Universal SEND Services
Making inclusion work in every classroom
Free, DfE-funded training, support and resources to help schools and colleges strengthen inclusive practice and improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND.
99% of participants say their confidence in identifying and meeting needs has increased and 93% report improving their practice as a result of the learning.
Explore online units, autism training, examples of real-life practice and regional events designed to help every educator build confidence and champion inclusion for learners with SEND.
Access Free Training | See upcoming CPD events
“Teaching staff now have a stronger understanding of students’ needs - it’s changed the culture of our school.” Headteacher, Peer Mentoring
“We’ve moved from firefighting to early identification - that’s the real impact.”SENCO, Professional Development Group
“The training gave me strategies I could use the next day. It’s made a real difference to my learners.” Classroom teacher, Online units.
Funded by the DfE and delivered by Whole School SEND and the Education Training Foundation.
What support is available through this programme?
Autism Awareness and Inclusion
Our DfE-funded 'Train the Trainer' packages are designed for leaders, SENCOs, and inclusion teams who want to deliver high-quality, evidence-based autism training to staff — with clarity, confidence, and minimal prep time.
We know that the most effective training comes from people who understand their own setting. That’s why our packages give you the tools to deliver it yourself — with everything you need to lead impactful sessions tailored to your setting.
Online Autism CPD Units
Coming for Autumn 2025!
Developed in collaboration with autism specialists and individuals with lived experience, these units provide clear, practical guidance to help you implement effective support for students with autism.
Unique units for primary, secondary, and post-16 practitioners, plus two units specifically for school leaders.
Online CPD Units
This series of online Continuing Professional Development (CPD) units has been designed to support those who work with children and young people in schools and further education settings. They address the barriers most commonly observed in classrooms and other learning environments, regardless of age, label or area of need.
Specialist Spotlight Sessions
To complement each unit you also have the opportunity to join a live Specialist Spotlight session, often involving the same professionals who helped to develop the units. It’s a chance to contextualise the learning, share experiences and learn from colleagues from across the country. Places are limited so book early to avoid disappointment!
FE - Education Training Foundation
ETF will be delivering a range of CPD sessions and events for managers and practitioners through their excellence gateway - Communities of Practice. These online sessions are open to anyone working in the Education sector with an interest to improving experiences for learners with an inclusion need.
Responsive Webinars
Our live webinars are delivered four times a year, and take stock of the needs of the workforce and address the priorities of the sector at a given point in time.
Interactive SEND Toolkits
Each interactive toolkit is a comprehensive resource hub designed to guide professionals through resources to support various aspects of SEND. Tailored for a range of roles, these toolkits offer a variety of guides and webinars categorised for easy navigation.
Regional networking and support
Suitable for school-based practitioners these networking opportunities will support prioritisation of SEND across the region.
Resource update and exemplification
We have developed a wealth of resource materials over years of supporting the schools and further education workforce to develop inclusive practice. We remain committed to updating these existing resources, such as case studies and videos, to extend their relevance.
Parents and Carers
Whilst the Universal SEND Services (USS) programme is predominantly aimed at supporting the continuing professional development of educational professionals and enabling the cultural / leadership shift towards inclusive practice, we also recognise parents and carers as key stakeholders and a number of our resources - such as our Ask, Listen, Do leaflets - are aimed at helping to develop successful partnerships between families and education settings.
Sharing your data
A range of support and CPD opportunities is available to schools and further education settings over the course of the programme. As this is a Department for Education (DfE) funded project, participants may be contacted by an external evaluator to measure the impact and success of the project. By participating in any of the webinars, live sessions or other activities you are providing consent by default to have your data shared and be contacted by the DfE and/or the external evaluators to support the evaluation process.
Programme Partners
Education and Training Foundation
Our strategic partnership with ETF is enabling our ambition to bring together both school and Further Education and Training professionals to support a joined-up education journey for children, young people and their families, resulting in more of our talented young people achieving their aspirations.