SEND News

We know that you are experiencing a lot of acute respiratory infections amongst your child/student and staff population, with illnesses like the common cold, COVID-19, flu as well as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). While it is not possible to tell…

A network of over 100 hubs connecting the most vulnerable families and residents to their local community resources Connect Somerset works with over 100 community hubs – places where partners and professionals can deliver statutory and community services. Hubs play…

We are holding a series of online webinars in early 2025 to help individuals plan care and support needs for themselves or the adults they care for. These informative sessions aim to provide valuable insights and practical advice on navigating…

Somerset Council is consulting on the draft school term and holiday dates for the 2026 – 2027 and 2027- 2028 academic years. These will apply to Community and Voluntary Controlled schools. While Academies, Voluntary Aided, Foundation, and Free schools can…

Somerset Parent Carer Forum know being a dad of a child with additional needs or disabilities can come with its own set of challenges. That’s why we’ve created a new Dads’ Group – a space just for YOU. What’s it all about? A…

Help your Local Authority and NHS services by returning equipment you no longer need. Look for the barcoded equipment label – it will have either Medequip or Millbrook Healthcare on it. How? Contact Medequip to request a collection by calling…

We thought this week we would take the to remind you what the Unstoppables do and how we operate. We’re on the lookout for new members, so if you like the sound of the group, get in touch, and join…

Somerset Parent Carer Forum are pleased to update you on their upcoming series of WISE Workshops happening over the next month! These workshops are designed to empower and support you with information, strategies, and advice you need as a parent or carer of a child with additional needs…

The Pre-assessment Pathway for Neurodiversity Interventions: Graduated Response has been updated! The document has been used by SENCOs in line with Somerset’s Graduated Response Tool for several years now. Sources of information, and possible intervention, have recently been reviewed and…

Which playgrounds do you find most inclusive? We are looking for recommendations and feedback from parent carers in Somerset on which playgrounds you find most accessible and inclusive for children with additional needs and/or disabilities. Your views matter! We’d love…

Somerset Parent Carer Forum have teamed up with Magdalen Farm to bring you a family day visit. If you have a child or young person with SEND (up to and including 25 years) we would love to see you on…

The Inclusive Activity calendar for February Half Term is out now! There’s a variety of fun and inclusive activities for children and young people who have a disability or additional need and their families. Activities include skiing, tabletop games, family…

Holidays are now well behind us and lots of things are happening locally and nationally around SEND and inclusion. The first thing to note is that it is now very widely accepted that the SEND system is flawed and in…

We’re excited to announce our third Let’s Talk SEND event of the year – mark your calendars! When: Tuesday 18 March Where: Wincanton War Memorial Hall, Wincanton, BA9 9JF What’s happening: Visit info stalls and take-home helpful resources Chat about…

Measles is one of the most highly communicable infectious diseases and can cause severe illness, especially in certain at-risk groups including babies and small children, pregnant people, and those with weak immunity. There has been a recent increase in measles…

It must be Christmas — that made me sit back and reflect recently with a sense of nostalgia. We knew in 2003, when we were setting up the Every Child Matters policy in Government, that the legislation for children with…

We cannot believe how quickly 2024 has gone by! We have enjoyed having visitors at our usual meeting venue, we have attended the Family Fun Day and worked through our 2024 priorities with some highlights of that work being the…

It’s hard to believe we are already at the closing stages of 2024, and what a busy year it has been. This year has seen the launch of our Let’s Talk SEND and Inclusion events which go alongside our monthly…

Statutory timescales continue over the holiday period and due to this we will need to continue to send consultations to settings over the Christmas break. We recognise that continuing to send consultations over holiday periods can cause worry. In recognition…

As the countdown to Christmas continues, Young Somerset wanted to share some of the amazing things their team has been up to. Even though the year is coming to an end, the Young Somerset team continues to support young people…