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"You said, We did" Bedford Borough Parent Coffee Zoom Tuesday 19th May 2020

Three particular themes came from the zoom coffee morning on Tuesday. 

If you like details on joining the parent carer forum and attend their informal zoom coffee morning, please visit https://www.bbpcf.co.uk/

 

My child is not coping with home schooling, is there any support available? 

Bedford Borough Educational Psychology team are offering 30 minute drop ins on the phone to offer advice and guidance to parents on their child/young person’s wellbeing. To access a 30 minute phone slot, parents can email school.support@bedford.gov.uk detailing their name, telephone number, and brief description of query / advice needed. We will email back with forthcoming available slots for parents to book.

Will I be fined if I don’t send my child back to school in June

Answer from the government publication Opening schools and educational settings to more pupils from 1 June: guidance for parents and carers Updated 20 May 2020

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers/reopening-schools-and-other-educational-settings-from-1-june

If my child is eligible, is it compulsory for them to attend school?

We strongly encourage children and young people in the eligible year groups and priority groups (such as children of critical workers) to attend, as requested by their school or college, unless they are self-isolating or there are other reasons for absence (such as shielding due to health conditions).

You should notify your child’s school or college as normal if your child is unable to attend so that staff are aware and can discuss with you.

Parents will not be fined for non-attendance at this time.

 

How do I access the speech and language team currently?

  • The SLT service is still offering appointments via phone and video, for new assessments, reviews, and some workshops. To contact the service please ring  01234 310712 or 01234 310163.
  • Speech and Language Therapists and Support Practitioners are calling families who have existing appointments and letting people know that their appointment has been changed to a phone review due to the current guidance around Covid -19.
  • Existing appointments are carried out via phone or video .
  • The service is piloting a videoconferencing facility to further improve this experience for families.
  • The service has collated a range of videos and advice (webpages / YouTube videos) to  
  • share with parents / carers.
  • The service is liaising with Education staff, in the case of school-aged children, to gain information about progress in school.
  • Worksheets and advice can be emailed to families and schools.
  • EHCP Assessment report requests – These are still being written, based on the information the clinician has, together with detailed discussions with parents / carers and if possible with schools / pre-schools.  Reports will  start and end with  a caveat that the child was not seen face to face, and documentation can be updated as necessary when face to face contact is possible
  • Children with Dysphagia (swallowing difficulties) - the service is  continuing to offer our dysphagia patients telephone consultations ( aiming to move to video consultations soon) We  can only be offer a face to face appointment to patients that are considered to be at high risk. The service has access to appropriate  PPE to see children with dysphagia face to face if necessary.
  • Videofluoroscopy clinics are suspended at present at both the L&D and Bedford Hospital, but we will let families know when the situation changes.

Please go to the Bedfordshire Paediatric Speech and Language Service website where there are further links depending on need.

 

Other Details

Age Bands
11-14 years old
18-25 years old
Parents and carers
15-17 years old
0-4 years old
5-10 years old