This month, Sefton has been celebrating the voices of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) through a series of events, including the SEND Youth Conferences. These events underscore the Council’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that the voices of SEND children and families are at the heart of the work being done to improve services across the borough.

The SEND Youth Conference held annually is a unique platform for children to share their thoughts on a range of topics impacting their health, wellbeing, and access to services. One of the key sessions focused on the SEND Strategy to ensure that future plans for SEND children in Sefton are shaped by their voices and experiences. This collaboration between children, families, and professionals is pivotal in creating services that truly make a difference.

Cllr Diane Roscoe, Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Families said:

“The events held over the last few weeks have really shone a spotlight on our SEND children and young people and given them a chance to have their voice heard in bespoke sessions,”

“It is really important to us to make sure that the work we do is always informed by the views of parents, carers, young people, and all the professionals who work with children. Here in Sefton, children are at the heart of everything we do, and events like this give space for the unique perspective of SEND children to be heard.”

As always, the sessions weren’t all about strategies and policies, a number of professionals had the opportunity to mingle with young people, chatting to them about their next steps into adulthood and the support on offer to make that transition.