SEND Support
SEND stands for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. It’s a term used to describe children and young people who have a learning difficulty or disability that makes it harder for them to learn than others of the same age.
Children with SEND may need additional or different support to help them reach their full potential.
EXPLORERS PLUS
Explorers Plus was developed in 2022 by Early Years Alliance (EYA) to support families who have a young child with SEND.
EYA and Lewisham Inclusion Team, Portage and Lewisham Family Hubs are now jointly supporting Explorers Plus stay and play sessions for families with a child aged 0-5 years with SEND. You don’t need a diagnosis to attend, and you don’t need to book, just turn up on the day – you will be made very welcome by the team.
The sessions are now partly funded by the Leathersellers Foundation.
Come and join us for this fun and relaxed play session if:
- You are concerned about any part of your child’s development.
- You are concerned about your child’s speech and language
- You are waiting for an referral to a service at Kaleidoscope.
- Your child has a social or communication need, developmental delay, physical disability or sensory need
- Your child struggles with play.
- You are concerned about your child’s behaviour
- You have struggled to find a Stay & Play session that allows you and your child to play and learn without judgement.
- You would like to talk to someone about your child
Our friendly team will help support your family with:
- entering the sessions if they struggle with new people and surroundings.
- settling in at their own pace and in their own way.
- choosing activities that interest them and allow them to free play (there’s no routine).
- accessing sensory, messy and outdoor play.
- learning new skills at their own pace.
- playing alongside other children (not with them if this is a challenge for them)
- signposting to charities and support groups that could help you and your family.
- meeting other parents in the same situation as you.
- learning more about some of the benefits or other support you that you may be able to access.
Explorers Plus is a non-judgemental space for you to play, learn and have fun with your child.
We run two sessions a week on Monday and Tuesday (see poster below for details), there is no need to book. We are also opening a brand new session in October at The Camelot Centre in Meliot Road, SE6 – look out for details coming soon.
What our parents and carers say:
“My son enjoys and always looks forward to coming to his playgroup. My son has speech delay, slurred speech and is awaiting a diagnosis for Autism and ADHD. When he comes to this playgroup, my son gets to socialise and further develop his social skills, something that he finds difficult to do. Additionally, he gets to express himself a lot more through messy play and outdoor play, which is something he can’t do much at home because of where we live. Playgroup allows him to play and discover new toys he doesn’t have at home.” parent at Explorers Plus
“My two little ones love coming here. The activities are so child-led and they love to explore and play. I get lots of ideas of what do at home, and …..they have loads of expertise and support to offer. The atmosphere is so welcoming and my children are able to develop their concentration and confidence. There is no other setting that they engage so well in. I think M is relaxed by all the sensory and messy play and this helps him and his behaviour. They have formed trusting relationships with staff which helped them prepare for nursery. I am inspired by the lovely way staff interact with and included the children and I think this has helped my parenting. This session is amazing and means so much to me and two children, thank you. Reception staff also have the same lovely child friendly approach.” parent at Explorers Plus
Explorers Plus materials developed by Early Years Alliance
Supported by the Leathersellers Foundation.
For more information please read our blog posts on SEND subjects.
SEND jargon, what does it all mean?
Once you realise your child has a special educational need or disability it can feel that you are immediately faced with lots of phrases and acronyms that you haven’t heard before.
Resources for Autism – the new Autism Service for Lewisham
Let us tell you a little bit about us and what we do… Resources for Autism is a registered charity. We provide practical services for children and adults with a diagnosis of
Benefits for parents of SEND children
Caring for a child with a disability can be expensive, especially if you’ve had to give up work or cut your working hours. Here are a few benefits that you may
Short breaks for parents of children with disabilities (SEND)
If you’re a parent or carer of a child or young person with a disability you may be eligible for short breaks. These short breaks in your caring can enable you
What support can my SEND child get at nursery?
Your child starting nursery is an exciting time for all the family but if your child has special educational needs and / or disabilities there can be much more to think
Carer’s support for parents of children with a disability
Being a parent can be difficult at times. If your child has a special educational need or disability there can be lots more to consider and it can feel as if
Drumbeat printable routines & symbols
Drumbeat Outreach is a team of teachers and specialist advisers offering support, advice and training to children, families and professionals in Lewisham. They work across all mainstream educational settings, including
Lewisham SEND Local Offer
A local offer is for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) aged 0 to 25 years. It provides information and support services available to families in their
Explorers Plus for SEND children – What our parents say
Our Explorers Plus Session jointly run with the Portage Team at Bellingham Children & Family Centre on Tuesday mornings has been a huge success and parents and children aged 0-5 with
Christmas visual timetables to print and use
Keeping everyone on track at Christmas can be tricky, but when your child has Special Educations Needs or Disabilities (SEND) all the Christmas excitement can feel a bit overwhelming. Anxiety levels
Making your Christmas SEND friendly this year
Christmas is a feast for all our senses, so if your child has sensory sensitivities or SEND all those Christmas lights, new foods and socialising can just be too much leaving
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children
Having a child with a disability can put a huge strain on your finances, especially if you or your partner have had to adjust your working hours to look after your
Childcare support if your child has a Learning Disability from MENCAP
Childcare support is available – MENCAP tell you how to make it more affordable and who to contact to find the right childcare. You can get childcare until your child
Explorers Plus
Come and join us for our fun sessions jointly run with the Portage Team. These groups are for parents and carers with a child aged 0-5 with SEND. You DON’T NEED
1:1 Feel Positive about Parenting Sessions
Feel Positive about Parenting is a 30 minute 1:1 appointment with a Parenting Practitioner where advice is given to help you manage minor behavioural issues. During the appointment the practitioner will
What is SEN Support?
Special educational needs (SEN) support Your child will get SEN support at their nursery, school or college. Your child may need an education, health and care (EHC) plan if they need more support than
Are you worried about your child’s talking?
Who are we? We are Speech and Language Therapists and Therapy Assistants who work in the under 5’s or Over 5’s Teams. We are trained to work with children with a
Developing Good Bedtime Routines Discussion Group
While it is rewarding being a parent it isn’t always easy. It can also be demanding, frustrating and exhausting. The last thing that any parent needs after a long and tiring
Helping your Child Follow Instructions Discussion Group
While it is rewarding being a parent it isn’t always easy. It can also be demanding, frustrating and exhausting, especially when your child won’t do as they are told or follow
Top Tips For Sharing
Learning to share is an important part of your child’s development but it can be a complex thing for them to learn. It requires lots of social skills such as understanding
Triple P Discussion Groups – resolutions to commonly encountered parenting problems
What is a Triple P Discussion Group P DISCUSSION GROUP? Triple P Discussion Groups are online and face to face workshops for parents or carers of children aged 18 months- 8
Messy Play – benefits and getting started
Messy Play is one of the most important types of play for children of all ages. It encourages brain development, hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, imagination and problem solving, all important
Drumbeat Outreach Sessions for parents of children with ASD and Social Communication Differences.
Having a child with a Social Communication Disorder or Autism can be isolating at times, especially when you feel your child is struggling and your usual sources of parenting information can’t
SIGNAL aims to improve the quality of the lives of our members and the local autism community
SIGNAL Family Support are a mutual support group for the families of autistic children and young people (ages 0-25) living in Lewisham. Established in 1993 by a small group of
How can peekaboo help babies to learn? – with Tiny Happy People
It’s no secret that peekaboo is a hit with babies around the world and a great way of entertaining them even at a very young age. But did you know that
Financial help if your child has a disability
If your child has a long-term health condition or a disability you may be entitled to certain benefits to help you provide the extra things your child may need or help
EP Connect visits
This term we are lucky to have the Lewisham Educational Psychology team visiting some of our Explorers or Little Explorers sessions. The Lewisham Educational Psychology team support parents and children across
Talking about wee and poo – with ERIC the children’s bowel and bladder charity parent / carer event ZOOM event
17th January 2023 • 19.00 – 21.00 • via Zoom Join ERIC the children’s bowel and bladder charity for an evening webinar, led by their Helpline Advisors Sarah and Janet.
Kaleisoscope Drop-in Schedule JANUARY – MARCH 2023
If your child has a special educational need or disability (SEND) there are some great drop-in sessions at Kaleidoscope which you can find at: 32 Rushey Green, London SE6 4JD, just
How can I help my child make friends?
As we begin the school year many parents are preparing their little ones for “big school”. One of the things parents begin to think about is how to help their children
Boosting your child’s listening skills
If your child is off to school this Autumn listening skills will really help them make the most of their day. This article by Elyssa Campbell-Barr can help your child become
Fiddly Fingers
Activities to help develop fine motor skills for the under fives So much of what we do each day relies on our fine motor skills. A baby clumsily grabbing for your
How to make a treasure basket and introduce heuristic play
By Nicole Weinstein It’s your child’s birthday. You spent ages choosing the perfect gift only for your two-year-old to glance at the present and then be much more interested in playing with
5 fun and educational water play ideas
Mary Horn, founder and director of Curious Fox Company, shares her suggestions on keeping water play activities fresh and full of fun — with plenty of learning opportunities too! REMEMBER – NEVER
Family Learning Courses – Places still available
Adult Learning Lewisham offer amazing Family Learning courses that promote health, wellbeing and awareness of our environment in a fun, creative and engaging way. They still have few spaces left for
It’s World Autism Awareness Week 2023
It’s 60 years since a group of parents of autistic children founded the National Autistic Society to fight for autistic people’s rights. What is Autism? Autism is a lifelong developmental
March timetable of activities from the Royal Society for Blind Children
Please find below the timetable of activities from the Royal Society for Blind Children Go to the RSBC website for more information. https://www.rsbc.org.uk/calendar-of-activities/
Drumbeat Outreach Parent Workshops
The Drumbeat Outreach schools team offers a termly calendar of workshops on a range of topics, strategies and interventions to support the needs of parents and carers. All free sessions are
Parent Support Workshops for Parents with Children on the Autism Spectrum
The Drumbeat Outreach schools team offers a termly calendar of workshops on a range of topics, strategies and interventions to support the needs of parents and carers. All free sessions are
Royal Society for Blind Children – October Programme of Activities
Hi there! Would you believe it? The October School Holiday is fast approaching and I’m very excited to share with you the RSBC Activities Sheet for October! Our face to face
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
If your child has a special educational need and or disability it can be difficult to know where to turn to for support. At times you can feel isolated and advice
Back to School – Again
Hello all our families and friends, I’m Donna an Early Years Practitioner and Henry Facilitator. I run Stay & Play sessions and other parent and child sessions at our Children and
Special Educational Needs Information
Here is a round up of Local and National Organisations that provide support and advice for families with children with Special Educational Needs. Website link – Drumbeat Drumbeat is a special
Changes to SEN provision by the Coronavirus Act 2020.
The new Coronavirus act 2020 has huge implications for SEND provision now and into the future as it temporarily relaxes or removes duties on boroughs to provide support for those with
