Children and young people with SEND news

Oldham Council has agreed to keep paying POINT so the charity can carry on running play sessions and short breaks for children with special needs and their families. The move means parents who rely on these few hours of respite will not face a gap in support when the current deal ends.

POINT has worked with the town hall for years, hiring staff and booking community halls so youngsters can swim, craft, or simply meet friends while carers catch their breath. By extending the contract for another 24 months, the council locks in that arrangement without reopening a lengthy tender.

The decision was taken quietly at a town hall meeting on 28 November, the last working day before the festive shutdown. No new money was announced; the authority will simply keep drawing from the existing children's services budget to cover the charity's costs.

Families say the sessions are a lifeline in a borough where 3,200 pupils have education, health and care plans and specialist childcare places are scarce. One mother told us last summer that losing the Saturday club would leave her 'nowhere safe' for her autistic son while she worked a weekend shift.

Council papers do not spell out the exact value of the extension, so it is unclear how many places can be funded or whether demand will outstrip supply. What is certain is that the same small team at POINT will carry on taking referrals until at least late 2027.