Wiltshire Council to launch 'Inclusive Wiltshire'

Wiltshire Council is launching Inclusive Wiltshire this spring, a new approach to providing accessible activities and experiences for children and young people with additional needs and Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND).

Wiltshire Council has worked with SEND families and professional partners to create this new approach, which aims to offer more activities and social experiences for SEND children and young people up to 25, including new opportunities to engage in communities.

Inclusive Wiltshire replaces the former Short Breaks Scheme, which has now ended.

From Spring 2026, there will be four different offers available, and SEND families will be required to use an eligibility checker to see which one is likely to suit their child or young person best.

• Community Activities – inclusive sessions and opportunities available locally through trusted organisations
• Activity Payment – funding, giving eligible children and young people financial support to help choose their own personalised activities
• Activity Plus – supported activities run by Wiltshire Council’s Leisure, Culture and Communities teams and partners
• Activity Extra – specialist, highly personalised activities, for children and young people with the highest levels of need

Families will be able to find out which element of the new scheme is likely to best suit their child or young person by completing the new application questionnaire (eligibility checker), which will soon be on the Wiltshire Council Local Offer website.

Cllr Jon Hubbard, Cabinet Member for Children Services, SEND, Education and Skills, said: “Inclusive Wiltshire marks an important step forward in offering wider experiences and opportunities for children and young people with additional needs and SEND.

“Families asked for clearer pathways and more flexibility, and this new approach delivers exactly that. We’ve worked closely with the Wiltshire Parent Carer Council and community partners, and these activities are truly inclusive, enabling young people to grow in confidence, build friendships and enjoy meaningful experiences across Wiltshire. We will be launching this exciting new approach very soon.”

Stuart Hall, Director of the Wiltshire Parent Carer Council, said: “Families have been extensively engaged in shaping Inclusive Wiltshire and we have seen the new offer evolve in response to the feedback shared by families. We are delighted to see a payment option, and specialist activity clubs for children and young people with the most complex needs, as families fed back that these were significantly important. Families regularly feedback that there are not enough community-based activities near to where they live and we hope in time that the new scheme will successfully increase these experiences equitably across Wiltshire.”