SEND Families in Partnership Newsletter for October 2026 - supporting families with SEND
This edition includes:
A welcome from Gloucestershire Parent Carer Forum (GPCF). In this article, GPCF share the exciting news about their upcoming Annual SEND Information Fair, taking place on Monday, 8 February 2027, with further details being released over the coming months. The article also includes the dates of GPCF's Listen to Me sessions in October, along with training opportunities, and highlights a new section on their website, 'Have Your Say', where you can share your views on current consultations. Read the full article here.
Launch of the Annual SEND Surveys 2026. The SEND and Inclusion Partnership (SILAP) is pleased to launch the Annual SEND Surveys - one for Parent Carers of children and young people aged 0-25 and one for young people with SEND aged 16-25. Both surveys run from Monday, 5 October to Friday, 4 December 2026. To find out how you can take part in these surveys, read the full article here.
Inclusive activities for autumn. This article brings together SEND-friendly activities happening across the county, and just beyond, this autumn. It includes information on Gloucestershire's Youth Hubs, family fun days, half-term stay and plays and venues providing low-noise firework events for Bonfire Night, to name just a few. Read the full article here.
Updates on specialist and mainstream SEND provision in Gloucestershire. The SEND Sufficiency Team at Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) details updates in this article on the new SEND Sufficiency Strategy 2026-2031, the new special school - Gloucestershire Academy for Inspirational Learning (GAIL) - as well as the work around updating existing schools and settings. Read the full article here.
Support for managing family finances. In this article, we provide information on the Crisis and Resilience Fund, a three-year national programme funded by the Department for Work and Pensions and delivered locally by Gloucestershire County Council. The Fund provides support for people who are experiencing an unexpected financial crisis, such as difficulty affording food, fuel, essential household items, emergency living costs or housing-related costs. We also hear from the Severn Wye Energy Agency about the free advice they can provide to help you with managing your energy costs. Read the full article here.
We've been listening: improvements to SEND education Information on the Local Offer. This article provides an update on the work that has taken place over the past few months to improve the SEND education Information on the Local Offer, following feedback from Parent Carers about what education information they would find most helpful to be included. A big thank you is also extended to everyone who took the time to share their views. Read the full article here.
Supported internships for young people with SEND. Supported internships are a structured, work-based study programme for 16 to 24 year-olds with SEND who have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan. In this article, Jo, a Supported Internship Coordinator at Gloucestershire County Council explains how he works with young people with SEND across the county. Read the full article here.
News from the SEND and Inclusion Local Area Partnership. In this article you will find links to bulletins from across the Partnership, covering some of the latest news from Education, Health, Social Care and our partners in the voluntary and community sector. Read the full article here.
If you’re reading this newsletter for the first time, we hope you find it useful. If there is a change we should make; or if you would like something to be featured; or if you have any questions then please email us - familiesinpartnership@gloucestershire.gov.uk .
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