Black Child SEND Conference 2026

Join us in person for the GCMH Black Child SEND Conference 2026 in conjunction with Enact Equality and the APPG for Race Equality in Education!

As the Government advances reforms to the SEND system, decisions are being made that will fundamentally shape children’s educational experiences, legal rights, and access to support for years to come. Yet too often, Black children with SEND, and the families and practitioners who know their realities best remain marginal to these decision-making spaces.

This conference exists to change that.

On 10 February 2026, we will gather in Parliament to centre the lived experiences, evidence, and expertise of those working at the intersection of race, disability, and education. This is a vital opportunity to bring community voices into spaces of influence, to interrogate how policy is formed, and to ask whose needs are being prioritised and whose are being overlooked.

Black children are disproportionately affected by inequities across the SEND system, from identification and diagnosis, to exclusions, access to specialist provision, and post-school outcomes. These disparities are not accidental; they are shaped by policy, practice, and power.

At a time of legislative change, it is essential that:

• The realities faced by Black children with SEND are visible and understood
• Families’ experiences inform policy and practice, not just respond to it
• Practitioners and community organisations are recognised as critical partners in system change

The conference will feature inspiring and influential voices from across the SEND sector, including:

• Parents and carers with lived experience
• Educators and school leaders
• Local authority and system leaders
• Community organisations and advocates
• Policy influencers and sector experts

Through the conference we will explore how racial inequity shows up within SEND education, and crucially, what must change.

This conference is for:

• Parents and carers of Black children with SEND
• Education, health, and social care professionals
• SEND practitioners and advocates
• Researchers, policymakers, and commissioners
• Community leaders and voluntary sector organisations

If you care about equity, accountability, and creating a SEND system that works for all children, this space is for you.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher Global Child and Maternal Health CIC