Local Offer - Information for Carers

Do you have a child who has autism or a child who has autistic tendencies? Then why not come and meet other parents/carers at our free monthly coffee morning. 

Our coffee morning gives parents the opportunity to share their worries, ideas and important information with to help each other. We invite professionals to attend to share strategies and give advice and there may also be speakers from health and education services in attendance. 

• Location: Derwent Road Community Room, Derwent Road, Mexborough, S64 0QF
• Date: Every second Friday of the month
• Time: 10am-12pm

For more information, please contact Sarah on 07794513468 or through Facebook: Aspire - Mexborough Autism Coffee Morning

The ASCETS team have been working collaboratively with Doncaster Council, NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board and Doncaster Parents’ Voice to provide a new service called Doncaster Autism Service (DAS).

As part of this collaboration, DAS are delivering workshops across a range of subjects.  

Please check the Doncaster Autism Service Facebook page for more information.

Are you a carer who has:

• Anxiety
• Stress
• Negative thinking
• Low mood
• Emotional exhaustion
• Depression
• Difficulty sleeping
• Too much on your mind

Then why not book a free one-to-one counselling session? This free service is offered by trained staff at the Carers Centre on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Book a session

You can access the sessions via telephone, online or face-to-face counselling session by calling 01302 637566. 

Doncaster Carers Wellbeing Service can support you in your caring role, help you to stay connected in your community and give you a balance in your life. 

Their expert staff and people with lived experience can provide one-to-one support, peer support and up to date and relevant information to support you as a carer.

Visit the Doncaster Carers Wellbeing Service website for more information.

Contact

Tel: 01302 986900
Email: enquiries@makingspace.co.uk
Facebook: Doncaster Carers Wellbeing Service

Doncaster Partnership for Carers provide a range of services for carers and the people they care for including parent carers and older carers. We offer free advice and information, a telephone befriending service, counselling, a legal clinic as well as a range of social support clubs / groups for parent carers, older carers and BAME carers We also arrange social outings, days out, themed parties for families with children with a disability / long term condition and offer a range of activity sessions for all ages.

Campaigning – We work with and help facilitate Doncaster Carers Forum (the campaigning voice for all adult carers), Doncaster Parent Carers Forum (the raising awareness forum for all parents of children with SEND - Special Educational Needs and /or Disability) and the LADDER Group (the campaigning group for young people with SEND) all these groups meet at the Carers Centre.

Contact

Tel: 01302 637566
Email: dpfc@doncastercarers.org.uk

Carers Support Poster

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Carers Therapies Poster

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Carers Wellbeing Sessions

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Doncaster Autism Service (DAS) is a brand new service, aiming to support autistic individuals of all ages, along with their families and carers. DAS is a collaboration between NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, Doncaster Council (ASCETS and EPS), Doncaster Partnership for Carers (DPC) and Doncaster Parent Voice (DPV).

Whilst delivering a wide range of support, activities and events, they also offer information, advice, guidance, and signposting to other specialist services and organisations. DAS is unique in that it is the only service in Doncaster that offers an all age offer for pre and post diagnostic support.

Through collaboration with the ASCETS team, DAS has developed a post-diagnostic support pathway for newly-diagnosed adults, children and young people and their families featuring 1:1 support sessions  and group workshops covering a wide variety of topics . They are hoping to extend this offer from September 2024 to include individuals with historic diagnoses.

As part of their community based activities and events they offer:

• Social groups and social events for parents, young people and adults
• Health and wellbeing therapies 
• Telephone befriending 
• Benefits advice 
• Counselling for parent /carers and autistic adults
• Group activities for children and young people and adults  
• Forums to make people’s voices heard 
• Art therapy
• Games club
• Massage therapies

Over the next few years, DAS will continue to expand the  range of services on offer and  increase its reach among autistic individuals of all ages. They are also working hard to strengthen links with local providers and community groups.

Contact DAS

Tel: 07536455292
Email: das@doncastercarers.org.uk 
Address: Doncaster Carers Centre, 2 Regent Terrace, South Parade, Doncaster, DN1 2EE
Facebook: Doncaster Autism Service Facebook page 

DAS Post-Diagnostic Support

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Doncaster Deaf Children's Society affiliated to NDCS in December 2014. It is run by parents and carers of deaf children, working together with local health and educational professionals.

All of the local groups registered to NDCS are very different. Most get together regularly and organise occasional activities for deaf children and their parents.

Tel: 0207 014 5919
Email: doncaster@ndcsgroup.org.uk

Doncaster Parents Voice (DPVoice) are an independent group of parents and carers of children and young people (0-25) with disabilities and/or special educational needs (SEND). Our aim is for all children, young people and their families living with disabilities/additional needs in Doncaster to have the same opportunities, hopes and aspirations as other families in education, health, social care and leisure. We are run by a steering group of parent carers with a vested interest in shaping services fit for purpose for children and young people and their families living with disabilities and/or SEND. To achieve this, we have parents representatives working with the local education, health and social care commissioners and service providers.

• We organise activity days in the school holidays in partnership with the LADDER group who are a group of young people with disabilities and parents
• We hold regular face to face coffee mornings and online chat groups for parents. For dates and times please call 01302 637566 or email DPVevents@doncastercarers.org.uk
• We are the Doncaster suppliers for the MAX CARD - a discount entry card for disabled children and young people
• We hold information sessions, events, training, activity sessions and pamper days for families throughout the year. Please see our DPV Facebook page for the latest details
• We engage with other local parent carer support groups

We provide information for parents on a range of issues including education, health and social care services either over the phone or face to face If you would like to learn more about Doncaster Parents Forum or you are a parent/carer of a child with an additional need looking for information or support then please do not hesitate to contact us, either by telephone, e-mail or Facebook.

Tel: 01302 637566
Text: 07917690590
Email: dpvoice@doncastercarers.org.uk

DPV - More Information

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DPV Newsletter Feb 2023

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If you have any concerns regarding a decision made by the Local Authority in relation to your child’s special educational needs, we would always encourage you to contact the SEN service in the first instance.

However, if you feel that you wish to seek independent advice, guidance or support, information about the SENDIAS service is included separately on the Local Offer page and refers to the process of mediation. You can also visit our Appeals and Disagreements page to learn more about disagreement resolution, mediation and tribunals. 

For your information, here is more information regarding the Kids SEND Mediation Service.

KIDS SEND Mediation:

Resolving disagreements for children and young people with SEND

KIDS Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Mediation helps parents and young people resolve disputes about Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessments and Plans, as well as other SEND related issues. We have a team of specialist accredited SEND mediators with many years of experience.

Disagreements are usually with the local authority (LA) and sometimes with the school or college. Health and Social Services can also be involved.

Parents and young people can use mediation before making an appeal to the SEND Tribunal. Mediation is very successful and means you may not have to go to tribunal. Around 85% of mediation meetings result in an agreement. If you are not happy with the outcome of mediation, you can still make a tribunal appeal.

Our service is free of charge. It is for children and young people with SEND (or who may have SEND) age 0 to 25 and their families.

How does mediation work?

• Mediation is quick and informal and there is little paperwork.
• The mediation meeting takes place somewhere near you and usually within about a month of your request. At the moment, all mediation meetings are done online, for example using Teams or Zoom.
• Your caseworker and your mediator help you prepare for the meeting from start to finish and they will answer any questions and concerns you may have.
• Mediators are impartial and do not take sides or tell you what to decide.
• There is just one mediation meeting and it takes around 2 hours with as many breaks as you may need.
• The mediator manages the meeting and makes sure that everybody's voice is heard and that the focus remains on the needs of the child or young person.
• The mediator ensures that everybody works together to find solutions that are in the interest of the child or young person.
• At the end of the meeting the mediator helps put the agreements reached in writing. The mediation agreement is signed by all present and a copy given to everybody.

More information

For more information please contact Kids Mediation on the contact details below:

• Tel: 03330 062 835 (This is a local rate number) 
• Email: senmediation@kids.org.uk
• Website: Kids SEND Mediation Service

Live Inclusive have a variety of services for disabled people and those living with long term conditions. Services include:

• Physiotherapy
• Occupational therapy
• Information
• Support at appointments
• Help to increase confidence and reduce social isolation

Tel: 01302 592400
Email: enquiries@liveinclusive.co.uk 
Address: Office E, 1 Cavendish Court, South Parade, Doncaster DN1 2DJ

Are you a parent or carer navigating the challenges of raising a child or young person with special educational needs? You are not alone!

North Doncaster SEND Support are here to offer none judgemental understanding, guidance, support and advice. We are a peer support group, run by parents for parents.

• Day: Every Friday during term-time
• Time: 9:15am-12pm (straight after the school run)
• Location: Greenwood Centre, Latin Gardens, Scawsby, Doncaster, DN5 8TE
• Contact: Message us on Facebook or email sendscawsby@gmail.com 

There are no joining fees & no fees to attend, our SEND Coffee Mates group is totally free to join and is a walk-in group, no diagnosis necessary.

Children are welcome, but must be accompanied by a responsible adult at all times. 

The aim of a parent carer’s needs assessment is to give you a chance to tell professionals in Doncaster about the things that could make looking after your disabled child easier for you.

The assessment focuses on you as a parent and your needs. We will discuss issues such as the help you need, and whether there is anyone else who helps or if you are your child’s only carer.

The parent carer’s needs assessment will also consider your wellbeing, including health and safety issues, and important commitments like relationships and employment.

Parent Carer Needs Assessment

'Understanding your child with additional needs', is an online course for parents, relatives and friends of children who may have a physical or learning disability or who may have autistic traits. It is a substantial course, similar to ‘Understanding your child’ but it has been rewritten for parents of children with additional needs. 

Families in Doncaster can access this free course online with the code: STGEORGE 

SENDIAS can provide independent information, guidance and support for parents/carers of children with any level of special educational needs and/or disabilities. We also provide support for young people up to 25 who have disabilities too.

The best results can be achieved if parents, carers, teachers and others involved with you or your child work together to make a difference to your child's education and the lives of young people. We work with agencies and professionals to give parents/carers and young people the information you need to achieve the best possible future for you or your children.  We support you by enabling you to have a voice.

Tel: 01302 736920
Email: sendias@doncaster.gov.uk 

Families where a child has a brain condition face challenges every day. Just to learn, play, make friends, enjoy and experience the world can feel difficult, even impossible. But we don’t believe there is any challenge that can’t be overcome.

Our Vision is that every family that includes a child with a brain condition will have the chance to discover a better life together.

Our Mission is to listen to families that include children with brain conditions. We use what they tell us to inspire the best research and innovation. Then we help them put the knowledge into practice so they can discover a better life together.

Who we help:
We use ‘brain condition’ to describe any disorder or disability that affects the brain, including those caused by illness, genetics or traumatic injury. Brain conditions include (but are not limited to) autism, ADHD, Down’s syndrome, learning disabilities, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and developmental delay. We help children aged 16 or under.

Visit the Cerebra website for more information. 

Caudwell Children provide family support services, equipment, treatment and therapies for disabled children and their families across the UK. We also run our Enable Sport programme for talented disabled athletes and our Destination Dreams holiday for children fighting life threatening conditions.

Tel: 0345 300 1348
Email: charity@caudwellchildren.com
Address: Caudwell Children, Minton Hollins Building, Shelton Old Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 7RY

The Navigate Service is designed for parents who have a child on the pathway to diagnosis, or who have a child diagnosed with a disability or impairment within the last 12 months.

Navigate will offer parents six weeks of phone based and online mentoring designed to provide emotional and practical support at the start of their journey as a parent to a disabled child.  Parents will be allocated a personal adviser who they will speak with on a weekly basis;  the service is entirely parent-led, and parents will choose the focus of the support.  However, we are not able to advise or assist on benefit claims or specific condition management.

Parents will need to self-refer into the service and can access more information and our online referral form on the Scope website or call us on 0808 801 0510.

Navigate Poster

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Navigate Poster 2

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Navigate Poster 3

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Sibs is the UK charity for brothers and sisters of disabled children and adults. Sibs exists to support people who grow up with or have grown up with a disabled brother or sister. It is the only UK charity representing the needs of over half a million young siblings and over one and a half million adult siblings.

Young Sibs is for children and young people who have a brother or sister who is disabled, has special educational needs or a serious long-term condition. It is for siblings in the UK who are under 18 years of age.