|
We recognise that this update comes to you at a time of great difficulty and heightened worry, as we head into another period where we cannot see friends and family, access some of the usual services and support, and do the things we would all like to be doing. It has already been a long road for all of us and it feels like it is getting longer.
I first of all want to take this opportunity to celebrate the immense strength you have shown in the face of adversity, for your patience, optimism and incredible support towards others; we know for many, these are extremely difficult times.
From the outset of this pandemic, the WPCC set out to do everything it could to provide information and support to our parent carers of children and young people with SEND, and our ambition has not dwindled. We are incredibly honoured and grateful to have been supported by so many of you in all that we have tried to do since the start of the pandemic, and your gestures of support towards each other have been humbling.
As difficult as lockdown will be, please remember that you can exercise (e.g. take a walk) with one friend in a public outdoor space, you can order and collect a book from some of Wiltshire’s libraries, and library members are entitled to access the public PC network in libraries for essential use if they can't otherwise access a PC/laptop or the internet. Essential needs can include job applications, benefit applications, accessing public services, financial information, online banking, for educational purposes, to keep in touch with family members or to support their mental health.
We aren’t out of the woods yet but hope is on the horizon; I hope the rollout of the vaccine gives some hope. In the meantime, the WPCC will continue to do all it can to offer support, advice and opportunities for parent carers to connect with each other to reduce some of the social isolation many of us experience. Our positive message board is still on our website and we will continue to post all messages of support we receive.
Outreach and SENDIS
Our Outreach staff will continue to support those families they are currently working with online and by telephone, but we are unable to visit familes except in exceptional circumstances. All staff are working remotely and having invested in technology that supports mobile working early in 2020, we are able to continue to operate our telephone helpline and email support to respond to enquiries, and support and signpost as best we can. This will be dependent on staff wellbeing and we may have to review if circumstances change.
Please remember to use the dedicated Coronavirus section of our website which we created to make it easier to find information relating to COVID-19, where you can find information on 'Changes to Events, Courses and Activities', 'Information and Changes to Services' and 'Learning Resources and Activities'; we will continue to update this section of our website with information as we receive it. We have also kept the dedicated Coronavirus section in our weekly newsletter. We will also post information on our Facebook page as often as we can.
We are continuing to run our popular themed monthly virtual coffee mornings and we are working on developing other ways to support and bring parent carers together to try to reduce some of the impact of social isolation.
As always, thank you for your ongoing support.
Please take care,
Stuart
Strategic Director, WPCC
|
