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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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Wednesday 16th September, 10am-12pm
Cornerstone United Reformed Church, Burnage - NEW VENUE!
See you tomorrow at the Cornerstone United Reformed Church, corner of Parrs Wood Road / Fog Lane, Burnage, M20 6EE. For full details on the venue, see our latest drop in bulletin.
FUTURE DROP INS, 10am-12pm:
Wednesday 14th October, Manchester Youth Zone, Harpurhey – including Health Transition to Adulthood stalls
Wednesday 11th November, Wythenshaw Forum, Wythenshawe - NEW VENUE!
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Cool to be you
(All ages) Cool to be You Game Day is an inclusive free get-together with parents/carers and children and young people with SEND who live in the Manchester City Council area. Enjoy games, books and snacks in the company of people of all neurotypes. The next date of this regular event with Manchester Parent Carer Forum is Thursday 8th October, 4.30-6.30pm at the North Star Centre, City View House, 5 Union Street, Ardwick, M12 4JD. Book here.
DATE FOR YOU DIARY - The next Relaxed Cinema with Manchester Parent Carer Forum is on Saturday 26th September. More in the next newsletter and MPCF's Facebook page.
Free cycling
(11-16s) Have your 11-16s with SEND or emotional and mental health needs tried the free cycling? Sessions are every Saturday 11am-3pm, meeting at the Proctor 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. Part of the SEND Community Offer for young people living in the Manchester City Council area.
‘When my son started cycling with you, he was shy, uncomfortable being around others and struggling with mental health issues. Now he is much more confident and happier in himself.’
Half term bandaoke
(16-25) Join Billy and Andy’s Music School for a free afternoon of spooky singalongs! The next Bandaoke is Friday 30th October during the half term, 1.30-3.30pm at fully accessible venue, 53two Theatre, Arch 19, Watson St, M3 4LP. It's like karaoke but with a live band. Young people can perform their favourite songs in front of a friendly audience or just come along to listen to some awesome music. Families welcome too. Halloween costumes are optional - but there may be a prize for the best dressed!
Booking is easy using this form. If you prefer, you can email info@billyandandy.co.uk, saying which songs you/the young person would like to perform. You can also call 07429 826053 to book over the phone or talk through support needs. This activity is for disabled and/or neurodivergent young people aged 16-25 in the Manchester City Council area.
Forest School
Bright Futures Friends are running a free monthly Forest School at Wythenshawe Park. It’s a great opportunity to learn bushcraft and life skills and have fun in the outdoors. It’s for children aged 8+ with SEND in the Manchester City Council area. Adults to stay for the whole of the session. Upcoming dates:
- Sunday 11th October, 11-1pm
- Monday 2nd November, 4.30-6.30 pm
- Sunday 6th December, 11-1pm
Booking essential. Send a text to 07348 679363 with the date you would like and the name, date of birth and postcode of the child/ren. Texts will be replied to within a few days.
On the day, wear outdoor clothing and meet at Classroom 2, Outdoor Education Centre in the Horticultural Centre (off the main car park), Wythenshawe Park, M23 0AB. Part of the SEND Community Offer.
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Lego Club - NEW!
(7-11) There's a new After School Lego Brick Club with The Kids Charity for children aged 7-11 with SEND. These free sessions are every Monday (term time only) from 5-6pm at 422 Community Hub, Stockport Rd, Longsight, M12 4EX. Contact Kerry Hassanpour, manchesterkids@kids.org.uk, 0738 445 5628. Endorsed by The LEGO Foundation!
Manchester Libraries has a range of lego clubs and other clubs, like chess. See what’s coming up at Central Library or contact your local library to see what's on offer.
Artsy vibes
(All ages) Join Bold Vibes for an afternoon of drama, art and connection. Artsy Vibes is a relaxed, welcoming meet up designed for Greater Manchester children, young people and adults with profound and multiple learning disability (PMLD), alongside their families, carers, supporters and friends. It’s on Sunday 27th September, 2.15-4.45pm at HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN. Booking essential as places are limited - email hello@boldvibes.co.uk, including your name, number of adults and number of children/young people. Booking closes at 12 noon on Friday 18th September or earlier if all spaces are filled. HOME is fully accessible and has a Changing Places facility.
Relaxed concerts
Chetham's School of Music
(All ages) Chetham’s School of Music new season of free relaxed performances kicks off on Wednesday 7th October 2026 at 1.30pm. There’s no dress code, you don’t need to know Beethoven from Bach and you won’t be shushed by an usher. Concerts are held in the Stoller atrium at Stoller Hall, near Chetham’s School of Music, Hunts Bank, Manchester M3 1DA. There are more concerts on Wednesday 4th November and Wednesday 2nd December. Select your dates and book.
Halle ensemble - THIS WEEK!
(All ages) The Halle ensemble has relaxed 50 minutes concerts at Halle St Peters in Ancoats on Wednesday 16th September, 2.30pm and Thursday 17th September, 11am (designed for young families) and 1.30pm, £6.50 per ticket. Book your places.
Explore the Power Hall
(All ages) There’s a second round of free Sensory Sessions coming up in the Power Hall at the Science and Industry Museum, designed in partnership with families from Manchester Parent Carer Forum and Sense UK. They’re on Saturday 17th October, 2–4.30pm and Sunday 18th October, 10am–12.30pm. There will be activities and resources to help families explore the sights, smells, sounds and textures of the Power Hall and its stories, including engine demonstrations. Book tickets on the Power Hall webpage. (Find the ‘ACCESSIBLE RESOURCES AND EVENTS’ heading and click on the 'SENSORY SESSIONS' drop-down tab.) Here's accessibility at the museum.
Festival Garden Fair
(Various ages) The Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival Garden Fair returns to Manchester, bringing a weekend of free cultural performances, traditional arts and crafts, food and interactive activities to the city. It’s on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th September, 12-8pm at Chinatown Car Park, 41 Faulkner Street, Manchester M1 4EE. As part of the festival, there's a free event at Manchester Museum on the Saturday, 11am-6pm.
Medieval Faire
(All ages) Manchester’s Medieval Faire returns to Chetham’s Library in the city centre on Saturday 26th September, 11am-4pm. Entry is free – just show up at the gate. Find out more.
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We’re going through the biggest change to the SEND system since 2014. Get up to date with our SEND Reform special newsletter. It covers what has been going on nationally and locally and tells you about changes in health and social care too.
If you like more background and detail, see our SEND Reform updates on the Local Offer website.
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MPCF coffee morning
The next coffee morning with Manchester Parent Carer Forum (MPCF) is on Friday 16th October, 10am-12pm at Martenscroft Nursery and Sure Start Centre in Hulme, 33 Epping Street, M15 6PA. It’s an opportunity to meet and chat to fellow parents and carers of children and young people with SEND in a relaxed and friendly setting. Book through Eventbrite.
Q&A session
Meet the Educational Psychologists - an Informal Q&A Session on Thursday 8th October, 12-2pm at North Star Centre, City View House, 5 Union Street, Ardwick, M12 4JD. Audrey Johnson from One Education will answer questions from parents and carers about how the education system and processes work for children with SEND. Hosted by Manchester Parent Carer Forum. Book here.
Your health and well-being
Manchester Parent Carer Forum is working with Macc and the Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board to look at parental health and well-being and how NHS services can better engage with parents and carers of deaf, disabled and neurodivergent people. Please answer this short survey to help us understand what's important to your health and well-being and to share any messages you have for NHS Greater Manchester. At the end of the form, there’s an opportunity to enter your name into a raffle for £15 vouchers. Thank you!
Parent carer workshops
The Neurodevelopmental (ND) Needs Led service workshops are now open to all City of Manchester parents and carers. Your children don’t need to have a diagnosis or be on a waiting list. See what’s coming up.
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Energy advice
Energy prices in England will rise by 4% from 1st October. If you aren’t on a fixed tariff and your energy usage is higher than average, you will pay more. This is often the case for families with disabled children who face additional costs, such as running life-saving equipment or needing to keep the heating on for longer. The charity Contact has advice around energy costs.
Sibs support
Young brothers and sisters of disabled children and adults say how important it is for teachers to understand a little of what their homelife is like. Sibs charity are offering free 30-minute workshops for teaching staff during the autumn. They are also running the following courses – Open training for professionals and Sibs Talk – Primary School Interventions.
Sibs are offering free online Halloween arts sessions on Saturday 31st October for young siblings who are growing up with a disabled brother or sister. The session for ages 4-10 is almost full but there are places on the 11+ session. Sibs will post a box to your home containing everything you need.
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(Un)comfortable conversations
A new NSPCC guide, developed with Approachable Parenting, supports Muslim families in talking to children about difficult topics in a way that’s age-appropriate, culturally sensitive and supportive. Make uncomfortable conversations feel comfortable - download the guide in Arabic, Bengali, English and Urdu.
Research toolkit
Autism@Manchester at The University of Manchester has created a toolkit to encourage more people to get involved in research. It has four learning modules, covering research processes, taking part, understanding the findings and research co-production. It’s a free, online learning resource with no need to sign-up or login. Learn more.
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Better Bee Network
Extra night buses, new routes and more frequent services are being rolled out across the Bee Network. The first wave of improvements have been launched, with the remaining changes taking place in January to March 2027. Learn more.
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Free BSL tour
This Saturday there is a free British Sign Language (BSL) tour of Michaela Yearwood-Dan’s The Practice of Liberation, 2.15-3.15pm at The Whitworth. Whether you are a fluent BSL user or learning, this is a great event to engage with others in an entirely BSL environment.
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King's Trust support
The King’s Trust can help young people find their next steps – allowing them to explore their options, build confidence and find practical support to move towards a future that feels right for them. See what they offer and sign up to the newsletter.
Courses for creatives
Calling all future producers, technicians and arts professionals – explore Factory International’s free training programmes. Scroll down their Factory Academy information to the Upcoming courses section, then click on the individual courses to find out more.
Find more opportunities in Manchester City Council’s Work and Skills bulletin. Here's the latest edition, with a section just for young people. To get it regularly, sign up here.
If you would like to get our newsletters, find out how to sign up
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