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What services do SEND Socials offer?
As our name suggests, we offer lots of social opportunities for children with special educational needs and disabilities and their immediate family. The bulk of our delivery happens during the school holidays when we offer multiple activities Monday – Friday. We also have a provision for children who don’t access school, youth provision, regular meet-ups for parents and carers, regular exclusive activities throughout the year and parent / carer workshops.
School Holiday Activities
We provide an extensive programme of activities throughout all school holidays. We know that these times are often the hardest and navigating mainstream activities isn’t always a viable option. Throughout all school holidays we provide multiple activities every day.
Nothing is off limits and through meticulous planning and making adaptations we are able to provide your children with experiences that will create lasting memories! Our whole family approach means that you stay with your children throughout the activities, along with any siblings; this enables families to do things together (something we recognise often isn’t possible).
Providing a vast range of activities means you have a choice on what you would like to do, something that is typically very limited for families with SEND. We push boundaries, we give things a go, and we do it together!
We go big during all holidays, we have provided around 15,000 spaces on activities in the last 12 months. We try to cater for everyone so if something doesn’t appeal to your child, there will hopefully be something else they can do. Examples of things we have done include the following (and far too much more to list)
- Sports (swimming, tobogganing, climbing, archery, adventure golf)
- Arts & Crafts (pottery painting, art workshops, t-shirt designs)
- Days out (Dudley Zoo, Cadbury world, Botanical Gardens, Telford Wonderland, the seaside!)
- Food experiences (biscuit decorating, outdoor cooking, big family picnics)
- Adventure days (zip wire, low ropes course, pedal-karting, laser tag)
- Workshops (bubbles, magicians, animal encounters, slime making)
- Stay and Plays
Moos: More Opportunities Out of School
Our MOOS group is aimed at school aged children who aren’t currently accessing education at school. We know there are a growing number of children in Birmingham who have no school placement for a variety of reasons, for example: schools being unable to meet need, no suitable places available, school based trauma or perhaps they are on a reduced timetable etc.
SEND Socials Birmingham offers a weekly activity which offers these children the opportunity to make friends with peers, build their confidence, prepare them for school, and often reintegrate them into being around people in a group environment. Keeping the numbers of children who access the activities small makes it more accessible, we usually have a maximum of 12 children per session.
We do ALL SORTS of fun activities which have a loose educational benefit (just don’t tell the kids!).
Examples of things we have done before include, arts and crafts workshops, archery, curling, pizza making experience, plus SO much more!
The parents stay at all the sessions to support their young person, and with this comes the added benefit of parent and carers making connections — something we recognise is difficult as a SEN parent, particularly when the respite of school is not available.
EPIC — Eleven Plus Inclusive Club
EPIC was launched in 2021 having seen people struggling to find enrichment / extra-curricular activities for their growing children. One evening per month SEND Socials Birmingham takes a group of youths to do a fun activity in the community. Being a tween/teenager opens up a world of possibilities for neurotypical youths, and we strongly believe that those with special educational needs should also have those opportunities.
Parents / carers join in all the fun when their young person needs them, but we do find as confidence grows the distance between them gets bigger as they take strides towards their independence.
We’ve done lots of fun activities, for example:
- Driving simulators
- Laser tag
- Bowling
- Meal at a restaurant
- Climbing
- Adventure golf
- Gaming (on consoles and board games)
Youth Club
Our fortnightly youth sessions are for 11–16-year-olds. We use a typical youth room with access to a pool table, foosball, games consoles, computers, and relaxed seating. We give the youths the option to choose what they want to do, but we do have a loose structure to each session starting with a physical activity in the large hall to burn off some steam, often over a game of dodge ball or basketball. We then move the youth room where they can decide what they want to do. Each session has a theme, for example we have made pizzas, lit a camp fire and made s’mores, played Well being Bingo, played a full size drum kit and done arts and crafts. These are optional and available to all if they want to participate.
Our youth club is currently aimed at young people who want to form friendships with peer groups who may struggle socially.
It’s the only thing we do where we actively send parents / carers to another room, so the young people get a real sense of independence. We keep the group small with a maximum of 8-10 people. The same people come to each session to encourage friendships, keep things familiar and it also helps with routines.
We are looking to have two rotations of youths meaning we can double the amount of provision we offer.
Coffee Mornings
Regular opportunities for parents and carers to meet up over coffee and cake is a staple for SEND Socials. As parents of kids with additional needs ourselves we understand the importance of being able to meet other people in similar circumstances, people who just “get it”. We tour around Birmingham popping into coffee shops in your local community and connect with people. The benefit of people being able to link parents / carers with those who live close to them has the added advantage of future coffee dates and friendships!
We have a giggle, we talk all things SEND and sometimes we have a cry. Importantly we never judge, and we welcome anyone who wants to join us with open arms.
Dad’s Group
Set up for all dads and male role models of kids with additional needs. The monthly evening meet ups give them the opportunity to come together, to meet others who “get it”, share experience or just relax. There’s no pressure to share anything, just a chance to get together as a group of males who may not otherwise have the network to meet others in similar circumstances.
Set up and run by Dads, partaking in numerous activities but usually involving a curry and / or beer!
Parent Well-Being and Workshops
We’re expanding our services to include parent workshops on various subjects to empower parents and give them the knowledge they need in their arsenal for the trials and tribulations of SEND parenting.
Well-being workshops are being introduced to add some positivity to your day, to make you feel good and to help take some of the strain off what can be an isolating and exhausting journey.
Have a look at our events page to see if there are any upcoming sessions you may be interested in.
