Family Voice Norfolk

29/12/2025

Celebrating young people, real jobs, real change! At the Internships Work Conference 2026!

This national event taking place online on Tuesday 24 February, celebrates four years of progress in supported internships which has been backed by a £33 million Department for Education investment in the Internships Work programme. This investment means more young people accessing high-quality supported internships – opening doors to employment, independence, and greater choice and control over their futures.

🔷 The conference will feature a series of short, engaging sessions will spotlight the voices of young people, families, job coaches, employers, and local authorities. Sessions include:

🔹 Internships Work because young people do
10:00am–12:30pm
🔹 Insights from the pilot
2:00pm–3:00pm
🔹 Helping families navigate supported internships
6:00pm–7:30pm

Book your place here ➡️ https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=uc24UbDrdEqOZ9HMRiI95-Mw2vKsnnRFo873PZVD6R1UOEk3SjRMWkhWSDlKVURLT1M5VEM4RUI5RCQlQCN0PWcu&route=shorturl

If you have any questions about your booking, please email: internshipswork@ndti.org.uk

If you would like to stay in touch about the Internships Work programme, you can join the mailing list here ➡️ https://www.ndti.org.uk/newsletter-sign-up/

28/12/2025

FREE Plan Bee course for parent carers 👇

Would you like to know more about your child's neurodivergence? Are you looking for strategies to help support your child or young person who you suspect may have autism/ADHD?

We run our FREE Plan Bee course throughout the whole of Norfolk. To find out more please email norfolkandwaveney@family-action.org.uk

27/12/2025

Brighter Beginnings - FREE Online Early Years workshops for parent and carers of children aged 0-5, from Contact, as part of the Early Years SEND Partnership:

🔷 Upcoming dates in January include:
🗓 Friday 9 Jan – Supporting speech, language and communications
🗓 Thursday 15 Jan – Toilet training children with SEND
🗓 Wednesday 21 Jan – Wellbeing support for families of children with SEND
🗓 Thursday 29 Jan – Understanding your child’s sensory differences

Spaces fill up fast, so book your free place for these informative sessions now ➡️

Workshops for families with disabled children aged 5 and under. If there are no workshops listed, please come back soon as we're always adding new dates.

24/12/2025

🎄 From everyone at Family Voice Norfolk, we wish you all a Merry Christmas, in whatever form Christmas takes for you and your children. If you and your family don’t celebrate Christmas, we hope that you will enjoy some time together over the holiday period.

2026 is only days away now and this year certainly seems to have flown. FVN has had some significant changes over the past nine months but rest assured, we’re all doing the best we can, as ever, to represent the lived experiences and views you share with us in all that we do. Thank you for sharing your experiences.

22/12/2025

❄️Places Where Kids Eat Free (or for £1) During Christmas 2025!🎄

To find out more, visit https://ow.ly/Iw1M50TKWeA
Source: Money Saving Central

22/12/2025

SEN Friendly Gymnastics!

🗓 Saturday 3rd January
⏰ 4:15pm – 5:45pm
💷 £12 per child
📍 The Norfolk Academy of Gymnastics, Rookery Business Park! Besthorpe! NR17 2LD

Book here 👉 https://tnag.co.uk/

21/12/2025

Independent Living Skills Course starting January 2026 in Kings Lynn!

Course details – Next Steps to Independence - This course is specifically designed for learners with mild to moderate learning difficulties who have completed an entry-level course or are continuing to build their independence.

What will be covered:

✅ Understanding different types of jobs and volunteering roles
✅ Applying for work/ volunteering and setting personal goals
✅ Learning about workplace routines and expectations
✅ Planning and time management
✅ Personal presentation and healthy living
✅ Exploring employment and work placements
✅ Exploring healthy relationships

More information and enrollment details, click here 👉 https://courses.adultlearningnorfolk.co.uk/CourseDetailsView.asp?CODE=ILSBW0125M&NAME=ILS%2BNext%2BSteps%2Binto%2BIndependence&ID1=1111&ID2=87888&ID3=1

If you would like help enrolling, you can contact Norfolk County Council’s Adult Learner Services team on adultlearning@norfolk.gov.uk or telephone 0344 800 8020 (Option 5).

21/12/2025

Independent Living Skills Course starting January 2026 in Norwich!

Course details – Next Steps to Independence - This course is specifically designed for learners with mild to moderate learning difficulties who have completed an entry-level course or are continuing to build their independence.

What will be covered:

✅ Understanding different types of jobs and volunteering roles
✅ Applying for work/ volunteering and setting personal goals
✅ Learning about workplace routines and expectations
✅ Planning and time management
✅ Personal presentation and healthy living
✅ Exploring employment and work placements
✅ Exploring healthy relationships

More information and enrollment details, click here 👉 https://courses.adultlearningnorfolk.co.uk/CourseDetailsView.asp?CODE=ILSBN0125M&NAME=ILS%2BNext%2BSteps%2Binto%2BIndependence&ID1=1111&ID2=87886&ID3=1

If you would like help enrolling, you can contact Norfolk County Council’s Adult Learner Services team on adultlearning@norfolk.gov.uk or telephone 0344 800 8020 (Option 5).

20/12/2025

💻 Next Steps into the Digital World course starting January in Norwich!

This course is specifically designed for learners with learning disabilities, and focusses on real-life digital tasks that support your personal goals.

What will be covered:
✅ Using digital devices for everyday tasks like shopping, travel, and communication
✅ Staying safe online and protecting your personal information
✅ Exploring apps and tools that support independent living
✅ Building confidence through practical activities
✅ Connecting with others and accessing support services

For more information and enrollment details, click here 👉 https://courses.adultlearningnorfolk.co.uk/CourseDetailsView.asp?CODE=ILSCN0325H&NAME=ILS%2BNext%2BSteps%2Binto%2Bthe%2BDigital%2BWorld&ID1=1111&ID2=87882&ID3=1

If you would like help enrolling, you can contact Norfolk County Council’s Adult Learner Services team on adultlearning@norfolk.gov.uk or telephone 0344 800 8020 (Option 5).

19/12/2025

📣 Our December newsletter is out!

🔶 In this month’s edition you can find information on:

🔸 Welcome Nicola MacKinnon – Norfolk County Council Children’s services - Designated Social Care Officer (DSCO)
🔸 Relaxed/ adapted Pantomime performances
🔸 Kooth Christmas and New Year opening hours
🔸 Making Sense of SEND is heading to Sheringham in January!
🔸 Applications for funded training for parent carers with lived experience of CYPMH now live!

🔶And much more!

If you see a title that interests you, click on it and you will be taken straight to the article ➡️ https://shorturl.at/RKaZX

If you’d like to ensure you never miss our newsletters you can join our free membership and we’ll email it to you each month. You can join here ➡️ https://www.familyvoice.org.uk/contact/join-2/

18/12/2025

Are you working or volunteering as a parent carer peer support worker (PCPSW) with lived experience of supporting a child or young person with mental health issues,or would you like to train to become a PCPSW?

If yes, applications for funded training places for parent carers is now live!

The training is fully funded with a grant of up to £3305 to support the PCPSW to participate in the training and to acquire experience of supporting parents and carers. Click here for more details 👉 https://charliewaller.org/mental-health-training-support/parents-and-carers/parent-carer-peer-support/parent-carer-peer-support-course

If you are interested or have any questions, there are two online application drop-in sessions in January. You can book an appointment on the link above. You can also reach out to the team with questions at pcps.training@charliewaller.org

18/12/2025

The Norfolk SEND Local Offer have an update on the two new special schools the Government approved more than two years ago for Ryston near Downham Market and Great Yarmouth.

Head over to their post below to comment on what you think should be done.

We have an update on the two new special schools the Government approved more than two years ago for Ryston near Downham Market and Great Yarmouth.

The Department for Education has given Norfolk County Council two choices:

✅ Proceed with building the new schools as planned
OR
✅ Accept a smaller pot of alternative funding to create specialist places in existing schools.

The council has said its priority is making sure this investment has the biggest impact for children and families in Norfolk. So it is going to work with schools, trusts, and partners to decide the best way forward.

📅 Decision deadline: end of February 2026

What do you think? 👇