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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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On Monday (24th February), we heard about a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Thematic Review by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Manchester has been selected as one of 6 local areas for a visit. This will take place over three weeks.
Ofsted and the CQC make a series of thematic visits each academic year, exploring an aspect of the SEND system in depth. The theme for 2025 is children who are not in school*.
(*These are children who are not registered at a school or do not attend school full-time because they are flexi-schooled, are on a part-time timetable or are absent more than 50% of sessions; also children receiving education otherwise than at school (EOTAS))
Why do Ofsted/CQC want your views?
The views of children, young people and parents/carers is an important part of this review. It will help inspectors better understand the local experience. This includes why children with SEND leave full-time education, what schools are doing to support them to remain in school, and how the needs of children out of school are being met.
Who do they want to hear from?
The inspectors want to hear from as many people as possible who have accessed services provided for children with SEND at statutory school age (age 5 to 16) and are not in school.
There are two surveys: one for children and young people, the other for parents, carers and professionals.
The survey closes at 5pm on Thursday 13th March 2025. Your support and contributions are very much appreciated.
What happens after the visit?
Ofsted and CQC won't be making judgements about individual areas during thematic visits, although findings will be shared in a national report, likely to be published in the autumn. No report will include any personal information about an individual child, parent or carer.
If you would like more detail about this thematic review, please see this Local Offer webpage.
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This is a new venue. We’re not at The Manchester College as previously advertised.
Our next drop in is on Wednesday 12th March, 10am-12pm at Manchester Settlement, New Roundhouse, 1328-1330, Ashton Old Road, Openshaw, Manchester M11 1JG.
Our 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. Your children don’t need to have a diagnosis – all welcome.
FUTURE 2025 DROP INS, 10am-12pm
Wednesday 30th April, Manchester Youth Zone
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Roller skating with SPACE
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The next exclusive hire roller skating session for SEND families living in the Manchester City Council area is on Sunday 2nd March, 12.30-2.30pm at Ardwick Sports Hall, 225 Stockport Rd, M12 4DY. For a chance of free places, please text the word ROLLER to The SPACE Group, with the full name of participants and your postcode to 07749 116211 between 6pm on Wednesday 26th February to 6pm on Friday 28th February. All texts within the period will be responded to. Please send only one!
Free cycling for 11-16s
For the next three months, there are extra cycling and bike maintenance sessions for Manchester young people aged 11-16 with SEND and Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. They are every Wednesday after school from 4.30-7.30pm, meeting at the Procter Learning Centre, Hulme Street, off Jackson Crescent M15 5EF. Bikes, helmets and other safety equipment are provided for cycle routes across Greater Manchester, along with regular bike maintenance sessions. All young people take part in a pre-ride induction before attending but need to be competent riders. Funded by the Targeted Intervention Group.
These are in addition to the regular riding sessions as part of the SEND Community Offer, every Saturday 11am-3pm. Contact Roger Newell at MANCCYCLES for more information and to book a pre-ride induction – info@manccycles.co.uk, 07970 922132.
What people say
‘I can't recommend Roger highly enough. He is an incredibly patient, positive teacher whose passion for helping small people experience the joys of bike riding shines through.’
‘I didn’t imagine my daughter would be able cycle on roads due to nerves, but I’m pleased to say she managed to cycle miles in the city only after few sessions.’
‘When my son started cycling with you, he was shy, uncomfortable being around others and struggling with mental health issues. He is so much more confident and happier in himself.’
Discover more activities with Manchester's SEND Community Offer. See our Stuff to do highlights in the SEND Information Hub.
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Neurodiversity Celebration Week
Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2025 is from Monday 17th to Sunday 23rd March. It brings more online panel discussions than ever before, with inspirational speakers from a range of backgrounds and professions. All events are free of charge and open to all. Sign up to as many events as you like. You can also register to access the library for the 2024 events.
Autism talks
In February, there was a powerful free talk – ‘Love, Grief, and Acceptance’ – with the Centre for Autism’s Wellbeing Hub. You can find it, along with past talks, on the Centre for Autism YouTube channel. The next talk – ‘Black Mothers advocating for their autistic children’- is on Thursday 13th March, 7-8.30pm. Here’s the link to register.
Ring and Ride survey
Manchester Learning Disability Autism Commissioning Team would like to find out what you think about the Ring and Ride service. It provides accessible, low cost transport to disabled people and older people with walking difficulties in the Greater Manchester area. Here is a link to the survey.
Dingley's Promise
Dingley’s Promise is committed to improving the lives of children with SEND in the early years and their families. As the largest early years educators of children with SEND in England, they would like to gain a greater understanding of how the current barriers to access, funding and support are impacting families. If you are a family supporting a child between 0 and 5 years old with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), please fill in this short survey to help them drive change at government level.
Manchester is one of the Local Authorities involved with Dingley’s Promise Early Years Inclusion Programme. If your child’s early years setting is in the Manchester City Council area, encourage them to sign up if they haven’t already. Find out more.
Ramadan guidance
Ramadan will begin on Saturday 1st March and end on Sunday 30th March (subject to moon sighting). Here is a blog from Action for Children about celebrating Ramadan with an autistic child.
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ADHD youth voice
There’s a new ADHD Youth Voice group bringing young people together to have a say in the NHS services that affect them. It’s for 13-25 year olds with lived experience of ADHD, with or without a diagnosis. Sessions are every last Wednesday of the month, 5-7pm, at GMYN, Greenfish Resource Centre, 46-50 Oldham Street, Manchester M4 1LE, five minutes walk from Piccadilly Gardens. The group is an exciting learning and development opportunity for young people, alongside the chance to make a difference in their community. It’s also a fantastic way for to build confidence, share ideas and meet others. 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.) Chloe is happy to chat with young people and their families before joining the group.
Careers survey
Greater Manchester is developing an ‘All-age Careers Strategy’. There is a short survey to find out:
- what you know about the support available
- how you access careers advice
- the types of activity that are most useful to you
It would be helpful to hear from disabled and neurodivergent young people. Here is the survey link. Closes Friday 7th March.
Recruitment fair
Are you or do you know or support a young person who has an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP)? The Manchester College has a supported internship recruitment fair on Friday 14th March, 10.30am-12pm at the Openshaw Campus, Ashton Old Road M11 2WH. See what support is available to enable you to progress into the world of work. If you would like to go to the event, please email Ben Metcalfe at bmetcalfe@tmc.ac.uk to book your place.
Employment skills sessions
There’s a free employment skills drop in on Monday 17th March, 4-7.30pm at The Studio, 51 Lever Street, M1 1FN. Offered by the disabled people’s organisation Real, it’s for disabled and neurodivergent young people who are 16 to 25 years old. The aim is to boost skills and confidence around CVs and interviews. For more information and to sign up, contact Amris on 07412 236758 or amris.sahota@real.org.uk. There’s also a free online ‘CV and interview Bootcamp – Fun edition’ on Monday 24th March, 10.30am to 1.00pm. Find out more and sign up.
Skills bootcamps
Skills Bootcamps give people aged 19 plus the opportunity to build up sector specific skills through fully-funded and co-funded flexible courses of up to 16 weeks. After completing the training, participants will fast track to a guaranteed interview with a local employer. There are a range of Bootcamps on offer in Greater Manchester, including: Digital, Construction, Hospitality, Health and Social Care and Education. Learn more.
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We’re pleased to give you an update on Young Carers activity in Manchester:
- 2024 was a brilliant year - learn more about what happened in this video.
- The Council's refreshed Young Carers Strategy has been published - download the pdf. It details how things are right now for young carers in the city and aspirations for the future. This video - a collaboration between young carers at Barlow RC High School and Media Cubs - highlights the key aims.
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Arlo’s New Friends is an animation created for and with Manchester young carers to raise awareness and address sensitive topics for younger audiences. It features Berry the Cat, Manchester’s new friendly young carer mascot.
If you know a young person under the age of 18 who supports someone else, like a parent, sibling or grandparent, take a look at this Council information hub. It includes a section on how schools can become Young Carers Champions.
Together we can support young carers and put their rights into practice.
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Manchester’s Youth Buzz Awards are back! Do you know or work with a young person aged 11-19 (or up to 25 if they have special educational needs and/or disabilities or are a young carer or care leaver) who lives, works and/or is educated in Manchester and has achieved something worth celebrating? Make sure they get the recognition they deserve. Nominate them by Sunday 9th March. The 2025 celebration (to celebrate the achievements of the past 12 months) will be held in the evening of Thursday 1st May.
Call for performers
The glittering Manchester Buzz Awards ceremony on Thursday 1st May needs performers! Are you:
- talented
- aged 11 to 19 years (or up to 25 years old with SEND or are a young carer or care leaver)
- living, working or being educated in Manchester
If YES, you could win vouchers and the opportunity to perform to a room of your peers, whether that’s singing, dancing, performing magic, comedy or spoken word poetry. Auditions will be held in the early evening on Thursday 20th March, at a central Manchester location. To sign up, send your name, age, contact details and a bit of information about your act to youthengagement@manchester.gov.uk.
If you would like to get our newsletters, find out how to sign up
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