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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.
 Early Years Panel: help for children under 5
If you’re a parent or carer and need some extra support for your child, our Early Years Panel might be able to help.
The panel is a group of professionals from different services who meet once a month. They look at how to help children under 5 who have, or might have special educational needs and disabilities.
As a parent, you can now send in a referral yourself to ask for support.
 PINS meetings for parents
PINS stands for Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools. It’s a national project that helps schools create better experiences for neurodivergent children.
30 primary schools in Wokingham Borough are taking part.
Find out more about PINS and see which schools are involved.
Meetings for parents and carers
Your views are an important part of the PINS project.
SEND Voices Wokingham (the local parent carer forum) is holding meetings at schools this half term so you can share your experiences and ideas.
Check the SEND Voices Wokingham website to find when and where meetings are happening.
If your child is at one of the participating schools and you can't make it to a meeting, you can join an online meeting instead.
 In-person meetings this term
If your child or young person has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), the SEND Team is holding face-to-face meetings this term.
Upcoming dates
- Tuesday 18 November
- Thursday 11 December
Location: Woodley Airfield Centre
These are a chance to talk through any queries about your child’s EHCP and the support they’re getting. You can also ask for an online meeting if you can't make it in person.
SENDIASS drop-in sessions
Wokingham SENDIASS offers free, confidential advice to all families with children and young people up to age 25 who have special educational needs and disabilities.
Every two weeks, they run drop-in sessions where you can speak to an advisor without needing to book ahead.
Find the upcoming drop-in dates on the SENDIASS website.
 New guide: options for after Year 11
We've just published a new guide about education options for young people aged 16 and over.
It explains options like sixth form, college, and work-based training and about support available for special educational needs and disabilities.
A big thank you to the council’s Young Experts, a group of young people who shared their thoughts and feedback on this guide.
We're continuing to improve the Preparing for adulthood section of the SEND Local Offer based on feedback from young people and families and we’ll share more updates in future newsletters.
If you've got thoughts or feedback, email us at localoffer@wokingham.gov.uk.
 Flu vaccines for children educated at home
The NHS Berkshire immunisation team is offering flu vaccines for children:
- aged 4 and 16
- who are home-educated or not currently attending school
Clinic details:
- Tuesday 2 December
- at Whitley Health and Social Services Centre, RG2 7PJ
Book an appointment using the online form.
When asked for a school code, use: BK999992
If you need more information or help, you can find the immunisation team's contact details on their website.
 Join the Additional Needs Inclusion Champions
This online group is for young people aged 8 to 25 with additional needs or a disability.
Why join?
- You can share your ideas about how to make support better for everyone
- It might work well for you if getting to face-to-face groups is tricky
- We’ll do an activity together while we meet online
You can join by filling out a quick form using the button below.
If you need some help or have a question, contact Jo from the council's participation team:
 Youth clubs for teenagers
Here are a few youth clubs in the local area for young people with additional needs to meet others, have fun and try new activities.
Explorers Extreme
A weekly club in Wokingham for young people aged 14 to 25. Each session focuses on socialising, with activities like art, drama, music and sports. The club also runs two trips away each year.
Find out more about Explorers Extreme.
The Chill Out and The Hang Out
Weekly clubs in Bracknell run by The Wayz Youth Club.
- The Chill Out is for ages 12 to 16
- The Hang Out is for ages 16 to 25
Both clubs focus on building social and life skills while having fun.
Find out more about The Chill Out and The Hang Out.
ASD Family Help: Teen Club
A monthly club in Wokingham for young people aged 12 to 18. Siblings can come too if there’s space. Young people can choose what they want to do, including games, pool, football table, air hockey, chatting, or relaxing.
Find out more about ASD Family Help - Teen Club.
TeenW&Rd
A monthly club in Wokingham for young people aged 13 to 19. Members meet, enjoy a takeaway together and plan and fundraise for the activities they want to do.
Find out more about TeenW&Rd.
More clubs and activities
Our Local Offer Directory has lots more clubs and activities for children, teens, and young adults with different interests.
Need help finding the right one? Email us at localoffer@wokingham.gov.uk
 Courses to support families
Wokingham SENDIASS and SEND Voices Wokingham work together to offer free courses for parents. Upcoming courses include:
- Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs): for those new to the process
- Preparing for adulthood
You can find the course dates on the SEND Voices Wokingham website.
Resilience and anxiety courses
Our council's Adult Education Service offers courses to help families with topics like building resilience and managing anxiety. This autumn, the courses include:
 Keeping children safe online
The online world is full of positive opportunities for children with special educational needs and disabilities, but they can also face challenges. They might spend more time online, be more trusting, or find it harder to spot extreme or radical views.
Prevent is a national safeguarding programme. It helps protect children and young people from being influenced by radical or extreme ideas, especially online and on social media.
How to help at home
- Talk openly about online safety and encourage your child to speak up if something feels wrong
- Use parental controls and monitor apps, games, and social media
- Watch for changes in behaviour, extreme views, or signs of withdrawal
- Build digital resilience by teaching critical thinking and promoting positive online communities
The NSPCC has more advice about starting family conversations about online safety.
Get support
If you're worried about someone, you can:
Together, we can help children enjoy all the benefits of the online world safely.
 Artwork created by Quacky, a member of ASSIST clubs
Celebrating the talents of autistic children
ASSIST is celebrating 20 years of supporting families in Wokingham Borough by creating a special book.
The book will feature short pieces that showcase the talents and perspectives of autistic children and young people.
All autistic children and young people in the borough are invited to take part, including anyone waiting for an assessment.
You can share pieces like:
- A story, poem or joke
- Something about your joyful interest or talent
- A drawing, photo or craft
- A favourite recipe with a photo
To get involved, email assist@wokingham.gov.uk
Find out more about how ASSIST supports families on the SEND Local Offer.
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