Support for SEND – including SEND Family Experiences
The Warwickshire HAF Programme is working with all providers to be as inclusive and accessible as possible. We are always keen to engage new, SEND-specialist providers so please get in touch if you have any suggestions (email hafprogramme@warwickshire.gov.uk). We are also expanding our programme to offer more opportunities to all eligible young people, including those who have a disability or who have Special Educational Needs.
Where applicable, we may ask HAF activity providers to:
- Ensure staff receive SEND training to ensure that they have the skills and understanding necessary to support the children and young people they are working with.
- Speak openly with families during bookings to ensure needs can be accommodated during sessions. If not, adaptations should be made accordingly.
- Provide onboarding materials (e.g. an All About Me document or a pre-session visit) to families as appropriate.
- Invite families to stay for a short period of time on the first day to settle children and young people into the environment.
- Keep meal times, breaks and activities as structured as possible and in the same surroundings.
- Provide families with personalised guidance around menu options, activity options, staffing support options and sources of further signposting.
- Have a quiet space for children and young people to use as needed.
Please speak with providers directly when making bookings to ensure your child’s needs can be met during activities. This includes information on their sensory needs, behaviours, dietary needs, 1-to-1 support status at school and or medical needs. The Warwickshire HAF team dedicate a limited amount of additional funding to meet 1-to-1 support requests from providers made in advance of the holiday period.
SEND Family Experiences
In cases where no listed activities are suitable, Warwickshire HAF also offers funded SEND Family Experiences. These experiences are designed to offer an opportunity for the family to enjoy a funded day out together with a variety of activity providers.
Eligibility for these experiences is as follows:
- Must be in full time education between Reception – Year 11 (this includes elective home education and EOTAS)
- Must be eligible for benefits-related free school meals under the Targeted FSM category
- Must have an EHCP (An Education, Health & Care Plan)
If these criteria are met, you will need to apply for these experiences using the form that will go live prior to delivery. More information about when the form will go live for each delivery period will be shared via the FIS Facebook Page and in the FIS newsletter (sign up via Mailchimp). Once available, we also email the form to apply for SEND Family Experiences directly to all HAF-registered families.
The Warwickshire HAF programme links eligible families with a variety of Family Experiences that may change each provision period. Our current aim is to deliver 2 Family Experiences per family in Spring, 2 in Winter, and 4 in Summer. Families should be aware that this is dependent on demand.
Support for 1:1
The Warwickshire HAF programme dedicates a portion of our annual budget towards 1:1 support, to enable children with SEND needs to access a wider variety of providers.
Funding for 1:1 support can be applied for by all providers. If your child requires regular support at school, please speak to providers when booking to ensure they are aware. 1:1 funding is not available for SEND Family Experiences.
Please note, while all providers can apply for this funding, the ability to provide a 1:1 is dependent on the provider having suitably trained staff available.