Being a parent of a child with additional needs often feels like a full-time job in navigation.
One day there is a win. A new support service or a bit of funding. The next, you’re hearing about a local club closing its doors.
It’s a rollercoaster. We know because we are right there with you.
In Calderdale, things move fast. Between the council updates and school newsletters, it’s hard to keep track of what actually matters for your family right now.
We’ve pulled together the biggest updates for Summer 2026 to help you make sense of it all.
1. New Support in Schools: 'Experts at Hand'
There is some genuinely good news on the horizon for the 2026/27 school year.
Calderdale is receiving a significant slice of the national "Experts at Hand" funding. This is a multimillion-pound pot designed to get help into schools faster.
The goal is simple: more therapists in mainstream classrooms. We’re talking about speech and language therapists, occupational therapists (OTs), and educational psychologists.
The best part? The aim is for families to access this support without needing a full EHCP first. It’s a huge win for early intervention.
Getting that professional advice early can change everything for a child’s confidence. We’ll be keeping a close eye on how schools across Halifax and the wider valley roll this out.
2. SEND Local Offer Live 2026
If you’ve ever felt like you’re shouting into the void trying to find local services, this event is for you.
The SEND Local Offer Live is returning on Tuesday, June 23. It’s being held at Calderdale College from 12pm to 6pm.
Think of it as a marketplace for support. You can walk around, meet local providers face-to-face, and ask the questions that have been kept on your "to-do" list for months.
Whether you're looking for interactive tools or just want to see what groups are running, it’s worth the trip.
3. Our Summer Sensory Sessions
We are so excited to announce that Noa’s Place is hosting a series of free Summer Sensory Sessions!
We’ve heard from so many of you that the summer holidays can feel long and isolating. We wanted to create a space where your kids can just be themselves, no masking required.
When: Every Thursday, from July 30 to August 27. Where: Little Stars Family Hub, Halifax. What: 90 minutes of calm, sensory-focussed play.
These sessions are fully funded by the Calderdale Community Foundation & Neighbourhood Trust, which means they are completely free for you to attend.
A quick heads-up: Our community is amazing and word travels fast. Half of the available slots were booked within just 12 hours of going live.
If you’d like to join us, please book your spot here as soon as possible.
4. Jam Packed Summer at Ravenscliffe
The annual Jam Packed Summer scheme is back for 2026. It’s a fantastic holiday programme for disabled young people aged 8 to 19, based at Ravenscliffe.
The sessions run from July 20 to August 14.
Important: The deadline to apply is June 12. That is just around the corner.
If you haven't sent your application off yet, this is your gentle nudge to get it done this evening. It’s one of the most popular schemes in the area and spaces fill up fast.
5. Navigating the Hard News: Gateway Youth Club
We also have to talk about the news that has hit our community hard this month.
After 50 years of providing a lifeline for families, the Gateway Youth Club at Orangebox is closing its doors due to budget cuts.
For many, Gateway wasn't just a club. It was a second home. A place where young people were understood and parents could breathe.
This news is a heavy reminder of why we are working so hard to build a permanent hub at Noa's Place. Services that rely on discretionary council budgets are always at risk.
We are currently searching for a 6,000–10,000 sq ft space in Halifax to call our own. Our goal is a community-owned, permanent home that can't be taken away by a budget line.
We want to ensure that no family in Calderdale has to say goodbye to their "safe space" ever again.
6. Looking Forward: New Specialist Schools
While we navigate the closures, there is hope for the future.
Work is continuing on the Ravenscliffe extension, providing much-needed extra places. Even bigger is the progress on the new Special Free School at the Threeways site in Ovenden.
It is currently slated for 2028. That feels like a long way off when you are struggling today, but it represents a long-term commitment to our children in North Halifax.
We are in this together
The SEND landscape in Calderdale is changing. Some of it is exciting, and some of it is genuinely tough.
But you don’t have to navigate it alone. Whether it’s through our summer sessions or our online support guides, we are here to walk alongside you.
Stay strong, keep going, and remember: Together we make space.