2022-04-04-accounts

I

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From Period start date: 05/04/2021 To Period end date: 04/04/2022

Charity name: SEN Family Saturdays

Charity registration number: 1182095

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	1- To advance in life and relieve the needs of children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) through: (a) The provision of recreational and leisure time activities provided in the interest of social welfare, designed to improve their conditions of life; (b) Providing support and activities which develop their skills, capacities and capabilities to enable them to participate in society; (c) The provision of support to parents of children with SEN, by providing information, advice and guidance throughout diagnosis. 2 - To advance the education of the general public in the causes, treatment and care of those with SEN, by providing the provision of educational workshops, events and presentations.
Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts.	Para 1.17 and 1.19	Service we provide: SEN Family Saturdays has runsessions every Saturday from 10.30 to 2pmat Hornsey Road Children's Centre. The place offers an accessible and inclusive environment. Parents and children enjoy planned programme activities with resources and facilities to aid creativity and sensory needs of autistic children. Attending the group allows children to socialise, explore and learn in a safe and understanding environment. The children are engaged in avariety of different

		activitieseach week (photos of which can be seen on our social media), followed by soft play and lunch together. Once a month we have had aspecial activity, either an outing, workshop or entertainer such as bubble entertainer, children’s yoga, trip to London Zoo and trips to theatre and museums. We employ trained, experienced staff to meet the children’s needs and manage challenging situations. Theworkshopswe held were delivered by a specialist Occupational Therapist on topics such as toileting, sleep, communication and behaviour management. As well as a general overview of What is Autism for the public, including extended family and friends. While the sessional workers look after the children, every week the parents are given the opportunity to join a support groupfor 1 hour. Having a child with a disability can have a huge impact on the stability of family life, as well as the health, well-being and emotional state of all family members. Our work supports families who are facing complex needs and helps them to overcome barriers of social inclusion. We are supporting parents' knowledge and confidence to use strategies, visuals and analysing a child's behaviour, so they feel more able to cope in challenging situations. Our parent led charity has developed a whole family approach inclusive of older and younger siblings. SEN Family Saturdays encourages positive child-parent relationships and ultimately builds resilient families. During this financial period SEN Family Saturdays worked with 14 families, who were taking part in the sessions at different rates of attendance and degree of continuity.
Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Para 1.18	Yes - Workshopsthat we organised have been delivered by a specialist occupational therapist on topics such as toileting, sleep, communication and behaviour management. As well as a general overview of What is Autism for the wider public as well as extended family and friends. Flyers for the workshops were posted on our social media platforms and given to SENCOs and children's centres in the local area.

Additional information (optional)

Policy on grant making	Para 1.38	All fundraising and grant applications undertaken on behalf of SEN Family Saturdays will be done in the name of the organisation and will generally be based on recoveryof the full cost of the proposed work.
Policy on social investment including program related investment	Para 1.38	Not applicable
Contribution made by volunteers	Para 1.38	The management and admin of the charity is done entirely by the trustees. All trustees dedicate a lot of their time for free to support and manage the group on saturdays. Trustees also manage an online 24/7 parent support group (in the form of WhatsApp) for families that both currently attend at the centre on Saturdays and parents that no longer attend in person but still require support for strategies and signposting to services in the local area. The trustees are covering the costs of running admin duties from home as well as donating their time to the accountancy and fundraising for the charity. Items on occasion are purchased and donated to the charity by the trustees. We have also had two volunteers contributing their time during Saturday morning sessions in this financial period.

Achievements and Performance

Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole.	Para 1.20	Our project brings people together and builds strong relationships in and across the community. We did this through: • Improving relationships thereby supporting parents and children to spend time together, this environment also enables people to make new friends and establish networks between the families; • Improving enjoyment of life for parents and children through the provision of recreational activities they could not normally access; • Making people better connected by supporting parents to feel more confident and better able to take advantage of local services and opportunities by providing information, advice, guidance and support

		• Helping parents be more resilient and feel better
		able to cope with the challenges of being a parent
		in difficult circumstances.
		• Providing support and activities which develop the
		children's skills to enable them to participate in
		society.
		Over the course of the year during the Covid-19
		pandemic families have been able to keep in contact with
		other families through the WhatsApp chat and online
		workshops. They have been provided with home visits
		from an Occupational Therapist for advice and strategies
		and we have provided them with care packages full of
		essential items as well as crafts packs and resources for
		their children. This has allowed families to feel a little less
		isolated in what has been a very challenging time in
		everyone's lives. Children have struggled in many ways
		due to setting and parks being closed, restrictions on
		contact with relatives and the total disruption to any sense
		of routine or normality.
		The sensory needs of children increased as a result of the
		Covid-19 restrictions which is why we provided families
		with the OT home visits when it became safe to do so as
		well as purchasing and distributing sensory equipment to
		each family.

Additional information (optional)

Achievements against objectives set	Para 1.41	Our achievements include: 78 people directly benefited from our organisation’s work - 28 adults, 50 children (of which 35 children have ASC diagnosis, Down Syndrome or are on the SCT waiting list). Providing weekly support, craft and sensory activities for the children which helped developed their skills Provided weekly group lunch which increased the variety of food in the children’s diet Provided continuous support to parents during sessions and on a daily basis though our group chat. We were able to offer strategies based on our experience and sign post them on to further help Provided home visits from an Occupation Therapist to tackle sensory needs, self-care needs, behavioural issues etc. Provided sensory equipment to each family when services in the community were restricted. Provided continuous support to parents on a daily basis though our group chat managed by the trustees. We were able to offer strategies based on our experience and sign-post to local services for further help. We hosted a number of educational online workshops for families.
Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set	Para 1.41	We brought forward £21,672.05 from the previous financial year which were unspent due to the restrictions imposed by Covid-19. We raised an additional £5,018.67.
Investment performance against objectives	Para 1.41	Not applicable

Financial Review

Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	We brought forward £21,672.05 from the previous financial year which were unspent due to the restrictions imposed by Covid-19. We raised an additional £5,018.67. With the physical restrictions due to Covid-19 pandemic we were unable to reopen at Hornsey Road Children’s centre and had to source an alternative venue. We were

		unable to spend as much as intended this year on venue hire, trips, food, staff ect. We had to adjust the way we could support our benefactors initially until a new venue was sourced and provide individually wrapped food items to prevent contamination.
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	The trustees will consider the level of reserves that is prudent for SEN Family Saturdays to have when agreeing the annual budget. Consideration will be given to future strategy, potential redundancy liabilities, and any other significant factors that should be taken into account. The specific reserves policy including any designation of reserves for specific purposes will be agreed by trustees on an annual basis.
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	None
Reasons for holding zero reserves	Para 1.22	The trustees will endeavour not to set aside funds unnecessarily. When the need arrives the trustees will consider the level of reserves they wish to retain, appropriate to the charity's needs, based on the charity's size and the level of financial commitments held.
Details of fund materially in deficit	Para 1.24	None
Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern	Para 1.23	None
Additional information (optional)
The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)	Para 1.47	Islington Giving and funding brought forward from the previous financial year.
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted	Para 1.46	Not applicable
A description of the principal risks facing the charity	Para 1.46	The need outways the service we are currently able to provide and it is difficult to source suitable venues to accommodate the needs of the ASC children.

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s trusts:
Type of governing document	Para 1.25	The charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation

		registered with the Charity Commission of England and Wales. The charity was established by Its constitution dated 10th December 2018.
How is the charity constituted?	Para 1.25	Charitable Incorporated Organisation
Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions	Para 1.25	The CIO may, if the charity trustees so decide, allow the members to vote by post or electronic mail (“email”) to elect charity trustees or to make a decision on any matter that is being decided at a general meeting of the members.

Additional information (optional)

Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees	Para 1.51	No new trustees appointed
The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works	Para 1.51	The charity is working with Bright Start, Pauline Foster (Lead Area Senco) and Orit Roditti (Occupational Therapist). Towards the end of the financial year we collaborated with Ruth Solomon from Hand and Sky project to provide families with a block of well-being sessions.
Relationship with any related parties	Para 1.51	Not applicable

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	SEN Family Saturdays
Other name the charity uses	-
Registered charity number	1182095
Charity’s principal address	36 Berkeley Walk Andover Estate London N7 7RS

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1 2 3 4 5	Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any)
	Margarita Georgieva	Chair
	Maria Paladini	Treasurer
	Helena Begum Majid	Secretary

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Description of the assets held in this capacity	No assets held on behalf of others
Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects	Not applicable
Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets	Not applicable

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

Not Applicable

CC16a	Charity Name SEN Family Saturdays	Charity Name SEN Family Saturdays	Charity Name SEN Family Saturdays	Charity Name SEN Family Saturdays	Charity Name SEN Family Saturdays	No (if any) 1182095	No (if any) 1182095
	Receipts and payments accounts
	For the period from		Period start date 5/4/2021		To		Period end date 4/4/2022
Section A Receipts and payments
A1 Receipts	Unrestricted funds to the nearest £		Restricted funds to the nearest £		Total funds to the nearest £		Last year to the nearest £
Islington Giving	5,000		-		5,000		10,000
Family Action	-		-		-
Baily Thomas Charitable Fund	-		-		-
Online fundraising (Amazon & Giveasyoulive)	19		-		19		47
Other - refunds	150		-		150		470
A3 Payments Sub total Total receipts (Gross income for AR)	5,169		-		5,169		10,517
	5,169		-		5,169		10,517
Staff	13,814		-		13,814		3,451
Premises Hire	780		-		780		-
Lunch	2,590		-		2,590		127
Other Lunch time supplies	74		-		74		4
Craft activity supplies	804		-		804		350
Sensory Equipment	496		-		496		92
Cleaning supplies	14		-		14		-
Management / Admin Supplies	174		-		174		302
Training costs for volunteers & staff	59		-		59		-
Audit	-		-		-		400
Activity / workshop in the setting	460		-		460		-
Workshop snacks	-		-		-		-
Outings - entry	70		-		70		-
Outings - travel	-		-		-		-
Insurance	312		-		312		181
Software lices and subscriptios	213		-		213		-
COVID-19 Relief & sensory toys	206		-		206		2,939
A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) Sub total	20,066		-		20,066		7,845
	-		-		-		-
	-		-		-		-
Sub total	-		-		-		-
A6 Cash funds last year end A5 Transfers between funds Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) Cash funds this year end
	20,066		-		20,066		7,845
	- 14,897		-		- 14,897		2,672
	-		-		-		-
	21,672		-		21,672
	6,775		-		6,775		2,672
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
Categories B1 Cash funds	Details				Unrestricted funds to nearest £ 6,775		Restricted funds to nearest £
					6,775		-
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B5 Liabilities	Outings - travel (invoice not received yet) Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details Signature				6,775		-
							OK
					Mrs Maria Paladini Fund to which liability relates 450 Print Name		Amount due (optional)
							-
							Date of approval
					Mrs Maria Paladini		26/2/2023

A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table)
		-		-			-		-
		-		-			-		-
Sub total		-		-			-		-
Total payments		20,066		-			20,066		7,845
Net of receipts/(payments)	-	14,897		-		-	14,897		2,672
A5 Transfers between funds		-		-			-		-
A6 Cash funds last year end		21,672		-			21,672
Cash funds this year end		6,775		-			6,775		2,672

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

			Unrestricted		Restricted funds
Categories	Details		funds
			to nearest £		to nearest £
B1 Cash funds			6,775		-
	Total cash funds		6,775		-
	(agree balances with receipts and payments
	account(s))		OK		OK
			Fund to which liability		Amount due
	Details		relates		(optional)
B5 Liabilities	Outings - travel (invoice not received yet)		450		-
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees	Signature		Print Name		Date of approval
			Mrs Maria Paladini		26/2/2023

A brief origin story

Family Action (FA) used to provide Saturday sessions for families on low income. This then was then aimed at families with children with Special Educational Needs ( SEN ). After five years management costs were too high and FA were unable to secure funding so the service stopped.

keeping the service active and were motivated by Family Action to form their own charity. In October 2018 three parents set about establishing a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) called SEN Family Saturdays.

Voluntary Action Islington (VAI) helped the trustees form a business plan, informed them of possible funders, supplied policy templates and helped register with the Charity commission. Cripplegate Foundation were able to help us secure the initial seed funding from Islington Giving which allowed us to start supporting families.

We have now been running now for just over 1 year and have recently teamed up with Bright Start and Pauline Foster (Lead SENCO for Islington) to expand our reach.

Our Progress

Idea for the charity was born in October 2018 and by February 2019 we were a registered CIO with the Charity 01. Commission with all of our policies set up thanks to the support we received from VAI 02. In our first year we aimed to have 10 families which we achieved. We raised sufficient funding and established ourselves across several social media platforms within a few months Thanks to Bright Start we now have access to more 03. space at our venue which means we can support more families. So now we aim to support 20 families for our second year Our future aims are to set up a further group 04. to cater for older children with ASD aged 7 – 14, organize more workshops, increase the number of trustees and staff

Our Team

SEN Family Saturdays is run voluntarily by three trustees. We are a parent led charity all with Autistic children of our own. It is this personal connection that allows us to commit so strongly to the cause of improving the lives of other families in difficult circumstances. We have all attended several workshops (What is Autism?, behaviour management, toileting, communication, Sensory Processing, Eating etc) and a 14 week Early Birds program organised by the NHS Social Communication Team (SCT) as well as attending Speech & Language therapy and Play and Learn program.

Margarita Chair Bright Start Parent Champion Safeguarding Group 1 Early Years Education and Care (QCF) Level 2 Member of Islington SEND parent parliament

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Maria
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Treasurer

Emergency First Aid at Work Level 3 Designated Safeguarding Lead Food Hygiene & Safety for catering Level 2 Understanding Play course Supporting children in Foundation Stage EYP Diploma Level 2 Making sense of autism Training

Helena

Secretary

Bright Start Parent Champion Safeguarding Group 1 Food Hygiene & Safety for catering Level 2 SEND Awareness Training Supporting children in Foundation Stage

Our Staff

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Angie
Meheret
Abeer
Karthika Sabrie
Fatima Laila
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We employ trained, experienced staff to meet the children’s needs and manage daily challenging situations.

What we provide

This year we ran our sessions every Saturday morning at Andover Estate Community Nursery from 10:30 to 2pm, with resources and facilities to aid creativity and meet the sensory needs of autistic children allowing them the opportunity to socialise, explore and learn in a safe and understanding environment.

children aged 0-7 with Autism Spectrum Disorder ( ASD ) living in Islington .

We aim to reduce isolation and increase the levels of support for them by signposting parents/carers to the relevant Islington services

Our weekly services

Children with SEN often miss out on social activities, events and play groups because of several difficulties including speech delay, behaviour challenges, reduced danger awareness, anxiety and lack of social skills.

We provide them with assistance to access community activities as well as provide activities of our own to improve their social skills.

Craft & Free Play Soft play Parent Support Group Lunch

The children are engaged in a variety of different activities each week which help with several key skills: fine & gross motor, social, language, behaviour ect

This is followed by soft play supervised by staff to aid gross motor development, hypermobility and manage proprioception needs

While Children are in soft play parents are given the opportunity to share strategies, information, advice and guidance for practical and emotional support.

Then the children wash their hands and have lunch together with parents, siblings and staff. Eating a variety of healthy food tends to be challenging due to sensory processing disorders

Other Services we provide: Events

Once a month we organise a special activity, either an outing, workshop or Event. Events in the setting vary for example tippy toe dancing, bubble show, story massage, cupcake decorating, children’s yoga, capoeira music etc.

Other Services we provide: Workshops

We try to have Workshops every other month, They are delivered by a specialist Occupational Therapist on topics such as toileting, sleep, communication, behaviour management ect.

As well as a general overview of What is Autism? Which is open to the public, extended family and friends to increase understanding and better support ASD children in the area.

Other Services we provide: Outings

Taking ASD children on outing can be quite daunting for a parent as it is in an uncontrolled environment with too many unfamiliar faces and unexpected occurrences that is often too overwhelming for the ASD child and family.

a month with extra staff to support families (1:1 ratio) to places like the London Zoo (on SEND days), London Aquarium, small theatres, Interactive museums, parks, farms ect

Testimonials

Rabia

“My daughter likes to play in soft play and I can talk to other parents and get ideas”

Shah

Adelina

“I learnt many things and the parents are very kind. I enjoy the workshops. It’s my son’s Saturday routine. He sits so well at lunchtime that I am amazed!”

“This is so helpful for me and my son, staff are so helpful and nice”

Esperance

“They help me with more information about how to deal with Autism crisis. We share experiences about our kids and how to manage with everything” Shkendije

“Since we started coming my son has tried so many new food! He even makes sandwiches for himself”

OT Home Visits & Sensory Equipment

Covid-19 hard to deal with as they could not rely on the support normally available to the children in settings. Children were not able to use playground equipment to regulate their sensory needs. So we arranged for Orit (Occupational Therapist) to support the families with much needed home visits and providing suggestions and strategies during the Covid-19 pandemic. When playground areas became prohibited we ordered and distributed sensory equipment for the families to help the children with Autism manage their needs in the safety of their homes. We gave the families a choice of equipment as not all families had the space in their homes for large equipment. The OT also gave advice on suitable equipment and how to use the equipment safely.

Above: Some of the sensory equipment sent to families homes during lockdown .

Website

We upload photos each week to our website showing the different craft activity the children have been engaged in. We also have link to different resources available to families in the borough.

Facebook

We upload photos to our facebook and use the social platform to announce workshops and for fundraising.

Instagram & Twitter

Again we upload photos and announce workshops on Instagram. We also upload short videos from outings. We use twitter for mayor announcements.

Declarations

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees Signature(s) Full name(s) Maria Dolores Paladini Position (eg Treasurer Secretary, Chair, etc) Date 26/02/2023