Local Offer Live recently welcomed hundreds of families, with visitors describing the event as ‘very informative’ and praising its ‘buzzing atmosphere’.
Organised by the parent/carer forum PCAN (Parents of Children with Additional Needs), we’re proud to support this annual flagship event which brings together local families, organisations, and services that support people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
In developing the line-up, PCAN used feedback from families to prioritise invites to those services most requested by parents and carers. As a result, over 80 services and organisations came together in a welcoming space which allowed families to discover a wealth of advice and support, meet providers and meet with other families.
A series of workshops covering topics like what to expect from school, finding inclusive activities and financial planning, helped to bring the Local Offer to life for parents and carers.
PCAN Trustees commented:
“Local Offer Live is the largest information event in Kirklees for families of SEND providing a wide variety of information on all sorts of different topics.
“Feedback from parents attending was overwhelmingly positive. They appreciated the amount of information available including things they hadn’t previously been aware of.
“We are aware that not everyone can attend a daytime event and are planning how we can reach a wider audience with a series of smaller events in different locations. Any new events will be advertised widely as soon as information is available.”
Councillor Jane Rylah, Cabinet member for Education said:
“It was fantastic to attend Local Offer Live in person and experience the warm, welcoming atmosphere. With so many SEND services and families gathered under one roof, it created an incredibly informative and lively environment.
“This year’s event has been another great success, from the tremendous support of organisations who wanted to be a part of it, to the hundreds of local families who came along.
“Many parents with children with SEND will already be aware of the Local Offer website, which is a brilliant resource. Local Offer Live brings many of those providers and support services together so parents and carers can find out more about them.
“We’re proud to work with PCAN, the parent/carer forum behind this year’s event. By working together with local organisations, services, and parent-led groups this like, we are working to ensure every child has access to the opportunities and support they need to thrive.
“There is a growing demand for inclusive support and resources, not just in Kirklees but nationally. We are striving to meet these challenges and have a vast range of projects which will improve long-term outcomes for those with SEND.”
Feedback from attendees included:
“Well organised and busy event, and everyone was friendly and helpful.”
“The atmosphere was absolutely buzzing, so positive and welcoming! Everyone I spoke with was incredibly helpful and informative.”
“So much information and friendly people.”
“Nice that all the different service providers were in one place and that you could chat to them face to face.”
About the Local Offer
The Local Offer website is a one-stop-shop for everything about SEND in Kirklees and is used by parents, carers, young people and professionals.
The website brings together support and services including education, health and social care as well as an events calendar and lots of details about local activities.
For more information visit the Kirklees Local Offer website.