Tag Archives: Lockdown

Episode 26 – Bedford Borough summer of SEND

Access to services, CAMHS, Community Services, , , , , , , , ,

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In this episode, Niki talks with Bedford Borough Parent Carer Forum, Chief Education Officer Ben Pearson, Councillor James Valentine and our Local Offer Officer about the Summer of SEND. After a really challenging 16 months for families and young people, Bedford Borough have organised a fantastic and engaging summer of events and activities. SEND is everyone’s responsibility so listen in to see how you can GET INVOLVED.

Here’s the link to the Summer of SEND page on the Local Offer website:

https://localoffer.bedford.gov.uk/kb5/bedford/directory/site.page?id=Iuldx0e38aA

Twitter handles:

Bedford Local Offer – News and events for children and young people with SEND in Bedford Borough and their families. RT does not mean endorsement. Replies during office hours.- @bedfordlocalof1

BBPCF – An independent forum for parent carers of children & young people with disabilities or SEN to participate in developing and influencing local services. @BedsBoroughPCF

James Valentine – Labour Councillor for Kempston West, Lead Member for Education & Children’s Services, Bedford Borough Council – @JamesEValentine

Episode 23 – Using virtual creative activities to manage mental health..

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Throughout lockdown, Bedfordshire and Luton CAMHS have experimented with running groups virtually. One of the most successful formats has been virtual group creative sessions. These have built on the principles of art therapy and brought young people together to make art via Zoom. In this podcast, the staff and young people involved in a group that ran at the start of the year discuss how the sessions worked and what we got out of attending.

Episode 12 – Lockdown, Mental Health and Education

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In this episode, we’re talking about mental health, lockdown and how to manage at this time. Lockdown has affected us all and as such, everyone’s daily life has been significantly affected. Our normal daily routines changed overnight and many of the things we took for granted are things we’re currently doing without. We’ve seen lots in the media about how and when we can expect things to go back to normal, but the messages can feel vague and unclear and lead to lots of debate from those with and without ‘professional opinions’… and no-one can predict what the ‘new normal’ will look like anyway. A decision that has brought substantial change for many is the suspension of education.

At a time where many teenagers were gearing up for exams and getting ready for university.. suddenly.. their education looks uncertain. For younger children who are maybe too young to fully understand what’s happening, this might be a confusing time, being at home with their family and away from their friends.. but for others, it might be a time of creativity and finding things to do with their newfound boredom. But for many, their education hasn’t stopped just because they’re not at school. This temporary ‘new normal’ still has its expectations and demands.. with changes such as work being sent home, video link classes, increased use of on-line learning and being taught by their parents. But for many, in the new ‘classroom environment’ at home, there can be new challenges.

In today’s episode, we’re going to take a look at some of the challenges faced by those in secondary school.. and as such I’m very pleased to welcome today’s guests.. I’d like to welcome: Nikki Scott – service user participation lead for Bedford and Luton CAMHS Lawrence Chung – who is currently on the NHS Graduate Scheme and is working for CAMHS as an Operational Lead whilst studying for his master’s degree. We’re also joined by three of our service users, Wiktoria, Kirri and Lucy who share their views, thoughts and tips.

Come listen..