New SEND hub brings services together

A specialist hub for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) has opened in Hull.

The centre, which is located in Lil Bilocca House in the city centre, brings together a range of services under one roof, Hull City Council said.

These include the authority's children with disabilities team, along with its leisure and family support service.

Officials said the move would allow more capacity and improve leisure activities offered to children and young people with SEND.

Councillor Linda Tock, portfolio holder for children's services, said: "This hub provides a great base for our SEND services, better meeting the needs of our teams and the children they support.

"It has enabled them to expand their current offer to families and also gives us the opportunity to bring in [more] SEND services under the same roof."

The project has been supported by the local community, with donations of sensory equipment and games consoles from local charity Life For A Kid Foundation.

Father Phil, the Vicar of Sculcoates, St Mary's and St Paul's churches in Hull also raised £10,000 for the hub, with youngsters helping to decorate it.

Further plans to develop the hub include an indoor sensory garden, along with plans to integrate health services, officials said.

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