🏫 BCP Council secures funding for a new Free Special School / 📚 Libraries consultation / ☕ SEND coffee morning

🚸🚶👨‍🦽 Walk and wheel to school challenge!
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Issue 10 May 2024: Produced in partnership with NHS Dorset
🏫 BCP Council secures funding for a new Free Special School
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council’s commitment to improve the education of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) has received a huge boost with news that major funding for a brand-new Free Special School has been secured.
The Department for Education (DfE) confirmed on Thursday 9 May 2024 that the authority’s bid for investment to help BCP pupils with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) needs was successful.
This means that a new free special school for approximately 180 pupils, aged between three and 19 years and who experience ASC, will be built in Bournemouth within the next two years. Find out more below.
BCP Council secures funding for new Free Special School
Knife crime campaign launched
A major campaign to educate young people on the dangers of knife crime has been launched across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
The Knife Crime Awareness campaign follows the tragic death of Cameron Hamilton last summer.
Cameron, 18, was fatally stabbed in Bournemouth Square following an altercation on a night out – an event that has not only changed the lives of his family and friends, but highlighted the dangers posed by young people carrying knives.
Find out more about the campaign and events and activities
that are happening across the coming weeks which include theatre workshops, skateboarding events, school activities, live music and much more to engage young people.
These initiatives are complemented with resources and support
networks to equip parents and carers as well as members of the community with the tools to address and prevent knife-related incidents effectively.
Knife Crime Awareness campaign
📖 Have your say on library services in our area!
We want to know how you currently use the library and what you hope to see in the future.
This is your chance to have your voice heard and help inform BCP Council’s first-ever library strategy.
Take part in the survey
and help shape the future of our library service.
Click on the image below to find out how Enzo and other members of our community enjoy using the library.
Take part in the library consultation
🏃 Moving More for Mental Health!
13 to 19 May is Mental Health Awareness Week
and the theme is #MovingMore for mental health.
Our BCP Council Health and Wellbeing Coordinator Julie shares with us her experience following a difficult time during the pandemic and how moving more helped her.
“My anxiety seemed to peak in the mornings, getting out of bed was challenging, but I forced myself to put my trainers on and go for a run. I knew I had to get rid of the awful fight / flight / freeze energy, the jitters. What I didn’t know was just how much better I would feel afterwards. And that the feeling would last most of the morning.
Those sunrise runs saved me, they made me realise just how beneficial movement can be. They gave me a distraction from my racing thoughts, they created ‘happy hormones’ and banished the feeling my anxiety gave me.”
Thank you for sharing your experience with us Julie.
BCP Council organised health walks
🧘‍♂️ Dorset Mind Events for Mental Health Awareness Week
Dorset Mind
will be running a series of free workshops in The Gather, Dolphin Centre Poole from Monday 13 to Friday 17 May as part of Mental Health Awareness Week.
The workshops will run from 10.30am to 12.30pm and focus on various aspects of mental health, including anxiety and panic attacks, low mood and depression, stress, menopause, and information regarding the Mentoring in Minds service offered at Dorset Mind.
Dorset Mind will also be at Castlepoint in Bournemouth on Saturday 18 May from 11am to 3pm giving away free goody bags, offering free teas, reiki sessions, pebble painting with Eco in Mind, and wellness stalls.
Dorset Mind - events for Mental Health Awareness week
🎓 Applying for student finance? Speed it up and tap the app!
With many A level students planning their next steps in life, those starting university in September can ‘tap the app’ to get National Insurance and tax information they need to complete their student finance applications.
Download the HMRC app
🧑🏼‍🧑🏽‍🧒🏼 Could you foster a child or young person?
Foster Carer Fortnight
takes place from Monday 13 May until Sunday 26 May. Foster carers play a vital role in providing a family life for children who cannot live with their own parents for a variety reasons. Click on our short film which shows the ways in which foster carers can play an important role in the life of a child or young person. If you would like to know more - please call us on 0800 009 3084 or 01202 028013 or visit our website below and complete the online form.
Fostering in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
☕ Meet Parent Carers Together plus Jude and Mary from BCP Council SEND Team
BCP parents and carers of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) please pop along to this event on Wednesday 15 May between 10am and 12pm at Kinson Community Centre.
Mary Diffey (SEND Services Manager) and Jude Nash (SEND Project Delivery Lead) will be on hand to tell you more about what they do and speak to you about the future of the SEND service.
The session is free, and drinks and refreshments will be available. Your child does not need to have a formal diagnosis for you to join us. There is no need to pre-book. Find out more below.
SEND coffee morning with Parent Carers Together
🦄🐉 Coming soon! Walk to school week 20 to 24 May
This year Living Streets are challenging children to travel actively to school every day of the week. Meeting various magical beings along the way, they will learn about the important reasons to walk or wheel and its benefits for individuals, communities and the planet!
Our very own Mudeford Junior School did us proud and came 17th across England in Living Streets Autumn Walk to School Challenge 2023!
But we can do better - let's see if we can get more schools from BCP topping the leaderboard in 2024! Find out more below.
Living Streets Walk (and wheel) to school challenge
Our SEND Local Offer provides information on services and activities for children and young people living in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole aged 0 to 25 with special educational needs and disabilities.
Our SEND Local Offer
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