The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued an Amber Heat Health Alert for all regions in England, from 9am on Wednesday 8 July until 9pm on Sunday 12 July. Rising temperatures may increase health risks, particularly for vulnerable groups. For advice on staying cool, signs of heat exhaustion, swimming safely outdoors, fire safety, and more: Summer wellbeing
Parent/carers of neurodivergent children and young people have told us that they sometimes find it hard to navigate all the information available.
Below are some of the key themes or topics that you may want further information or guidance about. If you are aware of any other information and websites, that you have found particularly helpful, please email local.offer@dudley.gov.uk.
Some food groups can have an adverse effect on people with ADHD. The Tees, Esk and Wear NHS Foundation Trust have some useful information about what affect food groups have on ADHD children and young people.
Lots of children and young people have problems with sleep at some point. Cerebra’s Sleep Advice Service offers support and resources for sleep difficulties.
The ADHD Foundation have some resources about sleep on their website, search Sleep, in their resource library.
The ADHD Foundation have a useful factsheet for parents on Developing and supporting social skills, search in their resource library.
When we are out and about the way we teach our young people road safety skills can be influenced by their needs and challenges. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) have produced a useful guide for parents about teaching road safety skills to children with additional needs. Along with general advice it also includes advice regarding children with specific additional needs such as ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia and Dyspraxia. You will also find information about different teaching aids, how to use them and where you can find them.
Some neurodivergent children and young people can present with anxiety-led behaviours that are challenging for families to experience and support. The Newbold Hope offer training, support and resources for dealing with behaviours that challenge, and is a small, parent-led organisation which was set up by Yvonne Newbold MBE.
It is important that schools make reasonable adjustments when applying their exclusions policy. The Independent Provider of Special Education Advice (IPSEA) have a section on their website about exclusions. It contains useful advice about what schools should do, what parents can do if their child is at risk of exclusion and information about the law.
Self-care is about the things we can do to look after our own mental health. Anna Freud has a bank of self-care strategies and resources created by young people for young people to support positive wellbeing. These resources are not specifically for the neurodivergent but are created for the general population. The strategies are not a substitute for seeing a mental health professional and sometimes outside help and advice is needed.
National Support
There is also the NHS mental health emergency helpline number 111 (Select the option for mental health) plus the following:
There is very limited good, neurodivergent specific information re bereavement and grieving. YoungMinds provide non-SEND specific information for parents about talking to your young person about Grief and Loss along with a guide for young people Dealing with grief and loss which you may find useful. The charity Mind also have information on their website too.
