On 3 December, content contributed by children and young people with SEND from across Hertfordshire will be shared on Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) and Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust social media channels to help them get their voices heard. Young people can also get involved by posting on their own social media using the hashtag #SENDtakeover2025.
The theme for the day is ‘hidden disabilities’ and we are calling all young people aged up to 25 with SEND to join in and share what is important for us to know about them; what they think, feel and experience. Whether they have a visible or non-visible disability, young people can contribute their ideas and views through content such as photos or videos, artwork, writing or poetry.
There will also be two live Q&A sessions on Voices of Hertfordshire Instagram with HCC leaders and health professionals taking place on the day. They will aim to answer questions sent in via schools and other partner agencies as well as Services for Young People (SfYP) youth work projects and youth councils.
At SfYP youth work projects and youth councils for young people with SEND, our Youth Workers are supporting young people to create artwork, podcasts and videos to contribute to the social media channels, including the Voices of Hertfordshire YouTube channel, a channel made for young people by young people.
Young people with SEND can get involved and access ongoing support at these projects which run every week during term time across the whole of Hertfordshire. By joining one of these projects or youth councils, young people become part of Voices of Hertfordshire, the collective name for children and young people involved in shaping services for those with SEND. Find more details here:
Hear from one of the Voices of Hertfordshire Experts by Experience and find out more about the SEND social media takeover day on the Hertfordshire SEND Local Offer website: Guest blog: The disabilities you don't see, but we live with every day.
