Blatchington Court Trust

12/10/2026

We mention this event - as well as HumanWare's other demo days throughout the UK - in today's newsletter, coming to your inbox later!

This one is being held by our friends SSW in Worthing, which may be a handy location for some of you.

It is National Braille Week from the 14th to the 20th October. To recognise this, on the 14th October, HumanWare will be running a session for SSW clients to get hands-on with the latest Braille technology.

Humanware make many devices for visually impaired people such as electronic magnifiers, talking GPS and Braille displays, which are the focus of this session. They will also be demonstrating their new BrailleNote Evolve.

If you read Braille or just want to learn about what accessible technology is out there, join us at the SSW Centre on Wednesday 14th October from 9.30-11.30am.

12/10/2026

Would you like to feel more confident supporting your young person to vote?

Our free Accessible Voting and Your Rights workshop is open to parents and carers as well as blind and partially sighted young people aged 14-29. You’ll find out what assistance you can legally provide, what support can be requested at a polling station, and have a go at the accessible equipment yourself.

It’s also a good one for under 18s who want to feel prepared before they’re old enough to vote.

Wednesday 28 October (half term), 11am-1pm, at BCT in Hove.

Book your place on the website. Link in comments.

12/10/2026

Do you know someone who’d be brilliant at supporting families through the SEND system?

We’re recruiting for a Senior Education Advocacy Officer to join the BCT team. It’s a rewarding role, helping children and young people with vision impairment, and other disabilities, get the educational support they need, and supporting their families every step of the way.

The role is based at our Hove office (hybrid working considered), with a salary of £38,000 for a 35-hour week and part-time options available.

Applications close at midnight on 18 October. Please share with anyone who might be interested!

Find out more and apply on the website. Link in comments.

09/10/2026

Connecting Families is a series of online group sessions run by RSBC designed to bring together parents and carers of children and young people with vision impairments. Because the topics and questions parents face change as their child grows, they have four age-specific Connecting Families groups: Early Years, Primary Years, Secondary Years, Post-16.

Here’s what’s coming up in October for Connecting Families...

13 Oct – Early Years: Eating & Habilitation

This session will explore practical strategies to support your child's eating journey, from weaning through to developing confidence and independence at mealtimes. RSBC's Habilitation Specialist will share practical advice and answer questions.

14 Oct – Primary Years: Preparing for Secondary School

Choosing a secondary school and preparing for the move from primary education can feel like a significant milestone. This session has been designed to help parents and carers understand the process, consider options, and prepare their child for a positive transition.

19 Oct – Secondary Years: Understanding EHCPs

This session has been designed to help families better understand Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), the process, and where to go for advice and support. RSBC's Support Advisor will share guidance and answer your questions.

There's a link in the comments to the RSBC website.

If you have any questions, please contact Harriet, Family Activity Coordinator, for RSBC at [email protected].

08/10/2026

Due to all BCT staff being offsite on Monday 12 October, the office will be closed. Should you need to contact us on the day, please email any urgent enquiries to [email protected], stating ‘urgent’ in the subject line and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you.

07/10/2026

The UOK Mental Health & Wellbeing service has four new peer groups starting in October, which are free to use.

Below are details of those being held in and around Brighton and Hove. There are also hubs in Eastbourne, Hastings, Bexhill, Hailsham and Lewes so do check the website for details of those groups if they are nearer to you.

Wellbeing Circle
A welcoming 8-week group focused on wellbeing, connection, movement, and headspace. Explore new ideas, reflect on what matters to you, and connect with others in a supportive space.
Time: 10am-11.30am
Start Date: 15th October
Duration: 8 weeks
Venue: Portslade Sports Centre- Freedom Leisure

Coping Ahead Together
A friendly, supportive 8-week group where people living with long-term health conditions can connect, share experiences, and develop new ways to support their wellbeing.
Time: 2.30pm to 4:00pm
Start Date: October 13th
Venue: St Peter's Medical Practice
Duration: 8 weeks

Exploring Wellness
Exploring various ways in which you can support your mental health and wellbeing, looking at topics such as connection, headspace and gratitude.
Time: 10:30am to 12:00pm
Start Date: October 20th
Duration: 7 weeks
Venue: The Wellbeing Hub - Preston Park, ground floor

Link to all the details on the peer groups across East Sussex is in the comments.

06/10/2026

We wanted to let you know that we are currently recruiting for a Senior Education Advocacy Officer (see our previous post for details) to join the team at Blatchington Court Trust.

Whilst we complete the recruitment process, we are using experienced agency personnel to help support the service. Although this is not our ideal long-term arrangement, it is important to us that we continue to provide support and maintain a high-quality service for the children, young people and families who rely on us.

As a result, you may not always have the same member of staff supporting you during this period. We appreciate that consistency is important, and we apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. Our priority is to ensure that support remains available whilst we recruit to this important role.

We hope to have the successful candidate in post in the early part of the new year. Until then, we are committed to ensuring that families continue to receive the advice and support they need.

Thank you for your understanding, patience, and continued support during this transition period.

05/10/2026

Our next Craft Club is Sew Fabulous on Saturday 10 October, 12-2pm and, as always, it's open to all BCT clients, whatever their age.

Come along and explore a fabulous selection of tactile fabrics, then make something to take home. You can choose from stitched key rings, puppets, cushions, sock monsters and more, stuffing them with scented rice and decorating them with funny faces, beads and buttons. The choice is yours!

It's a friendly, relaxed session, with drinks and biscuits to enjoy along the way. If you haven't been to Craft Club before, we'd especially love to see some new faces.

Craft Club costs £5, which includes all materials, drinks and biscuits.

Parents and carers are welcome to join us, or you can have time to yourself in our reception area, or simply drop off and pick up at the end. Book now: https://www.blatchingtoncourt.org.uk/events-and-activities/

05/10/2026

Do you know someone with a passion for supporting families through the SEND system? We're recruiting for a Senior Education Advocacy Officer to join the BCT team.

This is a rewarding role at the heart of what we do, ensuring children and young people with vision impairment, and other disabilities, get the educational support they need. The role involves advocating for families navigating EHCPs, Annual Reviews and school placements, as well as supporting families through First Tier SEND Tribunals, working closely with schools, local authorities and other professionals along the way.

We're looking for someone with strong knowledge of the Children & Families Act 2014 and SEND Code of Practice 2015, along with proven casework experience at a senior level, and the empathy and organisation to support families through what can be a complex and emotional process.

The role is based at our Hove office, 35 hours per week with hybrid working considered, and part-time pro-rata options available, with a salary of £38,000 (full-time equivalent).

If this sounds like you, or someone you know, we'd love to hear from you.

Find out more and apply on the website. Link in comments.