A NEW programme aimed at improving activities and opportunities for children and young people with additional needs is set to launch across Wiltshire this spring.

Wiltshire Council is introducing Inclusive Wiltshire, a new scheme designed to provide more accessible activities and social experiences for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) up to the age of 25.

The initiative has been developed with families and professional partners and will replace the council’s previous Short Breaks Scheme, which has come to an end.

Under the new system, families will be able to access four different types of support depending on their child’s needs.

The Community Activities option will offer inclusive sessions run locally by trusted organisations, while Activity Payment will provide eligible families with funding to choose activities that suit their interests.

Meanwhile, Activity Plus will include supported activities run by the council’s leisure, culture and communities teams and partner organisations, and Activity Extra will provide highly personalised opportunities for those with the most complex needs.

Families can find out which option best suits their child by completing a new eligibility questionnaire, which will soon be available on the Wiltshire Council Local Offer website.

Cabinet member for children’s services, SEND, education and skills Cllr Jon Hubbard said: “Families asked for clearer pathways and more flexibility, and this new approach delivers exactly that.

“These activities are truly inclusive, enabling young people to grow in confidence, build friendships and enjoy meaningful experiences across Wiltshire.”

Director of the Wiltshire Parent Carer Council Stuart Hall added: “Families have been extensively engaged in shaping Inclusive Wiltshire and we have seen the new offer evolve in response to the feedback shared by families.

“We are delighted to see a payment option, and specialist activity clubs for children and young people with the most complex needs, as families fed back that these were significantly important.

“Families regularly feedback that there are not enough community-based activities near to where they live and we hope in time that the new scheme will successfully increase these experiences equitably across Wiltshire.”