Accessibility Statement

Help to find inclusive activities

We know that finding fun stuff to do and activities for young people with SEND can be really tricky.

This page can help you to make this a little easier by helping with:

  • How to use the activity search on the Local Offer
  • What conversations to have with those running the activity
  • What to look out for at a club or activity
  • Where to go for more help

Please use the link below to find local activities

How to use the activity search on the Local Offer

This video shows how to find activities on the Local Offer

What conversations to have with those running the activity

It is a really good idea to speak with whoever is running an activity before you book onto it, it is also a good idea to visit too.  Here are some ideas about what you can talk about:

  • How busy is the activity - are there lots of children or is it a small group
  • How many staff members are there
  • How do the staff support the young people
  • How accessible is the venue
  • How often do sessions run (is it only in the school holidays, or is it every week)
  • How loud is the venue
  • What is the space like (think about where it is, are there lots of distractions, is it secure etc)
  • What are the toilets like and are there any changing facilities or equipment
  • What is the structure of the activity - is it free play or structured
  • Will the staff in the group be able to support the young person, or will I need to attend with them
  • Are these activities for the whole family or can the young person attend on their own
  • Have the staff had any training on SEND or additional needs
  • How does the staff manage behaviour
  • What kind of medical support is available
  • Are there any refreshments or breaks built in

Here are some things you can look out for when visiting clubs or activities to help you decide if this is right for your young person.

  • What sort of activities happen at this group
  • Do the young people look happy and engaged
  • Does this group have other young people my child can get along with
  • Do the staff get on with the young people
  • Is the activity structured or free flowing
  • What is the venue like (noise, accessibility, location etc)

A great way to find out what activities are available is to speak with local support groups as lots of families involved in these have fantastic knowledge of what is available locally

We have a dedicated page for local support groups:

Local Support groups (opens link in same window)

You can contact the Local Offer at LocalOffer@kirklees.gov.uk or call 01484 416919 and we can help you to find suitable activities.

When you get in touch, please provide the following information

  • What age is the young person
  • What sort of activities does your young person like doing
  • What sort of support might they need during an activity
  • What area do you live in
  • How far are you willing to travel
  • Are you looking for a weekly activity or in the school holidays

 

As the Local Offer is an information and signposting service we aren’t responsible for running or organising the activities that are included here, we collate information about what is available locally to be able to provide that information to families. 

We are aware that there are gaps in what is available and we try to highlight these to senior leaders who help to develop services for young people (commissioners).  Where possible we also have positive conversations with activity providers about how they could be more inclusive and meet the individual needs of children and some activity providers are making some positive progress with this.

We encourage parents to make enquiries if there is an activity that they think their child would be interested in, some activity providers are able to meet more individual needs than they have advertised as it’s not always easy to include everything in short advertising.

If you feel that you have already explored everything, here is some further information that might be helpful about services for children and young people with complex needs through the Children with a Disability Service.

Here is the Children with a Disability Service Short Breaks Statement (opens link in same window)

It provides an outline of the activities and services available for families from community based leisure activities available for all children and young people (universal activities) through to community based leisure activities for children and young people with more complex needs.

To access the services for children and young people with complex needs (as highlighted in bullet point number 4.4 in the above link) this is through an assessment of need by the Children with a Disability Service. 

There are activities specifically for children and young people with complex needs that cannot be met by universal activities, or services such as direct payments where a personal assistant can be employed to assist a child to attend an activity of their choice in the community. 

To make a referral for an assessment you would need to contact Children’s Service’s Duty and Advice Team on 01484 456848. 

You can find out more about the Children with a Disability Service by going to the following page:

Children with a Disability Service (CWD) | Help for families | Kirklees SEND Local Offer (opens link in same window).

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Last updated: 20/05/2024

Useful links

Kirklees Youth Alliance

KYA - Youth Activities

Kirklees Together

Local news and events

Kirklees Community Directory

Local organisations and things to do
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Kirklees AccessAble guides

Accessibility Guides