growing UP!

1 in 4 children is disabled or made vulnerable to exclusion by the way we manage the process of growing up.  Changing that experience depends on families, communities and services working together.   We’re hearing from parents, professionals, employers and young people sharing insights and experience of giving children and young people: more resilience; easier transitions; better…Read moreRead more

Do We Need a Better Local Offer?

We think SEND children, young people and their families in Birmingham should have a better Local Offer. Join us by Zoom on 8th and 22nd July to share your experience… The City Council has been given funds by government to improve the Local Offer. The Council says it wil use most of this money to…Read moreRead more

Do We Need a Better Local Offer?

We think SEND children, young people and their families in Birmingham should have a better Local Offer. Join us by Zoom on 8th and 22nd July to share your experience… The City Council has been given funds by government to improve the Local Offer. The Council says it wil use most of this money to…Read moreRead more

HAF Fund Members’ Update 2

Thursday  6 May 2021 10-11am online Children’s Quarter has been campaigning to make sure government-funded holiday clubs are inclusive and  that groups with commitment and expertise in inclusive services are involved in delivering them.  This session is an update for members and supporters on the progress we have made in making sure: there can be…Read moreRead more

New Local SEND Offer

Tuesday 4 May 10-11am Much-needed additional money for the Local Offer for SEND Children might not be enough to ‘fix’ mainstream schools which off-roll and persistently exclude children who ‘don’t fit the box’.  Instead, CQ says, the SEND Local Offer could be made co-operatively between schools and communities. Join the Zoom chat online to look…Read moreRead more

Develop Local Potential to Serve SEND Children Right

Councils are working out how to spend an increase in the higher needs block funding they get to provide education to SEND children.  In Birmingham, the Council is encouraging mainstream schools to improve the way they serve vulnerable children through partnerships aimed at developing local potential.  In the light of widespread off-rolling of SEND children…Read moreRead more

HAF Fund Members’ Update

Thursday 1 April 2021 10-11am online Children’s Quarter has been campaigning to make sure government-funded holiday clubs are inclusive and  that groups with commitment and expertise in inclusive services are involved in delivering them.  Member groups were invited to submit outline expressions of interest to be part of provision of holiday activities and food in…Read moreRead more

Autism is a part of daily life for 2.8 million people

There are around 700,000 people on the autism spectrum in the UK – that’s more than 1 in 100. If you include their families, autism is a part of daily life for 2.8 million people. Autism affect children, young people and adults. Source: NHS Information Centre, Community and Mental Health Team See the National Autistic Society…Read moreRead more

More than 1 in 10 children with special educational needs has a diagnosis of autism

More than one in ten (11%) of children with special educational needs in state funded schools has a diagnosis of autism.  The number of Statements/EHC Plans that list autism as the primary need increased by 3% between 2010 and 2013. Source: Special educational needs in England published in January 2014 by DfE (more…)

Why Improving School-Community Links Matters

Schools are increasingly ‘hiding’ children and young people who don’t ‘fit the box’; Children’s Quarter wants to improve the links between schools and communities so that ALL young people get a good education.  We’ve been highlighting the way school exclusions are being used – and in November 2018 held a Children’s Quarter event on improving…Read moreRead more