Following an increase in demands on service and workforce challenges resulting in a drop in statutory performance, Leeds City Council accessed its EHC assessment, plan, and annual review processes to identify key opportunities for change. The review has identified areas for improvement in the Council's communications, processes, support provided, and consistency in approaches. 
 
Our aim is to implement changes and improvements, to help the Council achieve its vision, that children and young people in Leeds with SEND, have the best possible start to life and equal opportunities to learn.
 
The Children and Families Directorate will keep you updated throughout the process, we have developed a webpage that will serve as an information hub about the changes.
 
If you have any queries in relation to the programme, please get in touch with us at ehcpreview@leeds.gov.uk.

Go Higher West Yorkshire (GHWY) have updated their Disabled Learners Transition Pack to support the transition from Further Education to Higher Education. This is a useful resource designed to help disabled learners or their key influencers to easily access information about the timelines, processes and support to enable you to progress into a destination of your choice. There is student voice throughout so you can gain an insight into experience of those who made the journey to Higher Education and support received.

A monthly drop in for parents and carers to speak to services to receive information and advice about what is available in Leeds to support their family.

• Leeds Local Offer
• SENDIASS
• Leeds Parent Carer Forum
• Carers Leeds
• Child Health and Disability Team (CHAD)
• Leeds Speech and Language Service

Dates and times of drop in

• Wednesday 18th June, 10.30 till 12.30 at Plus Net, 17 Marlborough Street, Leeds, LS1 4PE
• Wednesday 9th July, 10.30 till 12.30 at Plus Net, 17 Marlborough Street, Leeds, LS1 4PE

Each drop in will host a workshop for parents and carers. 

If you require further information about the drop in sessions please email LLO@leeds.gov.uk or join the Leeds Local Offer facebook group.

Thursday 26th June 2025
10am till 12.30pm
Pudsey Civic Hall, Dawsons Corner, Stanningley, LS28 5TA

The parent carer support group network is coordinated by the Leeds Parent Carer Forum and Voice, Influence and Change Team, LCC. The network compromises of representatives from SEND parent carer support groups in Leeds.

This event is for members of parent carer support groups in Leeds to:

• Hear from the Leeds Parent Carer Forum.
• Hear from the STARS Team.
• Hear from SENSAP about EHCPs.
• Network with other parent carer support groups and hear about their groups, activities and events for families.

Book your free place here.

     

Tuesday 24th June 2025 at Leeds First Direct Arena

The event is an opportunity for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their parents, carers, support workers and teachers to prepare themselves for adult life. You will be able to find out about jobs, training, apprenticeships, college courses, voluntary work, leisure activities, finances, support and benefits available in Leeds. Over 70 organisations will be there on the day with support and information.

There will also be information sessions about supported internships and financial support. You will be able to meet organisations who can support you as you move into adult life. Everyone is welcome and the event is free to attend. 

Book your free ticket for one of three time slots: 10am to 12pm, 1pm to 3pm or 4pm to 6pm.

Free tickets can be booked here.

If you have any questions please email esemployers@leeds.gov.uk

Spina bifida, hydrocephalus, information, networking and equality
 
Shine offers support pre-birth and throughout life, to anyone with or affected by a wide range of complex medical conditions.
 
Check out Shine’s forthcoming events here.

7th to 10th September 2025 at the University of Leeds

Registration is now open for the UK’s only in-person event that brings together AAC users, their families, carers, researchers, professionals, and suppliers for four days of learning, networking, socialising, and celebrating Augmentative and Alternative Communication.

The conference is expected to welcome 500+ attendees from the UK and beyond.

• Hear from keynote speaker Professor Bronwyn Hemsley, Head of Speech Pathology, University of Technology Sydney, speaking on ‘Identity and Connections: AAC, AI & Authorship’.
• 80+ presentations and workshops covering research, clinical practice, and personal stories.
• Visit the exhibition featuring leading AAC and AT suppliers.
• Attend the biennial AAC Awards including dinner and dancing.
• Join the Research Study Day with parallel sessions on ‘The Future of AI in AAC’ and ‘Becoming an Aided Communicator.’

Book early to take advantage of the Early Bird discount which expires on 11 July 2025.

Click here to learn more about the event.

Sunday, 29th June 2025
10.30am to 12.30pm
John Charles Centre for Sport, Middleton Grove, Leeds
Registration: click here to register

This accessible and inclusive ‘fun run’ style family event gives children with additional needs the chance to feel like a superhero for the day. 

All ages and abilities are welcome, and child can decide on their own distance target around the 400m athletics track. Those requiring an accessibility aid such as a wheelchair, walker or pushchair can also wheel their way around.

All children will be cheered on to the finish line where they will each receive their own challenge medal and goodie bag. As well as the zoom around the track, we will have lots of  fun activities, including: 

• Superhero meet and greet
• Bouncy castle
• Inclusive football sessions with Leeds United Foundation and rugby with Leeds Rhinos Foundation coaches
• Fire and Rescue Service and Police
• Face painting
• Silent disco
• Craft and sensory activities
• Games
• Lots more surprises!

Families can register for the Superhero Challenge for free if they commit to raising £47 or more in sponsorship. This would support the cost of a physiotherapy session for a child with additional needs.

Alternatively, tickets cost £12 per child if you would prefer not to fundraise (adults are free).

Heart of Holbeck is a Levelling Up programme made up of three key projects, the regeneration of two community centres - St Matthews Church and the Old Box Office. Increase in access to greenspace and active travel leading to better health outcomes, a calmer local centre and to reduce fuel poverty by retrofitting back-to-back terrace housing with energy efficient initiatives.
 
Colleagues from Leeds City Council City Development are in the early stages of setting up an Inclusive Design Panel to ensure that these projects are inclusive of all groups with protected characteristics.
 
If you are a resident of Holbeck, or know someone who does, and would like to join the Inclusive Design Panel please contact Brett Jubb at brett.jubb@leeds.gov.uk

To raise awareness of the Leeds Local Offer we are asking services and support groups to share the following on their social media accounts:

Have you heard of the Leeds Local Offer (SEND)?

The Leeds Local Offer is where children and young people up to 25 years old with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their parents and carers can find information, advice and guidance about support, services and activities that are available to those living in Leeds.

• Website: www.leedslocaloffer.org.uk
• Facebook group: @Leeds Local Offer
• Monthly information drop in: speak face to face to SEND services.
• Leeds Local Offer Live: annual market place event with over 50 services.
• Information booklet: an introduction to key SEND services.

For more information about the Leeds Local Offer email LLO@leeds.gov.uk

https://youtu.be/hsjhEwwpHtA

The Voice, Influence and Change Team at Leeds City Council collate and produce six monthly SEND voice and influence of children and young people with SEND and their parents and carers reports. 

The purpose of the report is to:

• Collate voice and influence work from across the city to share with children and families’ strategic boards, councillors and partners.
• Champion good practice and shine a light on the valuable work services and organisations do.
• Raise awareness of the big issues being shared by the children, young people and families.
• Help services and organisations to link with colleagues and encourage them to work in partnership to reduce duplication.
• Help services and organisations to deliver ‘best practice’ voice and influence by reflecting on their work in line with the 5 O’s model.

The October 2024 to March 2025 report can be found here.

Please see below STARS courses that have places still available which are all booked through Leeds for Learning.

• Virtual schools AET leading good autism practice: leadership, inclusion and structural reasonable adjustments (tier 3): 5th June 2025
• Virtual STARS Intensive Interaction Awareness Training : 5th June 2025
• Virtual AET schools good autism practice (tier 2 primary): 3rd July 2025

Book your place via Leeds for Learning.

 

There are a number of free opportunities for teachers and advisors coming up from Go Higher West Yorkshire’s CPD programme
 
Care to Go Higher CPD
June / July 2025 (online)
This CPD Certified Course aims to equip the influencers of Care Experienced Young People with the knowledge, tools and resources they need to support their young people in making informed decisions about their educational futures. Registration for the next delivery round is now open. The sessions will run in June to July online.
 
Working Together for Access and Success in Higher Education: Teachers’ and Advisers’ Conference
Tuesday 8th July, 9.30am to 3.30pm
Go Higher West Yorkshire (GHWY), in collaboration with our 13 members, invite you to our free collaborative conference hosted by the University of Bradford. Join us for a day of insightful sessions, keynote speaker (Bradford City of Culture), student panel and marketplace where you can meet our 13 HE providers. A day of CPD that will help you work towards Gatsby Benchmark 7 and support young people to make informed choices about their future.
 
Understanding the UCAS Clearing Process
Tuesday 24th June, 3pm till 4pm (online)
Join Caroline Priestley, Senior Outreach and Recruitment Officer at University of Bradford who will cover a range of topics such as how to prepare learners for clearing, and how the system works.  
 
Spotlight on Access to HE and Foundation Year courses
Wednesday 2nd July, 3pm till 4pm
Colleagues from University of Leeds, Bradford College and University of Bradford will raise delegates awareness of these potentially overlooked routes into HE giving us a rundown of how they work, the benefits of them, finance and how to apply
 
Register here for events and webinars.  

Contact have developed a Helpful Guide for families, the guide is a 100-page book packed with essential information and advice on just about everything – from their child’s early years all the way through to adulthood.
 
If you’re a practitioner or professional supporting children with additional needs and their families, you can order a reference copy for free here.

Soundabout run music and sound projects alongside learning disabled children, young people, and adults with complex support needs to support communication, connecting with others, health and wellbeing, self-expression, and to have fun! 
 
Information session: Thursday 12th June 2025, 12pm till 1pm at Howard Opera Centre, Leeds City Council
 
The information session provides an opportunity for you to find out a little more about Soundabout, their work and free resources, plus a chance to meet the team over some refreshments.
 
Book your place on the information session by emailing holly.radford-james@soundabout.org.uk

Lotherton’s group of six female wallabies each have something very special tucked away in their pouches – a baby joey! Did you know that baby wallabies are born the size of a jellybean!

Visit Lotherton Wildlife World and meet their six newest arrivals as they begin to explore the big, wide world outside their mothers’ pouches!

The Edwardian estate in rural East Leeds has so much to offer from Wildlife World, Lotherton Hall and much more. They offer lots for schools including:

• FREE entry for Leeds Local Authority schools – just a small entry fee for Academies and non-Leeds Authority schools.
• Guided zoo tours – learn about the animals we house and their favourite hiding spots!
• Workshops – a variety of science and animal-based workshops.

For further information about booking a school visit click here or email lothertonlearning@leeds.gov.uk.

Tropical World have some exciting and rather large new animals, the Sulcata Tortoises!

Leeds LA schools can visit Tropical World for FREE! Why not plan ahead for the next academic year and book yourselves a curriculum-linked workshop that can be added on at an additional cost.

These include:

• Rainforests
• Habitats
• Eat of be eaten
• Variety of life
• Butterfly scientist
• EYFS

For further details click here or email tweducation@leeds.gov.uk

This email has been sent by the Leeds Local Offer Team at Leeds City Council. You are receiving this email as you previously signed up to the Leeds Local Offer Network or are part of one of our existing SEND networks. If you no longer wish to receive our emails, please unsubscribe below and we will remove you from our mailing list.

Leeds City Council’s ethos is to connect parent, carers, education settings and organisations with services that can support improving health and wellbeing and raising outcomes. This will include links to services provided by third parties where Leeds City Council do not provide that specific service. Third party services are independent of the council and, whilst we will endeavour to act on any feedback we receive, Leeds for Learning has no control over the quality of service provided. To ensure transparency and fairness we will make it clear when a service that we are promoting is provided by a third party.