How you are having a say

Watch our short film about Manchester Local Offer. 

A video from Manchester Parent Champions about co-production in the city - Co-production Week 2024.

Here are some of the ways parents/carers and young people with SEND are having their say in the city.

Schools White Paper and SEND Reform:

• Spring 2026 - Working with our parent carer networks to feed into this and encourage people to have a say. See this Local Offer webpage and special bulletin. 

Change Programme Partnership:

• In 2023, Manchester was chosen by the Department for Education to lead the North West Change Programme Partnership. Feedback from parents/carers and families have been at the heart of this process. This includes SEND Matters in September 2024, Manchester Inclusion in June 2025 and a survey about mainstream schools in January 2025. See Change Programme Partnership Highlights and Change Programme Partnership Updates. 

Autism/ADHD pathway transformation

• Sharing information and activities through the newsletter on NHS Greater Manchester's pathways transformation, 2025/26.

Understanding SEND Support: 

• Information on SEND Support co-produced with parents/carers and shared in newsletter format, on the web and as a webinar. 

Ofsted/CQC thematic review: 

• Families were encouraged to take part in the 2025 Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) thematic visit on children who are not in school - here is the newsletter about it and the final report. 

Co-production:

• Working together with parents/carers is at the heart of what we do. This includes regular co-production meetings with parent/carer groups in the city, including Manchester Parent Carer Forum.

• In these special editions of the newsletter, we share the co-production work in the city - July 2020, July 2021, July 2022, July 2023, July 2024.

• Following the Ofsted / CQC Joint Inspection on SEND in Manchester, in early 2022, the findings were published. This acknowledges the culture of co-production and collaborative working in Manchester. 

Role of the newsletter: 

• In recent years, the newsletter has played an increasing role in informing and encouraging parents/carers and young people with SEND to have a say and updating them. As well as Council related matters, this includes requests from other organisations. See these examples - Inclusion in Manchester bulletin, Ofsted thematic review.
  

Children's rights: 

• In recent years, Manchester has been working with UNICEF UK to ensure that the whole of Manchester puts children’s rights into practice,including children with SEND. Find out more in our Children's Rights Special Newsletter (September 23) and Our Child Friendly Manchester.

SEND Community Offer:

• A video from The SPACE Group about co-production in the SEND Community Offer - July 2024. 

• Summer SEND Community Offer 2023 video. Special thanks to The SPACE Group, Manchester Parent Carer Forum and the Manchester Parent Champions for their involvement in the co-production and delivery of the Summer offer. Here is a video showcasing the summer activities in the city’s SEND Community Offer 2022.

• Projekts collaborated with Billy and Andy's Music School to run skateboarding and music sessions for young people with SEND in April to July 2022. This film shows what it was like for the young people who took part.

• A video sharing experiences of the Summer SEND Community Offer 2021. The summer offer was created in partnership with Manchester Local Offer, Manchester Parent Champions, Manchester Parent Carer Forum and GMYN.

Young people:

• The Platform - an event held in April 2026 by the Local Offer and partners for young people to explore ways to be heard and shape the future of Manchester.
• The Changemakers at GMYN, funded through the Local Offer, gives a voice to young disabled and neurodivergent young people aged 14 to 25. Find out what they do in our Co-production newsletter, July 2024. 
• Watch this fun video about Manchester Local Offer and stuff to do, made by students from Loreto College.

Home to School Transport:

• Contributing to the conversation around Home to School Transport in 2022 through a 'Travel to Access Education and Training Policy' review. Find out more on the Travel Assistance webpage. 

Life during the pandemic: 

• In this survey, the Changemakers asked other young people with SEND about ‘Life During COVID-19 Lockdown’. 

• Here are some videos from parents and a young person about the summer offer 2020 and life during the pandemic.