Sendac - Cumbria Parent Carer Forum

30/01/2026

SEND support in Cumbria - explained 💬

We’re aware that there’s been some understandable confusion recently about SEND services across Cumbria, Particularly around Parent carer forums and SENDIASS.

Parent carer forums and SENDIAS services are two very different services.

They work closely with each other but are separate organisations with different roles.
🦸🏽‍♀️🦹🏼‍♀️

In 2023, Cumbria became two separate local authority areas:

- Cumberland (Carlisle, Allerdale and Copeland) 🟢

- Westmorland & Furness (Eden, South Lakeland, Barrow) 🔵

Because of this, SENDIASS and Parent Carer Forums are now organised by where you live.📍

Both are independent from the local authority, and are standalone organisations, but they are organised by where services are delivered to align with the support and priorities needed in that area. 🫱🏼‍🫲🏻

We’ve shared the images below to help clearly explain:

- The difference between SENDIASS and Parent Carer Forums
- Which services support which areas
- Where to go if you’re unsure

The SEND system can feel complicated, particularly during periods of change, so if you’re feeling unsure, you’re definitely not alone.

🟢 👉 If you live in Cumberland and want to join your parent carer forum (SENDAC is your parent carer forum) you can become a member for free and receive free SEND training, a free max card, and help influence change to services you and your children access.

Become a member here- https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QM82XS6

🔵 👉 if you live in Westmorland and Furness and want to find out more about the parent carer forum development in your area please call 07808 774233 or email laura.burling@contact.org.uk

👉 If you need individual advice or support on your rights and about SEND processes, your local SENDIASS is always the best place to start:

🟢 Cumberland SENDIASS - https://sendiass.cumberland.gov.uk/cumberland-send-information-advice-and-support-service-send-iass

🔵 Westmorland and Furness SENDIASS - https://sendiass.westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk/westmorland-and-furness-send-ias-service

👉📄 for information about why SENDAC no longer cover Westmorland and Furness please see the joint public statement here: https://www.westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk/family-help-news/2025/changes-parent-carer-representation-sendac-contact

We hope this helps bring a bit of clarity 💙

Cumberland Sendias ServiceWestmorland and Furness Sendiass

27/01/2026

26/01/2026

Our next meeting in West Cumbria

Open to anyone with questions regarding ARFID or the crossover with ARFID and autism.

Please come along, it’s free of charge, we’re qualified and we’re very friendly 😀

See you soon

23/01/2026

SENDIASS survey! 📝

⏰ 5 minutes to complete

💭 Have you received information, advice or support from Cumberland SENDIASS in the past 12 months?

We’d really love to hear from you.

Your feedback helps us to understand what we’re doing well and how we can improve our support for families.

✅ Our survey is quick, less than 5 mins
🔒 Confidential
✍️ Can be completed anonymously

Thank you for taking the time to support Cumberland SENDIASS
👇

21/01/2026

FREE Sensory Processing Training DAY!
– On Tour 2026! 👁️👃🏽👂🏼👅🖐🏽🤸🏻‍♂️🏋🏼‍♀️🫀

With free lunch for all attendees!!

SENDAC has teamed up with Zena Cassels, NHS Children’s Occupational Therapist from North Cumbria Integrated Care, to deliver FREE sensory processing training sessions for parents and carers of children with additional needs across Cumberland and Eden.

- FREE lunch included 🍽
- For parents/carers of children with additional needs (no diagnosis required) 👨‍👩‍👧
- Maximum 45 places per session – booking required 👥

What will the session cover?

- An introduction to sensory processing ✔
- Understanding levels of alertness and fight/flight responses ✔
- Universal and targeted sensory support in Cumberland and Eden ✔
- How to identify your child’s sensory needs and support them ✔
- The new sensory lead approach in Cumberland and Eden schools ✨✔
- Interoception (body awareness) ✔
- Time for questions and discussion ✔

Dates & Locations 📍

You can choose ONE of the following dates
(All sessions will run from 10:00am – 2:30pm)

Seascale – Tuesday 3rd March 2026
Seascale Windscale club (Function Room) 🔴

Wigton – Monday 9th March 2026
The Market Hall Conference Centre 🟢

Maryport (Crosby) – Wednesday 11th March 2026
Crosscanonby community centre 🟡

Carlisle – Monday 16th March 2026
Harraby Catholic Club 🔵

Penrith – Tuesday 17th March 2026
Penrith cricket club🟣

Whitehaven – Wednesday 18th March 2026
Whitehaven Football Club 🟠

Booking is essential (maximum 45 places per session). 🎟️

To book: please scan the QR code at the end of the video or use the link here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9SSPLXL

This session will be hosted and funded by SENDAC! A SENDAC rep will also be in attendance. We hope to see you there! 💙

17/01/2026

It is very outdated to insist that a low-tech AAC system (such as a communication book or PECS) must be shown to “fail” before a child is considered for high-tech AAC.

We are living in a world where many children — including those with complex communication needs — can independently navigate their parents’ phones to find favourite YouTube videos, apps, and music. To suggest that these same children must first persist with paper-based systems that may limit speed, autonomy, motivation, and access to language is not evidence-based; it is simply old-fashioned.

This approach frames technology as a last resort rather than a legitimate, empowering communication tool — despite strong evidence that high-tech AAC can increase language exposure, communicative competence, and independence.

A statement I saw today ina SLT report read: “Evidence of successful use or that the book does not fully meet her needs is required for referrals to the AAC team requesting a trial with a tech-based symbol system.”

Requiring a child to prove that a less accessible, less motivating system is inadequate before offering something more aligned with how communication happens in the modern world is a barrier — not a safeguard.

AAC should be about access, autonomy, and presuming competence, not gatekeeping technology.

14/01/2026

Interoception - one of our 8 senses! It is the internal sense of our body’s current state, from emotions and hunger, to recognising illness and when we need the toilet 🚽🤔

14/01/2026

19/12/2025

Update for our Westmorland and Furness SEND families 💙

We have shared a joint statement with Westmorland and Furness Local Authority to explain recent changes to parent carer forum arrangements following local government reorganisation.

Due to a decision made by Contact, SENDAC will no longer cover both the Cumberland and Westmorland and Furness local authority areas, SENDAC will continue as the parent carer forum for only the Cumberland area. Separate arrangements will now be developed for Westmorland and Furness.

We know this news will be disappointing for many families in Westmorland and Furness. Including our previous and current volunteers. We truly share that disappointment. SENDAC remains a parent led forum and will continue to work openly and thoughtfully during this transition.

We want to truly thank all of the families we have built relationships with, that have been part of SENDAC and have placed their trust in us to ensure parents have a voice in SEND decisions. The full statement has been shared with members by email and the link to the statement is below.

If you have questions or would like to talk things through, please get in touch. 💙

https://fid.westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk/kb5/westmorlandandfurness/directory/advice.page?id=xidGX9LttA4

09/12/2025

28/11/2025

🗣️ “It’s time the veil is lifted on FASD, which is caused when prenatal alcohol exposure affects the developing brain and body in utero. With a rate of 2-4% for the general population and more than 27% for looked after children, FASD is one of society’s most pervasive neurodevelopmental conditions.”

So many people believe FASD is caused by excessive alcohol consumption. There is NO known safe amount or time to drink alcohol during pregnancy - it can cause problems at ANY stage. Research shows that even just one drink of alcohol can affect foetal behaviour in the womb 👶🏻🤰🚫🍹

Greater awareness of FASD is needed to avoid these tragic situations that affect some of society's most vulnerable.