Welcome to our final update of the academic year. It has been a really busy year for everyone in the SEND world, so thank you to everyone who has shared their views and experiences with us. Thank you also to our volunteer parent representatives, who help share those views and support improvements to SEND services in Hertfordshire. If you would like a brief update on what HPCI has done this year, you can read our latest annual summary .
This update covers:
Education Other Than At School and Alternative Provision – a government consultation and HPCI discussion groups 🎒
The government has recently published a consultation asking for views on Education Other Than At School (EOTAS) and the use of Alternative Provision. The recent SEND reform consultation did not cover EOTAS, and many families told us this was an important gap.
If you would like to read the consultation, you can find it here. It closes on 18 September 2026.
If you would like to join an online discussion group to talk through the consultation and help inform the HPCI response (or your own!), we are running two sessions on 10 September, at lunchtime and in the evening.
If you are interested in attending, please register for one of these sessions:
Thursday 10th September 2026 from 12.00-13.30
Thursday 10th September 2026 from 19.30-21.00
Look out for “Supporting Your Neurodivergent Child” 📖
We’re excited to share that the book “Supporting Your Neurodivergent Child” has recently been sent by HPCI to every primary school, special school, library and family centre in the county.
The handbook was written by parents, for parents, and is full of Hertfordshire-specific information. You can ask your child’s school or your local library to borrow a copy, or read it online here: https://tinyurl.com/HertsHandbook
Summer activities ☀️
If you’re looking for summer activities that are accessible for children and young people with SEND, you might want to have a look at the Hertfordshire SEND Directory. This lists information and activities such as clubs, performing arts opportunities, inclusive sports, accessible days out, museums, parks and play facilities across Hertfordshire. And if you know about any activities that aren’t listed, please tell us about them!
Research into community transport 🚌
The Community Transport Association is researching the transport barriers faced by disabled children and young people across the UK. They want to hear from parents and carers of disabled children and young people up to age 25, and disabled young people aged 16–25. The findings will help improve guidance and training for community transport providers.
Taking part:
You can access the survey here
A new Community Engagement Lead for HPCI 🧑🧒
We’re delighted to welcome Lynn to the team, our new community engagement lead. Her role is all about strengthening our connections with parent carers and local community groups, making sure more families can share their experiences and that seldom heard voices are included.
You’ll see Lynn and our parent reps out and about across Hertfordshire – listening, learning and helping make sure your voices shape the work that we do.
Got an event coming up? We’d love to hear from you! You can email Lynn@hertsparentcarers.org.uk if you know of any event, groups, or opportunities where HPCI can talk to families.
Finally, a huge thank you and goodbye to Leise Cooper, Chair of HPCI 👋
After more than 20 years of dedicated involvement, HPCI is saying a heartfelt thank you and farewell to Leise as she steps away from her roles as Chair and as a parent carer representative.
As a founding member, Leise has played a vital part in shaping parent carer voice across Hertfordshire and supporting children and young people with SEND and their families. Her wisdom, integrity and commitment have left a lasting legacy, and we wish her every happiness as she begins her next chapter, including returning to study for her Master’s degree.
Thank you, Leise, for everything. We will miss you so much!
As everyone at HPCI is a parent carer of a disabled child, our office is closed over the summer, but we’ll be back at it in September. We all wish you as relaxing a summer holiday as possible.
