The Hertfordshire Local Offer (SEND 0-25)

The Local Offer lets parents and young people know what special educational needs and disabilities services are available in Hertfordshire, and who can access them.

For more information please see – https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/microsites/local-offer/the-hertfordshire-local-offer.aspx


Cost of Living Support

Cost of Living Support Factsheet



Club – Holiday Support For Vulnerable Families And Key Workers

Holiday Support For Vulnerable Families And Key Workers Flyer

We are fortunate to have the use of a large area of a relatively new build school. We are based in Buccaneers, and also have access to the large hall, playground, field and woodland area. At Brighter Days there are plenty of activities for the children to do both inside and outside. We regularly plan outings and trips in the local area and further afield as shown in our gallery. We have had a great start since opening in July 2018 and enjoy welcoming new families each term. Our experienced team are always on hand to help the children grow and develop especially social skills. The children love being outside, being physical and are often found dancing away to some cheesy music. We are based in the life learning area with a small area for quiet time. We are able to use the large school field as well as the hall.

We have access to tablets and laptops, so the children have a wide variety of activities to keep them fully engaged until home time! Your child will have a healthy, nutritious choice of drink, breakfast or a light tea during their time at the club. Various activities both indoors and outdoors will be available every session as list of activities.


360 PLAY YOUNG MINDS CAMPAIGN

360 Play’s ‘Young Minds Campaign’ aims to support children and families across our communities who have been isolated throughout the pandemic, those who have lost jobs, those who have been sick or those who have struggled to cope and need a helping hand back to normality. Passionate dad, owner and founder Duncan Phillips has pledged over £60,000 worth of tickets for children and families who have struggled through lockdown, for 360 Play centres across the country.

For more information please see – https://360play.co.uk/blog/360-play-young-minds-campaign/


HertsHelp – We’re here for you

If you or your family need a bit of extra help, remember that HertsHelp are there for you. They can arrange to get food and other essentials to you, or provide advice for a number of other issues you may be facing.

For more information please see – www.hertshelp.net


A Parent’s Guide to Swimming Pool Safety & Hygiene

For more information please see – www.bazuka.co.uk/pool-safety-and-hygiene


2 Wheel Bike Training

Herts Disability Sports Foundation are proud to be working with Herts County Council Bikeability instructors to provide 1-1 sessions for anyone with a Special Educational Need or Disability struggling with a 2 wheel bike.

For more information please see – https://www.hertsdisabilitysportsfoundation.com/2-wheel-bike-training



Supporting Autistic Teenagers & Young Adults:

Education, mental health & wellbeing

Welcome to Autism Learns. We provide trusted online learning to parents, carers and professionals who are caring for, and supporting, children and adults on the autism spectrum.

Brought to you by the organisers of The Autism Show, we share the knowledge and practical skills to help you manage lockdown, at home and in the workplace.

This December we’re running an online learning series looking specifically at autistic teenagers and young adults, and how you can successfully support their educational, mental health and wellbeing needs.

For more information follow the link.


Online safety information for parents

Below is a list of useful websites for parents to use with your children to support them to keep safe when online.

Please click on the link to view the document.

Online Safety Resources For Parents


Help for Families in need

FOOD RESCUE HUB

Hitchin
Half Moon Pub, 57 Queen Street, Hitchin
Thursdays 9:30-11am
Minimum donation £5 for 2 bags – 1 bread/bread products and 1 ‘other’ including fruit/veg/groceries
—-
Stevenage
Our Mutual Friend Pub, Broadwater Crescent
Saturdays 10-11am
Minimum donation £5 for 2 bags – 1 bread/bread products and 1 ‘other’ including fruit/veg/groceries

THE PEAR TREE STEVENAGE

Check out their Facebook page to find out more about the “People for People” campaign. https://www.facebook.com/thepeartree.stevenage/

Parents of Stevenage, if your child or children rely on a FREE school meal then we will provide a cooked meal, drink, fruit and of course a pudding.
It pains us to say it but we do not have the finances to help every child, but will do whatever we can in the current climate to help where we can.
We will have hot lunches ready for collection between 12pm and 2pm on Monday through to Friday.
You can either send us a Facebook message http://www.thepeartreeinstevenage.co.uk/food-menu.html or call us.  01438 340264
We will respond to as many requests as possible with days and times helping us to manage social distancing, please do not arrive unless you have contacted us and had a response.
Please remember that there are families out there that really do need help during these crazy times, we are putting our trust in you to make the right decision and only use this service if your child truly needs it.


Discount Cards for SEND Families


HAND Card

HAND is the Hertfordshire Additional Needs Database. A one-off Card is available, simply by applying online, and it is free of charge. You now get a digital “card” straight away. Young people up to age 25 with SEND, living in Herts, are eligible. HAND Card holders can get discounts and/or a free Carer place at many places all over the UK, and often abroad too. Really useful!

www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/HAND

Carers’ Discount Passport Scheme

A Carers’ Passport is also useful for discounts, in shops, restaurants as well as certain leisure places which want a photo ID of the carer (ie 360 Play). The Card takes about four weeks to arrive.

www.Carersinherts.org.uk



Activities


If anyone from the Valley, or anyone generally is interested in our sessions, they just need to register on the website.

https://www.hertsdisabilitysportsfoundation.com/online-sessions-1

Its the same page you use to register for the next disco each week.

Herts Disability Sports Foundation runs activities for people with SEND of all ages.  For juniors we have the following sessions:

  • Discos – anyone Under 18.  Request a song when registering for your place
  • Adventure and games – for those who need a lot more interaction to keep engaged
  • Fitness & dance – for those who want to do a more grown up session

All sessions are using zoom and are password protected.

To register for a session, go to www.hertsdisabilitysportsfoundation.com/online-sessions-1

Swimming

A HAND Card for the child entitles a concession rate, plus a free Carer into the majority of Hertfordshire pools. See below for regular SEN swimming sessions (free of charge) in several pools.

Bowling -Hollywood Bowl, Stevenage

Half-price bowling, weekdays (including holidays, at least 9-11 am, often up until 6pm). The Carer and the person with additional needs bowl for half price. Reduced price is from £3.50 per game, per person.

https://www.hollywoodbowl.co.uk/concessions

National Trust: nature, beauty, history

Junior (up to age 18) annual membership costs only £10 and you can get an “Essential Companion” card for the carer, free. This also means free car parking in the car parks.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/junior-membership

Parks

Excellent site giving details of parks and their facilities all over Hertfordshire.

https://www.parksherts.co.uk/

Paradise Wildlife Park, Broxbourne

Reduced rates for disabled child plus carer together. Cheapest if booked online the day before. Accessible talks, feeds, soft play, shows.

https://www.pwpark.com

Willows Activity Farm, St Albans

https://www.willowsactivityfarm.com/visitor-information/

Standalone Farm, Letchworth

The season runs from 17 February – 31 October. Free entry for disabled child and their Carer too. Pony grooming, cow milking, small animal handling, pig feeding, plus arts and crafts and a play park.

https://standalonefarm.com/

Online Youth Club

Megamix are welcoming pupils to join their online activities. Contact:YC Hertfordshire Stevenage Team, tel: 01438 843340, email: yc.stevenage@hertfordshire.gov.uk,Online



Cinemas

Purchase a CEA card (£6 per year), for a free carer, tickets bookable online. Alternatively, many cinemas offer a free carer ticket, if you simply show the HAND card. You need to buy your tickets on the premises (but you can do so in advance). Cineworld, Vue, Odeon and several others normally accept the card. for a free carer. In addition there are regular autism-friendly screenings of benefit also for those with learning difficulties.


Stevenage / Enfield Cineworld

Autistic screen time, 1st Sunday of the month, 11 am; no adverts, sit where you like and bring your own food and drink.

https://www.dimensions-uk.org/get-involved/campaigns/autism-friendly-cinema-screenings/

Movies for Juniors: film(s) on Saturday/Sunday mornings. From £2.50 per child. Free Carer with a HAND Card holder all the time.

https://www.cineworld.co.uk/movies-for-juniors#/

Odeon, Hatfield Galleria

Free parking for HAND card holders if your register with Customer Services at the Galleria. Autism-friendly screenings, last Sunday of the month, 10.15 am.

https://www.dimensions-uk.org/get-involved/campaigns/autism-friendly-cinema-screenings/

Campus West, (for roller skating, theatre, cinema etc), Welwyn Garden City

Range of activities – free Carer. Further discounts also with a (free) Zebra Discount Card available from Campus West itself

https://tickets.cwentertainment.co.uk/

Spotlight Theatre, Hoddesdon

Free Carer for most events – theatre, cinema etc

https://ex.broxbourne.gov.uk/leisure-spotlight-year-culture/landing/spotlight



Regular SEND Sessions


Play 360, Stevenage, 1st Friday of the month, 6.30 – 8.30pm
£7 per child (plus friends/siblings welcome too). Adult is free.

https://360play.co.uk/360-play-stevenage

Weekly SEND Trampolining

Jump City, Cheshunt: Saturday Mornings, 9 – 10 am

SEND Sessions (NB SPACE – http://spaceherts.org.uk – also hold an extra FREE hour, where you play for one hour and get two:  9 – 11 am on a Saturday morning, every 2 months.  £9.95 – free Carer.

NB Wednesdays, 4 – 8pm (term-time)  A Freejumping session (not SEND), but bring a Friend 4 Free.  £10 for 2 people for one hour.  Free Carer (with HAND Card).  Not normally busy especially 6pm onwards.

Trampolining at John Warner Sports Centre, Hoddesdon: Saturdays, 4.15 – 5.45pm term-time only. £4.90 per session. Book in advance, though not normally busy.

https://ex.broxbourne.gov.uk/leisure-leisure-centres/special-needs-activities



Weekly SEND Swimming


Exclusive use of the pool for people with special needs and their families. Whole family welcome. Swimming session for disabled children and adults, coaches on hand to offer advice and assistance. Free of charge / heavily subsidised for at least the child and a carer, often other child(ren) and carer(s) are welcome too.

Stevenage Swimming Pool: Sundays, 4 – 5.30pm

Dolphins Swimming club is for people with disabilities. Annual membership (£5 per person), and a friend can go in for £1 too. Free taster session – just turn up.

https://www.sll.co.uk/stevenage-swimming-centre/

Hitchin Swimming pool: Sundays, 6 – 7pm

https://www.sll.co.uk/hitchin-swimming-centre

North Herts Leisure Centre, Letchworth, Fridays, 7 – 9pm

PISCES Swimming Club for the disabled operates from this pool. Letchworth pool is worth a visit as it also has a slide open for use at weekends and in school holidays, 11 – 4 pm.

https://www.sll.co.uk/north-herts/ and https://directory.hertfordshire.gov.uk/Services/10149

John Warner Sports Centre, Hoddesdon: Sundays, 3.30- 5pm

Free session for special needs and whole family.

https://ex.broxbourne.gov.uk/leisure-leisure-centres/special-needs-activities

Laura Trott Centre, Cheshunt: Sundays, 4:15 – 5:45pm

Free session for special needs and whole family.

https://ex.broxbourne.gov.uk/leisure-leisure-centres/special-needs-activities

Hartham Swimming Pool, Hertford:  Saturdays, 12.00 – 1 pm

https://www.everyoneactive.com/centre/hartham-leisure-centre/?activitySearch=swimming%20timetable



Did you know?


Galleria, Hatfield: free parking

Register at the Customer Services desk (near Marks and Spencer Outlet Store, top floor).  Show the HAND card (or other documentation) and your car registration plate will be recorded. You then have free, unlimited parking.

Hertfordshire Library Ticket for Carers

Borrow books for longer/ talking books etc cheaper or free / overdue fines reduced and reserve items free of charge.

Visit this page again soon!

Please do suggest other recommended places for this page.  Email admin@thevalley.herts.sch.uk so that we can continue to expand and update this page.  Thank you.