Bridge and Bloom Inclusion SEND Hub

Is your child struggling to thrive in a traditional classroom environment? 🌿

We are so proud to announce that Dreams & Wonders will be offering Alternative Provision places starting this September 2026!

We know that every young person’s journey is unique, and understand that many young people cannot learn until they first feel emotionally and physically safe.

Our aim is not simply to manage behaviour but to understand the experiences behind it, helping young people to develop confidence, resilience, emotional regulation and positive relationships. ✨

Sometimes, finding confidence requires a quieter space, a deep connection to nature, and the gentle, non-judgmental support of our incredible herd. 🐴

Our trauma-informed AP sessions in Clay Cross focus on emotional regulation, resilience, and therapeutic practices like art, breathwork, and woodland learning. We are here to provide a safe harbour for young people navigating anxiety, ASC, PDA, ADHD, or Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA).

Each programme is tailored to the individual and designed to complement the work being undertaken within school.

Head to dreamsandwonders.co.uk to learn about our unique approach, or to contact us. For referrals, please speak to your school SENCO. We work collaboratively with schools, families and professionals and are happy to contribute towards EHCP outcomes where appropriate.

You can find our SEND offering on Synergy here: https://caya-apps.derbyshire.gov.uk/Synergy/SynergyWeb/Family_Information_Service/Enquiries/Search.aspx?BX=2MRQ2IvjEKp9lUSv53DBnv1XDh%2FI3fSTK4osL1moYmh0%2FlTcTcDL%2F5siokur%2FV6tmSDIiyGW%2BgQQ%2BZWYnOEdoA%3D%3D&AY=DHMcuVL3hQXh03VmoiWHC0NeYNMGzH%2BEsHi2hPI9FlSH7WjchmyaSowpEh0hY88bocNWTQxk4Br9SgbPcGxH%2Bw%3D%3D

Please share this post with a parent, carer, or school professional who might find this helpful! 💚

Back to reality… with my favourite kind of bump! 💙🌼

Stay & Play is on tonight!

📍 Tupton Community Hub
🕞 3:30–5:00pm

We’ll have:
🎨 Craft activities
🫧 Sensory play
🍬 Our little tuck shop for pocket money treats

This is a free, relaxed session where you can come along, let the children play, have a chat, and just spend time together. No pressure, no expectations—just a welcoming space for everyone.

We can’t wait to see you all later! 🥰

Tonight feels like the right time to say thank you. 💙🌼

Today I graduated with a First Class Honours degree in Special Educational Needs and Disability. I’ve had so many lovely messages of congratulations, and I’m incredibly proud, but the truth is this degree has never really belonged to just me.

My third year was shaped by the amazing children and families who walk through the doors of Bridge and Bloom every week. The little humans who have taught me more than any textbook ever could. The parents who trusted me with their stories, their frustrations, their victories and the moments nobody else sees.

My dissertation explored Barriers to Education for Children with SEND, and every page was inspired by the real experiences of families like ours. You reminded me why this work matters, especially on the days when the deadlines felt impossible and I wondered if I could keep going.

This week, when emotions were running high and I was doubting myself, it was you who carried me.

With kind words, hugs, messages, flowers, borrowed earrings, endless encouragement and simply by turning up every week, you reminded me why I started this journey in the first place.

So tonight I just want to say thank you.

Thank you for trusting Bridge and Bloom.

Thank you for believing in me, even when I didn’t quite believe in myself.

Thank you for letting me learn alongside your incredible children.

Thank you for reminding me that inclusion isn’t just something we write about in assignments, it’s something we build together, one conversation, one child and one family at a time.

This degree might have my name on it, but a little piece of it belongs to every family who has walked this journey with us.

The little humans who inspired it.
The parents who supported it.
The village that made it possible.

Thank you for helping me become the person I always hoped I could be.

Now… let’s see what we can achieve together next. 💙🌼

Some days remind you exactly why you started… and today was one of those days. ❤️

I’ve had such a lovely day with coffee morning this morning and Not in School Club this afternoon.

I said it out loud today, and I’ll say it again… in the middle of all the chaos, it still amazes me that people keep coming back. 🤣🤣🤣 Week after week, you show up. Even when you’re anxious, when you’re exhausted, when it’s far too hot, or when you’re just not really feeling it.

And somehow, together, we make it work.

Today, though, you all held me together.

Running Bridge and Bloom is the most incredible, chaotic, exhausting and rewarding journey, but today was one of those days that reminded me I really have found my people. Your belief in me pushes me to be the best version of me I can be!

Thank you for trusting me, for supporting each other, for laughing with me (and at me), and for making Bridge and Bloom feel like the little community I’d always hoped it could become.

I’m so incredibly grateful for every single one of you. 💙🌸

I’ve sat on this for a while because I wanted to respond thoughtfully rather than emotionally.

But one word in today’s coverage has really stayed with me.

“Entitled.”

When we’re talking about Children’s Services, that word doesn’t sit comfortably with me at all.

The children we support aren’t entitled because they need an EHCP.

They’re not entitled because they can’t access school.

They’re not entitled because they’re autistic, have ADHD, have experienced trauma, or because they need specialist support.

And parents certainly aren’t entitled because they spend years fighting for the basics their child is legally entitled to receive.

Every week at Bridge & Bloom we meet families who are exhausted. Families who have spent months, sometimes years, telling professionals that their child is struggling. Families who have lost jobs because they can’t leave a child who is too anxious to attend school. Families who are burnt out from constantly having to prove that their child’s needs are real.

These aren’t people asking for special treatment.

They’re asking for children to be safe.

They’re asking for education.

They’re asking for support before crisis hits.

If we’re having a conversation about the finances of Children’s Services, then let’s have that conversation honestly.

Let’s ask why early intervention is still so difficult to access.

Let’s ask why families reach crisis before meaningful support arrives.

Let’s ask why waiting lists continue to grow while children’s needs become more complex.

Because when support comes too late, everyone pays the price—most importantly, the child.

We can debate budgets. We can debate policy. We can debate how services should be funded.

But please don’t frame vulnerable children or the professionals trying to support them as “entitled.”

Children don’t choose to have additional needs.

Parents don’t choose to spend years fighting a system.

And nobody should ever be made to feel guilty for asking for the support they need to give a child the chance to thrive.

At Bridge & Bloom we’ll continue standing alongside those families, because every child deserves to be understood, supported and given the opportunity to reach their potential. That shouldn’t be seen as entitlement. It should be seen as the standard.

Scathing attack on “entitled” Derbyshire’s children’s services department over “habitual” budget overspending

🎉 What’s on this week at Bridge & Bloom? 🎉

It’s a slightly different week this week… so buckle up! 👀

🎓 Wednesday
We are closed because it’s Graduation Day! 🩵❤️

Rather than cancel coffee morning completely, we’re moving it…

☕ Tuesday – Coffee Morning
📍 North Wingfield Hub
🕤 9:30am–11:00am

Pop in for a brew, a chat, or simply a quiet space with people who get it. Everyone is welcome, just come as you are. 💚

🍦 Tuesday – Not in School Club
📍 North Wingfield Hub
🕐 1:00pm–2:30pm
💷 £5 per child

The heatwave got the better of our ice cream plans last week, so we’re trying again! Fingers crossed the weather behaves this time! 🤞🍦

⚽ No Comets this week.

🎨 Thursday – Stay & Play
📍 Tupton Community Hub
🕞 3:30pm–5:00pm

A free session with a mixture of crafts, sensory play and toys. A lovely relaxed space to play, explore and make friends.

🦕 Friday Morning – Preschool Group
📍 North Wingfield Hub
🕤 9:30am–11:00am
💷 £3 per child

A smaller, calmer play session with plenty of sensory opportunities.

🥣 Friday Afternoon – Not in School Club
📍 North Wingfield Hub
🕐 1:00pm–2:30pm
💷 £5 per child

This week we’ll be making delicious flapjack alongside a fun craft activity.

🎪 Saturday – Tupton Carnival!

We’re so excited!

Come and find the Bridge & Bloom area where we’ll have:
💚 Our sensory tent
🔎 Treasure hunt
⚽ Penalty shoot-out
🎟️ Tombola
🎉 Plus lots of other activities!

Our little corner is all about creating a space where families can enjoy the carnival together. Whether you want to join in with the fun or just need somewhere to take a breather, we’ll have a chill-out area, ear defenders, sensory toys and somewhere to sit, chat and simply exist together.

We can’t wait to see you all this week! 💚

After checking the temperature inside the hub this morning, I’ve made the decision to cancel this afternoon’s Not in School Club.

The building is already 27°C at 9.00am, and with today’s temperatures expected to continue rising, I don’t feel it’s safe for the children to spend the afternoon indoors. Many of our children find it much harder to regulate their body temperature, so their wellbeing has to come first.

Preschool this morning will still go ahead, but we’ll be taking things very gently with plenty of drinks, quiet play and lots of opportunities to stay cool and if any afternoon people want to come and play this morning you are more than welcome!

Thank you, as always, for your understanding. 💚

Another really lovely (if slightly toasty 🥵😂) craft group this afternoon!

We made some amazing sensory jars, enjoyed fruit kebabs, and had lots of fun getting creative with ice cube painting. It was so lovely to see everyone despite the heat.

At the moment, tomorrow’s sessions are still going ahead. Just be aware that the hub is still pretty warm inside - it’s usually around 5°C cooler than outside, but it’s definitely not air conditioned! We’ll have plenty of cold drinks, lots of ice, and we’ll be taking things at a pace that suits everyone.

Also… in true Claire fashion, I completely forgot to take any photos again! 🤦‍♀️ If you snapped any pictures today that you’re happy for Bridge & Bloom to share, please pop them in the comments or send them over. We’d love to see them! 🩷

🌞 After School Craft Group is on today! 🌞

Yes… we’re all slowly melting, but we’ll be there! 😂

We’ll have cold drinks and plenty of ice to help us survive the heat. 🧊🥤

This afternoon we’ll be making sensory jars and fruit kebabs 🍓🍇🍍

The sensory room will be open throughout the session for anyone who needs a quieter space to regulate (although I can’t promise it’s any cooler in there! 👀😂).

📍 North Wingfield
🕓 4.00–5.30pm
💷 £5 per child

See you later… we’ll all melt together! 🫠💜

💙 Comets Update 💙

I know it feels like we’ve been cancelling more football than we’ve actually been playing lately, and I’m so sorry.

The safety and wellbeing of our children, families and coaches will always come first. Many of our children can find it much harder to regulate their body temperature, and with the temperatures expected this evening, it’s simply not safe for us to go ahead.

As much as we hate cancelling, we’d rather miss one session than put anyone at risk.

So with that in mind, there will be no Comets tonight. Thank you all for your understanding, and fingers crossed for cooler weather soon so we can get back out on the pitch! ⚽💙