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Welcome to our first Spring Term Newsletter! We hope you all had a restful and enjoyable February Half-Term.
In this edition we have news of the recent publication of the White Paper and SEND Reform consultation. We understand this is a lot of new information for families, so we have provided links to key documents that provide summaries of the proposals and what they might mean for you and your family.
We also have news of our new SEND Local Offer for Cumberland - the Local Offer is a statutory resource that we always want your feedback on. If you have used the new Local Offer, please take some time to tell us your thoughts on the feedback survey included. We are always looking to make improvements, and are currently working with SENDAC and our statutory partners to make sure our content is parent/ carer friendly and reviewed regularly.
We also have an update from our Principal Educational Pyschologist, who is answering some of your questions. This is as well as an update on recent news from our South Cumbria and Lancashire ICB.
In Events and Things to Do we have a wonderful opportunity from SENDAC for parents/ carers to partake in free sensory processing training. We also introduce the fantastic Vonn McCourt, who is the new Community Connector for Cumberland from the National Deaf Children's Society. There is more information about getting in touch with Vonn in this section.
Finally we have some resources including our guide on completing Section A of your child's EHCP, and some potty training resources from ERIC, the Children's Bladder and Bowel Charity.
If you have any suggestions or feedback for our newsletter, we have a new SEND Partnership Newsletter Suggestion Box. We would love to hear your ideas!
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National Update - White Paper and SEND Reform Consultation Paper Published
As parents and carers may know, the White Paper 'Every Child Achieving and Thriving' was published on Monday, 23 February.
As part of this, the 'SEND Reform: Putting Children and Young People First' consultation paper was also published.
What are these documents?
The White Paper outlines a number of changes that government are hoping to make. This is across the broader scope of education, and includes their vision for all children in the UK, including those with SEND.
The SEND Reform document is a consultation document - this means that the changes proposed in the document are still being considered, and the government will be gathering more views before any changes are made.
You can now provide your views on the SEND Reform document via the Department for Education consultation website, or you can email SENDreform.CONSULTATION@education.gov.uk.
What does this mean for me?
At the moment, the SEND Reform document is open for consultation - nothing will change immediately. We appreciate there is a lot of new information to process, and this may be a worrying time for some families.
The Department for Education have published a number of documents to give you a summary of their proposed changes, including:
All these documents have been collected and listed in one place on our Local Offer.
What about at a local level?
These documents are still very new, and all Local Authorities will currently be reading and reviewing them. Our next steps as the Cumberland SEND Partnership will be to wait for the results of the national consultation, before beginning to consider our local plan of implementation based on the outcomes.
Throughout this process we will work very closely with the statutory parent-carer forum for Cumberland, SENDAC, to ensure we hear the voices and views of Cumberland families; we will keep all families up to date of our progress. SENDAC are currently reviewing the White Paper, SEND Reform paper and the proposed changes, and intend to publish a response soon. You can follow SENDAC on Facebook here. Any parent/carer is also welcome to become a member of SENDAC - they are a key partner in the Cumberland SEND Partnership and are always looking for new members to ensure the voices of parents and carers are heard in Cumberland. You can find out more information on their website.
We have already begun to review how we work as a Local Partnership following a letter from the Department for Education in January. This is not strictly related to the proposed reforms, but more looking at how we can work more effectively as a partnership across health, education and social care.
The Cumberland SEND Local Offer website has moved and been redesigned!
You can access the new site here: Cumberland's SEND Local Offer | Cumberland SEND
What is the Local Offer?
The SEND Local Offer is a resource that all Local Authorities must have. It compiles local SEND information, provision, and resources in one place – ‘setting out in one place information about provision they expect to be available across education, health and social care for children and young people in their area who have SEN or are disabled, including those who do not have Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans,’ (SEND Code of Practice, 2015).
The Local Offer has two key purposes:
- To provide clear, comprehensive, accessible and up-to-date information about the available provision and how to access it, and
- To make provision more responsive to local needs and aspirations by directly involving disabled children and those with SEN and their parents, and disabled young people and those with SEN, and service providers in its development and review
How does this affect me?
We hope that our new Local Offer will become a central digital space for children and young people with SEND and their families for all information, resources and news about services and provision in Cumberland. We will also use it in future to promote engagement events, how you an give your feedback and views, and most importantly, what we are doing with the feedback you provide us.
Please note if you run any local events, support groups or charities related to SEND, any links to the Local Offer you provide will need to be updated to the new link: https://cumberlandsend.co.uk/cumberland-send
We have chosen to move the website for several reasons, including:
- The new site offers easier navigation, making it simpler for families and professionals to find information and resources they need. We consulted with families on how the new website should look and feel following Local Government Reorganisation in Cumbria, and have co-produced the new site with SENDAC, the statutory parent/carer forum for Cumberland.
- The site uses the same platform as the Family Hub website, meaning there is more consistency and familiarity across websites hosted by Cumberland Council.
- The new site platform is simpler and easier to update, so we can keep information and resources as up to date as possible.
We hope families will help us spread the word about the new Local Offer - please do pass this message on to any other families who may use the Local Offer!
Got any feedback for us about the new website? Please let us know your thoughts at: Cumberland SEND Local Offer Feedback | Let's Talk Cumberland
Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB Update
As you may have seen in the local news and on social media, Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB released a statement in February saying they were temporarily pausing the Autism and ADHD referral pathways in some parts of their area. This was due to Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust, the provider who carries out the assessments for ADHD and Autism in the area, announcing they were no longer going to be conducting assessments.
This statement has now been amended to say the referral pathways will continue as normal while new arrangements are discussed and implemented. This will happen at the end of February, where either Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust will continue to provide assessments, or the ICB will transition to a new provider.
This only affected a small number of families in the south of Cumberland, but we understand this will have been a confusing and worrying time for families. We would like to send a huge thank you to SENDAC, the parent carer forum for Cumberland, for their clear updates on Facebook, and the ICB for listening and acting during this time. You can follow SENDAC on Facebook here.
An Update from Heather Swain, Principal Educational Pyschologist
Hello! I'm Heather Swain, the Principal Educational Psychologist for Cumberland. An educational psychologist's main job is to assess your child's strengths and needs, and support schools, teachers and the local authority to recommend strategies, plans and approaches to ensure your child is achieving to the best of their ability in education, and beyond. Educational Psychologists must conduct an assessment of a child's strengths and needs as part of an EHCP assessment.
I wanted to address some of your commonly asked questions in this newsletter:
What might an Education Psychologist Assessment consist of?
Each child is different and each assessment is different, however we may do the following:
- Observe your child in natural settings, such as in the classroom, playground, or at home if appropriate.
- Set tasks to explore how your child approaches them, how they problem-solve, and how they learn. This may include how they learn with support, not just what they know. Some tasks may be play-based, drawing, telling us a story etc.
- Assess your child's numeracy and literacy skills, as well as their speech, language and communication skills if appropriate. We may also speak with their teacher to find out more about how their progress.
- Speak with your child/ young person to capture their views, interests, and aspirations.
- Speak with you as a parent/ carer for more backrground information about your child's history and what they are like at home.
- Review existing information about your child, such as their reports, attendance and behavior data, relevant health or therapy reports (occupational therapy reports, etc.)
Our advice is always focused on your child and what works best for them. We want to work with you, your child and their school to ensure they are achieving the best possible outcomes.
Why is it taking so long to get an Educational Psychologist Assessment for my child?
There is a national educational psychologist shortage currently - as you may have seen in the news, there is increasing demand for EHCPs nationally. We have recently hired more Educational Psychologists in Cumberland. We are doing everything we can in Cumberland to ensure assessments are completed as thoroughly and quickly as we possibly can and we really appreciate your cooperation and patience with us.
I've recently had a private Educational Psychologist Assessment conducted for my child; why is this not being considered?
Please note that all private reports must be considered by the Local Authority as part of an EHCP needs assessment. It may be that some families feel their private report is being 'rejected' or ignored, however this is due to us following current legislation and ensuring best practice.
- When conducting an EHCP need assessment we must have advice/contributions from an EP who is normally employed by or commissioned by the local authority (SEND Code of Practice)
- Where private EP reports are available, these must be considered by the LA (SEND regulations)
- If a private EP has been involved with a child/young person they must be consulted with (SEND Code of Practice)
- A private EP report can be used as the sole psychological advice, but only if everyone involved (the author, the family, and the LA) agrees that it is sufficient (SEND regulations)
In practice, families and private EPs often feel confident that the report is sufficient, because they know the young person well and have invested in the assessment. However, the LA may not have had much involvement with them and may need more information to make that judgment. This is why a consultation or assessment by a local authority EP is often needed. They may write a contributing report to support it. This means the EHC needs assessment will include input from both EPs.
We try to be as clear as possible about how we manage EP capacity. To ensure fairness, requests are handled on a ‘first-come-first-served’ basis, and having a private EP report doesn’t affect this process.
We appreciate the time, effort, and financial commitment families invest in obtaining informative private EP reports and understand it can be disappointing to learn that further local authority EP involvement is still necessary. However, to ensure a fair and consistent service for all children and young people, we have to adhere to legal frameworks.
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SENDIASS Service - have you had support from SENDIASS in 2025? Please fill in their feedback survey!
The SEND Information, Advice and Support Service is seeking feedback from anyone who has been in touch with their service in the past year.
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Free Sensory Processing training provided by SENDAC!
SENDAC, the statutory parent/carer forum for Cumberland are providing free Sensory Processing Training days across Cumberland for parents and carers.
With free lunch for all attendees!
SENDAC has teamed up with Zena Cassels, NHS Children’s Occupational Therapist from North Cumbria Integrated Care, to deliver FREE sensory processing training sessions for parents and carers of children with additional needs across Cumberland and Eden.
- Free lunch included
- For parents/carers of children with additional needs (no diagnosis required)
- Maximum 45 places per session – booking required
What will the session cover?
- An introduction to sensory processing
- Understanding levels of alertness and fight/flight responses
- Universal and targeted sensory support in Cumberland and Eden
- How to identify your child’s sensory needs and support them
- The new sensory lead approach in Cumberland and Eden schools
- Interoception (body awareness)
- Time for questions and discussion
Dates & Locations:
(All sessions will run from 10:00am – 2:30pm)
- Seascale – Tuesday 3rd March 2026, Seascale Windscale club (Function Room)
- Wigton – Monday 9th March 2026, The Market Hall Conference Centre
- Maryport (Crosby) – Wednesday 11th March 2026, Crosscanonby community centre
- Carlisle – Monday 16th March 2026, Harraby Catholic Club
- Penrith – Tuesday 17th March 2026, Penrith cricket club
- Whitehaven – Wednesday 18th March 2026, Whitehaven Football Club
Booking is essential. To book: please use the link here:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9SSPLXL
This session will be hosted and funded by SENDAC! A SENDAC rep will also be in attendance. We hope to see you there!
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National Deaf Children's Society - meet your Community Connector, Vonn!
Introducing Vonn, the community connector for the National Deaf Children's Society in Cumbria. We are really looking forward to working with Vonn to ensure we improve our accessibility and inclusion for deaf children and young people.
"Hi, I'm Vonn McCourt. I am your community connector for the National Deaf Children's Society in Cumbria.
"I'm here for you - offering support, sharing my experience, and helping you access local resources and services, including those from the National Deaf Children's Society, while also connecting you with other parents and deaf children in your community.
"As a parent of a deaf child, I know how important it is to have the right support and people around you.
"Our connection is on your terms - at your pace, in the way that works best for you. Whenever you need support, I'm here, and I look forward to connecting with you.
"Email me at vonn.mccourt@ndcs.org.uk or call on 07977058341."
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Autism Pathway Navigator Sessions
New year dates for Autism Pathway Navigator sessions in Carlisle are below - please note there will be more dates announced for the West in the new year!
Are you exploring an autism assessment for your child? Do you have any questions? Would you like support, advice and signposting?
Come and meet us and other families in your area! All sessions are attended by an Autism pathway navigator, a Speech and Language Therapist, and an Occupational Therapist.
Sessions at The Sands Centre, Carlisle, CA1 1JQ:
- February 26th, 10.30am - 12.30pm
- March 19th, 10.30am - 12.30pm
This drop in is for parents and carers of:
- Children who have been seen by the Community Paediatrician.
- Children who are on the ‘multi agency assessment team’ (MAAT) pathway.
- Children who are awaiting the outcome of their assessment.
Children and siblings are welcome!
We will update parents/ carers as more sessions across the Cumberland area become available.
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Unique Voices; looking for new members in Cumberland!
Unique Voices is Cumberland Youth Voice’s Engagement group for SEND young people aged from 11 to 25 years old; the group has been named ‘Unique Voices’, by our young people.
Unique Voices has been established in Carlisle since the Summer of 2024. The Carlisle group have recently completed an animation project around their lived experiences of having SEND in Cumbria; you can watch their animation here! They are currently developing their next project (s) including; researching healthy relationships for SEND young people, and making Autism Acceptance Month plans.
Cumberland Youth Voice is expanding to include regular fortnightly Unique Voices groups for SEND young people across Cumberland. We recently launched sessions in Workington and Whitehaven - why not go along to the next session?
Unique Voices launched in Workington in January; the next session is on Friday 27th February at 5pm until 6.45pm @ Westfield Family Hub, Workington. The address for which is here. Sessions will run on the last Friday of every month.
Unique Voices also launched in Whitehaven in February; the next session is on Friday 13th March 2026 at 5pm till 6.45pm @ Family Hub on the Harbour, Whitehaven. The address for which is here. Sessions will run on the second Friday of every month.
And are continuing their group in Carlisle on a Wednesday evening 5pm until 6.45pm.
This means that Unique Voices will continue to speak up on behalf of Cumberland’s SEND young people, providing vital feedback and shaping how services work for SEND young people in Cumberland.
If you know of a young person, that would be interested in joining Unique Voices in Cumberland, please contact youth.voice@cumberland.gov.uk or via our social media channels Cumberland Youth Voice – Facebook and Instagram
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More Cumberland Youth Voice opportunities for young people aged 11 - 18
Cumberland Youth Council is a group of young people aged 11-18 who work together to influence decisions that affect children and young people across Cumberland. The Youth Council currently meets fortnightly in Carlisle, but there are plans to launch in West Cumbria early this year.
The Youth Council are currently developing their campaign priorities for the coming year. Ideas include a campaign around how young people are viewed and stereotyped, raising awareness of national and international current affairs, strengthening anti‑bullying work across schools and communities, and contributing to plans for the National Year of Reading. These themes have all come directly from young people and will shape the focus of their work over the next year.
The Youth Council will also have the opportunity to vote in the Youth Parliament elections in March, giving young people aged 11–18 the chance to vote for who they want to represent them. MYPs represent Cumberland at local, regional and national levels, amplifying the voices of young people on the issues that matter most to them.
The current Member of Youth Parliament for Cumberland is Bobby Forbes, who you can follow on Facebook here. Bobby is the Chairman of the Youth Select Committee on PHSE, was recently nominated for the Outstanding Contribution to Young People Award at the National Inspirational Youth Awards 2026, and has spoken publicly to many leaders across Cumberland about his lived experiences of having dyslexia.
For more information or to get involved, visit our website Cumberland Youth Voice | Cumberland Family Hubs or email Youth.Voice@cumbria.gov.uk
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National Year of Reading
Become a Family Hub Parent/ Carer Champion
Would you like to shape support for local families? Become a Parent and Carer Champion and share ideas and feedback to directly influence the design of services.
Drop in to find out more:
- Monday 9 March, 1 pm at Family Hub on the Border, Longtown
- Wednesday 11 March, 1 pm Family Hub on the Harbour, Whitehaven
More dates and locations to follow. Email parentandcarerchampions@cumberland.gov.uk for more information.
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Completing Section A Guide
You said: "It can be difficult to know how to start of complete Section A of my child's EHCP."
Did you know we have a guide to completing Section A on our Local Offer? This can support parents and carers with knowing what information and details to include, ideas on how they can write this, and examples.
Our SEND Information Advice and Support Service is also available to help with completing Section A if parents would like someone to talk them through it.
SENDAC, the statutory parent/ care forum for Cumberland also answer some frequently asked questions about EHCPs on their website.
Supported Internships
Potty training children with additional needs
Potty training has been in the news a lot recently - did you know Eric, the Childrens Bladder and Bowel Charity, have information and resources to support families potty training children with additional needs?
This includes advice on approaching potty training with children who have delayed speech or no verbal language, children with Down Syndrome, as well as digital resources and videos you can use with your children to support them. We have included the link below:
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Family Hubs Best Start in Life
Family Hubs across Cumberland are friendly, welcoming places where you can drop in for free activities, meet other families, and get trusted support from pregnancy through the early years. Whether you’re looking for play sessions, feeding advice, help with your child’s development, or just a warm space to connect — your local hub is here for you.
Find your nearest hub and see what’s on:
Cumberland Family Hubs website
Cumberland Family Hubs Facebook
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