Putting children & young people’s voices at the heart of SEND: What SEND professionals need to know

For SEND practitioners, leaders & allies in inclusive practice

Last month’s Invision360 webinar, Coproduction that works: Putting children and young people’s voices at the heart of SEND, brought together experienced professionals and sector advocates to unpack what authentic co-production looks like and how to embed it in everyday practice.

The session addressed a timely challenge: we all recognise coproduction as essential in SEND and it’s a legal expectation in the SEND Code of Practice, yet many services still struggle to move beyond tokenistic involvement into genuine partnerships with children, young people, and families.

Here are the key themes and practical insights that emerged.

1. Co-production: From ideal to practice

A central message from the webinar was the difference between consultation and co-production. True co-production:

• Starts early and involves young people and families in design, decisions, and evaluation
• Treats lived experience as equal expertise
• Goes beyond asking for feedback to sharing power and shaping outcomes together

Our panel speakers emphasised that if children and young people are only asked what they think and not given space to act, the process remains tokenistic.

2. Why child & young person voice matters

When children and young people with SEND are genuinely heard:

• Plans and services reflect what matters to them, not just clinical or administrative goals
• Engagement improves and children and young people participate more readily when they feel seen and respected
• Trust between professionals, families, and young people increases, leading to better collaboration and outcomes

This aligns with broader SEND practice frameworks that prioritise participation and shared decision-making.

3. Practical strategies that work

The panel shared several approaches that professionals can adopt:

✅ Build inclusive spaces

Create opportunities for children and young people to express themselves in ways that suit them, whether verbally, visually, digitally, or through activities.

✅ Use effective listening techniques

Active listening isn’t just about hearing views, it’s about responding meaningfully and closing the loop so participants see how their input made a difference.

✅  Share power in decisions

Rather than professionals making final choices alone, consider how children and their families can help shape key decisions, from goal-setting to service design and review.

4. Overcoming barriers

While commitment to co-production is growing, the webinar also acknowledged common challenges:

• Time and resourcing: Genuine co-production takes time, and organisations may need to rethink workflows so that participation isn’t an afterthought.
• Capacity building: Professionals may need training and support to facilitate inclusive engagement rather than leading from the front.
• System constraints: Local policies and processes aren’t always designed for flexible, child-centred engagement so creative adaptation is essential.

5. What this means for SEND practice

For SEND leaders and professionals, the implications are significant:

• Co-production must be intentional, not incidental
  Embed it in every stage of planning, reviewing, and evaluating support not just at isolated touch points.
• Voice + Influence = better outcomes
  When children and young people influence what happens because of what they said, plans are more aspirational, personalised, and impactful.
• Culture shift over compliance
  The strongest co-production comes when local authorities value partnerships, not just procedural compliance with guidance.

Closing takeaway

The webinar reinforced a simple but powerful truth: voice without influence is not co-production. SEND professionals are uniquely positioned to lead this shift creating systems where children, young people, and families shape the services intended for them.

If you’d like to deepen your practice, consider embedding the following in your work:

✨ Routine co-production check-points
✨ Child-friendly tools and communication strategies
✨ Feedback loops that show real impact

You can watch the full webinar recording here