What could I do to help children with SEND and their families?

[SinkGirl]

I have disabled twins and I’m currently in the middle of the tribunal process for their EHCPs. I’ve spent the last year learning everything I can about the relevant law, talking to other parents and getting to grips with everything. The more I learn, the angrier I get. I actually can’t believe things are as they are. When this is over, whatever happens, I can’t just let it go and ignore the fact that others are going through hell. I feel like I need to do something meaningful to help others, but what can I do?

I am reasonably intelligent. I have a degree from a great university - unfortunately it’s a drama degree so no bloody use to anyone 😬 I have no experience of education or working directly with children other than my own, although they’ve certainly given me a great introduction to all sorts of things (portage, OT, SALT etc).

In an ideal world I’d study law and qualify and then qualify in educational law and be able to properly help that way. But I don’t have the time or money to do that, especially with two disabled kids myself. Ditto becoming an educational psychologist.

There are charities already to support parents through tribunals which are very good. I’d love to work for SENDIASS but don’t think they have vacancies very often.

What can I actually realistically do alongside parenting my boys, when I’m already 37 so longterm part time studying would take me well into my 40s at best?

Has anyone gone into this area and what do you do? I did see a role as a SEND case officer for the local council but suspect they’re not a big fan of me 😂

Are you thinking about paid employment, or volunteering ?

IPSEA training, of course! It's my plan for when I get the headspace :)

I’m a Portage Home Visitor. I can confirm it’s the best job in the world! Except at the moment when I just want to go and visit my families 😢. You need a HLTA qualification but most of us have teaching qualifications to be fair. Jobs are hard to come by because none of us want to leave ever 😂

If volunteering then the National Autistic Society used to have a helpline that included volunteers help parents navigate education system- a while ago (back when it was statement of SEN). They or another charity might need help and that could count to experience if you are moving into that type of work.

In my LEA we have a parent / carer group that put on various information days and evenings for parents that cover things like the EHCP process ,tribunals etc quite a few parents get invo!red in the running of he's a information days /evenings is there anything like that you could get involved with?

Thanks everyone for the suggestions, will look into them all.

I would love to work in portage - was actually doing a portage course (mostly for early years staff but portage funded my place as a parent) when COVID struck so it got cancelled. I don’t have any teaching related qualifications or experience though, although it would certainly be more feasible to get that than to get whole new degrees and postgrads!

IPSEA training is a great idea. Ideally I’d like to help parents with the EHCP process as can honestly say it has nearly broken me and we aren’t done yet!

Hopefully if I do some training and some volunteering then I’ll be in a good place to find opportunities to help as they come up. I currently have a very flexible part time role so once they start school I will have more time for training and volunteering and hopefully then find related work down the line.

Try and find a local support charity and volunteer with them for a bit. My local asd support group helps parents on the ground every day of the week. They offer 1-2-1 advice meetings, an advocate will come to school and council meetings with me, they will walk a family through ehcp forms etc. They are invaluable and make a genuine difference in mine and my children's lives.

I believe sossen run drop in sessions helping people through the EHCP process and many of the staff/volunteers (not sure which) are parents.

We also have a parent carers group who as well as the other support sessions run EHCP drop in sessions.

Groups like NAS and support groups for specific conditions are always looking for volunteers. Ive had some great info from those who've "been there" but also there a lot of inaccurate and out of date advice going around which has caused difficulties for our local group.

Before COVID I used to take DS to a playgroup for children under 5 who have an diagnosis of autism or are on the waiting list. Could you set something like this up, you and any other parents provide each other with advice and peer support?