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News from the SEND and Inclusion Local Area Partnership
Published
Here are some news bulletins and further links to the latest developments from across Gloucestershire's SEND and Inclusion Local Area Partnership, covering Education, Health, Social Care services along with partners in the voluntary and community sector.
Free child bus travel this month
The UK Government has announced that all children aged 5–15 will be able to travel free on participating local bus services throughout August 2026 as part of a summer holiday cost of living support scheme. Although participation in the scheme is voluntary, almost all Gloucestershire bus operators have signed up to take part, with only one operator opting out. We also welcome the Department for Transport's decision to include Robin Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) services within the offer.
For more information, please see the announcement from Gloucestershire County Council.
Healthwatch reports published - with a thank you to readers of this newsletter
Healthwatch Gloucestershire publishes two new reports highlighting the experiences of children, young people and families, first featured in Families in Partnership last year.
“Growing Up Today: Digital Habits, Physical Activity and Vaping – Unpacking Their Impact on Mental Health in Gloucestershire Youth,” shares what young people told Healthwatch about the factors that influence their mental health and wellbeing. Through survey responses and conversations with young people, the report highlights the impact of social media, physical activity, vaping, and access to support, alongside recommendations to help improve outcomes for young people.
“Understanding the Gendered Experiences of Young People with Autism and ADHD,” explores the experiences of young women and gender-diverse young people aged 11–25. Participants shared their experiences of assessment and diagnosis, accessing support, waiting for services, education, and mental health. The report highlights opportunities to improve understanding, earlier identification and support for neurodivergent young people.
Healthwatch extends a sincere thank you to all who shared their experiences and helped shape these reports. These insights are invaluable in helping ensure that the voices of children, young people and families are heard and used to influence local services and support.
SILAP board meeting summary from June 2026
For 2026, the SEND and Inclusion Local Area Partnership (SILAP) board have been keen to give updates on their meetings.
SILAP met in mid-June again to discuss how, as a partnership, we can better support children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and their families.
At this meeting, Parent Carer representatives, education, health and care leaders came together to review progress and discuss the next steps in improving support for children and young people with SEND across Gloucestershire. The overall message was positive, with partners working together on the new SEND Reforms, published in February, to create a system that is more inclusive, easier to access and focused on helping children and young people thrive.
There was a key discussion focused on Gloucestershire's SEND Reform Implementation Plan, which has now been approved ahead of submission to the Department for Education on 19 June 2026. The plan sets out a three-year vision and a detailed delivery programme for the year ahead. Its aim is to ensure children and young people receive help earlier, mainstream school inclusion is strengthened, and there is a reduction in the need for families to navigate complex statutory processes before support is available.
As part of these reforms, plans are being developed to increase both specialist provision and inclusive support within and to mainstream education settings. Current proposals include around 80 additional specialist places and 480 new mainstream inclusion places on mainstream sites from 2027, helping ensure there is sufficient support available as demand grows.
Partners also discussed the new ‘Experts at Hand’ model, which start to roll out from September 2026. This new approach will bring together professionals, such as educational psychologists, speech and language therapists, specialist teachers, and outreach staff to work more closely with education settings. The aim is to provide advice, guidance and targeted support to children earlier, helping children and young people access the right support when they need it.
There was also positive news from Young Minds Matter, which currently works with more than 170 schools to provide early mental health support. Plans are in place to extend the service to all schools by 2028.
The partnership reaffirmed its commitment to listening to children, young people and Parent Carers, ensuring that their experiences and feedback continue to shape future services. Together, these developments represent important steps towards a more inclusive and responsive SEND system for everyone.
To find out more about the SILAP board, who’s involved and what are they doing for you, please visit Gloucestershire’s Local Offer, Support for Families with SEND.
Partners
- Our SEND Local Offer Information Navigators are working with community partners across to county and supporting SEND families to have your say at events in Gloucestershire over the holidays
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Travel through time and earn free rewards with The Library Challenge 2026
Health
Education
Social care
For further updates, please visit Gloucestershire’s Local Offer, Support for Families with SEND.