Libraries in Midhurst and Selsey team up with Citizens Advice to help parents of SEND children

Libraries from Selsey and Midhurst have teamed up with the Arun and Chichester Citizens Advice Bureau to offer help to anyone that needs it.

The libraries will be offering the free online webinar service to help carers and parents of children and young people with SEND in West Sussex to access financial support.

Libraries in both Midhurst and Selsey will be offering the service.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Citizen’s Advice Bureau said: “We have partnered with Citizens Advice in West Sussex (North, South, East) and The Aldingbourne Trust to deliver free online webinars on disability benefits to help parents and carers of children and young people with SEND.

“These will help people to apply successfully for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Personal Independence Payment (PIP). The aim of these webinars is to help parents and carers when it comes to DLA form-filling, so they better understand eligibility to receive DLA and will offer the opportunity to learn more about how to fill the application out themselves, as well as gain awareness for other disability benefits available.

"You can also learn more about PIP, hot to fill in the application and some top tips for claiming it.”

“These webinars are in group session format, of no more than eight people a session and take place on Zoom.”

Chairman of the Midhurst Town Council, Carol Lintott, said "I applaud this initiative from Arun & Chichester Citizens Advice & West Sussex Libraries, as Midhurst residents without access to internet services have been left without support for too long. With the launch of the Midhurst Community Hub due to also start this month, residents will have better access to support and advice across many areas."

Sessions covering the topic of PIP are on: Thursday, November 3 from 12.30pm to 1.30pm and Friday November 4 from 1pm to 2pm.

The dates for the sessions covering the topic of DLA form filling are on Tuesday, November 22 from 10am to 11am and Friday, December 2 from 12.30pm to 1.30pm.

The webinars are in group session format, of no more than eight people a session and will run for 90 minutes.

If you would like to book your place on one of the webinar sessions visit the Citizen’s Advice Bureau’s website.