Southwark Council is set to launch a new training programme for parents and carers of children with autism and ADHD. The initiative follows a review of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP), Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provisions, and inclusion in schools.
The decision was confirmed by Councillor Jasmine Ali, Deputy Leader & Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Refugees, during the Education and Local Economy Scrutiny Commission meeting on 6 October 2025. The training programme aims to equip parents with the skills and knowledge to better manage the needs of their SEND children.
The council's Education Psychology and Autism Support Teams will deliver the training, which will focus on understanding and managing the needs and behaviour of children with autism and ADHD. The exact design of the training and support offer will be iteratively developed in partnership with parents and carers, and partnership services. This collaborative approach will include the development of peer-to-peer training and support, ensuring the programme is tailored to the specific needs of the community.
In addition, joint work across services to develop the SEND Children & Family Hub at the recently closed Ann Bernadt Nursery school is intended to increase the availability of appropriate spaces in the borough for parents of children with Autism and ADHD. This centre will offer support and training to parents to manage the needs of their children. A key aspect of these developments is to better link the support and parental training offer from existing council services with the wider offer from key partners such as health services.
The initiative is part of a broader effort to improve SEND provisions in Southwark, with the council accepting several recommendations from the Education and Local Economy Scrutiny Commission's review. These include allocating capital funding to in-borough SEND provision and reassessing the 20-week deadlines for EHCPs.
The Public Reports Pack from the meeting details the Cabinet's response to the commission's recommendations.
