In this issue: 

• Stocktake letter: read about the progress we're making on SEND improvements
• Children's Mental Health Awareness Week - 3 - 9 February (all ages)
• Applications open for 'Enable' trips with Waterways Experiences (ages 14-25)
• 2 new Specialist Resource Provisions to open this year (ages 5-11)
• Free audiobooks for under 25s with disabilities (ages 0-25)
• Events

Stocktake letter: read about the progress we're making on SEND improvements

On 15 January, we received a "stocktake" letter from the Department for Education (DfE) and NHS England. This letter contains an assessment of how we are doing as a partnership against our SEND improvement aims. This followed the stocktake activity in September - November 2024, where the DfE and NHS England held meetings with colleagues from across the SEND partnership where we discussed the work that is happening. From this, the DfE and NHS England provided their review of our progress.

Read the full stocktake letter (pdf 188kb)

Overall, the SEND advisor alongside the NHS England SEND lead evaluated that we are on track in implementing many aspects of our improvement plan, demonstrating some examples of good practice. With sustained progress, we should reach a number of our milestones across the areas for priority action and the areas for improvement.

Children's Mental Health Awareness Week

It’s Children's Mental Health Awareness Week from 3 - 9  February and the theme this year is 'Know Yourself, Grow Yourself'. It's all about encouraging children, young people and adults to embrace self-awareness and explore what it means to them. This will help them grow and develop resilience to cope with what life throws at them.

Herts Children & Young People’s Mental Health Services (CYPMHS) are sharing tips to help young people spot early warning signs of stress & take positive steps to feel good in ways that work for them:

Find out more about the 5 ways to wellbeing on the Just Talk website  

Applications open for 'Enable' trips with Waterways Experience (ages 14-25)

Join the adventure with Waterways Experiences!  Applications are now open for their incredible 'Enable' trips.  These give young people with special needs (aged 14 - 25) the chance to explore the beauty of the Grand Union Canal, make new friends and generally have lots of fun!  The trips are free but donations are always welcome to help with continuing to provide these amazing experiences.

There are 4 trips planned for August and places are limited. 

Find more information about Enable Holidays on the Waterways Experience website

To apply, complete the online registration form. Applications close March 31.  

2 new Specialist Resource Provisions to open this year (ages 5-11)

Following the successful opening of a number of Specialist Resource Provisions across the county, providing additional support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to access a mainstream curriculum, 2 new facilities are proposed to open in primary schools in Stevenage and Hemel Hempstead from September 2025.

Read more about the 2 new SRPs

Free audiobooks for under 25s with disabilities (ages 0-25)

Calibre Audio is a national charity which provides free audiobooks to children and young people under 25 years with SEND. The service makes books and stories accessible to children who find reading print difficult because of a learning difference, long term health condition or disability.