IRIS

10 The IRIS Magazine
Ask Us Nottinghamshire - Information,
Advice and Support Service Launches
Last January the government
launched its new code of
practice for organisations
working with and supporting
children and young people
with special educational needs
and disabilities.
Although it had many implications
one of the key requirements was
that Parent Partnership Services
nationwide (PPS) should take on a
new role and expand to provide wider
information, advice and support.
The code also states that this new
service should be “dedicated and
easily identifiable” and to reflect this
the decision has been taken to change
what the PPS is called in our area.
This new name is Ask Us
Nottinghamshire (this was voted for
by parents and carers at the end of
last year).
The service covers both county and
city and can support you with:
l The law around SEND
l Health and social care in relation
to special educational needs
provision
l Personal budgets
l Education health care plans
(EHCP) and how to access an EHCP
l Preparing for adulthood
l Who to speak to about any
disagreements you may have with
school, health or social care
about SEND
l School exclusions
l Local policy and practice
l Mediation and dispute resolution
l Signposting to other local and
national sources of information
and support such as the
Local Offer
(You can access the Local Offer online
at www.nottshelpyourself.org, or via
support in libraries).
Ask Us Nottinghamshire is based at
County Hall, West Bridgford
Although this is a Council Building
the service is in a separate area
from other SEND and education
services to preserve confidentiality
and impartiality (a requirement of
the code).
The daily helpline run by the former
PPS service will continue and parents
will still be able to meet with
the service in designated private
meeting areas or in other localities
on a drop-in basis as arranged - for
example it has recently committed
to attending a monthly session in the
Rainbow Parents Carers Forum office
in NCVS in Nottingham City Centre.
If you wish to contact Ask Us
Nottinghamshire you can do so on
0115 804 1740
A Chance To Take Part In Ground-breaking Research…
And Take Home A Very Odd Souvenir!
Researchers at Nottingham
University are looking for children
aged 8-10 to help with studies into
Dyspraxia.
The team are looking for children with
and without dyspraxia, also know as
Developmental Coordination Disorder
(DCD), for a series of tests to further
the understanding of the condition.
Following a series of fun games
(pictured) they are invited back for a
brain scan (while they play more fun
games or watch a video!).
Doing so allows researchers to combine the
two results to explore how the cerebellum
– a part of the brain responsible for
movement coordination – contributes to
movement abilities and DCD.
Best of all to thank the volunteers each
child gets sent a picture of their brain
as a souvenir!
For more information and to take part
contact handlab@nottingham.ac.uk