Here in Redcar and Cleveland we have a new Parent Carer Forum which has recently changed its name to SEND Family Voice. The forum is run voluntarily by parents and carers, and we all have at least one child or young person with a disability and between us have a wealth of lived experience of the challenges of parenting children with SEND. As Redcar and Cleveland's recognised parent and carer forum, SEND Family Voice support and signpost families with children or young people who have a special educational need and/or disability, aged 0-25. Importantly, we represent ALL disability. We do not require a diagnosis for a family to become involved with us, or for us to take their views forward. Similarly, we do not require the child or young person from a family to have an Educational Health and Care Plan (EHCP). We are an inclusive and supportive group of parent carers. Click below link to find out more about SEND Family Voice PCF.
The SEND Family Voice – Parent Carer Forum is funded by the Department for Education and use our grant to engage directly with families, to gather their views on the services that their children and young people access, find out what is working well for them, and what can be improved.
The SEND Family Voice way of working is based on a model of co-production, which just means that they aim to work with service providers in Redcar & Cleveland, and to look for agreed solutions to any issues that come up for families.
SEND Family Voice is for parent and carers, to represent our unique experiences and insights so that our voices are heard and reflected in services. Mostly, these services are education, health, and social care, but we do collaborate on the Short Breaks offer for Redcar & Cleveland and most recently the PINS project.
Where can you signpost parent/carers to find out more? Visit the website: www.sendfamilyvoicerc.co.uk or visit Facebook ‘SEND Family Voice Redcar and Cleveland’ where there is the main information page plus a Support Space for parent carers only. There is also a Facebook page and website page which is frequently updated with upcoming events. Parent/carers can also email at info@sendfamilyvoicerc.com
SEND Family Voice Redcar and Cleveland is always looking for more parent carers to help with their important work. Please email info@sendfamilyvoicerc.com for more information. As a SENDCo, if you know of a parent/carer who would like to support the group to make positive changes to the support services and education available for our SEND children then please encourage them to contact the forum.