FAMILIES are being urged to help shape the future of support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) as major national reforms loom.

Wiltshire Council is drawing up its first Local SEND Reform Plan in response to government proposals, with parents and carers being asked to play a central role in shaping how services develop.

The plan is expected to set the direction for long-term changes across the county, including improving early support in schools and nurseries, increasing access to specialist provision and developing a new “Experts at Hand” offer.

This would see specialist practitioners working more closely with early years settings, schools and post-16 providers.

To gather views, the council is working with Wiltshire Parent Carer Council to host a series of events and launch a public survey.

Parents and carers are being asked to share their experiences of what is working well, what is not and what needs to change.

The feedback will directly influence the final plan, including how education, health and care services work together.

Cabinet member for children’s services Cllr Jon Hubbard said: “Parent carers are experts in their children’s needs, and their insight is absolutely vital as we develop Wiltshire’s Local SEND Reform Plan.

“The survey and these events are a real opportunity to shape how support looks in the future, from early years right through to post-16. We want families to feel heard, understood and genuinely involved.”

A series of sessions is planned after Easter, including a face-to-face event at the Corn Exchange in Devizes and two online meetings. A survey has also been launched, with a deadline of Friday, May 1.

The council says every response will help build a clearer picture of what families need now and in the years ahead, as Wiltshire prepares for significant changes to the SEND system.