This Let's Talk session took place on the 4 February 2026 and had a focus on Early Years SEND. We heard from the teams about the work in this area, and they answer questions from families.

Has Dorset Council plans to expand the training currently offered to mainstream preschools including in inclusion, as a result of the government's new Early Years SEND CPD Programme. How will it operate for preschools in Dorset.

In January 2026, the Department for Education announced a new £200 million national SEND training programme. This creates an expectation that all staff working in nurseries, schools and colleges will receive training on SEND and inclusion. It shows a strong national commitment to improving confidence and skills across the workforce.

At this stage, the announcement is high level. It does not yet explain how the programme will be delivered in early years settings, nor does it allocate funding to individual local authorities. We are still waiting for details from the Department for Education about how the training will be rolled out locally and what this will mean for preschools in Dorset.

Once the government provides more information on how the new programme will work in practice, we will share this with early years providers.

My son has an EHCP. He's in an SRP in a mainstream school in year 9. I'm trying to understand what local provision will be available for him post 16. Where do I begin, and how do I go forward?

A good starting point is your son’s annual EHCP review. From Year 9 onwards, these reviews must include a focus on preparation for adulthood — this means thinking about his strengths, interests and what he might want to do in the future. At this stage, the aim is to explore possible pathways rather than make any final decisions.

In Dorset, post 16 options can include:

  • mainstream colleges with SEND support
  • specialist pathways within colleges
  • school sixth forms, where this is suitable
  • specialist post 16 provision, if his assessed needs show that he requires this

Your son’s school SENDCO and your SEND provision lead can all help you understand these options. Planning becomes more detailed during Years 10 and 11, and Dorset Council works closely with families to make sure any post 16 provision is based on the young person’s needs and is carefully planned. There is no pressure to make immediate decisions now.

You can also contact Dorset SENDIASS, which is a free, independent service that supports parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities. They can talk through the process and offer advice before or after meetings.

You can contact them by:

Find more information on their website: www.family-action.org.uk/services/dorset-sendiass/

Waiting lists are really long for childcare near me, my son has been on a waiting list from before he was born. he turns 2 soon and has had lots of issues with his eyes / vision that are getting looked at. I am thinking of seeing if there are other places that have more staff on hand for if its needed, but I don't want to join the end of another waiting list.

A question like this is usually best talked through one to one, so we would encourage you to contact us directly. Please feel free to contact us at letstalksend@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk. We hope the information below is a helpful starting point. 

We know that demand for early years childcare is very high, especially since the expansion of funded childcare hours for working families. This can mean long waiting lists, which is understandably stressful, particularly when you’re also managing health concerns for your child. It makes complete sense that you are thinking carefully about the right environment and level of support for your son, given his vision needs.

If you are considering other childcare options in your area, the Dorset Family Information Directory is a good place to look. It can also help to explore different types of provision, including registered childminders, who work with smaller groups of children in a home based setting and may have shorter waiting lists.

It’s important to know that support for your son does not depend on having a childcare place confirmed. In Dorset, the Vision Support Service can work with children from birth, supporting families at home and later working with early years settings once a place is secured. They can offer advice on play, development, adapting environments, and helping early years staff feel confident in meeting a child’s needs.

Your health visitor is also an important contact. Health visitors can talk through your childcare concerns, link you into other services if needed, and help early years settings understand how to support your child. Find your local health visiting team.

When you speak to early years providers, it can help to ask about:

  • their experience of supporting children with vision or sensory needs
  • how they use additional staff or make adjustments if a child needs them
  • how they work with health visitors or specialist services such as the Vision Support Service

All registered early years providers, whether childminders or group settings, can get advice from their named Best Start in Life Advisor, who helps them strengthen support for children with additional needs.

Support can be put in place alongside childcare, and you do not need to have everything worked out before reaching out for help. We are here to support you and would be happy to talk through your situation in more detail.

My son (4yrs) has an EHCP and specialist has been agreed. We're struggling to find a school placement for Sept 2026, some schools are not even accepting tours/show rounds. What help is available to get my son a placement?

We understand how worrying it can be when you are trying to secure a school place for your child, particularly where specialist provision has already been agreed through an EHCP. Please be reassured that Dorset Council will work to secure a suitable placement that meets your son’s needs. You do not need to arrange this on your own. Even where schools are not currently offering tours, this does not mean a placement will not be found and the Local Authority can formally consult with them as part of the placement process. Your SEND provision lead can provide updates and planning for September 2026 will continue.

You can also contact Dorset SENDIASS, which is a free, independent service that supports parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities. They can talk through the process and offer advice before or after meetings.

You can contact them by:

Find more information on their website: www.family-action.org.uk/services/dorset-sendiass/.

My child is currently at a specialist independent school, after years of school refusal, and school trauma she is now willingly going in everyday and engaging in work, I would like to know if you have any idea what’s going to happen to placements like this if EHCPs are taken away in regards to the send reform, If this happens then we will be back to square one with her not being able to attend school

We understand how this uncertainty is unsettling whilst we wait for the publication of the SEND White Paper. We can reassure you that situations like your daughter’s placement are unlikely to be taken away because of national SEND reforms. Her school or setting is written into her EHCP, which makes it legally binding, and the local authority must continue to provide that placement. Nothing in the current SEND reform discussions removes children from settings where they are already settled.

We would encourage you to share your worries with your SEND Provision Lead. They can talk through your daughter’s specific situation, make sure your views are recorded, and provide reassurance about her current placement.

Please be assured that Dorset Council remains committed to securing the right provision for children in places where they feel safe, able to attend and able to make progress. No child should be moved from a placement that is meeting their needs, without careful planning and evidence based decision making.

You can also contact Dorset SENDIASS, which is a free, independent service that supports parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities. They can talk through the process and offer advice before or after meetings.

You can contact them by:

Find more information on their website: www.family-action.org.uk/services/dorset-sendiass/

What's happening with family hubs is Weymouth’s still going to open? Will they definitely hold Send groups there?

We currently have a Family Hub in Littlemoor, and plans are progressing for a new Family Hub to open at the Weymouth Outdoor Education Centre later this year.

Support for children and young people with SEND is a core part of the Family Hub offer, up to age 25. While specific groups and timetables can vary over time, SEND specific sessions and SEND inclusive activities will continue to be part of the programme. If a particular group isn’t running at a given time, Family Hub staff can also signpost families to other local SEND support.

You can find the latest information, locations and timetables on the Family Hub Online. 

Are there any plans to incorporate contact/connection with nature as part of the "stay and play"? Or if that is not logistically possible, would you consider bringing someone in to run an activity?

Thank you for your question. Incorporating more contact with nature into our Stay and Play sessions is definitely something we are open to exploring.

We have run outdoor sessions in the past, and several of our current venues already have outdoor areas that we use when we can. We also bring natural and sensory materials into our indoor sessions to help children explore through touch, smell and play.

We are also looking at developing some new venues, which may give us even more opportunities for nature based activities in the future.

If you are interested in helping to shape something like this or have ideas to share, we’d love to hear from you.

You can contact us at letstalksend@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk.

Hello there my daughter is in year 10. I have applied for EHCP when my daughter was in year 9 she got denied due to school saying there is no need for it ! Yet she is struggling in school mentally exhausted I have contacted SEND and had no response with her dealing with grief anxiety autism and school making her feel like she isn't wanted or a problem or just doesn't care ! what support can be given to her to help her

We’re really sorry to hear how difficult things have been for your daughter. It sounds like she is coping with a lot, especially in a busy secondary school environment. No child should feel unwanted or like they are a problem, and her wellbeing is absolutely important.

To reassure you, when an EHCP assessment request is made, the decision is based on the evidence of need, not just the school’s view. If the request was refused, you should have received a formal letter explaining why and outlining your right to appeal. If you did not receive this, or if your daughter’s needs have changed, we would like to discuss with you whether a new or updated request is appropriate and help clarify the next steps.

Your daughter should still be receiving support in her school, even without an EHCP. You can ask her school for a meeting to talk through the support they currently have in place, and what more can be done now to help her feel safe and able to learn.

You can also contact Dorset SENDIASS, which is a free, independent service that supports parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities. They can talk through the process and offer advice before or after meetings.

You can contact them by:

Find more information on their website: www.family-action.org.uk/services/dorset-sendiass/

How can local venues with an ability or desire to participate in providing experiences get involved? For example, both Blandford Museum and Angus Woodland could serve as places for organised visits. How do we make that known to those who might be interested?

Thank you for your question, this sounds like something we could explore. Please can you contact us at letstalksend@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk and we will pick up a further conversation with you.

Does the council offer any inclusion, safeguarding training for organisations outside of the Local Authority who want to provide services, groups, support?

Yes, Dorset Council does offer a range of inclusion and safeguarding training opportunities across several areas of Children’s Services. These include both free and chargeable options, depending on the programme and the audience.

Occasionally external nationally funded programmes also offer free opportunities. However, because training needs can vary depending on the type of group, service or activity you provide, we would be very happy to advise on the most appropriate route for your organisation.

If you have a specific aspect of inclusion or safeguarding in mind, or you are looking for training tailored to a particular service or setting, please feel free to contact us via letstalksend@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk and we can point you to the most suitable offer.