We are absolutely delighted with the news that one of Sefton’s amazing School Chefs, Holly Charnock has won this yearâs national SCOTY title, for her two-course meal, which was presented at Stratford-upon-Avon College, in Warwickshire.
 The LACA organised competition sponsored by McDougalls is a chance for school chefs to showcase their professional skills, in front of a panel of judges. Ten regional champions and two additional âwild cardsâ, battled against one another for the title.
Sefton School Chef gets to the LACA School Chef of the Year Final 2020
One of Seftonâs very own School Chefs has cooked up a storm, making it to the final of School Chef of the Year 2020, organised by LACA – The School Food People.
The prestigious LACA award gives an excellent opportunity to recognise the talents of school chefs and promotes the amazing skills which lie within education catering.
Find your Brave during Childrenâs Mental Health Week
Leaders at NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), NHS Southport and Formby CCG and Sefton Council are backing Childrenâs Mental Health Week (February 3-9). They are encouraging children to talk to their parents or carers about their mental health and to seek support from local services.
Dr Wendy Hewitt, children and safeguarding lead for both CCGs in Sefton, said: âPoor mental health isnât something that only affects adults â children can suffer as well.
âAccording to Place2Be, a childrenâs mental health charity, around three children in every primary school class have a mental health problem, and many more struggle with challenges from bullying to bereavement. So, itâs important to raise awareness of this and encourage children to speak up.
âThe week shines a spotlight on the importance of children and young peopleâs mental health. This yearâs theme is Find your Brave. Weâre encouraging parents, teachers, friends and family to start a conversation around mental health with the children in their lives.
âBy engaging in these kinds of conversations, we hope children will feel more comfortable sharing how theyâre feeling, and that awareness around childrenâs mental health will increase.â
For more information on how to speak to your child about their feelings, visit the NHS website.
There are a number of services available to children and young people in the area who need support.
Children aged 11 to 18, living in Sefton have access to an online counselling and emotional wellbeing platform. âKoothâ (www.kooth.com) provides free and anonymous mental health and wellbeing support to young people and can be accessed via a mobile phone, tablet or computer.
Councillor John Joseph Kelly, Sefton Council Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Safeguarding, said âServices such as Kooth mean children and young people have access to mental health support when they need it. Being able to access good advice, guidance and support via mobile phone, tablet or computer is a great way to help make sure that children and young people can develop positive mental wellbeing and find their brave.â
Children and young people, and their families and carers, with concerns about emotional and mental wellbeing can also speak with their GP or other health professional (like school nurse, social worker, health visitor or teacher) for help and advice.
Sefton Supported Internship success stories celebrated at Anfield event
The success of young people in Sefton with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) was celebrated at the Liverpool City Region Supported Employment Forum.
The event, held at Liverpool FCâs Anfield home, was attended by over 300 delegates, including supported interns, employers, schools and colleges.
Speakers included former interns from Sefton who have gone on to achieve full-time paid employment, inspiring the next generation of supported interns.
The event was closed by Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram.
Supported Internships help equip young people for future roles with the aim of securing full time work. The programme, now in its fourth year, is delivered in partnership with Hugh Baird College and Southport College in Sefton and links young people with local employers, such as Mersey Care NHS, to help them gain vital experience of the workplace.
Sefton far exceeds the national average for people with SEND in full time employment. Nationally, among 18-64 year olds with a SEND, 6% are in full time work, for 16-24 year olds with a SEND using supported internships in Sefton, that figure jumps to 31%.
Sefton Local Safeguarding Children Board host powerful “Voice of the Child” event to learn from case reviews
Hundreds attended Sefton Local Safeguarding Children Boardâs (LSCB) latest âVoice of the Childâ event at Bootle Cricket Club.
Around 500 people from agencies across Sefton attended three âLearning from Serious Case Reviewsâ sessions throughout the day.
Drama Training Company AFTA Thought delivered the sessions using actors, powerfully conveying four case reviews by âbringing the voice of the child into the roomâ.
The case reviews, which can be viewed on the LSCB website, centred around six children, all of whom lived in Sefton.
The thought-provoking event followed the success of the summer event, which was also delivered by AFTA Thought.
Attendees were able to interact with a Q&A following each case review performance and share their learning at the end of the session.