In order to gather information, the forum have started to use graffiti walls using Padlet.
All our Padlets have now closed but you can read more about them below.
Padlet-Our Budgets
PCT wanted your views on Personal Budgets, Direct Payments and Personal Health Budgets.
We asked if you had applied for any of these, to take the time to tell us what you thought of the process and how can it be improved.
One parent’s comment on the Padlet directed to BCP:
“Why can’t you have a single unified policy for Personal Budgets and Direct Payments? One policy that defines the process for working with a personal budget – regardless of whether it is from the EHCP, from Continuing Healthcare, or from Social Care?”
Padlet- Information leaflet
Prior to 2019, Bournemouth Council produced some information leaflets, that were sent out to parents as part of an information pack along with information on Educational Health Care Plans (EHCPs), etc.
We wanted to gather parent and carers feedback on whether it was a good idea for BCP Council to update these 6 leaflets:
- The Local Offer
- Support Plans
- EHCP Needs Assessment Timescales
- Who’s Who
- Routes to Resolution
- Money Matters
We asked parents and carers to let us know via the Padlet if the above titled leaflets are useful and if there is any information missing.
While the Padlet was live, one of our steering group members Peter collated the parent and carer feedback collected at that point, anonymised responses and shared with Mary Diffey, SEND Manager, BCP Council) who said:
“This is really useful feedback, thank you very much. I’ll ensure we incorporate this when we update the leaflets and will send back to you for further feedback.”
Padlet- What do you think about SEND services
With this Padlet, we encouraged all BCP parents and carers of children with SEND to add their feedback to to let us know what parents think about relevant services and lots did indeed share with us their thoughts-the positive and the negative.
The Padlet was grouped into various titles. Negative comments are in red and positive comments are in purple.
Under the ‘EHCP Process- including SEN Support, Graduated Response’, parents made the following comments:
“Completely unfit for purpose. Teachers time wasted writing the applications, hours wasted trying to get anyone to respond and too many tears shed with no communication, no support and apparently no accountability for breaching legal deadlines or arbitrary decisions made”.
“My son’s EHCP is reviewed every year but we never receive a final copy, this is the second year in a row”.
“I went through 4 different case handlers during my sons EHCP process”.
“The EHCP process took such a long time that some of the tools listed were out of date and no longer used”.
“Paediatrician was fantastic, we felt heard and gave us clear next steps”.
‘Access to Activities- including Short Breaks, After School Clubs etc‘, feedback included:
“0-25yrs is the EHCP range – where do young adults go to socialise? What happens when they are too old for holiday activities?”
“SEND holiday clubs for working parents…are there any?
This has now become such a nightmare, we need SEN inclusive clubs for children through holiday times, and or after schools”.
“School holidays clubs are pretty non existent for SEN children. Especially the children that love to be kept in a routine. There is nothing available for them as they can require 1-1 which most holiday clubs are unable to provide. There needs to be something in place to help ensure the support is given to SEN parents not just during school time but school holidays too especially summer as it a long time out of routine”.
“Lots seem to be based at Poole, would help if more were in Bournemouth”.
“Big shout out to Short Breaks and Diverse Abilities for their school holiday activities”.
“I really value the activities available to us. Short Breaks enables us to enjoy soft play which we haven’t previously been able to do.
I work full time so I struggle with childcare during the holidays covering the hours I need and having the tools and understanding to manage my sons needs”.
“Wonderful staff and some lovely activities.. school holiday clubs, brilliant and good price”.
‘Preparing for Adulthood/Transitions’:
“Transition to adulthood-no idea where to start on this. Where can I find a simple flowchart that tells me what I need to know/do and by when in relation to an 18th birthday?”.
‘Waiting times for assessment –both BCP Council and NHS Dorset’:
“It took 8 years to get a diagnosis. 1 year to get a draft EHCP. 16 months to get an EHCP which I’m now trying to take to tribunal due to the names school who failed my son and daughter and the LA want me to send them back, there no way”.
“5 years waiting for an Autism diagnosis. Finally received it during lockdown as my son was finishing yr 11-by which time it was too late for any significant help at school”.
We have used the above feedback and more in various meetings we have been involved in with BCP Council & NHS Dorset.
Examples-
- The Padlet received lots of comments about Short Breaks and Activity Clubs. We compiled a report about Short Breaks and have held a number of talks with Commissioners of the service and are working on putting together some Q&A sessions.
- Some parents commented on the waiting times and Case Officers. Mary Diffey from BCP Council has informed us they have recruited more staff to deal with the backlog.
- A parent feedback about Preparing for Adulthood (PfA). The forum have been pushing BCP Council to develop a parent guide about this.