Solihull Parent Carer Voice

Do you have questions about SEN support or EHCPs?
Join us for the EHCP & SEND Support Drop-In on Friday 3rd October 2025, 9.30am–12.00pm at The Loft, Chelmsley Wood (B37 5TN).

VOLUNTEERS WEEK 2nd-8th June 2025.

Did you know last year we paid our team for 76 hours per week but worked on average 246 hours per week?
Our team tirelessly volunteer to help raise the voices of families and make a difference across Solihull.

WHAT'S IN A WORD........

Although the terms neurotypical, neurodiverse, neurodivergence and neurodivergent have been around since the 1990's, there is still much confusion about which term means what and when it should be used.
We've put together a simple graphic to help.

We have been talking about BELONGING recently, & how vital it is for children & young people with special educational needs &/or disabilities to feel like they belong.

We want to know what you think it looks like & feels like for SEND children & young people to belong.

Please do complete & share!

Well under way at our SEND community event this morning.

Great conversations about belonging and supporting children and young people with special educational needs.

Eating Disorder Awareness Week 2025

Eating disorders can affect anyone.

Here are some links for guidance and support -

Beat - www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk

ARFID Awareness - www.arfidawarenessuk.org/copy-of-what...

#solihullparentcarervoice
#Beat
#eatingdisorderawarenessweek
#arfidawareness

A big thank you to the 4 new volunteers who came along to our Volunteer Training morning yesterday.We look forward to you meeting them over the next few weeks at our coffee and chat sessions. Having more Volunteers will enable us to capture more feedback from Parent Carers and organise more events.

Today is International Epilepsy Awareness Day.

There are some fantastic charities that support children and their families with epilepsy. Please visit their websites for more information on support and advice available.

February Half Term 2025

We look forward to visiting some new schools this week and meeting parent carers.

Please note these sessions are only for parent carers of children currently attending the school.

Our children and young people with additional needs are different, BUT all children are different.
Please, in 2025 and beyond, let's strive to ensure that the language we use is empowering and not stigmatising.
(5/5)

SEND child- got angry and threw a cup- it will be in their file for the rest of their life, and everyone will know it.
Non-SEND- got angry and threw a cup- no-one will ever know it.
(4/5)

SEND child- access to education.
Non-SEND- going to school/college.

SEND child- opportunities to socialise with their peers.
Non-SEND- going out with their friends.

SEND child- has siblings
Non-SEND- brothers and sisters.
(3/5)

Why is it when we talk about children and young people with additional needs we use different words and phrases, and these have different impacts?

SEND child- is having opportunities to access the community.
Non-SEND- going to the shops.
(2/5)

Language, and particularly the words we use and the context we use them in is so important.
Language can, and does shape and influence the reality of our children and young people's lives. Language has great power, it can be stigmatising or it can be empowering.
(1/5)

Some days we can achieve huge things, other days we may struggle to get out of bed, both of these are ok.

It was an evening full of smiles (and a fair few tears!)

All the children, young people, organisations and school staff nominated were truly deserving of recognition.

There will be a special edition Solihull SEND Newsletter coming soon with more details about the Awards.

Well it's been a really emotional week this week.

The Solihull SEND Awards on Tuesday evening were fantastic, and an amazing celebration of the wonderful children and young people we have in Solihull, as well as their school staff and our community organisations.