About the event hosts
SSIF and the Southend SEND Local Offer Team work closely to co-host the SEND Information Day, bringing together two important parts of the SEND community: the experiences and voices of parent carers, and the information, services and support available to children, young people and families across Southend.
Southend SEND Independent Forum (SSIF)
As Southend's independent parent carer forum, Southend SEND Independent Forum (SSIF) works to ensure that the experiences and views of families of children and young people with SEND are heard and help to inform the development of local services.
Co-hosting events such as the Southend SEND Information Day is one of the ways we can help bring parent carers and professionals together, create opportunities for conversations and make it easier for families to find out about the support available locally.
It is also an important opportunity for us to listen to you. The conversations we have with parent carers help SSIF to understand families' experiences, what is working well and where there may be challenges or gaps.
If you are coming to the Information Day, please come and find the SSIF team and say hello. Whether you would like to find out more about what we do, share your experiences and views, or simply have a chat, we would love to meet you.
Southend SEND Local Offer Team
The Southend SEND Local Offer on the Livewell Southend website (www.livewellsouthend.com/SENDLocalOffer) provides information about local services and support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and their families, in Southend.
The Information Day enables families to meet some of the services who are featured on the Local Offer.
The Local Offer is not just for when you need a particular service or are facing a difficulty. It is a useful place to explore what is available locally, discover activities and opportunities, and find information that may be helpful at different stages of your child or young person's SEND journey.
Come and meet the SEND Local Offer team at the event. They will be able to tell you about the Local Offer and show you how to find information relevant to you and your family.