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Thursday 4 December 2025
Welcome from SEND Family Voice Torbay
Everyone at SEND Family Voice wishes you and your family a joyful festive season!
As we head into the new year, there’s lots of work ahead linked to Torbay’s SEND Priority Impact Plan – and your lived experience is at the heart of making real improvements.
Now is the perfect time to join us. It can be an empowering way to influence change, connect with other parent carers and help shape better SEND services. We’ve got exciting events planned for early 2026, so it's a great time to get involved in a way that works for you.
Recently, we’ve been working closely with parent carer forums in Devon and Plymouth alongside NHS Devon as they plan future children’s community health services, including autism assessments. These groups include CAMHS, community nursing, paediatrics and therapy services.
Your views will help shape these plans – please complete the short survey.
You can also call us on 07554 040107 or email admin@familyvoicetorbay.org.
SEND Local Area Improvement Partnership (SLAIP) Board meeting
Alison Hurley, Chair of the SLAIP board, gives an update following the board’s October meeting.
The Board works to improve SEND services across Torbay.
Strengthening inclusion in Torbay schools
We’ve recently secured funding to improve support for children and young people with SEND.
We’re using this funding to work with the Special Partnership Trust (SPT), an experienced team who have successfully supported schools to create inclusive environments where every child feels they belong and can thrive.
What does this mean for my child?
The outreach programme, known as Belonging by Design, is designed to help schools strengthen the support they provide – especially to neurodiverse children. The aim is to make sure staff have the confidence, knowledge, and tools to meet pupils’ needs effectively.
How will schools be supported?
Schools will receive practical, tailored help, which may include:
- Coaching and mentoring for staff to build confidence and expertise.
- Training sessions on strategies for supporting children with SEND.
- Joint planning and reflection to make improvements sustainable.
This work will start soon and continue through the spring and summer terms.
Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP) - new format now live
The new co-designed EHCP format launched last month.
This new format will apply to new plans and general amendments during this first year, as part of a phased change.
The council’s SEND team want to thank all partners involved in the co-design process and to participation colleagues for ensuring young people’s voices were heard throughout.
The Local Offer has been updated with the new paperwork.
Book your child's holiday club place
There are still places left on Torbay Council’s Healthy Holidays clubs.
The sessions are a great opportunity for kids to stay active, learn skills and make new friends. All who attend receive a nutritious meal.
There are two clubs dedicated to special educational needs and disabilities provision (SEND).
School-aged children on benefits-related free school meals are eligible for the Healthy Holidays clubs, which take place at locations across Torquay, Paignton and Brixham during the Christmas holidays.
There are also some paid activities for children who are not eligible for the free sessions.
 Book a quieter ice rink session
We’re excited to announce that Torbay’s much-anticipated festive ice rink will include some SEND-friendly sessions.
The quiet sessions will have no music and no flashing lights.
There are currently two sessions but more may be added if there’s demand.
The ice rink is the newest addition to Torbay's festive offering, which also includes the 1.5 mile fully-accessible Bay of Lights illumination trail and Torre Abbey's Christmas market.
Stay healthy this winter
Has your child had their free flu nasal spray?
The flu virus changes annually, so it’s important to get a new vaccination each year to stay protected. Even if they catch the flu this winter, having the spray can help make their symptoms milder and help them get better faster.
All children from reception class up to year 11 can have the vaccine. If your child has missed this at school, is home educated, or feels nervous about getting the vaccine, you can book an appointment at a community clinic instead. Call 01392 342678.
Find out more about staying well this winter
Win a set of large Mood Bears!
Fancy a large bundle which includes five Mood Bears – Hope, Happy, Love, Nervous, and Calm?
Mood Bears are believed to promote emotional well-being and resilience and encourage empathy and inclusion.
They’re made with soft, high-quality materials and can help to support conversations around mental health.
To enter, email annette.solomon@torbay.gov.uk with:
- Your name
- Email address
- Contact number
- Where you live
- Quote code when entering: SENComp1
The deadline is Thursday 11 December.
Winners will be announced on Friday 12 December.
 Lumi Nova - what's it all about?
You may have seen reports on BBC Spotlight recently about a new app called Lumi Nova.
Lumi Nova supports children to build confidence and learn lifelong skills to manage their fears and worries through an intergalactic adventure game.
It’s been used by more than 1,100 children in Devon and more than 90% saw their condition reliably improve or stabilise after using it.
Lumi Nova is available to families in partnership with Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD).
Powered by science and backed by the NHS, Lumi Nova is:
- Designed for children aged 7-12 years
- Suitable for children with mild to moderate fears and worries
- Safe and secure
- Recommended by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
In particular, children with SEND have seen significant improvements after using the service – 97% experienced reliable improvement or saw their condition stabilise.
More than 2 in 5 (45%) children who accessed the platform in Devon were boys. Of boys using it in the county, 93% showed reliable improvement.
 Young advisor interviews
One of CFHD’s young advisors, Cal, has recently been finding out more about what the organisation and its people do and what they enjoy about their roles.
 Kate Smith, from the Early Years team
Early Years team - meet Kate
My name is Kate Smith, and I am a home learning environment outreach development worker.
I support parents in the home using simple strategies that show the importance of chatting, playing and reading with children to support their learning and development.
I am also an accredited PEEP practitioner. PEEP groups are for parents and their young children. I run groups for families to attend together. They support parents to understand it’s the little things they do with their children that make the biggest difference.
Youth Mental Health Foundation
Need help supporting a child struggling with their emotions, behaviour or mental health?
A free coaching session takes place in the new year for parents and carers living in or sending their child to school in Torbay.
There are two information sessions for interested parents and carers on Tuesday 13 and Wednesday 14 January.
Deaf Choices UK
This Totnes-based charity supports families of deaf/hearing impaired children.
Its newest resource, Nan in Van, is focused on using cued speech in literacy – the organisation has seen great progress from pupils already using it.
Deaf Choices UK can support schools and families in the use of cued speech as a communication system or as a literacy approach.
Call 01803 712853 or email catherinerusbridge@deafchoicesuk.com to learn more.
Young Devon
Young Devon supports young people across Torbay, Devon and Plymouth, running post-16 courses, helping with housing and supporting emotional wellbeing.
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