Wokingham Borough Connect
Alongside our SEND Local Offer webpages and our Local Offer Directory, this half-termly newsletter brings news and updates about what's on offer locally for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), directly to your inbox.
This issue includes:
- An update from Jamie Conran, Head of SEND
- An opportunity for young people to become mental health champions
- Details of upcoming drop-ins, courses and events
 Update from Jamie, Head of SEND
I hope the new year has got off to a good start for you.
In the last edition of the SEND Local Offer newsletter, I explained we were expanding our SEND Team and have been recruiting additional staff. The SEND Service page on the Local Offer has more details about our new SEND Team structure and way of working.
We have been really pleased to welcome new, permanent staff over the past few weeks. This includes a SEND Senior Case Manager, Complex Case Practitioners, and SEND Casework Practitioners. They are completing lots of training and we kindly ask that you bear with us as they get to know Wokingham Borough and find their feet in their new roles.
We have several online and in-person events planned over the next few months, giving you a chance to get to know some of the new faces in our service (more details below)!
Please do add these dates to your diary and we'll continue to keep you posted through this newsletter, as well as through SEND Voices Wokingham, the parent carer forum for the borough.
I am also delighted that we now have more than 1,000 subscribers to this newsletter! We will continue to promote this widely to reach more families, and have also included a survey below so you can share with us what you find helpful and where we can improve further.
 SEND Service upcoming events
Meet the SEND Team
We'd like to invite families to hear about our new structure and way of working and meet some of the new staff in our team.
We will be at the Wokingham Youth Centre on Friday 28 February, from 10.30am to 12.30pm. SEND Voices Wokingham will also be there to offer refreshments and chat with those attending. Look out for the flyer on the SEND Voices website for more details.
SENDIASS will also be holding their drop-in session during this time, where families can speak with an advisor for guidance and support.
Online sessions for children moving schools or into post-16 settings
If your child has an EHCP and will be moving into Reception, Year 7 or post-16 education in September 2026, we'd like to invite you to an online information and Q&A session.
These sessions will provide a step-by-step guide to the phase transfer process, so that you feel well informed about your child’s move to a new phase of education.
- Phase transfer to Reception and Year 7: Thursday 6 May, 10am to 11am or 7pm to 8pm
- Phase transfer to post-16 settings: Thursday 22 May, 10am to 11am or 7pm to 8pm
We will send out more information and booking details in the next Local Offer newsletter.
 Preparing for adulthood event is returning
In June last year, more than 70 young people and their families attended our market stall event to support with preparing for adulthood, and this year we are aiming to go bigger and better!
Like last year, this event will bring together a range of information and local support services, to support young people with SEND to explore their post-16 options.
It will take place early on in the summer term and is aimed at young people aged 13 and above and their families. We will send out more information and booking details in the next Local Offer newsletter.
 Share your views on this newsletter
We now have more than 1,000 subscribers to this newsletter! We want to make sure our content is relevant and helpful to you and would welcome your feedback.
We'd be grateful if you could complete this two minute, anonymous survey to tell us what works well and where we could improve further.
 Artwork created by a member of ASSIST clubs
Join ASSIST for their event: Autistic and proud
Wokingham Borough Council's ASSIST team (Autism Spectrum Service for Information Support and Training) would like to invite families, friends and colleagues to join them for their event: Autistic and proud.
The event will feature presentations from young people and adults living in the borough, alongside autistic speaker and trainer Dean Beadle.
It takes place on Friday 7 February in the Council Chamber of Wokingham Borough Council Offices (RG40 1BN).
There is a choice two of sessions: 10.15am to 12.15pm or 1.15pm to 2.30pm.
To book, email assist@wokingham.gov.uk by 9am on Thursday 6 February, asking for the morning or afternoon session.
How the ASSIST team can help
ASSIST provides information, support and training to families both before and after an autism diagnosis.
Find out more about ASSIST on the Local Offer.
Local charity Me2 Club have an exciting opportunity to expand their Young Mental Health Champions group.
This opportunity is open to those with additional needs and disabilities, aged between 10 and 20 years old, who live in Wokingham Borough or Reading Borough. Children and young people do not need a diagnosis to be involved.
The Young Mental Health Champions receive training and support to look after their mental health. They have helped the Reading Mental Health Support Team to make their website more accessible, spoken at council meetings in Reading and Wokingham and been out for pizza with the Children’s Director in Wokingham!
The group meets monthly in Woodley on Tuesday evenings where they enjoy a takeaway and chat with staff and other young people.
Call (0118) 969 6369 or send then an email to find out more, or to find out how else Me2 Club might be able to support your child or young person.
 NHS early language and communication workshops
If you feel your pre-school child could benefit from some extra support with their early speech and language skills, NHS Berkshire Healthcare's Early Years Team are hosting online workshops throughout February.
The free workshops are designed for parents and carers, as well as those working in early years settings.
Sign up on the NHS Berkshire Healthcare website.
Advice line
You can also call the team's advice line if you would like some guidance about your pre-school child's communication.
The speech and language therapists can be reached at (0118) 904 3700 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9am to 3.30pm
 Update from SEND Voices Wokingham
SEND Voices Wokingham is the independent parent carer forum for Wokingham Borough. It gives families a voice and opportunities to participate in developing local SEND services.
Over the spring term, they are running a number of free events for parents and carers, including SENDIASS training courses on:
- The EHCP process for those who are new to the process
- SEND support in school
- Preparing for adulthood
They will also be adding dates for a Meet the SEND Team and a Zoom update with Wokingham Borough Council and Health on local SEND improvement work.
More details about these events and how you can get involved can be found on the SEND Voices Wokingham website.
 Mental health education and courses for over 18s
Wokingham Recovery College offers free mental health and wellbeing courses and support groups for adults living and working in Wokingham Borough.
They are running a number of courses throughout February, including:
- Managing Anxiety
- Managing Low Mood
- Art for Wellbeing
Find out more in their February newsletter.
You can also book a one-to-one meeting with a member of staff to explore how the college can best offer support.
To find out more about these one-to-one meetings, or to make an appointment with a member of the team, get in touch by calling (0118) 237 9366 or email the Wokingham Recovery College.
 Workshops for parents from ASD Family Help
Local charity ASD Family Help are running two free workshops to offer advice and support to parents.
Communication and conflict resolution
This workshop looks at communication from a neurodivergent point of view and strategies for resolving conflict.
The workshop will cover topics such as:
- Where conflict can arise from
- How neurodiversity can shape relationship needs
- How to use solution focused conversations to find ways forward
It will take place on Wednesday 5 February, 10am to 12pm at the FBC Centre in Finchampstead. Booking information can be found on EventBrite.
Disability Living Allowance explained
This workshop provides an overview of Disability Living Allowance for children and Personal Independence Payments for adults. It will cover the eligibility criteria and application process.
It will take place on Wednesday 5 March, 12.30pm to 2.30pm at the Bradbury Centre in Wokingham. Booking information can be found on EventBrite.
 What's on for children and young people?
Breakout space for neurodivergent visitors at Reading Museum
Reading Museum offers a weekly breakout space every Saturday, from 10am to 5pm, aimed at neurodivergent visitors and their families. The area includes tents, cushions and sensory toys. Families can enjoy exploring the galleries using sensory bags, then take time out to relax before continuing their visit. Siblings, families, carers and friends are all welcome.
Find out more on Reading Museum's website.
Accessible for Everyone sessions at Coral Reef Waterworld
Coral Reef Waterworld in Bracknell offer sessions exclusively for customers with disabilities, their families, carers and friends to enjoy the swimming pools and waterslides.
These sessions run monthly, with an additional session running during half-term on Wednesday 19 February, from 8am to 9.30am. Booking information can be found on the Coral Reef Waterworld website.
Explorers Extreme: Youth club for young people with additional needs
Explorers Extreme is a club for young people aged 14 to 25. They welcome new members up to the age of 18 and meet every Thursday, from 7.30pm to 9.30pm at the Wokingham Youth Centre. Each session is focused on social interaction and there are a range of activities across the weeks, including art, drama, music and sports. The club also offers two trips away each year.
Find out more on the Explorers Extreme directory listing.
Find more clubs and activities
Our Local Offer Directory also has lots more clubs for children, teenagers and young adults covering different interests.
If you'd like some help to find what you need, get in touch at localoffer@wokingham.gov.uk
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