SEND and Additional Needs
Welcome to the special educational needs section of the school website.
Our Inclusion Lead is Mrs Lorna McAllister and our SENCO is Miss Katie Witham. Mrs McAllister’s role is to work with parents/carers and school staff to develop effective ways of overcoming barriers to learning and promote high quality teaching for children including those with any additional needs to ensure that all children can access the curriculum and make progress. This also means working closely with the school leadership team, governors and the Family Support Worker, Sian Mills.
Mrs McAllister is available Mondays through to Friday morning and Miss Witham is available Monday to Thursday. If you have a question please contact: senco@swallowdell.herts.sch.uk
There is a wealth of support for parents and carers in the school and local area. We are part of the local schools group called DSPL5. Please scroll down for further information. You will also find useful documents giving advice on how you can support your child if they have a special educational need. If you can’t find what you are looking for, just call or email our SENCo or our Family Support Worker via the school office.
For information on how the school supports children with special educational needs please look at the school’s SEND Information Report and our SEND and Inclusion Policy below.
Additionally there are links below for parent support and training that you can find out more about and access directly.
The Hertfordshire SEND Local Offer is a one-stop shop for information, support, services and activities available for children and young people with special educational needs, and their families throughout Hertfordshire.
Information about what is on offer in the Welwyn and Hatfield area, to support local children, young people, families and schools.
Families First – Families First is the term used in Hertfordshire for services that work together to support families who need extra help. These are also known as early help services.
SENDIASS – Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice and Support Service.) Impartial and confidential information, advice and support to parents and carers of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and young people and children with SEND.
Contact a SEND service (hertfordshire.gov.uk) – This page has contact details of the different SEND services, including details of Advice Line for EPs, the SLCA team, the SpLD team and others.
New to SEND (hertfordshire.gov.uk) – This page has information and advice for those whose children have just been diagnosed with SEND, or have suspected SEND.
Speech and Language Development
- The Children and Young People’s (CYP) Speech and Language Therapy service offers a child- and family-centred approach to support CYP with speech, language, communication needs (SLCN) and those with eating and drinking difficulties in Hertfordshire. The website has the dates and times of Drop-In Clinics for children under the age of 5.
- Michael Palin Centre (MPC) for Stammering – help children, young people and adults who stammer through individually-tailored therapy delivered by highly experienced specialists.
- Stamma – the UK charity for people who stammer and their supporters.
Autism and Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder
- ADDvance – A Hertfordshire based charity that supports parents and carers with children who have a diagnosis of, or traits of ADHD, Autism or related conditions.
- ADDISS – Is the National Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service. Their website offers resources for carers, young people and teachers.
- Angels – A parent-led support group for parents and carers of children with ADHD/Autism.
- National Autistic Society –Is the UK’s leading charity for people on the autism spectrum and their families.
- SPACE – Supports families of children and young people who are autistic, have ADHD or other neurodiverse conditions.
Specific Learning Difficulties
These include difficulties with reading, writing, spelling and/or mathematics. It also includes problems with the speed of processing information, with working memory, organisational skills, phonological awareness and co-ordination.
Local Offer – Specific Learning Difficulties
Parent courses
- Wel/Hat Schools partnership – list of courses available
- BeeZee Bodies – nutritionists and behaviour change experts who run weight management programmes for children and their families across. All services are currently running online. For further information and referral criteria you can view the link below, visit their website: https://beezeebodies.com, contact them by email: bezee.bodies@nhs.net or by phone: 01707 248648
- Families in Focus – Families in Focus offer parent courses and workshops
- DSPL (Area 5) Training/Workshops for families – this website outlines the courses that are being run by external to support parents and families who have a child or children with additional needs
- ADD-vance support for ADHD and Autism – courses can be found on their website
- Herts Parent Carer Involvement – Webinars available
- Hertfordshire Family Centre Service – Meet the team
- SEND Sensory Drop-Ins – Special Educational Needs & Disabilities Sensory Drop-ins are running in different areas across Hertfordshire
Other helpful links:
- SPACEHerts
- Potential Kids
- IPSEA
- Contact – for families with disabled children
- Support Links
- ERIC Toilet training – section for SEND on their website
