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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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The last of the Summer SEND Community Offer for families living in the Manchester City Council area
 Bowling at Harpurhey - NEW!
The Parent Groups Partnership (Manchester Parent Carer Forum and Manchester Parent Champions partnering with SENsitive, RANI and Regen.me.uk) have another free bowling session coming up. It’s on Tuesday 26th August, 5.45-7pm, at Tenpin Harpurhey, Unit 1, Harpurhey Shopping Centre, Rochdale Rd, M9 4DH. This session is for families who HAVEN’T YET accessed the bowling this summer.
To book, send a text or WhatsApp to 07498 854612 no earlier than 12 noon on Thursday 21st August, with the following information:
BOWLING HARPURHEY, house number and postcode, FULL Names of ALL attendees, dates of birth of children, ethnicity and if they have SEND Yes (Y) or No (N). Please text ONCE ONLY and wait for the response.
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SAMPLE TEXT: BOWLING HARPURHEY, 123, M1 2AB, John Smith, Jane Smith; Jean Smith, 03/06/12, Mixed British, Y; Janno Smith, 27/09/18, White British, N
If any tickets remain after Thursday, booking will open to everyone from 9am on Friday 22nd August. This activity is for SEND families in the Manchester City Council area. Find more event information on MPCF’s website.
Stay and Play - NEW!
Join MPCF and Martenscroft Children’s Centre for a morning of free fun for families of children with additional needs or disabilities aged 0-5 years living in the city of Manchester. It’s on Friday 22nd August, 10-11.30am. There’ll be loads to do, including outdoor play (weather permitting), art activities, bubbles, tactile and messy play, as well as healthy snacks. Young siblings (aged 0-5) without SEND are also welcome to join. Find out more and book.
The next free relaxed cinema showing with Manchester Parent Carer Forum is Saturday 30th August, 11am to 1pm at GRUB, 50 Red Bank, Cheetham Hill, M4 4HF. The film is ‘Lilo and Stitch’, rated U. Siblings without SEND are welcome to join this SEND-friendly screening where guests can get free popcorn. This activity is for SEND families living in the Manchester City Council area. Book through Eventbrite.
Sensory rooms
There are still some free places in the sensory rooms at Redbank House and Benchill Community Centre. Slots are available weekdays up until Friday 29th August, excluding the Bank Holiday:
Redbank House - 4 St.Chad’s Street, Cheetham Hill, M8 8QA, call 0161 214 5959 to book.
Benchill Community Centre, Benchill Road, Wythenshawe, M22 8EJ. Drop in to the centre or call 0161 946 9520 to book. Please note: the sensory room does not currently have a waterbed.
Saturday cycling for 11-16s
The free weekly cycling sessions for the city’s 11-16s with SEND or emotional and mental health needs continue over the holidays and into the new term. They’re every Saturday 11am-3pm, 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 Saturday rides but need to be competent riders. Contact Roger Newell at MANCCYCLES for more information and to book places – info@manccycles.co.uk, 07970 922132.
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Fun on the doorstep
Parktastic is a summer-long celebration of play, popping up in parks across North, Central and South Manchester. It’s all about giving kids the chance to get stuck into free, drop-in fun right on their doorstep. There are still sessions until the end of the holidays – find ones near you.
Sand play
Great Northern Warehouse’s summer giant sandpit is open until Sunday 31st August. With 50 tonnes of sand, wooden logs to sit on and buckets and spades, it’s a free fun space for kids to play while parents relax.
Loads to do
Check out Loads To Do for what's going on in your local area and across the city for the rest of the holidays. There's still plenty on offer across parks, sports, libraries, galleries and more to keep you and your family entertained without breaking the bank. To find cheap places to eat whilst you're out, see Money Saving Central.
End of summer special
Not quite ready for the end of the holidays? Central Library has a special end-of-summer extravaganza on Sunday 31st August, 12 noon-4pm. Join interactive storytelling sessions, make personalised pencil cases and bags ready for the new term, and much more. Free entry – just drop in.
Deaf Centre sessions
The Children and Young People’s Service at Manchester Deaf Centre offers a range of events and activities for d/Deaf children and their families. Check out Eventbrite for what’s coming up in September. Bookings open on Monday 25th August or the Deaflympics Family Fun Day. Here’s a BSL version on You Tube.
Get clubbing
Manchester Libraries offer a range of free clubs. They’re open to all ages and abilities - no need to book, just drop in:
- Monthly Lego Club at Central Library - Pick your favourite bricks and build anything that takes your fancy. Suitable for ages 4 and above. The next clubs are Wednesday 27th August, 2.30pm-3.30pm and Saturday 6th September, 2-3pm.
- New chess club at North City Library - Tuesdays 3-4pm. Also clubs at Abraham Moss Library, Tuesdays 3-5pm and Beswick Library, Thursdays 3-5pm (term time only). Read the blog about the recent chess tournament at Beswick Library.
- Chess Club at Central Library - Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4.30-7pm, Ground Floor, left of café, plus a weekly Board Games Club on Wednesdays, 5-7pm in the same location.
- New Manga Appreciation Club at Central Library - Share your passion, meet new people and join themed activities. Meeting on Friday 15th September, 2-3.30pm on the Lower Ground Floor.
Contact Central Library and individual libraries for more information and to find out what else they have on offer. There are clubs across the city!
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Our next drop in is on Wednesday 10th September, 10am-12pm at Woodhouse Park Lifestyle Centre, Portway, Wythenshawe M22 1QW. 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. Your children don’t need to have a diagnosis. All welcome – including professionals. Look out for the drop in bulletin!
Future drop ins, 10am-12pm
Wednesday 15th October – Moss Side Powerhouse
Wednesday 12th November – Manchester Youth Zone, Harpurhey
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The charity Contact have put together a back-to-school checklist for the academic year 2025/26. It covers everything from education support plans to transport, medical needs and sensory support.
They also have ‘Help with education costs’ to make sure your children are getting the support they’re eligible for. You’ll find information on free school meals, uniform, school transport, the 16-19 bursary and the Disabled Students’ Allowance.
Is your child changing schools?
Here are some tried and tested tips from Contact, prepared by a special educational needs teacher and a group of parents. They're to help parents and children navigate changes of school, from junior to secondary, say, or if you've moved to another area. It includes a podcast on helping your disabled child make the move to secondary school.
Young people
Our work and training section for young people in our Local Offer SEND Information Hub has information on:
- Work and training opportunities
- Supported internships
- Apprenticeships
- Funding and financial support
- Resources and support
- Volunteering
To get regular skills and training opportunities in Manchester, go to Manchester City Council's bulletin sign up and select Work and Skills. It is a number of bulletins in one, including an edition for young people.
Parent carer sessions
Brighter Beginnings
Contact’s Brighter Beginnings are free online workshops for families with disabled children aged 5 and under. Topics include social communication skills, behaviour and toilet training. See what’s coming up.
Autizma workshops
Are you a parent or carer of an autistic child or adult, living in the Manchester City Council area? Autizma is delivering a free one-off online training session, ‘Unlocking Strengths – Autism & Neurodiversity Training for Families’, offered on three different dates and supported by funding from Manchester Adult Social Care. They’re 10am-2pm each time via Zoom on Monday 23rd September, Tuesday 22nd October and Wednesday 19th November. If you can’t attend live, register anyway as sessions will be recorded and sent to you. Find out more and book your place.
Social Communication Pathway sessions
The Social Communication Pathway in Manchester offers free workshops for parents/carers whose children are either on the waiting list for assessment or have had a formal diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Condition from Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust. Check out Manchester Parent Carer Forum’s website for in-person sessions coming up in the next few months.
Adult learning
The new academic year starts soon, and Manchester Adult Education Service (MAES) has a programme of free courses for city residents age 19+. If you’re disabled or neurodivergent, there’s a Learning Support team who can provide a learning plan that works for you. Support could include adjustments in class and for exams, additional learning support and assistive technology. September Enrolment takes place from Tuesday 2nd to Thursday 11th September. Here's information on financial support and other sources of help while you are studying.
See the MAES website for courses and to book your enrolment appointment – or contact your local centre if you would like to speak to someone.
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Autumn vaccines
The beginning of September marks the start of the annual flu vaccination programme, starting with children and pregnant women. Carers and older adults will receive their vaccinations from October 2025 onwards. Find out more about flu vaccines for disabled children.
Immunocompromised children aged six months and over in the UK will continue to be eligible for a Covid booster vaccine this autumn. Children aged over six months with chronic health conditions like epilepsy, diabetes, asthma and heart disease won’t be offered the vaccine unless they are also immunocompromised.
Sibs support
Sibs are running two free 30-minute sessions for schools at 10-10.30am Monday 29th September and Monday 24th November, to provide information about their work and how school staff can support siblings of disabled children in their care. With access to resource packs, research and some key tips, it’s the perfect introduction. Book your place. See what other training Sibs offers.
Are you an adult who has grown up with a disabled brother or sister?
Would you like to meet others who just ‘get’ what life as a sibling is like? Sibs has a support group covering the Manchester area, as well as a UK-wide autism group. You are very welcome to join, whatever your circumstances or level of involvement with your brother/sister’s care.
Call for carers
The Carers Manchester South team are looking to hear from unpaid carers in the south of the city. They want to see what matters most to carers and identify any unmet needs or gaps in services. This will help shape support offered by the team locally, as well as being fed back to the council. Here’s the questionnaire. For any help with it, please contact Hannah Evans info@manchestercarersforum.org.uk.
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The UK Emergency Alert System will be tested on Sunday 7th September at 3pm. This means your mobile phone or tablet may make a loud siren-like sound – even if it’s set on silent – as well as vibrating. The will last for about 10 seconds. If you have a vision or hearing impairment, audio and vibration attention signals will let you know you have an emergency alert if accessibility notifications have been enabled. It is possible to opt out of the alert test which might be useful in some circumstances.
The Emergency Alert Test is important in testing the system’s capabilities. It also lets us know what an emergency alert test looks and sounds like in case we receive an alert about a genuine emergency, like severe flooding or extreme storms.
If you would like to get our newsletters, find out how to sign up
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