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The latest news and updates for parents/carers
and children and young people 0-25 years with special educational needs
and disabilities (SEND) in the Manchester City Council area
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Our next drop in is tomorrow, Wednesday 19th March at the Lifestyle Centre in Wythenshawe, 10am-12 noon.
Next month's drop in is Wednesday 17th April, Moss Side Power House, 140 Raby Street, M40 4SL, 10am-12 noon. These monthly free events are for parents/carers and young people with SEND up to 25 in the Manchester City Council area. They offer a chance to talk to a range of services and get support. Look out for the drop in newsletter bulletin nearer the time.
FUTURE DATE:
Wednesday 22nd May, Manchester Youth Zone, 10am-12 noon (To be confirmed)
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Panto Time
There are still tickets left for two pantomime performances of Dick Whittington with The SPACE Group, MPCF and 4CT:
£5 plus booking fee for adults, children go free. Food included. This activity is for families living in the Manchester City Council area. Click on the performance of your choice to get the Eventbrite link.
Easter Fun
Manchester Parent Champions, with the support of Regen.me.uk, are offering three activities over Easter:
- SEND Fun Day, Easter Sunday 31st March, 1-4pm, Manchester Youth Zone, Rochdale Road, Harpurhey M9 8AE, including craft activities, food fun, sports and facepainting. Find out about the new refurb and how things are changing for the better. No need to book – just drop in.
- Craft and Create session, Wednesday 3rd April, 1-2.30pm, North Family Hub, Shirley Road, M9 0NE, in the training room. Lots of creative fun and crafting. Book by texting the word CRAFT to 07423 264769, along with adults and children’s names, children's ages and postcode. Example text: CRAFT Michael Bloggs, Joe Bloggs (6), Anne Bloggs (8), M40 1PC.
- Flip Out Family Fun, Friday 5th April, 10-11am, Flip out Manchester, Corbett Street M11 4TA. Book by texting the word FLIP to 07423 264769, along with adults and children’s names, children's ages and postcode. Example text: FLIP Michael Bloggs, Joe Bloggs (6), Anne Bloggs (8), M40 1PC.
Stay and play
Join Manchester Parent Carer Forum and Martenscroft Children's Centre for a morning of free fun for families of children with SEND aged 0-5 years living in Manchester. It’s on Monday 8th April, 10.15-11.45am at Martenscroft Nursery School and, Sure Start Children's Centre, 33 Epping Street Manchester M15 6PA. There will be loads to do, including outdoor play, bubbles, tactile and messy play, music and art, plus a pop-up sensory room for children who want a chill-out space. Book through Eventbrite.
Spend time in the Sensory Rooms at Redbank House in Cheetham Hill over Easter. There are slots available at various times between 9am-4pm (on the hour for 50 minutes) during weekdays from Tuesday 2nd April to Friday 12th April. For families living in the Manchester City Council area. Book directly with Redbank House on 0161 214 5959.
Families also have free use of the Sensory Room at Benchill Community Centre, Wythenshawe, over Easter. Each slot is for 45 minutes and on the hour, weekdays. It's Tuesday 2nd April to Friday 12th April. Drop in to the community centre or call 0161 946 9520 to book. For families living in the Manchester City Council area.
Spring Forest School - NEW SESSIONS!
The SEND Forest School is back for the Easter, offering an inclusive and urban forest school experience for SEND families living in the Manchester City Council area. There’s also a new location, with activity at Beswick in North Manchester!
- Beswick Hive, The East Manchester Academy, Manchester, M11 3TA. The entrance is via the gate to the side of the library. Monday 1st and 8th April, Tuesday 2nd and 9th April. Book through Eventbrite.
Both offer an outdoor stay and play activity in a fenced community garden - drop in any time between 11am-3pm, vegetarian lunch around 12.30pm, snacks on the fire from 2.15pm. There’s a warm welcome for all ages, including sensory play in the mud kitchen, sand pit, and water areas, fire lighting and tool use, den building, nature crafts and giant bubbles – as well as a chance to meet the bees. Suitable for all ages and developmental stages. Booking is essential through the Eventbite links. Let Sian know of any access needs when you book. If you are no longer able to attend, please select 'refund tickets’ so your places can go to families on the reserve list. Any extra enquiries to: Sian Millward, hello@manchesterbeesforestschool.co.uk, 07506 342945.
 There’s also a new inclusive urban forest school experience run by Sian. The Hattersley Hive is open to Manchester families and there are dates coming up in April and the summer months. It’s based at Hattersley Projects Community Garden in partnership with Onward Homes. Find out more and book through Eventbrite.
Music and skateboarding
Free music-making and skateboarding sessions - Flip - are at Projekts skatepark near Piccadilly Station every Wednesday 4.30-6.30pm in term time. It is a chance for young people with SEND aged 11-25 who live in the Manchester City Council area to enjoy an hour of skateboard coaching, followed by an hour of music-making with Billy and Andy who offer accessible music workshops. Families are welcome to hang out in the cafe during the sessions or watch the skateboarders from the viewing balcony. To book places, contact info@billyandandy.co.uk, 07429 826053.
Billy and Andy are also running a music-making holiday club at Whalley Range Scout Hut, Egerton Road, M21 0YP, 10am-1pm, Tuesday 2nd April to Friday 5th April, 14+, £20 per day/£10 for siblings. (This is only a suggested price to pay; if it's too high, please let them know.) Contact info@billyandandy.co.uk, 07429 826053.
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Wednesday youth club
Community Kitchen chef Roger runs a youth club in Hulme. It’s for young people aged 11+ with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and involves cooking and eating each session, as well as arts and crafts, and sports. The free club is every Wednesday, including the Easter holidays, from 4.30-7.30pm, at Procter Learning Centre, Hulme Street, Off Jackson Crescent M15 5EF. Booking essential - call Roger on 07970 922132. Delivered by the Targeted Intervention Group CIC (TIG) and funded by the National Lottery Community Fund.
MYZ at Easter
There are inclusion activities at Manchester Youth Zone in Harpurhey over the Easter holidays. They’re on Friday 8th and Friday 15th April, 10am–2pm, for 8-11 year olds. This specialist provision for young people with additional needs and / or learning difficulties will include sports, games, nurture and life skills. Contact 0161 203 5333, info@manchesteryz.org. Find out more about inclusion activity at Manchester Youth Zone.
Deaf Centre activities
The Children and Young People’s Service at Manchester Deaf Centre has an exciting free Easter holiday programme for Hard of hearing (HoH), Children of deaf adult (CODA) and siblings:
- Learn how to make amazing films for deaf people with Malandra Jacks, Tuesday 2nd April, 12-3pm at HOME, M15 4FN - for 12-16 year olds
- Fun football session run by Manchester FA’s Disability Specific Coach, Thursday 4th April, 1-3.30pm at Denmark Road Sports Centre, M15 6FG - for 6-24 year olds
- A mobile planetarium to learn lots of cool things about space, Tuesday 9th April, 10am-12pm at Thorn Grove Primary School, SK8 7LD - for 6-16 year olds
Any questions or to book places, please contact Helen Brook by email or text, helenbrook@manchesterdeafcentre.com, 07387 006680, Facebook ‘Manchester Deaf Centre’, Instagram @mdc_youthservice.
Rave on
The next Under One Roof party with Manchester People First is on Wednesday 10th April, 6-9pm, at YES, M1 7DB. DJ XANDA will be taking over the decks at this accessible rave for 18+, with a special b2b with b.lo for the closing hour of the night. Get your tickets on Skiddle, £5 plus booking fee - free for carers.
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Carers coffee mornings
If you have a child or young person at Manchester Communication Academy who has SEND, you’re invited to join Manchester Parent Carer Forum at the school on Thursday 21st March, 9-10.30am, MCA, 2 Silchester Drive, Manchester M40 8NT. Kirsty Carvell, the school SENCO, will be there to talk about recent changes within the school and the HAVEN programme. The Autism in Schools team will also be there to offer parent-to-parent support and answer any questions you have. No need to book. Find out more through MPCF.
There is also an Autism In Schools session on Friday 22nd March, 12-2pm, at the Crossacres Family Hub, Sharston Sure Start Children's Center, Poundswick Lane, Wythenshawe M22 9TA, for parents and carers of autistic and neurodivergent pupils who go to Southern Cross school, whether they have a formal diagnosis or not. No need to book, just drop in. More information on the MPCF website.
SEND marketplace
The SEND Marketplace is a chance to meet statutory and community services to talk about a range of support available for local families. This event is open to all and not restricted to families with children at the academy. It’s on Friday 22nd March, 9.30-11.30am, Co-op Academy Manchester, Plant Hill Road, Higher Blackley M9 0WQ. No need to book. Find out more on the MPCF website.
Have your say
There’s still time to enter the BBC Young Reporter competition! The BBC want to hear great stories from 11 to 18 year olds on the theme of My and My World. Ideas for reports can be a personal story or about an issue or experience relevant to young people. Closes 24th March 2024.
Calling neurodivergent LGBTQ+ young people aged 13-25! What kind of resource and information would you like? Share your thoughts in this short survey. This work is being done by Greater Manchester Autism Consortium in partnership with a wide group of organisations, including The Proud Trust, Manchester Pride and the LGBT Foundation.
There is still time to tell Manchester City Council how safe you feel in Manchester. Your views will help the Council better understand how to improve safety for everyone in the city. The survey will only take 5 minutes and your responses are anonymous. Open until March 24th 2024.
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The next election for Manchester residents is on Thursday 2nd May 2024. Manchester City Council’s website has up to date information around voting. There is a page of resources, including factsheets on Voter ID and how the Council is supporting disabled voters in polling stations. Mencap has some easy read guides to voting – including information on Voter ID and how to register to vote.
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