Swindon SEND Families Voice

17/06/2026

The Department for Education has confirmed that it intends to launch a consultation on Education Other Than At School (EOTAS) in the coming weeks. 📝

During the SEND Reform consultation, parent carers shared strong feedback that there was not enough information about how the proposed reforms would affect children and young people currently receiving EOTAS.

Families highlighted that this clarity is essential to understanding how the future system will support those whose needs cannot be met in a school setting. 💬✨

The Government has stated that children and young people accessing EOTAS will be considered within the future SEND system, and that the upcoming consultation will seek views on how EOTAS should operate going forward. 🔍

We will share details as soon as the consultation opens.🤝💛

For more details about this please use the link below;

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department's White Paper entitled Every child achieving and thriving, published on 23 February 2026, what consideration was given to education otherwise than in school or at school (EOTIS/EOTAS) provision when developing the White Pa...

16/06/2026

Swindon SEND Families Voice are very excited to share that our SEND Information and Support Packs for families with a child transitioning into primary school this September are back again.

SSFV managed to secure external funding which enabled us to run this project for the sixth year, ensuring families receive helpful, accessible information at a key point of transition. We have delivered a total of 279 packs to school settings in Swindon.

Our team have been distributing packs to pre schools and nursery settings that requested them. We have also delivered directly to families whose children are home educated or attend a childminder setting, where packs were requested.

These packs would not be possible without the generosity of local services who donate leaflets, merchandise and books each year. We want to send a huge thank you to National Literacy Trust in Swindon, Swindon Carers Together, and the Local Offer at Swindon Borough Council for supporting the scheme once again.

A special thank you also goes to our SSFV reps, who volunteer their time to assemble the packs and deliver them to settings across Swindon. Your dedication makes this project possible.

If your setting did not take part this year, you are very welcome to join us at any of our social meets, groups or branches, where we regularly share leaflets, sunflower lanyards and other useful resources with parents and carers.

14/06/2026

It’s Learning Disability Week, and Madanu are celebrating in style!

Join them for an evening filled with good tunes, dancing, and plenty of community spirit.

It is completely free, and everyone is welcome to come along. All contact details are on the poster attached.

📍 Salvation Army, Chapel Street, Gorse Hill, SN2 8DA

Come join the fun and help us celebrate Learning Disability Week together.

For more details about Madanu use the link below;
https://www.madanu.co.uk/

12/06/2026

Next week, we will be running our Branches group on Tuesday at The Base. This is an informal session - stop in for a hot drink, a chat and stay as long or as little as you like.

SEND Stay and Play will be running as usual on Thursday at The Meadow.

10/06/2026

Some of the team spent the day at the Swindon Carers Engagement Launch. It was lovely to see familiar faces and connect with so many dedicated carers.

A great opportunity to network, share information and signpost families to support.

10/06/2026

SSFV spent the day at the SEND Inclusion and Alternative Provision Conference, some of our sector partners exploring the Alternative Provision (AP) options available for families in Swindon. It was a valuable opportunity to learn more about what is currently on offer, with lots of insightful conversations, details exchanged, and follow up meetings planned to take this work forward.

We know many parents want clearer information about AP and what might suit their child or young person’s needs. SSFV will definitely meet and share the details very soon so help families understand the different types of AP, how they work, and what may be right for them.

08/06/2026

Swindon SEND Families Voice will be holding their next breakfast catch-up on Wednesday 24th June at Robins Farm.

An informal get together for all parents/carers - come along, relax over a cuppa/breakfast and chat with others.

To book a place please email [email protected]

08/06/2026

📢 Experts at Hand, New Government Guidance Published
As part of the national SEND Reforms, the Department for Education has now released the Year 1 guidance for the new Experts at Hand programme, a key element of the wider SEND changes 💛.

This guidance explains what local areas need to put in place for the development and delivery of Experts at Hand from September 2026, including how specialist support will be brought into mainstream early years settings, schools and colleges to help children earlier and more consistently 🌱✨.

To make this easier to understand, we have attached an easy read poster 📘.

📄 Guidance and supporting documents:
https://tinyurl.com/ya73hp47

🔗 More information about the Experts at Hand publication:
https://tinyurl.com/abty8et5

📢

05/06/2026

Sharing this poster for anyone who may need support. You are not alone. We know that many people are struggling right now, and some are feeling overwhelmed to the point of despair.

Your life has value, you matter, and you are loved. Please reach out to the organisations listed if you need someone to talk to.

And a gentle reminder to all of us: check in on someone you haven’t spoken to in a while, no matter how busy life is. Send a message, make time for a chat, or arrange to meet.

We never truly know what someone may be carrying, and a small act of connection can make a real difference.

05/06/2026

Next week, we have our SEND Stay and Play on Thursday at The Meadow.

And in the evening, we will be running our SEND Social Club, which will be held at The Meadow.

All details are on the poster. Please email to book a place.