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

Future Drop Ins, 10am-12 noon:

Wednesday 15th January - Lifestyle Centre, Wythenshawe

Wednesday 12th February - Central Manchester (to be arranged)

Winter HAF programme

The Space Group, 4CT and Manchester Parent Carer Forum (MPCF) have a fun-packed Christmas ahead, offered with the support of the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme.

Some things to keep in mind:

• As a HAF funded programme, each booking should include at least one child with SEND aged 5-16 years.
• Follow booking instructions carefully - the small team of volunteers don’t have capacity to swop, change or refund activities if you don’t provide all the correct information.
• Some activities have age restrictions - please check.
• Activities are designed for children - your booking should not include more adults than children, unless the child requires 2:1 adult supervision.

These activities are for families living in the Manchester City Council area. Any queries to 4CT on 0161 230 1420 or email info@4ct.org.uk.

Online bookings

Online bookings open on Sunday 15th December at 2pm

Christmas panto

There are six performances of the panto, ‘Sleeping Beauty’:

• Thursday 2nd January at North West Theatre Arts Company, Lightbowne Road, Moston, M40 5HQ, 2pm, 4pm or 6pm.
• Friday 3rd January at Cornerstone United Reform Church, Corner of Parrs Wood Road / Fog Lane, Burnage, M20 6EE, 3.30pm or 6pm.
• Saturday 4th January at St Georges, Bothwell Road, Collyhurst, M40 7NY, 2pm.

£5 per adult, free for children aged 3-16 only. Under 3s are not permitted at any of the performances. Please arrive 15 minutes before the performance time. Booking essential – use the Eventbrite link above.

Cinema

'Sonic 3’ at Cineworld Disbury, Wilmslow Rd, M20 5PG, Sunday 5th January, 11am. £5 per adult, free for children aged 4-16 only. Please arrive 15 minutes before the performance time. Under 3s are not permitted at cinema performances. Please check film certification nearer to release date. Booking essential – use the Eventbrite link above.

Blue Planet Aquarium

Coach trip to Blue Planet Aquarium on Monday 23rd December, departing at 2pm and returning by approximately 7pm (will be notified by the coach driver on the day). Two options:

• North (Option A) from the Grange Community Resource Centre, Pilgrim Drive, Beswick, M11 3TQ. Parking available on site. Please arrive at coach pick up point at 1.45pm.
• South (Option B) - St Nicholas Church, Kingsway, M19 1PL. Please arrive at coach pick up point at 1.45pm.

£5 per adult, free for children aged up to 16 only. All attendees must have a coach seat booked. Any pushchairs/wheelchairs must be stowed away. Booking essential – use the Eventbrite link above.

Blackpool

Coach Trip to Blackpool on Monday 30th December, departing at 2pm and returning by approximately 7pm (will be notified by the coach driver on the day). Two options:

• North (Option A) - Grange Community Resource Centre, Pilgrim Drive, Beswick, M11 3TQ. Parking available on site. Please arrive at coach pick up point at 1.45pm.
• South (Option B) - St Nicholas Church, Kingsway, M19 1PL. Please arrive at coach pick up point at 1.45pm.

£5 per adult, free for children aged up to 16 only. All attendees must have a coach seat booked. Any pushchairs/wheelchairs must be stowed away. Booking essential – use the Eventbrite link above.

Bookings by text

Outdoor adventure activities

Outdoor adventure activities with Bright Future Friends at Wythenshawe Park, near Horticultural Centre and the main car park - enter park via main entrance off Wythenshawe Road. Indoor activity if weather is very poor. Aged 8+ only. Free of charge and includes refreshments. Three options:

• BFF1, Saturday 21st December, 11am-2pm.
• BFF2, Saturday 28th December, 11am-2pm.
• BFF3, Saturday 28th December, 3-6pm.

Booking essential by texting 07749 116211 between Friday 13th Dec at 12 noon until Saturday 14th December at 6pm. Please only text ONCE and within the time period. Include this information: BFF (1,2 or 3) +, children’s full names, dates of birth, SEND Yes (Y) or No (N), ethnicity, postcode and house number.

Sample text: BFF3 John Smith 3/5/2010, Y British, Amy Smith 18/2/2015 N British, M9 4XY, 23

Christmas parties

Christmas party at the Powerhouse, Raby Street, Moss Side, M14 4SL. Two options, both on Monday 23rd December:

• Party 1 - Relaxed party, 11.30am-1.30pm, quieter with limited numbers.
• Party 2 - Afternoon party, 2-4pm.

Parties are free and include refreshments. All places must be booked in advance. Please follow instructions carefully. Book by texting 07749 116211 between Friday 13th December at 12 noon until Saturday 14th December at 6pm. Please only text ONCE and within the time period. Include this information: PARTY (1 or 2), children’s full names, dates of birth, SEND Yes (Y) or No (N), ethnicity, postcode and house number.

Sample text: PARTY1 John Smith 3/5/2010, Y British, Amy Smith 18/2/2015 N British, M9 4XY, 23

Film and sensory play

This is ideal for children with more complex support needs and those seeking smaller group activity. It’s an afternoon at the Creative Space Centre, 10 Pedders Lane, Ashton-on-Ribble, Preston PR2 2TH on Saturday 28th December. The cinema screening is at 2-4pm and sensory room at 4-5pm. The centre is fully accessible with a hoist in the sensory room and a Changing Places toilet. It’s free of charge and includes refreshments. Transport is not provided, however. All places must be booked in advance. Please follow booking instructions carefully. Book by texting 07708 932215 on Saturday 14th December between 12 noon and 6pm. Please only text ONCE and within the time period. Include this information: SENSORY,  children full names, dates of birth, SEND Yes (Y) or No (Y), ethnicity, postcode and house number.

Sample text: SENSORY John Smith 3/5/2010, Y British, Amy Smith 18/2/2015 N British, M9 4XY, 23

The Winter HAF programme in full, along with more information

Relaxed cinema - This weekend!

The next relaxed cinema showing with Manchester Parent Carer Forum is the Christmas classic ‘Home Alone’ (PG) on Sunday 15th December, 11am to 1pm. Siblings without SEND are welcome to join this SEND-friendly screening where guests can get free popcorn. It’s at GRUB, 50 Red Bank, Cheetham Hill, M4 4HF. Book through Eventbrite. This activity is for SEND families living in the Manchester City Council area.

Twilight Trail

Join Manchester Parent Carer Forum for a free festive lights trail at Mayfield Park on Friday 27th December, 7-8pm. A member of the Forum team will welcome you at the event’s only entrance between 6.45pm to 7.15pm – Boardman Gate Entrance, Mayfield Park, 11 Baring St, Manchester, M1 2PY. Entrance timings are strict but once inside, you can stay for as long as you like. Here’s some further information, including Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). Tickets will be released at 6pm on Wednesday 11th December – here is the booking link. This event is for SEND families living in the Manchester City Council area.

The SEND Forest School is back for the winter, offering an inclusive and urban forest school experience for families living in the Manchester City Council area. It’s on Monday 30th December and Thursday 2nd January, 11am-3pm at Platt Fields Market Garden (off Mabfield Road, Fallowfield, M16 6LT). It’s an outdoor stay and play activity - 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 and nature crafts. Suitable for all ages and developmental stages. Booking is essential through Eventbrite - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/send-family-forest-school-platt-fields-market-garden-30th-dec-2nd-jan-tickets-1109944998369?aff=oddtdtcreator. 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.

PLEASE NOTE: The vegetarian lunch is from an external caterer rather than the MUD kitchen on-site so the food will be a little different to usual. Please book ASAP so they can be updated with numbers and allergy information. Contact Siân if knowing what’s on the menu will support your child.

Follow Manchester Bees on Eventbrite for £1 sessions at Hattersley Hive. The next get-togethers are Saturday 14th December and Saturday 11th January.

Sensory rooms

Families have free use of the Sensory Room at Benchill Community Centre, Wythenshawe, over Christmas. Each slot is for 45 minutes and on the hour. It's Monday 23rd December, and Thursday 2nd and Friday 3rd January 2025. Drop in to the community centre or call 0161 946 9520 to book. Please be aware the centre closes between Christmas and the New Year. For families living in the Manchester City Council area.

You can also spend time in the Sensory Rooms at Redbank House in Cheetham Hill over the Christmas holiday. There are slots available at various times between 9am-4pm (on the hour for 50 minutes) on Thursday 2nd and Friday 3rd January 2025. This includes the additional bigger room, bringing all the sensory equipment together with some soft play. This activity is for families living in the Manchester City Council area. Book directly with Redbank House on 0161 214 5959. Please be aware, the centre closes at the end of Friday 20th December, not opening again until Thursday 2nd January 2025.

If you don’t manage to get a January slot at either centre, it might be worth phoning on Thursday 2nd to see if any have become available.

Other stuff to do

Festive sing-a-long

There’s a free Festive Sing-a-long relaxed performance on Friday 13th December, 1.10pm (doors open at 12.30pm) at The Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama, Bridgeford Street, off Oxford Road, M13 9PL. Manchester University Music Society hosts this annual 50-minute musical treat, open to everybody. It’s inclusive in many ways – audience can move about the concert hall, go in and out, make noise, dance and join in the songs, and use the quiet room. Lights are also left on throughout the event and there’s a team on hand to assist with all your access needs. No need to book (except for groups of 10 or more). The capacity of the venue is 350. Whilst the event has been popular in previous years, they’ve never had to turn people away. For individual requirements, please contact the box office - boxoffice@manchester.ac.uk, 0161 275 895. Here’s information on visiting the centre, as well as access guidance.

Deaf Centre ice skating

Manchester Deaf Centre have some places left on their Youth Club (12-16 year olds) event on Saturday 14th December, 2-4pm.  It’s Festive Ice Skating at Cathedral Gardens, Skate Manchester, M4 3BG. Snack and drinks provided. Here’s the booking link. Any questions or help needed with travel, email cyps@manchesterdeafcentre.com. There is also this British Sign Language (BSL) video.

Christmas library fun

Manchester Libraries have a free fun-packed day of Christmas entertainment, featuring music, crafts, refreshments, and special guests. It’s at Central Library in the Performance Space, Saturday 14th December, 10am - 4pm. No need to book – just drop in!

Mobiloo at the Markets

There’s a new accessible facilities unit at this year's Christmas Markets in the corner of Piccadilly Gardens – Mobiloo. It’s always staffed, with someone having the radar key to let you in if you don’t have one yourself. Alongside accessible showering, changing and toilet features, it has amazing features like sensory-visual boards, Bluetooth speakers to hook up to your phone and lots of floor space where you can stretch out, sit, and take all the time you need to feel okay again. You don't need to use the toilet – you can go in for the space and sensory stuff - and you don’t need proof of disability or anything like that. Here’s more information on the unit, including a video. The Christmas Markets are open until Sunday 22nd December.

Christmas clubs

There are two free Holiday Clubs during the Christmas holiday at Manchester Youth Zone, 931 Rochdale Road, Harpurhey, M9 8AE:

• Juniors and SEND (Ages 8-11), Monday 23rd December and Monday 30th December, 10am-2pm. Activities include basketball, dodgeball, roller-skating, make up, arts and crafts, sensory play, cooking/baking, football and more.

• Seniors & SEND (Ages 11-16), Tuesday 31st December and Thursday 2nd January, 10am-2pm. Activities include hot chocolate making, movie and snacks, dodgeball, roller-skating, make up, arts and crafts, cooking/baking, football and more.

For places, call 0161 203 5333 or email Tia.kelly@manchesteryz.org.

Check out Loads To Do for what's going on in your local area and across the city over the festive period. There’s also Money Saving Central to find out where kids can eat for free or for a £1.

Inclusive cycling

Would you like to loan an adapted bike for free? The Inclusive Cycling Experience offers free standard and non-standard cycles for Greater Manchester residents aged 16+ with long-term health conditions, disabilities and sensory impairments, as well as parents/carers and siblings. You are invited to weekly sessions that allow you to trial a range of cycles – including tricycles, handcycles and tandems - and build your confidence. You can then loan a cycle of your choice from one day to a whole month - all for free. All cycles are electric assisted, giving that extra power but can be ridden as manual cycles too. They also have a range of adaptations to support individuals with reduced joint mobility and one-sided weaknesses. Siblings can also borrow cycles providing they're over the age of 18. Find out more and book one of the December sessions.

Free youth theatre 2025

TripleC offers free youth theatre designed for deaf, disabled and or neurodivergent young people aged 8 to 16 with a passion for the performing arts. The new term starts on Monday 13th January 2025 at 53two in the city centre, Arch 19, Watson St M3 4LP. The sessions, led by professional actors and directors, are in two age groups: 8-11 years, 4.30-5.30pm and 12-16 years, 6-7.30pm. If anyone starts late or misses a couple of sessions, there won’t be any pressure to catch up. Sign up for the new term through Eventbrite.

Young people

Have a say locally

Would you like to have a say in Manchester? The Area Youth Forums would love to hear from you. These are spaces created by and for Manchester residents aged 11-18 years (up to 25 years old with SEND and/or additional needs and care leavers). They’re a unique opportunity to decide what the important issues are and get direct access to leaders and decision makers. It’s also a great opportunity to get involved in something different. The next round of meetings are:

• East - Tuesday 14th January, 5.30-7.30pm, Sporting Edge, 1 Silverlace Avenue, Openshaw, M11 1GN

• South - Thursday 16th January, 5.30-7.30pm, Barlow Moor Community Association, 23 Merseybank Avenue, M21 7NT

• Central - Thursday 23rd January, 5.30-7.30pm, Venue to be confirmed.

• Wythenshawe - Tuesday 28th January, 6.30-8pm, Addy Young People’s Centre, Woodhouse Lane, Wythenshawe, M22 9TF.

• North - Tuesday 4th February, 5.30-7.30pm, Manchester Youth Zone, 931 Rochdale Road, Harpurhey, M9 8AE.

Don’t worry if you can’t attend the next meetings. You can still fill in the short Pre-registration form. As an alternative, you are welcome to contact Corrina at corrina.hayles@manchester.gov.uk. Some of you may know Corrina from Manchester Youth Zone where she was the inclusion lead. You can also express your interest through Manchester Youth Council on Instagram or by emailing youthengagment@manchester.gov.uk. Adults and youth workers are welcome to attend if supporting you. Food and drink provided. Find out more on the Area Youth Forum webpage. 

ADHD youth voice

Are you a young person aged 13 up to 25 in Greater Manchester with lived experience of ADHD? Would you like a say in the NHS services that affect you? If you answered YES to both questions, you might be interested in a new Youth Voice group. Meeting monthly from January 2025, it’s a fantastic way to build confidence, share ideas and meet others. As part of it, you’ll get to meet NHS commissioners who are eager to hear your feedback. Please contact Chloe Bettridge to find out more, chloe.bettridge@gmyn.co.uk, 07759 069777. If you are 16 and under, please ask your parent/carer to do this for you.

In the meantime, here’s a survey for young people to find out about your experience in local NHS health services. At the moment, it can be really hard to get support. Young people often have to wait a long time to get a diagnosis. Your views can help improve things.

Free tech learning

Shift Click is MadLab’s free tech learning programme for Greater Manchester residents aged 18-30. Beginners’ courses are six weeks long and aimed at anyone who is unemployed or underemployed, and not in full-time education. Gain practical experience with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript – the building blocks of the web - and develop an understanding of how websites are made. The next course is in February 2025. The site in central Stockport is fully accessible and they adopt a disability-first approach to their teaching. They don’t want cost to be a barrier, so lunch and refreshments are provided, as well as notebooks and stationery and an online course handbook. If you need assistance with travel costs, childcare support, access to a computer, or anything else that might present a barrier to your taking part, then let them know, as well as any other needs you may have. Find out more and register your interest.

HOME Young Artists Studio

Recruitment for Year 2 of the HOME Young Artists Studio opens this month. It’s a 12-month programme that includes practical visual arts workshops, open studio sessions and the chance to meet and work with practicing artists and industry professionals. There is information on HOME’s Young Creatives webpage. Register interest by emailing lucy.follon@homemcr.org.

Have your say

Your leisure services

MCR Active want to hear from your family! What do you think of Manchester’s sports and leisure facilities? Is there an inclusive class or activity you’d like to see? If you don’t use leisure centres, what’s stopping you? Here is a link to the survey. There are opportunities throughout it to share what you think. If you prefer, you can email your responses to the questions -  schoolswimming@mcractive.com. Your responses will help shape targeted sessions in the city. It’d be great to get lots of feedback from SEND families!

Important law consultation

There is a once in a lifetime opportunity to contribute to the legal framework governing social care for disabled children in England in a consultation as part of the Law Commission review. Various formats of consultation papers and response forms, including Easy Read, can be found in ‘Documents’ towards the bottom of this Law Commission information. There is also an in-person consultation event at Manchester University on Monday 13th January, 11am-1pm – book your place through Eventbrite. The charity Contact urge you to respond to the consultation if you can. Closes 20th January.

Have your say on city budget

After 14 years of austerity, unfair cuts and increased costs, Manchester still faces a big budget gap between how much the city needs to spend on services next year and how much funding will be available. Your feedback on our savings options will help shape what happens next. Here's the consultation - closes at 5pm on Sunday 12th January 2025.

Caring over Christmas

Festive e-cards

Send free festive e-cards to friends and family using Manchester Parent Carer Forum’s online web app – due to go live soon! All designs were created by children and young people with SEND. You can also collect a free printed card at this week’s Local Offer Drop-in!

Carers Manchester at Christmas

Carers Manchester Contact Point continues to operate over the festive season, with some changes. Here’s the opening hours information. For outside these hours and emergencies, carers are encouraged to contact Manchester City Council social care phoneline on 0161 234 5001.

Christmas tips

For some autistic children and adults, Christmas can be one of the most stressful times of the year. The sensory overload, changes in routine, and increased social demands can feel overwhelming. To help make the festive period more manageable and enjoyable, I AM have put together 10 practical tips to reduce stress and anxiety for autistic people.

Festivities can also be a tough time for adult siblings. Sibs have some helpful advice for the festive season.

Our warm wishes for Christmas and the New Year

localoffer@manchester.gov.uk / 0161 219 2125 Welcome to Manchester Local Offer  Local Offer SEND Information Hub

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