Support

Appointments are available every Wednesday during term time. Contact the school office to book.

Find out more

The Parent Hub at Fairmead School - we're here for you!

We’re pleased to offer Parent Hub appointments every Wednesday during term time.

Whether you’d like a quick chat, need support, or want to browse our pre-loved uniform selection, we’re here to help.

Drop-in Session (No appointment needed):
🕗 8:45am – 9:30am

Pop in for a quick chat or to look through our pre-loved uniform items.

Bookable Appointments (Private 1 to 1 sessions):

Appointment 1: 9:45am – 11:15am
Appointment 2: 11:30am – 1:00pm
Appointment 3: 1:30pm – 3:00pm

If Wednesdays don’t work for you, please get in touch – we’ll do our best to find a time that suits you.

📞 To book an appointment:
Call the school office on 01935 421295 or email us at office@fairmeadschool.com

We look forward to seeing you soon - you are not alone.

SEN Book Library

COMING SOON!

Support to complete forms and applications

We know that completing forms can feel overwhelming—but you don’t have to do it alone. We’re here to help!

Whether it’s:
✔ DLA (Disability Living Allowance)
✔ PIP (Personal Independence Payment)
✔ College Applications
✔ School Transport Applications
✔ Grant Applications

…or any other paperwork, we can support you.

How we can help:

Check over your completed forms
Help you fill them in from scratch if needed

📍 Book an appointment at the Parent Hub, and let’s make it easier together!

Timer Library

We use timers across the school to help young people in lots of positive ways!

Timers can:

Make transitions between activities easier
Build tolerance for less-preferred tasks
Support behaviour strategies
Encourage independence skills

We have a range of timers available to borrow for free, including:
✔ Sand timers in different time lengths
✔ Digital timers
✔ Visual clocks

If you’d like to find out how timers could support your young person, please book an appointment at the Parent Hub. We’ll be happy to chat and show you the options.

Behaviour strategies and advice

We understand that managing behaviour and finding strategies that work for a young person with SEND can be challenging. Sometimes, traditional parenting advice doesn’t always fit—and that’s okay.

By working together, we can explore strategies that do work for your young person. This might include using visual supports and social stories to help with understanding expectations, as well as setting clear, consistent boundaries.

We offer an initial behaviour meeting in the Parent Hub to talk about your young person’s needs and what you’ve found helpful (or not so helpful) so far.

From there, we may suggest:
✔ Further Hub visits
✔ One-to-one family support as part of our PFSA (Parent & Family Support Adviser) package

PFSA support can include home visits and even help during school holidays.

Help to find local activities and groups

We know it can feel overwhelming to find the right opportunities and support for your young person. Being a parent carer of a young person with SEND can sometimes feel isolating—but you’re not alone.

We’re here to help! We can signpost you to local activities and support services, including:

✔ Clubs and social activities
✔ Mental health support
✔ Grants and financial assistance

✔ Local support groups

✔ Training opportunities and information events

Come and join us for a coffee at the Parent Hub, and let’s explore what’s available together.

Visuals and social stories

Visuals and social stories can make a big difference for young people. They can help with:
✔ Communication
✔ Understanding expectations
✔ Knowing what’s happening and when
✔ Following instructions
✔ Learning routines and independence skills

We have a range of ready-made resources in the Parent Hub, including:

Teeth brushing
Haircuts
Morning and evening routines
Bathing and showering
Using the toilet

Need something specific?

We can also create bespoke visuals for your young person.

We also have lanyards with commonly used directives and Zones of Regulation cards to support emotional understanding and development.

Rather than just sending these home, we like to meet with you to show how to use them effectively—so they really work for your young person.

Pre-loved uniform

When: Every Wednesday morning, 8:45 AM – 9:30 AM
Where: Parent Hub

Browse in person or email us with the sizes you need. If in stock, we’ll prepare them for you.
Can’t get to school? We can send items home to try before purchase.

Payment Options:

Cash
My Child At School app

Price List

Polo shirts (with logo): £1.00
Jumpers (with logo): £4.00
Trousers: £3.00
Fleeces (with logo): £6.00
Shoes and coats individually priced.

SEND support services

Contact

Provider of online, printed and helpline advice on education, benefits and finances, childcare, social care, medical information and more.

Helpline freephone 0808 808 3555 Website: www.contact.org.uk

IPSEA

Independent provider of SEND advice, offers legally based advice, support and training to ensure young people with SEND access the right education

Helpline: 0300 222 5899 Website: www.ipsea.org.uk

Down’s Syndrome Association

The Down’s Syndrome Association (DSA) supports all people who have Down’s syndrome, their parents and carers and the professionals who work with them, throughout their lives.

Helpline: 0333 1212 300 Website: www.downs-syndrome.org.uk

National Autistic Society

Information and advice for autistic people in the UK and their families.

Website: www.autism.org.uk

National Deaf Children’s Society

The leading charity dedicated to creating a world without barriers for every deaf young person. Providing free impartial and unbiased information to families.

Freephone Helpline: 0808 800 8880 Website: www.ndcs.org.uk

Cerebra

Offers guides, factsheets and other resources including comprehensive and current information on a wide variety of issues – physical, social and legal – that parents and carers of young people with brain conditions may be facing. Services available include a Sleep Advice Service, the Cerebra Innovation Centre, Book and Toy Library and LEaP, an innovative problem-solving project that runs alongside their Legal Advice Service.

Helpline: 01267 244 200 Website: www.cerebra.org.uk

Family Fund – Support for Families with Disabled Children (SFDC)

The SFDC programme is funded by the Department for Education and administered by Family Fund. It provides a wide range of grant items to families in England raising a disabled or seriously ill young person, and living on a low-income.

Helpline: 01904 550055 Website: www.familyfund.org.uk

Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children may help with the extra costs of looking after a young person who:

is under 16
has difficulties walking or needs much more looking after than a young person of the same age who does not have a disability

Helpline: 0800 121 4600 (phone with enquiries or to ask for a printed copy of the DLA claim form if applying for the first time)

Website: www.gov.uk/disability-living-allowance-children (Claim forms can be completed online)

Citizens Advice, Somerset

An independent charity that provides free, confidential, and impartial advice for people in Somerset.

Adviceline free-phone: 0808 278 7842, Consumer Service advice free-phone 0808 223 1133

Website: www.citizensadvicesomerset.org.uk

NSPCC

Parenting information and advice with a focus on guidance for keeping young people safe.

Help for adults concerned about a child, call: 0808 800 5000

Help for children and young people, call Childline: 0800 1111

www.nspcc.org.uk

LOCAL SERVICES

Somerset Children’s Social Care

This number can be used for general inquiries and to report concerns regarding young people or adults at risk: 0300 123 2224

Somerset SEND Somerset’s local Offer

Information for young people (0 to 25) with special educational needs and/or disabilities

Website: www.somerset.gov.uk/children-families-and-education/the-local-offer

Community Inclusion and Activity Team (CIA Team)

Run clubs and activities for young people with additional needs. Publish a calendar of local events before each school holiday. Provide information on discount cards and free activity passes

Call: 01823 358117 Email: ciateam@somerset.gov.uk

Website: www.somerset.gov.uk/children-families-and-education/the-local-offer/leisure/activities-for-families/

Somerset Parent & Carer Forum

Somerset Parent Carer Forum is a parent led organisation, with all the people leading our working having a young person between birth to 25 years with additional needs and/or disabilities. They provide a range of information and support for parent carers in Somerset. They run groups for you to meet up with other parents , workshops to get information and a phone line where you can speak to one of their parent representatives.

Call: 01458 259384/ 07543 680365 Email: admin@somersetparentcarerforum.org.uk

Website: www.somersetparentcarerforum.org.uk

Dental Access Centres

Providers of dental services in Somerset for adults and young people with additional needs. A referral is needed usually through a general dental practitioner or another health care professional e.g. GP.

Bridgwater: 01278 411640 Taunton: 01823 346116 Yeovil: 01935 413716

Website: www.somersetft.nhs.uk/dental-services

ADHD Somerset

The group is run by parents who have young people with ADHD or have ADHD themselves so they have an understanding of the condition, issues parents may face and services that can help. The group meets twice a month and runs activity days for young people so they can be free to be themselves and find friends with similar interests and needs.

Email: adhdyeovil@gmail.com

Website: www.facebook.com/adhd.somerset

Yeovil 4 Family

Offer an Early Help Programme which “meets a need in the community with Peer Support Groups across Yeovil every weekday, which offer a space for people to learn and grow, with a cuppa and a listening ear”.

Call: 01935 530050 Email: info@yeovil4family.org.uk

Website: www.yeovilcommunitychurch.co.uk/yeovil-4-family

Somerset Children and Young People - Health & Wellbeing

Parent Carer Toolkit

An area of the website designed to support parents, carers and family members to find the information they need to help with their role of 'being a parent'. ‘Parenting can be the most rewarding job in the world but at some point all parents and families need a bit of help.

We have identified the most common topics that affect families and linked these to recommended web-based information and local support’.

Website: www.cypsomersethealth.org/parent_and_carer_toolkit

Managing Relationship Conflict

Guidance and advice on understanding the impact on young people when there is conflict between parents and support to make changes, (including support for separated parents).

Website:www.cypsomersethealth.org/somerset_parents_and_carers__managing_relationship_conflict

SENDIAS

Somerset SENDIAS (Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support) can give young people and their parent carers information, advice and support about SEND. This can include information on Education, Health and Care (EHC) Needs Assessments and Plans.

Call: 01823 355578 Email: somersetsendias@somerset.gov.uk

Website: www.somersetsendias.org.uk