Southend SEND Network Hub
The Southend SEND Network was established in October 2023. It is a group for organisations and services who support children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and/or their families who live in Southend-on-Sea.
The Network is a collaboration between Southend SEND Independent Forum (SSIF) and the SEND Local Offer Team on behalf of the Southend SEND Area Partnership.
The SEND Network was set up to:
- ensure the local community is better informed about services and support
- help families understand how the Partnership is working to deliver local SEND services
- reach and engage more families and increase participation in co-production
- ensure the voice of local families, groups and stakeholders are captured, fed back, and heard across the Partnership
- strengthen relationships across the Southend SEND community
Network members receive:
- information and updates from the SEND Area Partnership
- details of co-production and engagement activities
- invitations to complete surveys and take part in consultations
Benefits of joining the SEND Network:
- network with other professionals to share experiences and knowledge
- learn about new SEND initiatives in Southend-on-Sea
- share valuable feedback from local families about their priorities, issues and preferred solutions
How to join the SEND Network
Simply complete a consent form and provide your contact details.
If you need any help, or have any questions, please email localoffer@southend.gov.uk
The Southend SEND Network was established in October 2023. It is a group for organisations and services who support children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and/or their families who live in Southend-on-Sea.
The Network is a collaboration between Southend SEND Independent Forum (SSIF) and the SEND Local Offer Team on behalf of the Southend SEND Area Partnership.
The SEND Network was set up to:
- ensure the local community is better informed about services and support
- help families understand how the Partnership is working to deliver local SEND services
- reach and engage more families and increase participation in co-production
- ensure the voice of local families, groups and stakeholders are captured, fed back, and heard across the Partnership
- strengthen relationships across the Southend SEND community
Network members receive:
- information and updates from the SEND Area Partnership
- details of co-production and engagement activities
- invitations to complete surveys and take part in consultations
Benefits of joining the SEND Network:
- network with other professionals to share experiences and knowledge
- learn about new SEND initiatives in Southend-on-Sea
- share valuable feedback from local families about their priorities, issues and preferred solutions
How to join the SEND Network
Simply complete a consent form and provide your contact details.
If you need any help, or have any questions, please email localoffer@southend.gov.uk
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SEND Network meetings
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These meetings are designed to facilitate networking amongst organisations and groups that provide services and support for families with children and young people with SEND. They also serve as a platform to receive the latest updates from Southend-on-Sea City Council regarding SEND news, initiatives, and local services.
By attending, you will have the opportunity to:
- network with colleagues, share best practices, and build collaborative relationships
- stay up-to-date with the latest news and developments from Southend-on-Sea City Council's SEND services
- gain a better understanding of the local SEND landscape, including available services and support systems
We encourage all SEND Network members to join us at our next meeting to connect with your peers and contribute to a well-informed and collaborative SEND professional community in Southend-on-Sea.
Details of upcoming meetings:
Date: Wednesday 3 June 2026
Venue: Southend Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 9SH.
Time: 9.30am to 12.30pm
Past meetings:
- Thursday 5 February 2026
- Thursday, 25 September 2025
- Tuesday, 24 June 2025
- Tuesday, 4 March 2025
- Monday, 18 November 2024
These meetings are designed to facilitate networking amongst organisations and groups that provide services and support for families with children and young people with SEND. They also serve as a platform to receive the latest updates from Southend-on-Sea City Council regarding SEND news, initiatives, and local services.
By attending, you will have the opportunity to:
- network with colleagues, share best practices, and build collaborative relationships
- stay up-to-date with the latest news and developments from Southend-on-Sea City Council's SEND services
- gain a better understanding of the local SEND landscape, including available services and support systems
We encourage all SEND Network members to join us at our next meeting to connect with your peers and contribute to a well-informed and collaborative SEND professional community in Southend-on-Sea.
Details of upcoming meetings:
Date: Wednesday 3 June 2026
Venue: Southend Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 9SH.
Time: 9.30am to 12.30pm
Past meetings:
- Thursday 5 February 2026
- Thursday, 25 September 2025
- Tuesday, 24 June 2025
- Tuesday, 4 March 2025
- Monday, 18 November 2024
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SEND Champions
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SEND Network organisation members are asked to nominate a SEND Champion to:
- attend relevant SEND events or meetings
- share information and co-production/engagement opportunities with their families
- raise awareness of the local SEND system within their service/organisation
- represent the collective voice of their organisation/families, particularly if families don't take part in activities directly
- attend termly SEND Network meetings and share updates about their service with other network members
A training and support plan is being developed for SEND Champions. This will provide:
- knowledge of statutory requirements and SEND processes, including Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs)
- an understanding of how servicesContinue reading
SEND Network organisation members are asked to nominate a SEND Champion to:
- attend relevant SEND events or meetings
- share information and co-production/engagement opportunities with their families
- raise awareness of the local SEND system within their service/organisation
- represent the collective voice of their organisation/families, particularly if families don't take part in activities directly
- attend termly SEND Network meetings and share updates about their service with other network members
A training and support plan is being developed for SEND Champions. This will provide:
- knowledge of statutory requirements and SEND processes, including Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs)
- an understanding of how services contribute and support children and young people with SEND
- where to find information advice and guidance on the Southend SEND system including using the Southend SEND Local Offer
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Organisation members
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- 1Up
- All In Music at Southend YMCA
- Blossoms
- Brownes Boot Camp
- Build and Belong
- Butterflies Club
- Cake Club
- Circles Alternative Education
- Dial South Essex
- Earth Coaching
- Evolve Intervention C.I.C
- Figure of Eight Education
- Freedom
- Friends and Places Together
- Greater Essex Careers Hub
- Hamelin
- Healthwatch Southend
- Home-Start Essex
- Just Ride
- Learning Disability User Voice Group
- Little Heroes ASD Support Group
- Making Waves All Age SEND Group
- More Than A Tutor
- Mushroom Theatre Company
- Neurodivergent Safe Space
- Rallysport Engineering Academy CiC
- Raw Learning
- Reach Essex Ltd
- R.E House
- SAVS (Southend Association of Voluntary Services)
- SEND Our Way
- SNAP
- Southend Adult Community College
- Continue reading
- 1Up
- All In Music at Southend YMCA
- Blossoms
- Brownes Boot Camp
- Build and Belong
- Butterflies Club
- Cake Club
- Circles Alternative Education
- Dial South Essex
- Earth Coaching
- Evolve Intervention C.I.C
- Figure of Eight Education
- Freedom
- Friends and Places Together
- Greater Essex Careers Hub
- Hamelin
- Healthwatch Southend
- Home-Start Essex
- Just Ride
- Learning Disability User Voice Group
- Little Heroes ASD Support Group
- Making Waves All Age SEND Group
- More Than A Tutor
- Mushroom Theatre Company
- Neurodivergent Safe Space
- Rallysport Engineering Academy CiC
- Raw Learning
- Reach Essex Ltd
- R.E House
- SAVS (Southend Association of Voluntary Services)
- SEND Our Way
- SNAP
- Southend Adult Community College
- Southend Care Ltd Making it Work Supported Employment Team and Project 49 Day Opportunities
- Southend Connexions
- Southend Co-production Collective
- South Essex Colleges Group
- Southend In Sight
- Southend Mencap
- Southend SEND Crisis
- Southend SEND Multi Schools Council
- Southend Theatres
- Southend Toy Library
- Southend United Community and Educational Trust
- Southend SEND Youth Voice
- Step Out in Essex CIC
- STRM - SEND The Right Message
- The Children and Young People's Bladder and Bowel Service
- The VeloBuild Project @ All Things Active
- The White Bus Ltd
- Time and Space
- T.I.M.E - Together In Musical Expression
- Westcliff High School for Boys
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Further information
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Information sharing
The SEND Local Offer team will send information to members of the Network by email. Please tell us if you need it in a different format.
To raise awareness of their service, Network members can:
- create or add to an existing Livewell Southend/Local Offer directory record
- ask the SEND Local Offer team to share relevant posts on our social media channels
- have a news item or event listing published on Livewell Southend
The Local Offer team share news and events from SEND Network members in each edition of the monthly SEND newsletter.
The SEND Local Offer team doContinue reading
Information sharing
The SEND Local Offer team will send information to members of the Network by email. Please tell us if you need it in a different format.
To raise awareness of their service, Network members can:
- create or add to an existing Livewell Southend/Local Offer directory record
- ask the SEND Local Offer team to share relevant posts on our social media channels
- have a news item or event listing published on Livewell Southend
The Local Offer team share news and events from SEND Network members in each edition of the monthly SEND newsletter.
The SEND Local Offer team do not share information with the network on behalf of other network members, but members are free to share information between themselves.
Does my organisation have to join the SEND Network?
No. Membership is optional. If an organisation does not join the network, SEND service updates and information about events and participation opportunities will still be available through the Local Offer section of Livewell Southend.
Leaving the SEND Network
If you join the SEND Network and want to leave, you have the right to withdraw your or your organisations consent at any time by emailing localoffer@southend.gov.uk
Privacy Notice
Southend-on-Sea City Council collects and processes all information in line with the relevant Data Protection Legislation including the DPA 2018 and the GDPR. Please refer to the privacy notice for more information.
SEND Partnership Newsletter
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Access Southend SEND Local Offer main page on Your Say Southend.
Who's Listening
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Local Offer and Co-Production Officer
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SEND Local Offer Communications and Marketing Officer
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Consultation and Engagement
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