Latest News for Parents & Carers

Now the Children’s Centres have been made COVID secure, they have relaunched their parent carer ASD support service. It is delivered by Children’s Centre Autism Champions for parent carers of children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder.
These sessions will give you an opportunity to meet Children’s Centre staff, gain information and support and discover local sources of support (including Umbrella, SENDIASS and Local Offer).
You can attend any of the appointments within the city, please ring the centre you would like to attend to book your appointment. You will be given a 20-minute slot to speak to a champion.
Unfortunately, due to restrictions in place, they are not able to invite children along to these sessions. There is only one person per appointment slot too, please speak to a member of staff before booking an appointment if this is going to be an issue.
Please wait outside until your appointment time. Please bring your own face covering and dispose of it at home. You will be given an information sheet about your safety in the centre when you arrive, please read this and continue to maintain social distancing measures throughout the centre.
If you feel unwell on the day of your appointment, please do not attend the centre, but ring up and we can change the appointment for you.
Please ensure prompt arrival and departure from the centre to keep the appointments on track. Children’s centre staff are cleaning the rooms in between families so will need to stick to the appointment times to allow everyone to be seen.

Osmaston/Allenton Children’s Centre
60 Cockayne Street North, Allenton, Derby, DE24 8XB
01332 715620
Tuesdays 1-4pm
3 November
1 December
5 January
2 February
2 March

Mackworth/Morley Children’s Centre
Reigate Drive, Derby, DE22 4EQ
01332 208175
Tuesdays 1-4pm
10 November
8 December
12 January
9 February
9 March

Becket Children’s Centre
35 Stockbrook Street, Derby, DE22 3WR
01332 640250
Tuesdays 1-4pm
17 November
15 December
19 January
16 February
16 March

This new advice makes clear the distinction between home-schooling, during the period where schools were closed due to the pandemic and EHE which is where parents choose not to send their child to school full-time on a long-term basis. The advice also highlights the implications of withdrawing children and young people from school and the challenge involved in providing EHE.

The Council for Disabled Children is running a free online course for parent carers to understand how the different teams and individuals involved should support the development, writing and monitoring of the outcomes in EHCPs. It provides an overview of how different roles intersect through the process.

A study says autistic girls going undiagnosed due to ‘camouflaging’ behaviour. Researchers say better awareness is needed so females with autism can get right support. Autism is diagnosed in 1% of the population and a diagnosis is made more often – and earlier – in boys, with a reported ratio of four males to every female.

Family Fund has published a report about the impact of the coronavirus on families raising disabled or seriously ill children in the UK which compiles the findings from three surveys that took place from March to August and surveyed more than 7,000 families.