According to Hertfordshire County Council the upcoming SEND Summit will be a pivotal moment in shaping the future of services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), their families, the schools they attend, and the professionals who support them. It will help inform Hertfordshire's new SEND Strategy for 2026–2031, which will be launched later this year.

In a statement the council claim to have made real progress "in listening more closely to a wider range of voices and acting on what we hear, we know that people still feel disconnected from the process. That must change. This summit is part of our commitment to making sure everyone has the opportunity to be heard—and to influence what happens next".

Cllr Mark Watkin, Executive Member for Education, SEND and Inclusion, said: "This Summit will be an important moment in our drive to improve services for children and young people with SEND as well as their parents and carers, and everyone who works in the system. It will be an opportunity for people to share their ideas and experiences to inform the development of our new SEND strategy 2026-2031.

"There has been significant work by officers to make sure we are listening to a range of groups and acting on their feedback, but we know there is more to do and that people feel disengaged. I am determined that their voices will be heard in the next phase of our improvement journey."

In the lead-up to the summit, we're inviting people to get involved by:

Taking part in pre-summit engagement activities to share their experiences and ideas and shape the future SEND strategy

Submitting questions for the summit panel, helping direct and inform the conversations that matter most.

The summit itself will bring together parent / carer representatives, schools, professionals and partners to explore challenges, share learning, and build shared ownership of the changes we need to see. It will also spotlight national developments in SEND policy and how they affect Hertfordshire, alongside local progress and innovation.

Details of the summit—planned for September—will be confirmed soon. In the meantime, we encourage everyone to take part in the engagement opportunities and help shape the future of SEND in Hertfordshire.

Sign up to participate in pre-summit engagement activities