Search the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust website

Advanced options

SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disability)

If your child has a health or developmental condition that is impacting on their everyday life, this is often referred to as an additional need. This may have been present from birth or these may have become more obvious as your child has grown up.

Your child's additional needs could be developmental, physical, learning, behavioural or sensory. Their needs might be easily met with a regular plan of care or a creative approach to their management. Some additional needs may continue throughout life and as a family there will be times you may require support from a number of services.

All children should have access to the right services, at the right time, to make sure they can reach their full potential. We work together with other agencies to ensure that the right professionals are involved at the right time to meet the needs of you and your child.

As an NHS organisation we have a duty to notify the Local Authority if we become aware a child or young person may have a special educational need.

Health organisations have responsibilities to work in partnership with education settings and local authorities, to support children and young people 0-25 years who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

To better support children and young people with SEND, their parents, carers and families, all local authorities have developed a Local Offer. The Local Offer brings together useful information across education, health and social care. It details information, advice and guidance and a range of local service providers who support children and young people with SEND, including our services provided by the Trust.

To find out more about our Local Offer’s, visit the Worcestershire County Council SEND Local Offer and the Herefordshire County Council SEND Local Offer webpages.

Further information and resources

Groups, courses and support for children and families with SEND

Teen Autism Confident — Free course for teens 

Teen Autism Confident is a free online 6-week course about autism for autistic teens aged 13-19. It is delivered by Autism West Midlands and is an opportunity for diagnosed and non-diagnosed autistic teens to learn more about autism in small, supportive group sessions and a one-to-one meeting with an autism advisor. The course will explore topics ranging from understanding autism to self-esteem and self-image. The sessions are every Monday from 9.30am – 11am starting 24th February.

Free training from SENDIASS

The SEND Information Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) delivers a range of free training workshops for parent carers. These include Autism & Me; What Does a Good EHCP Look Like; How to Check a Draft EHCP; SEND – What You Need to Know; Understanding Dyslexia. Professionals’ training workshops are also available including: Autism & Me; What Does a Good EHCP Look Like; SEN Support and the Graduated Response. Find out more on the SENDIASS website.

Free autism and ADHD workshops for parent carers 

Herefordshire and Worcestershire ICB have commissioned Autism West Midlands & ADHD Foundation Trust to deliver a series of workshops for families of children with Autism. To find out more information or to book onto any of the below sessions visit the Autism West Midlands Eventbrite page. If you have any queries or need additional information please contact Autism West Midlands using the details below:

Can’t attend live? Catch up with a recording available for two weeks following the events. The webinars are open to parents and carers in the Herefordshire and Worcestershire area.

Webinars start at 10:30 am and run between 1.5 and 2 hours.

  • Weds 26th Feb 2025 Autism and anxiety — What anxiety is, Autism & anxiety, the circle of anxiety and managing anxiety.
  • Weds 5th March 2025 Autism and communication — What communication is, Autism & communication differences, and strategies that may help.
  • Weds 12th March 2025 Autism and sensory differences —Autism and sensory differences, my child's differences, addressing sensory differences, and useful resources.
  • Weds 19th March 2025 Autism and behaviour — What behaviour is and why behaviour might be happening, ways we can analyse behaviour, and developing emotional understanding.
  • Weds 2nd April 2025 Autism and the teenage brain — Brain changes, how growing up and Autism interact, how to support your team and useful resources.
  • Weds 9th April 2025 Supporting your autistic teen — How to support your teen and useful resources.