Luton Parent/Carer SEND information event: transitioning to primary school

This event will be held in the Luton Family Hubs space which is on the

ground floor of Luton Central Library.

Is your child transitioning to primary school in September, do they have a special educational need or disability (SEND), or do you feel they may have?

Do you have any worries or concerns about their transition to primary school?

Would you like to support your child with their health and/or education?

Would you like to hear from services who can offer support?

Join us to meet with professionals, hear about their service and share your concerns. They will be available to offer support and guidance.

This event is being held in partnership with EPIC Parent Carer Forum, health teams across Luton and Luton council teams.

Please see the FAQs at the bottom of this booking page for information about venue accessibility, bus stops, and car parks.

If you require further information or assistance, please contact SENDluton@luton.gov.uk

The teams due to attend are:

• Beds and Luton Community Paediatrics

• Flying Start

• Oral Health Team

• 0-19 School Nursing Team

• Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Assessment Team

• SEND Travel Assistance Team

• Luton Child and Educational Psychology Service

• Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, Information, Advice and Support service (SENDIAS)

• Luton Local Offer SEND information Hub

• EPIC Luton Parent Carer Forum

• Luton Family Hubs

Team information:

Beds and Luton Community Paediatrics

We are a small specialist medical service led by community paediatricians. The team includes clinical nurse specialists, an Early Intervention Team, and support workers.

The service provides the following for children and young people registered with a Bedfordshire or Luton GP:

• early intervention advice

• assessment of medical needs and neurodiversity

• signposting to other services for support

• diagnosis and medical support for children with neurodevelopmental difficulties

Click here to visit the Beds and Luton Community Paediatrics website

Flying Start

Flying Start is Luton’s pregnancy and early years strategy. We aim to improve outcomes for children from pregnancy to their 5th birthday as a foundation to a healthy future. Flying Start interventions build on both national and international evidence. They focus on the very earliest years of a child’s life, starting in pregnancy with the aim of early intervention improving children’s outcomes and future life chances. We focus on the important first 1001 days of a child’s life where brain development is at its most important to build firm foundations for their later development. Flying Start activities help children learn through play in a fun and safe environment.

Click here to visit the Flying Start website

Oral Health Team

Oral health is a huge part of a person’s overall well-being and shapes the quality of life for individuals and communities. At Luton Family Hubs, we recognise the impact that oral health has on families, from encouraging healthy habits in children to promoting overall family wellness.

Our approach in Luton is based on collaboration, bringing together the expertise of partners; public health professionals; dental practitioners; educators and community stakeholders. Please explore our resources, engage with our initiatives, and join us in promoting oral health.

Click here to visit the Oral Health Team's webpage

Luton 0-19 team and school nursing team

Our 0 to 5 health visiting team are focused on giving your baby the best start possible. All families will have contact with the health visiting service from pregnancy until your child is 5 years old.

The health visiting team can give you all sorts of help and advice including:

• becoming a parent or carer

• feeding and healthy lifestyles

• emotional wellbeing

• keeping safe

• sleep

• behaviour

• immunisations

• minor illnesses

• child development

Our school nursing team helps children and young people between 5 to 19 years old. School nurses will help support your child from when they start school until they leave school. We want to ensure that nothing gets in the way of your child's development. We want help them achieve their full potential.

Your child or young person doesn’t have to be in school to see a school nurse. If you homeschool your child, your child will be able to access this service via their GP.

We support your child or young person by:

• promoting and giving advice on making healthy choices such as eating healthy, exercising, sexual health and substance misuse

• supporting children and young people with their physical and emotional health and wellbeing

• helping children and young people with issues like bedwetting or constipation

• helping families with complex needs like diabetes and asthma

• giving advice and information for teenage parents

• supporting and promoting the rights and educational needs of young carers

Click here to visit the Luton 0-19 team and and school nursing team's information page

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Assessment Team

Find out about the EHCP process and meet our Assessment team. We:

• coordinate education, health and care (EHC) needs assessments

• oversee the assessment and planning process

• ensure timely decision making

• produce coordinated EHC plans

• monitor the progress of children with existing plans/statements of SEN

• support the placement (admissions process) of children with plans and statements

Click here to visit the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Assessment Team's information page

Luton Travel Assistance team

All children between the ages of 5 and 16 may qualify for free school travel assistance if they go to their nearest suitable school and live at least:

• 2 miles from the school, if they are under the age of 8 years old

• 3 miles from the school, if they are 8 years old or older

A child becomes of compulsory school age at the start of term after their fifth birthday and ceases to be compulsory school age on the last day of the academic year in which they are in year 11. This applies to both children with and without an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

There are four core categories of eligible children set out in law:

• children living beyond the statutory walking distance from school

• children who cannot reasonably be expected to walk to school due to unsafe walking routes

• children who cannot reasonably be expected to walk to school due to special educational needs, disability, and mobility problems

• children from low-income families who have extended rights to travel assistance (for more information on eligibility, please visit our free school meals page)

Meet our team to find out about SEND transport eligibility, the application process and travel options (if eligible) and discuss any queries or concerns you may have.

Click here to visit the Luton Travel Assistance team' webpage

Luton Child and Educational Psychology Service

The Luton Child and Educational Psychology Service are a team of educational psychologists, trainee and assistant educational psychologists. We have experience of working with children and young people in educational settings.

Educational Psychologists (EPs) are registered with the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC) and hold postgraduate qualifications. We are bound by ethical practice guidance and codes of conduct.

The Luton Child and Educational Psychology Service provide a service to schools and educational settings (e.g. colleges and nurseries) who agree an arrangement with us each year. This is funded from the setting’s special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) budgets and is called a traded service.

We also provide advice when a child is going through an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA). This process is overseen by Luton Council Special Educational Needs and Disability Assessment Team (SENDAT).

We work with children and young people aged 0-25 years old. We collaborate with parents and carers and education professionals as you know the children and young people best.

We can help children and young people who may have a range of strengths and things they find difficult, including:

• learning and development, including literacy, maths, and behaviour for learning

• wellbeing and mental health

• building self-esteem and confidence

• relationships with adults and children

• dealing with difficult situations and feelings

• communicating needs and wants

• sensory differences

• sleep and physical health

• neurodivergence, including Autism and other executive functioning differences

The Luton Child and Educational Psychology Service also provides specialist EP support to children who are in care or have a social worker via the Virtual School.

Click here to visit the Luton Child and Educational Psychology Service's information page

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIAS)

Offering free and impartial SEND guidance and advice for families in Luton.

• Helping children, young people and parents/carers to gather, understand and interpret information relating to special educational needs (SEN) and apply it to their own situation

• Education law on SEN and related law on disability, health and social care through suitable independently trained staff

• Local policy and practice

• Support when things go wrong through early disagreement resolution, mediation, routes of appeal and complaints procedures

Click here to visit the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, Information, Advice and Support Service's website

Bedfordshire hospitals

Meet Bedfordshire Hospitals’ Clinical Nurse Specialist in SEND and Transition for Children and Young People.

You can find out about:

• The SEND Consent Form

• The green clock alert

• Play support

• Hospital changing facilities

Click here to visit the Bedfordshire hospitals webpage

Luton Local Offer SEND Information Hub

The Luton Local Offer SEND Information Hub provides an online resource of information about services and support available to children and young people from birth to 25 years old who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). It aims to make it easier for families and professionals to find the help they need by bringing together information about education, health, social care, and other local services in one place.

This is the place to find out about local services, support and events for children and young people aged 0 to 25 years who have special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) and their families.

Click here to visit the Luton Local Offer SEND Information hub's website

EPIC Parent Carer Forum

EPIC Luton Parent Carer Forum (commonly known as EPIC) is the official Parent Carer Forum (PCF) for the Luton Borough. We are a non-profit, independent registered community interest company made up of parents and carers of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) aged 0-25. Our mission is to bridge the gap between local services and families by ensuring that parents’ voices are heard, valued, and acted upon to improve services that meet the needs of our community. We represent all members across all disabilities, working collectively to influence positive change for families living in or accessing services within the Luton Borough.

Click here to visit the EPIC Parent Carer Forum's website

Luton Family Hubs

Luton Family Hubs is a town-wide partnership offering support to every family in Luton, whatever their experience or circumstances.

We’re here to support every child’s changing needs, whether you're:

• thinking about starting a family

• expecting a child

• a family with a child up to the age of 19 years

• a family with a young person up to 25 years with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)

Family members have access to friendly, helpful professionals and local experts offering parent and child sessions, information, advice and guidance in one of the hubs near where they live. Alternatively, they can call us or visit us online.

Click here to visit the Luton Family Hubs' website, click here to visit the Luton Family Hubs' information page

Image descriptions

Imagine description one (top of page) - event banner, titled ask the experts- Luton Parent carer SEND information Event: Transitioning to Primary school with the Luton Local Offer Logo to the right of the page. This logo says 'together improving outcomes for SEND'. There is a green block across the middle with text in white saying 'this event is for parents /carers of children who have or may have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Partner Logos are displayed at the bottom on the banner for EPIC parent carer forum, NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes integrated care board, SENDIAS and Luton Council.

Image description two (bottom of page) - partner Logos are displayed at the bottom on the page for EPIC parent carer forum, NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes integrated care board, SENDIAS and Luton Council.