Ealing's Support for Families
Ealing Parent Carer Forum
The EPCF will continue to act as a main point of communication between parents and Ealing services as well as the EPCF partner organisations. Please contact us if you have any issues or queries around your child’s education and support during this difficult time. We now have 4 email addresses for you to contact us on:
- Chair (Matthew): chair@epcf.org.uk
- Vice Chair (Ruby): vicechair@epcf.org.uk
- Health Lead (Erica): health@epcf.org.uk
- Administrator (Brigitte / Heidi): info@epcf.org.uk
- You can ring or text Matthew on 07955 820148 Mon – Fri 10:00 – 15:00
We will continue to manage and develop our ongoing Issue Log so that we can feedback to the LA, Health and Care services about your experiences and help to improve services for our children and young people in Ealing. If you have an issue to raise about any negative or positive experiences, please email any of the above and include “Issue Log” in the subject line. We are currently planning to maintain our series of regular Drop-In Sessions as virtual meetings and will send you details as soon as they are confirmed.
- Opening hours: 9am-5pm (Monday to Friday) Helpline: 0203 9788989
- All calls are answered by our caseworkers. If the lines are busy, please leave a message. For out of office hours, your call will be responded within 48 hours.
- Email: isaidealing@family-action.org.uk
Although the team is currently working remotely due to the Covid-19 pandemic and following Government recommendations, we continue to support families. We continue to book parents/carers and young people for telephone appointments. However, if parents prefer, we also offer support on one-to-one basis on Microsoft Teams and Zoom applications via online video call. Zoom allows screen sharing as well, therefore caseworkers are able to share screen and go through paperwork, and professional reports etc together with parents/young people.
New offer: SEND advice surgeries: Each Monday from 10.30 am-12 pm and Tuesday from 10.30 am -12 pm via online link on Zoom (delivered in English and Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Pashto, Tigrinya, Bulgarian). To participate and enquire – email our team at isaidealing@family-action.org.uk
New offer: Sessions on complex health and social care support, as well as DLA and (PIP for young people with SEND) each Friday from 10.30 am - 12 pm via video link on Zoom. To participate and enquire – email our team at isaidealing@family-action.org.uk Support online and via the helpline on Mondays and Tuesdays also available on Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Bulgarian and English. On the rest of the days helpline support is provided in English. Casework:
We continue to offer support for statutory needs assessment, draft EHC plans, annual reviews, Tribunal appeals, SEND transport, and enquiries around SEN support.
Ealing I – SAID website www.ealing-isaid.org.uk for useful SEND factsheets, resources, and Facebook: I-SAID! updated daily for online resources and information.
P.E.S.T.S. (Early Years support)
Outreach Telephone offering support where needed, a befriending and social contact service for parents and carers of children with disabilities, website and facebook information, and provide weekly online resources for children including recreational musical activities which will be sent out by link.
- Contact details: Joy 0208 5719954 / email: pests-ealing@hotmail.co.uk
- Office opening hours: 9am to 3pm (Monday to Friday)
- Natalie 07914 311298, email: pests-outreach@hotmail.co.uk
- Outreach Support Line: 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday)
- Website: www.pests-ealing.org.uk
Contact Ealing
Contact Ealing are continuing to run their advice and support sessions online via Zoom. Please email them to register for them and be sent the link to log in. They are also offering the following support lines to parents and are participating in the befriending service under the EalingTogether umbrella. If they cannot answer your call, please leave a message, they will respond to your call within 48 hours. You can email them on: ealing@contact.org.uk
Financial and Benefit advice (you can make an appointment for Benefit Advice, DLA etc):
Selina Eshun on 07395 913573 Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday 10am to 3pm
General advice (including advice in Punjabi), booking sessions & events:
Satvir Birk on 07884741654 Monday to Thursday 10am to 2pm
Coronavirus advice and support line (for information on our local services & information available):
Brigitte Bistrick-Bryan on 07395 963888 Monday to Friday 11am to 3pm
Regular updates via email, newsletter and on Facebook:
Coronavirus: Information for families with disabled children https://contact.org.uk/advice-and-support/coronavirus-information-for-familieswith-disabled-children/ https://www.facebook.com/Contact-Ealing
Ealing Mencap
Enterprise Lodge and Dare to Dream are closed, with all staff working remotely. They have launched a helpline called LIFELINE, with the aim of reducing the impact of isolation for the many people with disabilities in our borough. They aim to offer support, guidance and someone to talk to during these uncertain times.
LIFELINE is available to anyone in Ealing with learning disabilities, Autism or physical disabilities, as well as their families/carers.
Tel: 020 8566 9575 Mon - Fri 9 am - 5 pm
They also have a new page on their website that will hold resources, guidance and activities to do: www.ealingmencap.org.uk
Ealing Family Information Service
The FIS are working remotely and will continue to offer support via telephone and email. The FIS has a dedicated SEND Officer who can provide advice, support and specialist information for families who have a child with additional needs or disability. A bespoke support service is also available to families who are experiencing challenges in accessing services such as childcare, that meet the needs of their child. During this time, the FIS will be supporting parents whose jobs have been identified as being ‘Critical Workers’ and parents of vulnerable children; with information on which schools and childcare provisions remain open for their children to attend. If this applies please get in touch so we can help you. You can also visit the Local Offer website for information on support during COVID-19 as well as resources, such as talking to children about coronavirus, resource packs with movement activities and visual tools, tips on mental health and wellbeing and more.
Visit www.ealinglocaloffer.org.uk or get in touch on details below for support.
Tel: 0202 8825 5588 Email: children@ealing.gov.uk
- Ealing I SAID! The Ealing I SAID service (Impartial Advice, Information and Support on Disability and special educational needs) provides free and confidential advice, information and support to parents, carers, children and young people aged up to 25.