com/en-GB/projects/ses-sight-check-survey-for-parents/surveys/new?phase_id=cf3155e0-5d8a-4df2-a464-3d818db498ee

03/10/2025

An opportunity to join East Sussex Parent Carer Forum - ESPCF as an additional engagement worker in their team, working on two NHS-funded projects: Autism in Schools (AiS) and Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS):

❓🤔 Can you help strengthen the voice of parent carers and SEND families and improve outcomes for children in East Sussex?

👀 We are seeking an additional engagement worker to join our team working on two NHS-funded projects: Autism in Schools (AiS) and Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS).

🟣 The focus of the role will be to facilitate parent carer groups in specific named schools across East Sussex to strengthen relationships between those schools and their parent carer communities and improve the outcomes for children and young people with SEND.

🟣 This is a great opportunity to join a welcoming and supportive team and to be part of projects where the feedback received has shown how valuable and beneficial the parent carer groups can be.

🟣 To be part of this project, it is essential that you have lived experience of neurodivergence, health conditions, or disabilities - yourself and/or as a parent/carer of a child, young person or adult with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

🟣 We are looking for someone who can join us as soon as possible. The exact hours worked each week will be in negotiation but there is a requirement to travel to schools within East Sussex to facilitate parent carer groups which are held to coincide with the start or end of the school day.

Full details about the role and how to apply are on our website:
https://www.espcf.org.uk/engagement-worker-oct25/

02/10/2025

East Sussex Family Hubs have a couple of useful webinars running this term for families with SEND children.

🗓Learning about Neurodivergent Children is on 8 October, 11 November or 10 December.
🗓Managing anxiety and Avoidance is taking place on 14 October, 6 November or 9 December.

To book any of these free webinars or find out more email: EH.0-19parentingteam@eastsussex.gov.uk

02/10/2025

Want to know about BHISS autism workshops for parents and carers in Brighton & Hove?

This term, Brighton & Hove Inclusion Support Service is running the following online workshops for parents and carers of autistic children or those awaiting assessment for autism in the city.

• Thinking about Developmental Language Disorder (DLD - Tuesday 14 October 9.30am-12.00 pm
• Thinking about autism - Monday 17 November 9.30am-12.00 pm
• Demand avoidance - Tuesday 2 December 9.30am -12.00pm

The workshops will be led by Family Support Workers from BHISS’s Autism & Language team and will be delivered via Teams. Email BHISS@brighton-hove.gov.uk to get the link and passcodes for the session you are interested in or view the details here.
https://amazesussex.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Autism-Workshops-Autumn-2025.pdf

Image description: A person's hand writing notes while looking at a laptop.

02/10/2025

📣📣 For those of you who do not follow our Amaze page....here's our hugely exciting news. A brand new BookBench Story Trail is coming to the streets of Brighton & Hove in autumn 2026 to help raise funds for Amaze! Apart from the trail itself, there'll be tons of ways to get involved for local businesses, schools and community groups. Watch this space for updates!🥳

01/10/2025

☕ Upcoming parent support groups for October!

🕛 To get up to date timings and venue details for the group you are interested in, please visit: https://amazesussex.org.uk/events/?filter=.groups-pc, or go to the Events section on our website and select the 'Groups - parents' filter and find the one you want.

Image description: Amaze logo on a white background with green box that lists all the upcoming groups in white text.

23/09/2025

Don't miss Carousel's the Rock House this month! The Rock House is Carousel's regular Brighton gig, featuring loads of excellent bands, some who are learning disabled and some who aren't.

Rock House is at the Green Door Store from 7pm to 9.30pm and is suitable for over 14s (under 16s must be accompanied by an adult).

Get more details and book your tickets at https://carousel.org.uk/whats-on/trh-september

Image description: The Rock House logo on a purple background, surrounded by two lightning bolts.

22/09/2025

Accessible theatre performance: The Colour of Dinosaurs.

Inspired by palaeontologist Dr Jakob Vinther’s extraordinary scientific discovery about the real colour of dinosaurs 15 years ago. He’s joined on stage with five musicians that play themselves in the show and tell stories about their identities and lived experiences.

Each cast member explores a part of their identity including Lloyd’s experiences of albinism which causes his visual impairment, Victoria’s experiences of synaesthesia while being blind from a young age, and Harry’s experiences of having ADHD.

In addition to the main themes of the show, each performance will be a "Chilled Performance" which means there is a casual approach to noise and movement within the auditorium. Audience members can enter and exit the auditorium as they wish and shouldn’t feel as though they must remain still and silent throughout the performance.

There is a visual story to accompany the live performance which can be downloaded before coming to the venue to help, particularly neurodivergent or sensory-sensitive audience members, to know what to expect when coming to see the show. I’ve attached the document to this email.

The 11am performance on Sun 28 Sep will be BSL interpreted to ensure that children that use BSL still have an opportunity to enjoy the show. There are a selection of tickets on hold that have a good view of the interpreter and these can be booked by calling or emailing the ticket office.

The Corn Exchange venue has step-free access, lifts to all levels and accessible toilets. More info and tickets:

Picture a dinosaur roaming through an ancient forest... millions of years later, a scientist called Jakob discovers its amazing fossilised remains and tells its incredible, colourful story, revealing secrets we could never have imagined.

19/09/2025

The 3H Foundation's latest round of holiday grant funding has now been extended to 30th September.

This popular holiday grant programme was set up in 2000 to enable low income families with a disabled member to organise their own holiday in the UK.

Follow the link below to see which parts of Surrey and Sussex they currently have funding available for, as well as other info and the application form:

https://the3hfoundation.org.uk/holiday-grants/

18/09/2025

Anti-Bullying Week runs 10th to 14th November, but if you want to nominate a teacher for Anti-Bullying Alliance's School Staff Award, you've only got one week to do so!

Pupils across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland can nominate teachers and school staff who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to prevent and respond to bullying and to raise awareness of bullying in school.

Every nominee will receive a certificate, whilst the winners will get their hands on some exciting prizes.

The deadline for nominations is 5pm, Friday 26th September 2025:

We're thrilled to announce the return of our School Staff Award for Anti-Bullying Week 2025!

17/09/2025

This Friday!

Purple Clubhouse & Karaoke is this Friday! 🎉

Summer may be wrapping up for this year, but it doesn't mean we can't have one last ​summer party! 😎

Hit the dancefloor with us, sing a tune and make new friends. We would love to see you there! 🥳

📅 Friday 19th September 2025
🕡 6:30-10pm
📍 Brighton Railway Club

💰 £6 (Carers free)

Get your ticket now: https://www.grace-eyre.org/events/purple-clubhouse/

The famous Purple Clubhouse is our monthly club night run by and for autistic people and people with a learning disability for everyone in the neurodiversity-friendly community, featuring DJs and dancing.

Team Domenica Carousel Brighton and Hove Speak Out Stay Up Late Possability People Aldingbourne Trust Disability Pride Brighton Amaze St. John's College The Carers Centre for Brighton and Hove Carers Support West Sussex Southdown Heartventure UNITY learning disability clubnights Worthing Mencap & Buddys Echo Performing Arts