Social Media
The SEND Local Offer team manage two social media accounts: a Facebook account and an Instagram account. Information about key developments and statistics for the two social media accounts for the period 1 January to 31 December 2025 can be found below.
Ongoing work:
- monthly creation of content about news, engagement opportunities, resources, services and local activities and events relevant to families with children and young people with SEND
- original posts are shared 3 to 5 days a week
- stories are shared daily
- reposts shared for news, services, sessions and events from other organisations and teams.
- use of the highlight feature on Instagram where we currently group: events, resources, news, services, SEND Surgeries, engagement opportunities and local classes and groups, to enable followers to find information more easily
- achieving a more corporate look using the Local Offer's branding colours
- networking, cross-promoting, and engaging with local organisations
- content is shared on Southend-on-Sea City Council and Livewell social media platforms when requested
- important news and events are shared on various local Facebook groups
Audience:
Our social media audience is mainly based in Southend-on-Sea and are predominantly women aged between 35 and 44, following women aged between 45 and 54.
The number of followers on Facebook and Instagram has increased steadily. By the end of December 2025, we had 1,494 followers, an increase of 281 since the end of 2024.
On Instagram, we reached 1,093 followers by the end of December 2025, an increase of 237 since the end of 2023.
Views:
Social media views is a measure of the number of unique people who see content posted on social media. High views means we are posting relevant content at a time our audience is active. Having our content shared on stories, feeds and groups as well as posting regularly and engaging with other accounts helps us reach more people.
Views of our posts is substantially higher on Facebook than Instagram. This is due to the different groups we are part of on Facebook where we share our content, meaning there are more opportunities for more people to see our content. We also have people and organisations sharing our content on Facebook more than on Instagram.
Between 1 January to 31 December 2025:
- total views on Facebook - 324,787
- total views on Instagram - 54,322
Posts with the highest reach for each month:
- January – Facebook: Have Your Say on the Home to School Travel consultation - 1,821; Instagram: SEND Surgery - 761
- February – Facebook: SEND Youth Voice - 2,462: Instagram: Anxieties and Worries about going to school - 853
- March – Facebook: Lighthouse support groups: 3,058; Instagram: Your Local Offer Your Way sessions- 1,625
- April – Facebook: Community Grant Access (new application system via My Southend) - 2,433; Instagram: Courageous Conversations event - 1,433
- May - Facebook: Community Access Grant - 1,614; Instagram: Tourette's Awareness Month - 573
- June – Facebook: Lighthouse Support sessions - 2,295; Instagram: Lighthouse support sessions - 199
- July – Facebook: Lighthouse parent carer workshops - 8,149; Instagram: HAF - 1,076
- August – Facebook: Lighthouse support sessions – 6,798, Instagram: SEND Surgery - 197
- September – Facebook: Lighthouse support sessions – 11,833: Instagram: SEND Information Day - 1,261
- October – Facebook: SEND Information Day - 1,605; Instagram: Cubbie Open Day - 4,216
- November – Facebook: Thank you SEND Information Day (post-event):1,838; Instagram: SEND Information Day - 875
- December – Facebook: Lighthouse support sessions: 6,046; Instagram: PfA myth busting - 488