The initiative will offer a series of events and webinars for children, young people, parents, carers, and education and social care professionals. The aim is to share information and foster discussions on how children with SEND can best be supported to thrive.
The week commences with a special screening of a new short film, ‘Pull up a Chair’, which explores school anxiety through the experiences of seven Trafford children and their suggestions for school support.
On Tuesday, a SEND Marketplace will be held at St Matthew’s Hall in Stretford from 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm. This event will provide parents and carers direct access to services such as Trafford’s EHCP Team, Speech and Language Team, Educational Psychology Service, and Trafford SEND Together peer-to-peer support.
The week will also spotlight the year-round SEND activities available for children and young people, including special stay & play groups for babies and toddlers, and various youth clubs across the borough for teenagers.
Trafford’s new Neurodiversity Support team will be central to the programme, offering drop-in sessions and coffee mornings at Best Start Family Hubs in Sale (Monday), Partington (Tuesday), and Stretford (Thursday). An online webinar on understanding neurodiversity is scheduled for Friday. This service, a collaboration between Trafford Council and Barnardo’s, aims to be a primary point of contact for parents and carers seeking local support.
Webinars for parents and carers will cover Ordinarily Available Provision (OAIP) in mainstream schools, an introduction to Trafford Sleep Services, and a live Q&A with Trafford’s SENAS (Special Educational Needs Advisory Service).
Cllr George Devlin, Trafford’s Executive Member for Babies, Children and Young People, stated: “This is the fourth year that we have run a SEND Week of Action in Trafford, and it’s an important opportunity to help families access the help and resources they need to make life more manageable for their child. We have a whole system of services working together to support families with the extra challenges that SEND can bring, but for parents and carers this can sometimes feel overwhelming to navigate.”
He added: “Our aim during the week is to share information, open doors and guide families to the information and services that can help, for children and young people of all ages. At the same time, it’s an opportunity for professionals to learn together – and learn from families - about how they can support young people with SEND.”
Cllr Devlin encouraged families to utilise the advice and information offered, saying: “If you have concerns about your child or young person, we want to help.”
The full SEND Week of Action programme and webinar booking are available online.
