Finding Voices, Building Connections – Reflections from the PACA SEND Information Day, Milton Keynes

3 July 2026 was a very special day for everyone at Makers of Voice.

As a small parent-led initiative, we attended our very first PACA SEND Information Day in Milton Keynes, not knowing quite what to expect. We arrived with a table, a few posters printed at home, some books written by our young people, and one simple mission:

"To help every child discover their voice."

We left with something far more valuable than we could have imagined.

We left with hope.

A Day Full of Inspiring Conversations

Throughout the day, we had the privilege of speaking with dozens of parents, carers, professionals and SEND organisations from across Milton Keynes.

Every conversation reminded us why Makers of Voice exists.

Behind every family was a unique journey.

Some parents spoke about children who struggle to express their thoughts.

Others shared worries about confidence, friendships, anxiety or preparing for adulthood.

Yet despite the challenges, what stood out most was something incredibly powerful:

The determination, resilience and love that SEND families carry every single day.

It was impossible not to be inspired.

Sidak's Story Gave Parents Hope

The highlight of the day was undoubtedly sharing Sidak's journey.

Many parents stopped at our stall after seeing his books and wanted to know more.

When they learned that Sidak—an autistic young person who once found communication incredibly difficult—had gone on to become:

• a published author,

• a public speaker,

• and someone confidently speaking about inclusion to audiences representing more than 20 schools,

their reactions were incredibly emotional.

Many parents told us:

"This gives us hope."

Those words alone made the entire event worthwhile.

Because that is exactly why Makers of Voice was created—not to showcase one success story, but to demonstrate what can happen when a young person's strengths are recognised, nurtured and celebrated.

Young People's Stories Matter

One of the most rewarding moments was watching parents browse through the books created by the talented young people we have supported.

Among the books displayed were:

📖 From the Docks to the Stage

📖 Growing Through the Waves of Life

📖 Trinity

📖 We Choose Peace

📖 The Day I Tried

Every book represented far more than words on paper.

They represented confidence.

Creativity.

Perseverance.

A young person finding their own unique voice.

Many parents commented that they had never imagined their own child could one day become an author.

We hope they left believing it is possible.

Looking Forward to Supporting More Families

We were delighted that several families expressed interest in our Finding Your Voice Assessment and our Elocution & Communication Coaching Programme.

Over the coming weeks, we look forward to speaking with each family individually to understand their child's unique strengths, interests and aspirations.

Every child is different.

Our approach always begins with listening.

Building a Stronger Community Together

While meeting families was incredibly rewarding, another important outcome of the day was connecting with the many organisations already doing fantastic work across Milton Keynes.

We met organisations supporting children at different stages of life—from early years through to adulthood.

It quickly became clear that everyone shares the same goal:

Helping children and young people thrive.

A Common Challenge We All Recognised

During conversations with numerous organisations, one theme appeared again and again.

Many organisations provide outstanding support—but only within specific age ranges.

For example:

• organisations supporting younger children (ages 3–8),

• services focused on school-aged children,

• and organisations specialising in supporting young adults (16+).

The challenge comes when families reach the end of one service and are unsure where to go next.

Another common concern involved siblings.

Parents often struggled to find suitable support for brothers or sisters who fell outside the age range of the service they were already accessing.

We realised this wasn't an isolated issue.

It was something many organisations were experiencing.

From Signposting... to a Connected Journey

These conversations sparked an exciting idea.

Instead of organisations working independently, what if we could create a clearer pathway between them?

Just as children naturally transition from primary school to secondary school, perhaps SEND families could experience a similarly smooth transition between services throughout different stages of childhood and adulthood.

Rather than asking parents to repeatedly search for support at every milestone, organisations could work together to help families navigate that journey more easily.

It is still an early idea, but one we are passionate about exploring.

Over the coming months, Makers of Voice hopes to work alongside organisations, Milton Keynes City Council, the local authority and the wider SEND community to explore whether this vision can become a reality.

If successful, it could make life just a little easier for many SEND families.

Collaboration Over Competition

One of the most encouraging aspects of the event was seeing the incredible diversity of expertise across the SEND community.

We met organisations supporting families in many different ways, including:

• mental health support following crisis,

• specialist psychological services,

• sensory yoga,

• wellbeing programmes,

• family support,

• and many other innovative approaches.

Rather than viewing these services separately, we saw an opportunity for collaboration.

No single organisation can meet every need.

But together, we can create something much stronger.

At Makers of Voice, we firmly believe that when organisations share knowledge, support one another and work towards common goals, children and families benefit the most.

This Is Only the Beginning

Leaving the event, we didn't just come home with new contacts and exciting opportunities.

We came home with renewed purpose.

There is so much work to do.

There are more conversations to have.

More young people to inspire.

More families to support.

More partnerships to build.

The coming summer promises to be one of the busiest—and most exciting—periods in the journey of Makers of Voice.

And we cannot wait.

Thank You

Our heartfelt thanks go to PACA Milton Keynes for organising such a welcoming and inspiring event, and to every parent, carer, volunteer, professional and organisation who took the time to visit our stall.

Thank you for sharing your stories.

Thank you for trusting us with your hopes.

Most importantly...

Thank you for reminding us why this work matters.

Every child has a voice.

We help them discover it. 💚