How do I find SEN-friendly venues?

Browse all venues from the Venues page, search by name or keyword, and enter your postcode to sort by distance. Use filters for sensory levels, facilities, price, and age suitability.

What sensory filters are available?

Filter by noise, lighting, and crowding levels (very low to very high), look for venues with quiet spaces or dedicated sensory hours, and filter by facilities like wheelchair access and staff training.

How do I save and follow venues?

Tap the bookmark icon on any venue to save it. Saving automatically follows the venue, so you receive updates when they post news or events.

How do I leave a review?

Sign in, visit a venue page, and click the review button. Rate 1-5 stars, add sensory ratings for noise, lighting, and crowding, mention quiet spaces or sensory hours, and upload photos.

How do I submit a new venue?

Click 'Submit a Venue' from the venues page, fill in the name, location, and sensory details, upload photos, and our team will review and publish approved venues within a few days.

How do notifications work?

Manage preferences from Settings. Choose which emails you receive including weekly digests, venue updates, and review replies. Set your postcode and radius to hear about new venues near you.

Is my information private?

Control your privacy from Settings. Choose whether your profile and reviews are visible. We never share personal information with venues or third parties.

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Help for Families

Everything you need to know about finding SEN-friendly venues on SENScout

Finding Venues

Browse all venues from the Venues page, or search by name or keyword
Enter your postcode to sort venues by distance, nearest first
Each venue card shows the name, location, rating, and sensory tags at a glance
Click any venue to see full details, photos, reviews, and sensory information

Filtering & Sorting

Use the filter bar to narrow results by what matters most to your family
Filter by sensory levels: noise, lighting, and crowding (very low to very high)
Look for venues with quiet spaces or dedicated sensory hours
Filter by facilities: parking, wheelchair access, accessible toilets, baby change, and staff trained in additional needs
Filter by price range and age suitability
Sort by newest, highest rated, or most reviewed

Venue Details

Each venue page shows a sensory profile with noise, lighting, and crowding levels
Check the facilities section for practical info like parking and accessibility
View the photo gallery and community photos shared by other families
Some venues have a sensory calendar showing quiet hours and calm sessions
Look for the 'Verified Business' badge. It means the venue owner manages their listing

Saving & Following Venues

Tap the bookmark icon on any venue to save it to your list
When you save a venue, you automatically follow it
Followers receive updates when the venue posts news or events
You may also receive email notifications about venue updates (adjustable in settings)
View all your saved venues anytime from your profile

Leaving Reviews

You must be signed in to leave a review
Rate the venue from 1 to 5 stars and share your experience
You can add sensory ratings for noise, lighting, and crowding based on your visit
Mention whether the venue had quiet spaces or sensory hours available
Add a visit time hint (e.g. 'weekday morning') to help other families plan
You can upload photos from your visit to help others see what to expect
Each person can leave one review per venue

Interacting with Reviews

Mark reviews as helpful to surface the most useful feedback
Reply to other reviews to share your own experience or ask questions
If a review seems inappropriate, you can report it for our team to check
Venue owners may respond to your review as a 'Business Response'

Community Photos

Photos you upload with your review appear in the venue's community photos section
These help other families see the real environment before visiting
All photos are reviewed to ensure they're appropriate and relevant

Submitting a Venue

Know a SEN-friendly venue that's not on SENScout? You can submit it!
Click 'Submit a Venue' from the venues page
Fill in the venue name, location, and any sensory details you know
You can upload photos to help us verify the listing
Our team reviews submissions and publishes approved venues within a few days

Your Account

Sign up with email or Google to unlock saving, reviewing, and submitting
Your profile shows your reviews, saved venues, and activity badges
Badges are awarded for milestones like your first review, multiple reviews, and helpful votes

Notifications & Email Preferences

Manage your notification preferences from Settings → Notifications
Choose which emails you receive: weekly digest, venue updates, review replies, and more
Set your home postcode and notification radius to hear about new venues near you
You can turn off any notification type at any time

Privacy & Safety

Control your privacy from Settings → Privacy
Choose whether your profile and reviews are publicly visible
You can change your password or delete your account from Settings
We never share your personal information with venues or third parties
Report any concerning content using the report button on reviews, posts, and comments

Community Guidelines

Learn about our content standards, how moderation works, and our strike system.

Read our Community Guidelines →

Tips for the Best Experience

SENScout works on mobile, tablet, and desktop. No app download needed
Use the postcode search to find venues near wherever you're going, not just near home
Check the sensory calendar before visiting. Some venues have dedicated quiet sessions
Leave a review after your visit to help other families make informed decisions

Still need help?

We'd love to hear from you, whether it's a question, suggestion, or just to say hello.

Contact Support

Own or manage a venue? See our guide for venue owners →