Wishing you a Merry Christmas and season's greetings from Claudia, Laura and Louis in the Hertfordshire SEND Local Offer team. Our Supported Intern Louis, designed this festive image on his iPad to share with you all.
Louis also went to the pantomime at the Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage last week and wanted to share his experiences, and let you know about their accessible performances, too: My 2024 Panto experience
In this issue:
A merry and inclusive Christmas for EVERYONE (all ages)
The festive season should be fun for everyone but not all children and young people will find the Christmas period easy. We're revisiting a list we put together last year of different websites and resources with advice on how you can make sure that everyone you're sharing Christmas with is included:
Making Christmas fun for those with autism
Christmas is a time of joy and celebration, but can be difficult for some autistic people. Here, the National Autistic Society explain some of the reasons why, and offer some autism-friendly Christmas tips.
Making Christmas accessible for those with a visual impairment
This article from SCOPE has some great suggestions for making Christmas more accessible for those with a visual impairment.
Making Christmas Deaf friendly
The National Deaf Children's Society have put together some top tips to help you make deaf children and young people feel included at Christmas time. You may want to share these with family and friends, or anyone who’ll be spending time with your child during the festive season.
Buying Christmas gifts
Fledglings is a not-for-profit shop selling essential aids for children and adults with a disability. Take a look at their selection of Christmas gifts for under £25.
Watch the recording of the 'Enhancing Inclusive Mainstream Schools and increasing Specialist Provision' webinar
If you missed our webinar earlier this month on 'Enhancing inclusive mainstream schools and increasing Specialist Provision', you can now watch a recording of it. Hear from leaders at the council as they talk about what we're doing to increase the number of special school places in Hertfordshire, and how we're enhancing inclusive mainstream schools so that children with SEND have the right education, in the right place at the right time.
Watch the 'Enhancing Inclusive Mainstream Schools and Increasing Specialist Provision' webinar on YouTube (25 mins)
Amplifying young people's voices in the SEND social media takeover
Last Tuesday, 3 December, to mark ‘International Day of Persons with Disabilities’ we invited children and young people with SEND to share what is important for us to know about them, what they think, feel and experience, and let us know their views and ideas. 
We handed our social media platforms over to our Experts by Experience (young people with SEND) Katie, CJ, Dom and James. They hosted live Q&A's with SEND leaders from the council and health and shared poems, photos, and videos created by children and young people with SEND.
We'd like to say a big thank you to all who got involved and shared their 'this is me' stories. Feedback from young people gathered over the day was presented by the experts by experience at the meeting of leaders across the SEND partnership on 12 December 2024 and will be used to inform improvements across SEND services and policies.
Find out more about the SEND social media takeover day
Positive co-parenting courses for separated parents of children with SEND
This programme from Family Lives is designed for parents and carers who are separated and who are looking for support and strategies to help with navigating the complexities of co-parenting their child with SEN. It is a valuable opportunity to enhance co-parenting skills, support children's development and build a strong foundation for the future.
These 2 courses will be delivered via MS Teams, over 8 sessions:
- Mondays 24 February and 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 March - 7pm - 9pm
- Tuesdays 25 February and 4, 11, 18, 25 March and 1 April - 9.30am - 11.30am
For more information or to make a referral, email services@familylives.org.uk or call 0204 522 8700.
Free healthy lifestyle courses for families and teens (all ages)
Did you know that families and young people in Hertfordshire can access FREE healthy lifestyle support?
Beezee are running a variety of online and in-person programmes across Hertfordshire, starting in January.
- Beezee Youth is a free, 10-week programme for 13 to 17-year-olds.
- Beezee Families is a free, award-winning healthy lifestyle programme for the whole family.
New Duke of Edinburgh’s Award projects for young people with SEND (ages 14-24)
In January 2025, Hertfordshire County Council Services for Young People (SfYP) will be launching 4 new Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) projects across Hertfordshire.
The projects will provide young people with enriching opportunities to develop new skills, gain valuable experience and contribute positively to their communities through volunteering. The new projects are specifically for young people with SEND, young people missing from education, home educated young people, and young people being supported by a social worker. The SfYP DofE projects will offer a range of activities, from environmental conservation to community support opportunities, ensuring there is something to suit all participants.
Learn more about the SfYP Duke of Edinburgh opportunities
Get an introduction to SEND services and support in Hertfordshire through the SEND Local Offer webinar (all ages)
Want to know more about the SEND Local Offer website and how it can help you find support for your family? 
Sometimes, it's hard to know what support is out there, and where to begin. In this webinar, a friendly face from the SEND Local Offer team will give you a brief tour of the support and services outlined on the website, so you get an idea of what exists and how to access it.
Tuesday 14 January at 8pm - 8.45pm - online via Teams
Events
View all courses and activities
🎄View Christmas activities and events
Angels - Education issues Q & A, online
Tuesday 17 December at 10am
Join our online workshop where we will discuss ideas and strategies to best support your child with ADHD
SPACE - online art session
Friday 20 December at 6pm
Join SPACE for an interactive art session where you'll be learning how to paint a festive reindeer.
Herts Inclusive Theatre - Festive workshop (ages 7+)
Sunday 22 December at 2.30pm
Herts Inclusive Theatre will be leading a bespoke workshop for South Mill Arts aimed at children and teenagers (aged 7+) with additional learning needs. The workshop will include drama games, creative activities, and some devised script work.
The Bridge - Support Group for parents/carers and young people struggling to attend school
Starts Wednesday 15 January at 1pm, Hatfield Hyde
A support group for parents/carers and young people (school years 7,8 & 9) who are finding attending school challenging.