One Island. One Day.

Jersey’s children with additional needs are being left behind – one local charity is asking the Island to choose differently

Happy Heroes has launched One Island. One Day – a landmark island-wide inclusive challenge taking place on Friday 15th May 2026, calling on every school, business and community group in Jersey to take one moment of inclusive action.

Tové de Chazal Gant’s daughter Gray doesn’t experience the world the way most children do. She is non-verbal. Noise, crowded spaces and sudden changes, things most of us barely notice, can be overwhelming. And for Gray, being part of the world around her depends not on grand gestures, but on whether the people around her choose to understand.

Gray is one of thousands of children in Jersey with additional needs. And according to an independent Government-commissioned review published in October 2025, the Island’s systems are not doing enough to support them.

Robyn Soley, Founder, Happy Heroes said: “For many families, inclusion isn’t guaranteed- it’s something they have to fight for every day. One Island. One Day. is our way of showing that, as a community, we can choose differently. We can choose to include, to understand, and to stand alongside every child and family.”

On Friday 15th May 2026, Happy Heroes is calling on schools, businesses, care homes, sports clubs and individuals across Jersey to unite for One Island. One Day- a single day of inclusive action in support of children and young people with additional needs.

There is no fixed format. Participants choose an activity that works for them- a movement break, sensory-friendly workplace activity, inclusive PE session, act of kindness, team walk or classroom challenge. The only requirement is to take part, share the moment using #HHOneIslandOneDay, and donate £2 per person to Happy Heroes.

The timing of One Island. One Day. is no coincidence. Jersey’s Island SEND Review, published in October 2025 and led by former Her Majesty’s Inspectors with extensive SEND expertise, delivered a stark verdict on the Island’s provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Among its key findings:

• Current leadership, organisation, systems and oversight in relation to inclusive education in Jersey are “not sufficiently effective”
• 276 parents surveyed reported widespread concerns about the quality of SEND provision and approaches across Jersey
• Around two-thirds of school leaders who expressed a view do not believe that pupils with SEND achieve as well as they could
• Parents report “a huge dearth of other specialists” and cite minimal support for activities and clubs for children with additional needs outside school
• Schools are routinely commissioning private educational psychologists and relying on charity support because Government provision is insufficient

The review’s conclusion was unambiguous: Jersey’s children with SEND deserve better and changing that culture requires everyone, not just government.