The Somerset Parent Carer Forum was delighted to host the second “Let’s Talk SEND and Inclusion” event of the year on the 8th of October at St Andrew’s Church Hall, Taunton.

This event was an opportunity for parent carers and practitioners in Somerset to discuss SEND and Inclusion in Somerset and gave them a chance to talk directly to members of Somerset Council, the Somerset Parent Carer Forum and practitioners from the NHS and various voluntary organisations.

For those who couldn’t attend in person, online discussions were held from 7pm to 9pm. Subjects discussed included:

• Exclusion and the risk of exclusion: Exploring the factors leading to exclusion and strategies to mitigate these risks.
• Models of provision and managing episodes: Discussing various models of SEND provision and effective ways to handle challenging episodes.
• Consultation on SEND funding: Gathering insights and feedback on the current funding landscape for SEND.

There were information stalls from providers that support those with SEND and additional needs, including Community Inclusion and Activity Team, The Unstoppables, Somerset Parent Carer Forum, SENDIAS, Healthwatch, The Space, BIBIC, Autism Somerset,Autism Central, ARK at Egwood, Ups and Downs Southwest, In the Mix Project, Beacon NeuroConnect, Nova Sports and Coaching.

It was a great day filled with interesting, important – and at times challenging – discussion. Keep your eye on SEND News and our Local Offer Pages for details of the next Let’s Talk SEND and Inclusion event.

We want to get even more parent carers involved for our next session – this really is a great opportunity to share you stories and talk face-face-face with key members of Somerset Council and partners. See below for some images of the day!