Parent Carers
A parent carer is someone who cares for a member of their family who is under 18 and has additional needs, a disability or a long term illness. Parent carers will be dealing with very different services and challenges to adult carers; including education, SEND, CAMHS and paediatric services.
If you care for your child or young person you can register as a parent carer to with us and offer emotional support.You can fill in the referral form start accessing support from North Tyneside Carers’ Centre.
Education Services
The following links are for services who offer support with education , Education Health Care Plans, and other additional needs related issues.
https://my.northtyneside.gov.uk/category/649/information-advice-and-support-sendiass
Support from North Tyneside Council
North Tyneside Council provides support to families who experience two or more of the following issues:
- poor school attendance
- unemployment
- children who need help
- parents and children with health problems
- domestic violence
- anti-social behaviour and crime
More information
Family partners work with families who need support and:
- are dedicated to the family
- look at what is happening for the family as a whole
- give practical, hands-on support to the family
- have an assertive and challenging approach
- are supported by a plan agreed with the family and relevant services
For more information click here:
Local Offer – Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
There are two main types of support available:
- SEN Support Plan
- Education Health and Care Plan
Special Educational Needs Support
Special Educational Needs Support (SEN Support) is available in early year’s settings, mainstream schools and further education colleges. If your child has Special Educational needs and is at a mainstream school, an SEN Support Plan is the first level of additional support offered. It involves:
- assessing their needs
- planning how those needs can be met
- providing additional support
- reviewing progress.
More information
This approach is designed to help pupils who are struggling compared to their peers. Support may include using different learning materials or special equipment or help from staff.
All schools have a Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO), who is responsible for Special Educational Needs. They work alongside your child’s teacher to find ways of supporting and improving their learning. This may include working with specialists, for example, the Speech and Language Team. The SENCO will also ensure that the pupil’s progress is regularly monitored and reviewed.
If your child does not make progress through SEN Support, you or the school might consider requesting an Education Health and Care Needs Assessment.
Education, Healthcare Needs Assessment (EHC)
If your child has a more complex educational need that can’t be met by SEN Support you can ask for an Education, Health and Care (EHC) assessment. This is a detailed investigation to find out exactly what your child’s special educational needs are.
More information
The EHC plan brings together your child’s education, health and social care needs into a single, legal document. This document sets out what extra support they will get to meet those needs. The EHC assessment process is completed within 20 weeks.
The Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) can offer advice and information:
Email sendiass@northtyneside.gov.uk or telephone (0191) 643 8317.
Support from the Children's Disability Team (CDT)
North Tyneside Children’s Disability team is a specialist statutory social work team providing support to children aged 0 – 17. The disability team focuses on those who have a substantial, severe disability, which impacts on their daily lives.
More information
They can provide a range of support including:
- A break in their caring role for parents and carers
- Integrated working with Health (CCG) and Education (SEND) to promote the wellbeing of the child / young person
- Working with children and families where behaviour presents as a severe challenge due to their disability
- Support with adaptations via Paediatric Occupational Therapy team
- Support into the home including domiciliary care
- Short breaks during the day or night including after school clubs, specialist holiday activity provision
- Support to access community based leisure activities
If you would like to discuss support, contact The Front Door Service at 0345 2000 109.
Parent Carer’s Needs Assessments
Parent carers are entitled to a Parent Carer Needs Assessment. This is different to a Carer’s Assessment and needs to be carried out by Children’s Services.
Parents of disabled children & young people have the right to an assessment of their needs under the Children and Families Act 2014. Any siblings in the family have a right to an assessment of their needs as young carers.
More information
Under this act, local authorities must assess parent carers if:
- ‘it appears to the authority that the parent carer may have needs for support’.
- they ‘receive a request from the parent carer to assess the parent carer’s needs for support.’
They must also take into account the:
- ‘well-being of the parent carer’
- ‘need to safeguard and promote the welfare of the disabled child and any other child for whom the parent carer has parental responsibility.’
The wellbeing duty is an important addition. This means local authorities must consider the person’s:
- personal dignity and respect
- physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
- protection from abuse and neglect
- control by the individual over day-to-day life
- participation in work, education, training or recreation
- social and economic wellbeing
- domestic, family, and personal relationships
- suitability of living accommodation
- contribution to society
An assessment can lead to the provision of services to support your family, including short breaks. The assessment is the process that social services use to gather information about your child and family. They can then decide what help you may need.
If a parent requires a Parent Carer Assessment, the fact sheets and helpful guides produced by contact give further information and advice about going through the process.
Parent Carers Assessments Factsheet
Support from the Local Authority
Quick Links
More information about other support groups and services for Parent Carers:
North Tyneside Parent Carer Forum
A group of parents and carers of children, young people and adults aged 0-25 who have special educational needs and/or disabilities who live in North Tyneside. Their aim is to support parents and carers in the community enabling them to access services and give them a voice in shaping and developing these services. You can register with them so that you are able to keep up to date with services in the area and access their training sessions.
Offer advice and information about any concern a family might have about raising a child with additional needs. They run a telephone helpline, live chat and a Listening Ear support service. They produce a range of email newsletters and printed parent guides available to download or order. They also have a Facebook group that you can access via the website, for parents to communicate with each other about their caring roles.
Pathways 4 All is a parent-led charity, providing play and leisure services for disabled children and young people. They offer a range of services including family-focused events and seasonal parties; short break care activities for younger children and a youth club for teens; Easter and Summer holiday playschemes; and term-time social activities for young disabled adults.
The Tim Lamb Centre offers specialist activity and leisure facilities for disabled children/young people and their families, including a soft play area with adjoining cafe, a sensory room, large multi-purpose hall with indoor trampolines, a toddler playroom, teenage/ games room and a computer suite. They also have a large fully enclosed outdoor playground, (with high fencing) which includes a range of inclusive play and sensory equipment.
A local group of parents who have a child with additional needs. They meet regularly and their website offers information about their Café Drop-in model, parent-led courses and articles from other parents. Contact them here.
Sparcs is a local group for families caring with someone with ASD. They have a private Facebook pages for families to connect with others.
An educational provider. They have online resources about ADHD and ASD. There also offer webinars that you can sign up for on a range of topics including EHCPs.