Dr Abigail Fisher Educational Psychology

EHCP Annual Reviews are an opportunity. When the provision is in place and things are working, they should be a chance for parents to understand what’s happening in school and get to know school staff.

They are a legal requirement, but they are also a moment to stop, reflect and check that everything’s working as it should. A chance for parents and staff to check in, to plan for the year ahead, and to consider anything that needs changing.

Yet we know that they are often not like that. Parents tell us about problems with getting amendments agreed and delays with the whole process. It can start to feel like a hoop to jump through rather than an opportunity to do better. The whole thing can feel interminable.

This webinar will give you some ideas for how to get your child’s annual review to work for you all. It will make you familiar with what should happen, what your rights are, and will give you some ideas about how to make the process as useful as possible.

Abi will also offer some tips about how to support yourself through the process, so you can advocate for your child and get their needs met.

You’ve got the EHCP in place, but it’s only the start of the process. Now you have to make sure that your child is getting what they need, and yet
interacting with your local authority can be difficult. The Annual Review is a chance to get your voice heard.

We know that many local authorities and schools are under tremendous financial pressures and are struggling to deliver the services children need. You want to get the best for your child, despite the difficulties. How can you continue to advocate for them, whilst protecting yourself from burnout?

When caseworkers don’t reply to emails, or answer telephone calls, it can feel like nobody cares. When you ask for help and get nothing back, it seems like nobody is listening. One parent said it felt like sending messages into the abyss. You wait and wait, and still don’t get a response. It’s hard not to take it personally. When you go into your Annual Review, you are carrying so much more than just your child’s file.

In this webinar Dr Abigail Fisher, educational psychologist will help you navigate your child’s EHCP Annual Review with confidence. She will discuss some of the common challenges in the process, with tips and ideas to help. She will to empower you, to help ensure your child is well supported and their needs are met.

Register now and be prepared for your next EHCP Annual Review. Please share if you are in places where others may benefit.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/838630445237?aff=oddtdtcreator

I am writing a webinar about annual reviews - I would be really interested to hear from you about your experiences, any questions you have and what would be helpful to know about this topic.

What about me?

Many of us have been drilled since childhood to work extremely hard, compare ourselves with others and to never feel like we’re doing enough. It can feel like this is the only way to be. It can seem like if you let go of that way, you’ll never get anything done, and everything will fall apart.

Yet we know that our children flourish when we are gentle with them. We know that they respond best when we are kind and encouraging. If you want to try a gentler approach, that is what this webinar is about *next Wednesday* – exploring a kinder way, and tuning in to our inner critic. With a bit of psychological theory, and lots of practical exercises which you can take away and apply in your life straight away, this webinar is about taking a little time for yourself, and finding some calm in the midst of tough times.

It is recorded - choose that option at check out.

Book here https://www.eventbrite.com/e/769236134987?aff=oddtdtcreator

When we are going through a really tough time as a parent, it’s really easy to feel like it’s our fault. If we were only doing a better job, then everything would be Ok. We should have taken action earlier. We should have anticipated this or that. We look around and it seems like we are the only people struggling.

This webinar is about supporting yourself when you are going through hard times. It’s about trying a gentle approach and seeing how it feels. Evidence from psychological research shows that practicing compassion can help with anger, anxiety, depression and lead to enhanced wellbeing. It is largely practical, with imagery, breathing and body awareness exercises, and practical tools you can take away and use immediately.

It is with Dr Abigail Fisher, educational psychologist, and it is recorded, choose that option at checkout.

Book here https://www.eventbrite.com/e/769236134987?aff=oddtdtcreator

When we are going through a really tough time as a parent, it’s really easy to feel like it’s our fault. If we were only doing a better job, then everything would be Ok. We should have taken action earlier. We should have anticipated this or that. We look around and it seems like we are the only people struggling.

This webinar *on Wednesday* is about supporting yourself when you are going through hard times. It’s about trying a gentle approach and seeing how it feels. Evidence from psychological research shows that practicing these skills can help with anger, anxiety, depression and lead to enhanced wellbeing. It is largely practical, with imagery, breathing and body awareness exercises, and practical tools you can take away and use immediately.

It is with Dr Abigail Fisher, educational psychologist, and it is recorded, choose that option at checkout. Please share if you are in places where others may benefit.

Book here https://www.eventbrite.com/e/769236134987?aff=oddtdtcreator

*EHCP Webinar TODAY*

Let Dr Abigail Fisher, a qualified teacher and educational psychologist who has worked in local authorities, and Eliza Fricker of Missing The Mark, author and illustrator and parent of a child with an EHCP, guide you through the process.
Together, they will help you understand what the EHCP is for, what it is meant to achieve and how you can get the best outcome for your child. It will be illustrated throughout with Eliza's cartoons, to show you the process from the inside.
It’s happening on Thursday November 16th at 1 pm, there is a recorded option available at booking for those who can’t make that time

Finding Your Way Through the EHCP Jungle Understand the EHCP process with Dr Abigail Fisher, ed. psychologist, and Eliza Fricker, illustrator, author and parent who has been there.

*EHCP WEBINAR TOMORROW*

The EHCP process can feel like being lost in a jungle without a map. Parents can get lost in assessments, reports and meetings, and it's often hard to see the way forward.
I’m Dr Abigail Fisher and I am a qualified teacher and an Educational Psychologist. I’m working with Eliza Fricker (Missing the Mark) and in this webinar we talk about the EHCP process from the parents’ perspective, giving both a matter of fact overview of the process, and insight from Eliza’s personal experience. It’s illustrated throughout with Eliza’s brilliant cartoons. It is recorded, so choose that option at checkout if you need to.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/finding-your-way-through-the-ehcp-jungle-tickets-740728537997?aff=fb4

Who is there to help?
How do I know when to apply for an EHCP?

Will my SENCO advocate for me?
Will a case worker be my free advocate through this?

I didn't know anything about this so I trusted what I was told.

What I needed was knowledge of this process but I didn't get offered coffee mornings on that..

Join Dr Abigail Fisher Educational Psychology and myself this Thursday lunchtime for our illustrated webinar on navigating the EHCP jungle.

We hope this will give you some clarity and confidence on how to move forwards..

It is recorded.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/finding-your-way-through-the-ehcp-jungle-tickets-740728537997

One thing which tends to trip parents up in the EHCP process is that when you make a request for assessment, it is just that. It’s a request. You have to put in the request, then wait and see what the local authority think. You ask your local authority to assess your child, and if they agree that further investigation is needed, they will ask the relevant professionals to assess your child. Your child’s school might also be involved, and have a role in saying whether they think a plan is needed.

If they say yes to assessing your child, it doesn’t necessarily mean you will get a full plan, and it doesn’t mean that your child will necessarily get any additional support. Once the local authority have said yes to the request for assessment, they can say no to issuing a plan, and they can say no to needing a plan at all. You could also disagree about school placement, or the content of the plan.

In an already complex process and an imperfect system, misunderstandings make a stressful process more difficult for parents.

I’m Dr Abigail Fisher and I am a qualified teacher and an Educational Psychologist. I’m working with Eliza Fricker (Missing the Mark) and we’ve put together a webinar to help you understand the process. It is illustrated throughout with Eliza’s brilliant cartoons. It is recorded, so choose that option at checkout if you need to.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/finding-your-way-through-the-ehcp-jungle-tickets-740728537997?aff=fb2

The EHCP process can feel like a very long, endlessly draining battle. Parents can easily get lost in a bewildering array of assessments, reports and meetings. It can be really challenging to fight your way through, and find the path ahead.

That sense of overwhelm as well as fear for the future can make it harder to handle the process, and harder to make clear decisions. There is often a lot of uncertainty about what’s happening, about school placement, the local authority position, the school’s perspective and there’s a lot of waiting, and not knowing. Parents can end up feeling helpless.

I’m Dr Abigail Fisher and I am a qualified teacher and an Educational Psychologist. I’m working with Eliza Fricker (Missing the Mark) and in this webinar we talk about the EHCP process from the parents’ perspective, giving both a matter of fact overview of the process, and insight from Eliza’s personal experience. It’s illustrated throughout with Eliza’s brilliant cartoons. It is recorded, so choose that option at checkout if you need to.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/finding-your-way-through-the-ehcp-jungle-tickets-740728537997?aff=fb1

When the pressures of our lives and caring for others exceeds our capacity to cope over a long period, then it gets harder to get back to a happy place. We might feel anxious or agitated, it might be hard to sleep, we might withdraw from others or have overwhelming fatigue. We might be quick to anger and constantly irritable, and find it hard to calm down.

But the pathways back to feeling safe are hardwired into us, our nervous system inherently knows the way back – we just have to listen and tune in. The more we listen, the easier it becomes to find out way back.

That is what this webinar TOMORROW is about – calming our nervous system - tuning in and listening to our bodies. With a bit of theory to help you understand your nervous system, and lots of practical exercises which you can take away and apply in your life, this webinar is about taking a little time for yourself, and finding some calm in the midst of the craziness.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/looking-after-yourself-calming-your-nervous-system-tickets-740716542117?aff=oddtdtcreator

I have just been working on my parent wellbeing webinar for Wednesday and thinking about glimmers. I really love this image which makes even some moss in a gutter seem radiantly beautiful! Glimmers in polyvagal theory are like little beacons of hope and light. Noticing them more can help us to find more feelings of calm.

If you like this, you might like the next wellbeing webinar – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/looking-after-yourself-calming-your-nervous-system-tickets-740716542117?aff=oddtdtcreator

When you’re feeling anxious and exhausted it’s hard to find your way back to a place of calm and safety. It gets hard to sleep, and your mind can keep racing with all the things you have to do. It can be easy to fall into patterns of catastrophising, or ruminating. It gets harder to even remember what it felt like when things were easier, and calmer.

But the things you do every day, almost without noticing can help. Cups of tea come to mind. And blankets. What do you do every day which connects you to a sense of wellbeing and calm, which gives you a few moments respite from whatever’s going on around you? It might be a hug. It might be stroking the cat, or appreciating a picture on your wall, or a deep breath.

If you like the sound of more moments of calm, you might like this parent wellbeing webinar, by Dr Abigail Fisher (Educational Psychologist). It’s at lunchtime, and is recorded.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/looking-after-yourself-calming-your-nervous-system-tickets-740716542117?aff=oddtdtcreator

One thing which tends to trip parents up in the EHCP process is that when you make a request for assessment, it is just that. It’s a request. You have to put in the request, then wait and see what the local authority think. You ask your local authority to assess your child, and if they agree that further investigation is needed, they will ask the relevant professionals to assess your child. Your child’s school might also be involved, and have a role in saying whether they think a plan is needed.
If they say yes to assessing your child, it doesn’t necessarily mean you will get a full plan, and it doesn’t mean that your child will necessarily get any additional support. Once the local authority have said yes to the request for assessment, they can say no to issuing a plan, and they can say no to needing a plan at all. You could also disagree about school placement, or the content of the plan.
In an already complex process and an imperfect system, misunderstandings make a stressful process more difficult for parents.
I’m Dr Abigail Fisher and I am a qualified teacher and an Educational Psychologist. I’m working with Eliza Fricker (Missing the Mark) and we’ve put together a webinar to help you understand the process. It is illustrated throughout with Eliza’s brilliant cartoons. It is recorded, so choose that option at checkout if you need to. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/finding-your-way-through-the-ehcp-jungle-tickets-740728537997?aff=oddtdtcreator