Supporting Children with Additional Needs 2023 - 2024

We have collated a range of different links to strategies, advice and support available to help support children with additional needs. We hope you find this information helpful and as always should you need any further support please do not hesitate to contact school. 

If you know of any great websites, links or support that you think would be worth sharing with other families through our website please get in touch and let us know - we are all working together.

Stockport Local Offer

If you have a child with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) make sure you look at Stockport's Local Offer.  This website brings together a range of support services and information for children and young people aged 0-25 and informs you of what is happening within the Local Authority.

There is specific advice and support around Autism, ADHD and Sensory Processing Difficulties here too - just type it in the search bar at the top.

Visual Timetables

Visual timetables are used widely throughout school every day.  They are great to help children understand what is happening daily and provides structure to a child's day.  

You could create your own visual images to show the day if you do not have access to a printer or you could use an Interactive Timetable online via Powerpoint that you could refer to daily.

Here are a few links that may be of use to get you started:

Visual timetable examples:

https://www.twinkl.co.uk/resources/class-management/daily-routine/visual-timetable

Interactive visual timetables:

https://www.twinkl.co.uk/search?term=Interactive+visual+timetable

http://www.communication4all.co.uk/http/IWB%20Resources.htm

Now and Next

These are terms we use regularly in school for some of our children who may find focusing on a task difficult.  This strategy helps children to focus on the learning task at hand – the now -  and they then know that something they enjoy is coming after it – the next.  An image is really helpful here, instead of writing, especially for younger children.  These terms, now/next, must be used consistently to be effective.

Whilst doing your learning task (the now) it might also be helpful to set a timer on your phone or in the kitchen – then you all know when the task should be finished by.

Click here for an example of a now and next board.

Speech and Language

Some speech and language strategies can be practised daily through interactions such as repeating mispronounced words correctly, verbally saying words as items are used to expand on vocabulary or talking in full sentences. 

A few links to specific speech and language websites are below to give you advice , strategies and resources on how you can continue to support your child.

Websites to support this:

I CAN - a specialist children's communication charity providing support and information for parents and educational settings.

The Communication Trust - they support everyone who works with children and young people in England to support their speech, language and communication.

Tiny Happy People - simple and easy play activities to support ear development.

NHS Speech and Language - a website with resources and videos to support speech and language strategies.

Speech and Language Kids - Free therapy ideas and guides.

Ideas to develop speech and language at home:

Vocabulary Booster Ideas

Motor Skills and Sensory Needs

Sensory Activity Cards - lots of great ideas of things you can create at home to allow your child to explore using their senses!

Fine Motor Activities and Indoor Challenge Cards - fine motor skills are needed for all of the movements that use our hands and fingers such as cutting, writing, threading.  If your child has poor pencil control or struggles with buttons why not try some of the practical activities above to strengthen their hand muscles.

Dough Disco - google this on YouTube - lots of songs and actions to get ALL of the fine motor muscles working....and lots of fun too!  If you do not have access to playdough why not find a recipe online and make your own.

The Imagination Tree - a website full of great visual ideas to improve fine motor control for young children.

Empowering Little Minds - a jam-packed page full of multi-sensory learning approaches to keep children entertained at home.

Supporting a Child's Development - a useful resources to help your child's development, from toileting advice to using a knife and fork and tying shoe laces....there's a lot of good advice here.

ADHD

Guidance on how to support children with ADHD can be found here.

Advice on Supporting Good Sleep 

Evelina London - sleep tips for families.

Sleep Scotland - advice on how to help your child get a good night's sleep.

CBeebies - lovely, relaxing sounds to help your child get off to sleep.

Stockport Learning Support Service - a range of activities to support learning at home is now attached below.

SEND Support for Parents - a useful list of SEND support and advice available to parents in Stockport are attached below.