CAN Network News - Summer 2026
 Welcome to your Summer 2026 newsletter
We’ve brought together plenty of ideas to keep children and young people with additional needs busy during the summer holidays. In this issue:
- The Ability Hub is open
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Wokingham Libraries: Summer Reading Challenge, CAN Card offer and ASD Family help drop-in sessions
- Take part in Wokingham Borough’s SEND Survey for your chance to win an amazon voucher
- Reading Rep’s Summer on Stage SEN course
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Dino Takeover at Wellington Country Park (CAN card accepted)
- Local accessible activities and groups running during the summer holidays
- Is it time to renew your CAN card
- Useful contacts and CAN Network Information
As always, we’d love to hear your feedback and ideas – as well as about any clubs, groups or activities you’ve found that you think might interest our families and carers.
 Building for the Future's new Ability Hub
Building for the Future have lots going on this summer!
Ability Hub
They will be running their very first stay-and-play sessions in their new Ability Hub in Thames Valley Park this August.
This exciting new purpose-build space allows for even more play, with larger indoor and outdoor areas, soft and sensory play.
All sessions run from 10am to 12 noon, with dates in poster above.
Extreme Parenting
Jane Holmes, CEO of Building for the Future, has written Extreme Parenting, a book about raising her daughter Kitty, now 24, who has cerebral palsy. Part memoir, part call for change, the book offers an honest account of the realities faced by families raising disabled children in the UK. It is available on Amazon.
Let’s Take Care Podcast
Building for the Future also produce Let's Take Care, a podcast created by and for parent carers of disabled children. It shines a light on the realities of lifelong caring, while celebrating the extraordinary dedication of parent carers. Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other major podcast platforms.
Summer at Wokingham Borough libraries
Sign up at your local library to take part in this year's Summer Reading Challenge, which this year has the theme of Read to the Beat.
Children aged four to 11 can engage with books in this fun, free activity earn rewards and stickers. Those who read six books over the summer will receive a certificate and medal.
The challenge is accessible, as books can be read with support or alone, and children can choose any sort of library book they like: any type or reading level, fiction or non-fiction, picture books or graphic novels.
Activities for children are running alongside the challenge at libraries across Wokingham Borough, including:
- Get Arty
- Read to the Beat and Ready for School story times
- Lego Club
- Musical crafts
- Meet the guide dogs
- Sessions from Ignite Writing, Mini Maestros and Explore Learning
Please visit the Wokingham Borough libraries events page for more information.
Costs range from free to £2 per session and some require advance booking.
CAN Card holders receive free access to all children’s activities this summer. Please remember to bring the card to show the event’s organiser on the day.
ASD Family Help drop in sessions at Wokingham Libraries
ASD Family Help will be continuing their library drop-in sessions over the summer holidays:
- Lower Earley Library, third Monday of the month, 2pm to 4pm
- Wokingham Library, third Wednesday of the month, 1.30pm to 3pm
- Twyford Library, fourth Tuesday of the month, 10am to 12 noon
- Woodley Library, fourth Tuesday of the month, 2pm to 4pm
These sessions are a chance to meet up with liaison workers, who can answer questions, signpost to activities/events, and help find information on benefits and finances, socialising, health and wellbeing. Help with PIP/DLA forms is available by appointment.
ASD Family Help offer in-person, online or telephone one-to-one appointments, which can be booked here.
Take part the 2026 Wokingham Borough SEND survey
Have your say in SEND Voices Wokingham's Annual SEND Survey for a chance to win one of five £20 Amazon vouchers.
If you're a parent carer of a child or young person with any special educational need and/or disability in the Wokingham Borough, please complete this online survey.
SEND Voices say: 'We know life is busy, but your voice really matters. This year’s survey is especially important as it will set a baseline for measuring improvements following the recent Ofsted/CQC Area SEND Inspection & SEND Reform plans.'
The deadline to take part is Friday 31 July.
 Summer on Stage at Reading Rep Theatre
Summer On Stage SEN week at Reading Rep Theatre brings the magic of theatre into a safe and welcoming environment where everyone can feel comfortable and supported to express themselves through drama.
'Our aim is to build confidence and self-esteem, encourage creativity, and provide opportunities for everyone to showcase their talents on stage. Our experienced SEN theatre practitioners will be able to create the best possible course for those who sign up.'
This activity is tailored to children and young people, aged 12 to 18, with additional needs, including mild learning difficulties, autism and ADHD. If you are unsure whether your child is the right fit for this group please contact them directly at engage@readingrep.com
This runs from 3 to 7 August, between 10am and 4pm.
 Attention dinosaur fans!
Wellington Country Park are having a Dino Takeover from the 1 to 3 August.
Come face-to-face with life-sized dinosaurs and enjoy themed activities and live dinosaur shows running throughout the day.
Watch dinosaurs roam, learn fascinating facts and experience close encounters with prehistoric giants.
Wellington Country Park accept the CAN card for a free accompanying carer’s ticket throughout the 2026 season.
Further access details (including plans to reduce access to carers tickets from 2027) are available online.
 Activities and groups running during the holidays
Please click on the individual links below for details, dates and costs.
Active Play
Building for the Future - see article above about the new Ability Hub for details and dates.
Swings and Smiles in Thatcham run their family play sessions throughout school holidays, providing activities for children and young people aged 0 to 18 years old with a wide range of disabilities and special needs.
Thames Valley Adventure Playground will be open throughout the summer.
Camp Mohawk have family sessions throughout the holidays. Find out about registering and more here.
Sport Together Berkshire's Festival Of Inclusivity will be at Palmer Park on Thursday 23 July. More information, including booking here.
Send Active Play and Bounce sessions at Arborfield Green Leisure Centre.
Group Activities
Wiggly Worms (WBC residents only) is running through summer. A drop-in under 5s group for those with or identified as needing assessment for an ASD diagnosis. Thursdays 9.30am to 11am at Brambles Children’s Centre.
Together, One Step at a Time inclusive SEND community are running various groups and classes across the summer. Parent/carer must stay for all sessions. Spaces are still available for their:
- Wednesday Interoception Sessions in Lower Earley - see their events page for info, pricing and dates
- Karate Circuit Session in Shinfield (aged four and above), £10 per child – email for further info and booking
- Little Muddy Boots SEN session at Holme Grange Craft Village, 18 July at 11am – bookings via Little Muddy Boots classes webpage
Engine Shed Little Engines Early Years Group, free drop-in in Caversham: 6 and 20 July; 3, 10 and 17 August.
Trampolining
Oxygen Activeplay Reading, Jump In Slough, Jump In Camberley and AirHop Guildford are all continuing their SEN sessions throughout summer holidays.
Loddon Valley Leisure Centre is continuing its regular Tuesday morning disability swim and SEN soft play sessions.
Is it time to renew your CAN card?
If your card has expired, or is due to expire in the next six weeks, you can request a new card.
Since your last CAN card was issued the register has moved over to a new system, and we have updated the CAN card to a printed credit card-style photo ID.
This means that both new applications and CAN card renewals are now done online.
Visit the Children with Disabilities Register webpage to create an account and start your application.
At the bottom of the screen you will see two buttons. Choose the blue ‘register’ button (unless you have used the new platform before, in which case choose the grey one asking you to ‘sign in’).
You will be asked to upload a recent photo of your child and evidence of your child’s disability – this can be a scan or a photo.
Types of evidence accepted
- Letter from health professional clearly stating diagnosed disability
- Education, Health & Care plan where diagnosed disability has been identified in writing
If you any questions, or have difficulty or access needs around using the new online form please email us at the CAN Network.
Useful contacts
ASSIST (Autism Spectrum Service for Information Support and Training) is a family support service from Wokingham Borough Council, for those in the borough with a child or young person under 18 with an autism diagnosis or waiting for an assessment. Help with information, advice, guidance and signposting.
ASD Family Help Open to all autistic individuals or those with associated conditions. No diagnosis required. Regular parent and carer drop-in sessions. Fun activities for children and teenagers, social groups for adults and outings for the whole family. Practical help and advice.
Autism Berkshire Provide specialist services, training and social and leisure activities throughout Berkshire guided by a team of trustees and staff with personal and professional experience of autism. Providing information and advice through a helpline, events, workshops and newsletters; and running accessible social and leisure activities for children, adults and families.
FIRST The Family Intervention Resources and Support Team (FIRST) provides information, workshops and courses around sleep and distressed behaviour.
National Deaf Children's Society are sharing tips and advice for school holidays and activities. You can also book a free, friendly appointment for advice and support from Berkshire's local Community Connector, Rania Sammour, here.
Parenting Special Children Set up to help other parents/carers navigate the world of SEND. Empowering families whose children/young people are neurodivergent and/or have special needs and/or disabilities including early life trauma.
Promise Inclusion A local charity that supports people with learning disabilities and their carers. Weekly, term-time Youth Club for young people aged 13 to 19 with learning disabilities and/or autism. Activity clubs for siblings aged eight to 13 years old. Family liaison team offering emotional and practical support to carers; from support in meetings, to advice and information on benefits, form filling, housing, supported living, transition, education, mental capacity, power of attorney, deputyship and more. Monthly carers coffee/lunches, carers respite trips and information events.
SEND Voices Wokingham An independent parent carer forum. Set up to ensure that families and carers of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and disabilities in the Wokingham Borough, can have a voice and participate fully in the development of services.
Wokingham Carers Partnership A partnership of three commissioned local charities: Age UK Berkshire, Berkshire Youth and Promise Inclusion. Offering information, advice, and support to people throughout the borough who are caring for a child or adult family member, partner or friend.
Wokingham SENDIASS Free, confidential, impartial information, advice and support relating to all aspects of SEN and disabilities, including health, social care and personal budgets.
What is the CAN Network?
The CAN (Children with Additional Needs) Network provides an information and support service for families and carers of children and young people (aged up to 25) with additional needs and disabilities.
The CAN Network also maintains Wokingham Borough Council’s Children with Disabilities Register and CAN Card.
The Children with Disabilities Register is a voluntary, confidential list of information about children with diagnosed disabilities in Wokingham Borough.
The information shared with us is used anonymously to help plan and improve future services to meet the needs of local disabled children and young people.
Those eligible to join the Children with Disabilities Register can receive a free CAN card.
The CAN card is a photo ID card which can be used as proof of diagnosed disability. It's accepted by many local attractions as proof for concessions or free carer tickets.
Find out more about signing up to the register and receiving a CAN card here.
Get in touch
For support using our online application or for any other enquiries please email.
Disclaimer
By sharing information with you the CAN information network is not providing a recommendation or endorsement of a service/organisation.
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