Play sessions for under 5s run by KIDS

Play sessions for pre-school children who have developmental delays, diagnosed or undiagnosed conditions or disabilities.  Sessions are for children under 4, with experienced staff to support children’s learning and development. For more information contact [email protected]

All groups are term time only: 

• SupaStars - for children aged 2 to 4 years; Tuesday, 10.30am to 12.30pm at Harmood Children's Centre, 1 Forge Place (off Ferdinand Street), NW1 8DQ
• Amazing Tots - for children aged 3 months to 2 years; Thursday, 10.30am to 12.30pm at JW3, 341-351 Finchley Rd, NW3 6ET
• Central session (trial) - for children aged 3 months to 3 years; 15 June to 20 July 2022 at Hampden Children’s Centre, 80 Polygon Road, NW1 1HQ.  

icandance

icandance is a charity which works with children and young people aged four to 25 with complex learning, social, sensory and physical needs - including those with complex medical needs. The charity focuses on what a child can do, rather than what they cannot. Through intensive sessions tailored to the needs of each dancer, their trained team of therapists and disability specialists supports each child and young person to explore how their body moves and feels, enabling them to create connections and discover their potential.

Their weekly sessions for four to 25-year-olds take place during term-time on Saturdays from 10am to 2pm. They also offer a Thursday evening class for dancers aged 14 to 25 from 7pm to 8pm.

All sessions take place at one of two sites in Hampstead and last approximately one hour. Their specialist approach is built on three crucial components: wellbeing, creativity and learning. Find out more and contact icandance here.

Action for Children

Action for Children run a short breaks service for Camden disabled children aged five to 12 from the Rollercoaster Playground, in Cubitt Street.

Action for Children is a charity that provides short breaks to families all around the UK. The staff team that run the Cubitt Street centre has extensive experience with children with SEND, including autism (ASD) and complex health needs, working in schools and play schemes.

Families can access the respite self-assessment template (SART form) by emailing [email protected] (or, if urgent / an emergency: [email protected]). The number to ring with enquiries about short breaks is 020 7974 3597 / 3975.

At Cubitt Street, they are able to offer your child a purpose-built spacious indoor and outdoor play space. They provide a range of activities for children, which help support their specific learning objectives through play. Currently they are running two services for Camden families:

• an after-school club two days a week on Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 3.30 to 6pm, and
• a holiday club for five days per week during the holidays, from 10am to 3pm.

PACE Overnights

PACE Overnight Short Breaks services provide adventures with one-to-one support for children with disabilities aged eight to 18. We hold eight Overnights sessions per year at our secure and fully accessible Fortune Green Play Centre. Sessions typically run from 11am on Saturday until 11am on Sunday and are themed around natural and sensory play, with the children's interests and abilities at the heart of every activity. 

For more information, visit the website, email [email protected] or call Deborah Dixon on 07483 122 882.

PACE GetActive

PACE's GetActive @ The Green is a Saturday programme focusing on physical activities, inclusive sport and active play. This programme is a short breaks service for children with complex needs and disabilities aged 12 to 18.  Sessions run from 11am to 3pm on Saturdays during term-time and are usually held at our fully accessible Fortune Green Play Centre, with occasional trips to outside activities.

For more information, visit the website, email [email protected] or call Chanika Mahamedally on 020 7183 5120, ext. 274.

Wac Arts

Wac Arts runs a wide range of programmes for under 18s with special educational needs and disabilities. Please visit the website to find out more or email [email protected]. There's more info on Wac Short Breaks and Wac Nites below too.

Wac Short Breaks

Wac Arts are based at Hampstead Town Hall, in Belsize Park. They offer a short breaks service for young people resident in/ or care of the borough. The service is provided for those with moderate physical and learning disabilities up to those with profound and multiple learning disabilities. All services are for 11 to 18-year-olds.

Services include:

• After School Club - After-school sessions in arts and media on Thursday afternoons between 4pm and 6pm 
• Saturday Club - The Saturday Club offers Performing Arts, sport, environmental and fun social activities to get young people ‘out and about’ from 11am to 3pm
• Holiday Activities - Holiday provision runs over nine weeks of the year (excluding Christmas holidays) and offers a full programme of performing arts, trips off-site and lots of fun from 10.30am to 3.30pm
• Preparing for Adulthood - This initiative encourages friendship, social interaction, fun and progression of independencea, with trips out into the community
• Advocacy - The advocacy service is designed to represent young people who may have complex and challenging family circumstance, be non-verbal or looked after.

These exciting provisions offer young people with a range of special educational needs and disabilities the opportunity to have fun and socialise. Young people learn new skills and have more say in the decisions that affect them.

Wac Nites

Wac Nites is an inclusion programme specifically designed for those with mild/ moderate learning disabilities. Wac Nites runs on a Wednesday with the following sessions:

• Spark - Tutor-led projects, with a focus on boosting self-confidence and social skills. Ages nine to 12; from 4.30 to 6pm
• Ignite – Ignite uses various art forms to engage young people and lift their skill base. Ages 13 to 17; from 6.30 to 8.30pm
• Urban motivation - This group is performing arts based. Sessions are designed with input from the service users. Adult group 18 to 30 years; from 6..30 to 8.30pm.

Wac Nites is for young people who do not need one-to-one support and can travel to our building independently or can be supported by family for the purposes of travel.

Wac Nites does carry a small cost to participate. However, bursaries are available. 

Leisure activities for children, young people and adults with SEND

On Wednesdays at Kentish Sports Centre, Fleetwell Swimming Club occupy the pool from 6.30 to 7.30pm and have swimming sessions for disabled people all ages, including children and families. For more details of Better's Community Disability Programme see the following:

• Camden's Better Community Disability Programme (leisure centres) 

Camden's Local Offer website

To find out more about services and support for children and young people with SEND and their parents or carers, please visit Camden's Local Offer website.

Camden Special Parents Forum

This group meets each half-term to work in partnership with Camden to develop services. It is a useful place to hear about services, meet other parents for mutual support and participate in developing services.

If you are interested in being part of the Camden Special Parents Forum or would like any further information about meetings, please contact the team:
Rachel Dixon – [email protected]
Maria Schultz – [email protected]

Or you can:

• Visit the website here
• Follow @CamdenSPForum on Twitter here
• You can also sign up to the Camden Special Parents Forum Facebook page.

SENDIASS Camden 

SENDIASS Camden is an impartial, confidential and free service, which operates at arms-length from Camden Council. The law requires all local authorities to provide children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their parents/carers with information, advice and support.

• Visit the SENDIASS Camden website here
• Email [email protected]  
• Call them on 020 7974 6264.

Family link – help give a disabled child a break

Camden's Family Link offers disabled children and young people the opportunity to have short, planned, regular breaks with a Family Link carer in a family home setting.

Family Link carers are specially approved by the Family Link Panel to look after disabled children and young people. They get an allowance and the amount we pay depends on the length of time they look after the child. To find out more, please call 0800 028 1436 (freephone), 020 7974 1283 or email [email protected]

If you want to become a Family Link carer then please contact Camden Family Link

For other support for parents, children and young people, please visit the Local Offer website.

Short breaks form one element of the support offered by Camden Council to children and young people with disabilities and their families.

They provide opportunities for children and young people with disabilities to spend time away from their primary carer, taking part in positive activities, while also providing much-needed breaks for the parent/carer.

Short breaks are personal to individual needs and can include day, evening, overnight, weekend or holiday activities and can take place in the home, a residential or community setting.

Find out more on the Local Offer website here.

Contacting us regarding short breaks

• For self-referral applications, please email [email protected]
• For any urgent enquiries, we are also contactable by email at [email protected] or phone 020 7974 3597 / 3975.

Camden approves strategy to improve the way we work with children and young people with SEND

On Wednesday 16 November, the Council’s Cabinet approved a new plan to improve services and support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families in Camden. 

The Camden Local Area Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Strategy aims to improve support and outcomes for children and young people aged up to 25 years old with SEND over the next five years. You can read the final strategy, a summary version and an easy-read version below:

• Camden Local Area SEND Strategy 2022-27
• Camden Local Area SEND Strategy - Executive Summary
• Camden Local Area SEND Strategy - EASY-READ version
• Read our press release here
• Watch: a short video introduction to the strategy by Cllr Marcus Boyland (54 seconds long)

The consultation on this strategy closed on 22 September

Camden Council asked parents, carers, children, young people and professionals to have their say on our new draft strategy to improve services for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) aged 0 to 25.

• Watch our short animated film here (1 minute, 55 secs)

Thank you to everyone who responded to the consultation or participated in face-to-face engagement events. All of these responses were analysed and the draft strategy amended in the light of the feedback and comments received. A full report went to Camden Council’s Cabinet Meeting on 16 November for consideration by senior councillors. They approved the final strategy (subject to a 'call-in' period of five working days).

If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected].