Autism Support and Advocacy for Children and Families in Swale and Gravesham

<p>Kent County Council are looking to commission a provider who can deliver tailored support and advocacy to families living in the Swale and Gravesham areas, whose children are awaiting a diagnosis or who have recently received a diagnosis of Autism. This can be an anxious and isolating time for children and families trying to understand Autism. We are looking for a service that can identify a clear pathway for children and families and can offer strategies and interventions from experienced support advisors. We are looking for a provider who can help to support, listen, offer advice by working with parents, families and collaborate with other professionals involved, and are experienced with providing support for the following conditions and difficulties: &bull; anxiety &bull; challenging behaviour &bull; poor sleep &bull; routines &bull; sensory difficulties &bull; school induced anxiety and difficulties around homework/home learning &bull; difficulties around food &bull; communication difficulties &bull; toileting difficulties &bull; conditions that run alongside an autism diagnosis, such as ADHD, anxiety, sensory processing difficulties etc. Support with education should be including in the service which should assist families to secure a suitable school placement that will lead to better educational outcomes and reduce exclusions. Support should include assisting with: &bull; Understanding Educational Healthcare Plan paperwork &bull; Giving guidance on the Education Health Care Plan process &bull; Supporting CYP/families in school meetings, annual reviews &amp; interim reviews &bull; Supporting parents who have children being excluded or at risk of losing their placements &bull; Completing detailed Education Health Care Plan application on the family&rsquo;s behalf to present a cohesive argument, to ensure the best possible outcome &bull; Helping to complete a strong case for an appeal and the necessary paperwork &bull; Going through Education Health Care Plan to ensure it has been written correctly, and appropriate evidence and interventions are included in the plan &bull; Supporting with Annual Reviews &bull; Liaising with Kent County Council&rsquo;s Special Educational Needs department &bull; Finding a suitable school for the child/young person and helping the family to establish questions to ask when looking &bull; Assisting with transitions between educational stages &bull; Finding the right school placement and supporting through admissions process &bull; Out of hours service for families The outcomes of the support should help Children and Young People (CYP) and their families will be supported to achieve the right outcomes and support that will enable Children and Young People (CYP) to achieve and learn. Outcomes should include children and their families being supported to enable Children and Young People to achieve, learn and secure the right school placement and support from professionals that will lead to better educational outcomes and a reduction in school exclusions.</p>