Suchismita Majumdar, Research & Policy Officer & Amita Rabadiya, SEND Project Coordinator
ESDEG’s SEND Project
ESDEG’s Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) project supports children in West London boroughs with special educational needs and disabilities. Our aim is to bridge the gap between families, schools and the Local Authority by working with the parents and their children to ensure that the child is receiving the right support s/he needs for developmental and educational success. Our specialised staff focus on identifying the reasonable adjustments a child with SEND may need to reduce the disadvantages s/he faces as well as providing extra encouragement in his/her learning and support with physical and personal care difficulties. We nurture the confidence and self-esteem of the children with whom we work.
The SEND project offers:
- Extra Educational support (Viking Community Centre) for SEND children
- Coffee mornings to support parents
- Workshops, events, focus groups to disseminate information about SEND and the process
- Support for families via our telephone, email, one-to-one appointments, school and college meetings and annual reviews
- Information and guidance on how to apply for statutory assessment, including relevant documents and evidence to be submitted.
- Review EHC plans with parents to ensure that objectives and outcomes of the special education provision meet the child/young person’s needs.
- Mental health counselling for both children and their parents
- Weekly SEND club
- Sport and activity sessions for the children during term breaks and summer
- Recreational activities like trips to seaside, cinema, London Zoo, amusement parks etc.
Saturday SEND Club
As part of the SEND services, from October 2024 ESDEG has launched the Saturday SEND Club which takes place every Saturday at the Viking Community Centre in Northolt from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. during the school term time. Initially the club was started on Thursdays, but feedback from the parents made us shift the club over the weekend.
Please check the flyer below for all the details and send an email to admin@esdeg.org.uk if you want to register your child to this club. Currently the club takes only children attending primary school.
The staff plan a range of activities, depending on which children are attending and their interests. We have sensory quiet time to help the children self-regulate, physical activities to help coordination, topic circle time, art and crafts, maths and literacy activities. They get to play with other children and build social and turn taking skills. We try to make it as fun as possible. All the staff are experienced and work with SEND children in their other jobs during the week. The children who attend are of primary school age.
“The aim of the Saturday club is to provide enriching and inclusive environment which provides valuable support to parents of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in the local community. We have now been up and running for a month and have a regular children who attend each week. The staff all have experience with working with children with SEND and have established a routine which the children are becoming familiar with. The team have built relationships with children and provided engaging activities, the children have been able to connect with others and build their confidence which is wonderful to see”.
Photos of children attending the SEND Club shared with permission from parents.
Since the club started, we have had really positive feedback from the parents. Sharing feedback of parents whose children regularly attend the Saturday club.
Parent of child S
“Thank you so much for this club, it is so good, and my child wants to attend.”
Parent of child I
“It is nice to see my child mixing with others and the staff are nice, thank you”
If you would like to seek advice relating to your child’s special needs or any of the SEND services provided by ESDEG, please drop an email to Amita at amita@esdeg.org.uk.