SEND Together: Reflecting on a Day to Connect, Learn and Share

SEND Together took place at the Kings Centre, in Oxford on 26th March. Organised by the Oxfordshire Parent Carer Forum (OxPCF), the event invited parent carers to connect, learn and share with professionals and organisations supporting children and young people with SEND.

SEND Together was supported by the SEND Local Area Partnership, including Oxfordshire County Council, the Integrated Care Board (ICB), Community Health and Oxfordshire Hospitals. The day was opened by Martin Reeves, Chief Executive of Oxfordshire County Council, and Matthew Tait, Chief Delivery Officer for the ICB (Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West), who spoke about their focus on continued improvement in services.

“As a Parent Carer Forum, our role is to make sure lived experience is heard and valued. SEND Together was designed to be a space that didn’t just share information, but really listened, while also giving parent carers the opportunity to learn, share and connect. Bringing together workshops, the Advice Clinic and feedback discussions meant people could both learn and contribute, and that balance is key to driving meaningful change.”

A space to connect

This year, we trialled a slightly different format. We brought together elements from previous events – the ‘Better Together’ approach, which focused on dedicated feedback sessions led by OxFSN and OxPCF, and last year’s SEND Together event, which centred on informative workshops.

For SEND Together 2026, we combined both. The day included workshops and an Advice Clinic in the morning, alongside opportunities to connect in the marketplace, followed by roundtable feedback sessions in the afternoon. This allowed space not only to hear from professionals, but also to capture and centre the experiences of parent carers.

One of the most powerful aspects of the day was simply bringing people together. Parent carers, practitioners and organisations had the opportunity to connect, share experiences and spend time in a space where there was a shared understanding of both the challenges and the importance of getting it right for children and young people with SEND.

Throughout the day, there were lots of different ways to get involved. The morning included a range of workshops and an Advice Clinic, offering families the chance to speak directly with professionals and access guidance in a more informal and accessible way. The marketplace also created opportunities to connect with organisations and find out more about the support available locally.

Parents and carers were offered the chance to hear directly from professionals through workshops and information sessions, an advice clinic, and by visiting the many exhibition stalls run by local services, charities and organisations.

In the afternoon, we held roundtable feedback sessions using a World Café-style approach. Parent carers and professionals came together to take part in open discussions on key themes affecting SEND families in Oxfordshire. These conversations aimed to create a space to share experiences, reflect on what is working well, and highlight where change is still needed.

Thank you

We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to the day.

Thank you to those who shared their experiences and perspectives. We know these conversations are not always easy, and we really value the honesty and care that people brought.

We are also incredibly grateful to everyone who gave their time to support the event. This includes those who led workshops, supported the Advice Clinic, hosted marketplace stalls, and contributed to the feedback sessions. Your time, expertise and willingness to engage made a real difference.

It truly was a team effort, and we could not have done it without you.

We would also like to say a special thank you to Yellow Submarine and Get Fed for providing the catering and refreshments throughout the day, and to Dr Jon Reid for leading the panel discussion.

It was also lovely to hear such positive reflections from organisations and professionals who joined us on the day. Their comments echoed the value of bringing families, carers, educators, professionals and local services together in one space, and highlighted the importance of opportunities to connect, share information and have meaningful conversations.

One organisation described SEND Together as an “inspiring day” that brought together families, carers, educators, professionals and alternative provision services, all united by a shared aim of improving support for children and young people with SEND. They spoke about the value of the workshops, advice clinics and meaningful conversations throughout the day, and the opportunity to connect with the community and highlight how supportive, accessible services can make a real difference.

We also heard from professionals who appreciated the opportunity to be part of thoughtful and important discussions, including the opening panel. Reflections highlighted the value of the audience questions, the panel responses, and the chance to critically consider current concerns while beginning to explore future opportunities together. It was encouraging to hear that the event also opened up ideas for future partnership and collaboration.

We are also grateful to Live Illustration for capturing the day so creatively. A photo of the live illustration is included in our gallery as part of this blog.

What happens next

We are currently working through all of the feedback captured during the roundtable discussions. From this, we will be producing a short, accessible report that highlights the key themes and messages shared on the day.

We will also be sharing:

• Presentation slides from the day

• Summary notes from workshops

• A recording or transcript of the panel discussion

We know that not everyone was able to attend every part of the day, so we hope these resources will help people revisit and reflect on the information and conversations that took place. These will be shared via our mailing list and on our website.

Partner reflections

‘We were pleased to meet parents and carers at this important time in our SEND improvement journey. Their feedback is vital in shaping the services that we all want to best serve families, children and young people with SEND in Oxfordshire.’

— Oxfordshire County Council

Stay connected

If you are not already signed up to our mailing list, you can do so here: http://eepurl.com/dNVTTE

We’d really value your feedback

As we continue to reflect on the day, we would really value hearing from you. If you attended SEND Together, your feedback plays an important role in helping us understand what worked well and where we can improve.

We’ve kept the feedback form short and simple, and it should only take a few minutes to complete: https://www.menti.com/aljhn771hnj9

Looking ahead

SEND Together was about creating a space for honest conversations, shared understanding and collective reflection. What happens next matters just as much as the day itself.

We remain committed to ensuring that the voices and experiences shared are reflected in the work moving forward.

Thank you again to everyone who was part of SEND Together. We hope to see you at a future event and encourage you to stay connected with us as this work continues.

Jules Francis-Sinclair

Chair of Oxfordshire Parent Carers Forum (OxPCF)