Coronavirus and young people with SEND

Amaze

Our SENDIASS helpline is open and able to give you advice and support about anything to do with your special educational needs or disabilities during lockdown and beyond. They can refer you on to our other services for young people such as Looking Forward and Amazing Futures. Contact our SENDIASS helpline

Brighton & Hove: You can find out about lots of different types of support for young people in Brighton & Hove on the local Covid directory 

East Sussex: You can find out about local support for young people in East Sussex on the c360 website.

Are you worried about what you have missed when schools and colleges closed or about your exams and grades? Did you have to change your plans for this year? Or perhaps you want to find out more about how to organise your next steps in education, employment and training. If so, our Looking Forward Team can help you think through where you are going around education, employment and training  and things like getting a college place or apprenticeship.

If you’d like some practical support from the Looking Forward team, please email Amy Goble on amy@amazesussex.org.uk or phone Liam Ryan: 07483 111659.

You can still make a new claim for DLA or PIP and there are no changes to who can get these benefits or the rates paid, but the claims may take a bit longer to process.

Renewals of existing benefits were paused because of Covid. Claims that were running out were extended. But now people are being asked to renew again or to apply for PIP when their DLA ends . There are also no PIP face to face assessments for the time being. Instead they will use your paperwork and a phone call. If you are sent a renewal or if you are asked to apply for PIP don’t ignore this. Read our section on Coronavirus and money for more detailed information about disability benefits during Covid-19.

Amaze can still help you with making claims for DLA and PIP. Contact the SENDIASS helpline if you would like support with claiming these benefits.

You may be feeling anxious about Coronavirus and your health right now. These resources for people with learning difficulties help to explain Coronavirus and what’s happening clearly.

• Adults with learning disabilities can find lots of resources from the local Community Learning Disability teams here 
• Mencap has a whole range of Easy Read Coronavirus information
• There’s an easy read guide to the new rules from January
• If you have to self-isolate keep well with Five Ways to Wellbeing in isolation – Brighton & Hove City Council
• Or this Easy read guide to COVID-19 and your wellbeing – East Sussex County Council

You can read a lot more about going to the doctors, visiting hospitals or self-isolating in our section on Coronavirus and health.

Amaze has also put together a useful guide for parents and young people about what’s out there to help you look after your mental health wellbeing during this difficult time. Read our guide to Looking after your wellbeing during lockdown. If you are looking for help with your mental health right now a good place to start is the local mental health advice and help website for 13-25 year olds e-wellbeing.co.uk/ 

There’s no doubt that some of you will have found it very hard not being able to see your friends or take part in your usual activities.

The limits on what you can do are quite tight again, so have a look at the really useful guide to leisure and having fun during lockdown that our Compass team have put together. It’s stuffed full of ideas about indoor and outdoor exercise, coping with anxiety and learning new things. Read our guide to Leisure, learning and lockdown for young people.

Our regular Amazing Futures peer support and social groups for young people up to 25 have kept meeting, both online via Zoom and in small groups. The groups are paused again at the start of January, but still get in touch as this will change again. If you would like to join one of our Amazing Futures groups in Brighton or Eastbourne and Bexhill, contact:

Brighton & Hove: Sue Winter on sue@amazesussex.org.uk  or call 07483 111648 (Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays).

East Sussex: Email claire@amazesussex.org.uk or call/text 07484915038

Amazine

Check out our new online magazine “Amazine” for young people with special educational needs and disabilities in Brighton & Hove and East Sussex! It’s bright and colourful, with loads of photos and drawings and is a great way to stay in touch and keep busy during lockdown. Read Amazine here.