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Preston
Primary School
Academy

Torbay Parent Carer Forum

Torbay are in the process of setting up a new Parent and Carer Forum to enable parents of children with additional needs to contribute to developing services within the local community that can support better outcomes for their children.  Please see information below about this group, which has been sent to us by the Local Authority SEND Team:

 

Dear Parent/Carer

My name is Catherine Ratcliffe, and I am an Associate working for Contact (formerly Contact a Family).  Contact is the delivery partner for the Department for Education for Parent Participation. I have been asked by Contact to work with parents and carers in Torbay.

Every local authority area in England needs a parent carer forum. But at the moment there is no forum for Torbay

Contact is offering support to help parent carers access the Department of Education £17,500 grant to establish a forum for Torbay. (These grants are available in every local area.)

MAKING A DIFFERENCE TOGETHER

A lively local forum empowers you to help improve the services you need, introduces you to new friends and provides training to boost your skills and knowledge.

Parent carer forums welcome all parent carers of children and young people with disabilities, special educational needs, health needs and other additional needs aged 0-25 years, whether diagnosed or not.

The purpose of participation in this context is to ensure better outcomes for children and young people with SEND and their families. It is about the involvement of parents with a range of professionals and strategic managers in the early stages of planning and the subsequent delivery of services. The benefit of actively involving parents in decision-making is an integral part government legislation and plans, and evidence suggests that services are improved when parents are actively involved in shaping them.

I would like to invite you to one of the virtual meetings listed below to discuss how parent participation and co production might be developed further in your area. It is essential that as parents/carers it is your voice that is heard in the design and development of services for your children and young people.

The meetings will be on:

Monday 27th September 7-00pm to 8-30pm

Thursday 30th September 10-30pm to 12 noon

Please email Catherine.ratcliffe@cafamily.org.uk for log in details

Yours sincerely,

Catherine Ratcliffe

Address
Preston Primary School Academy
Old Paignton Road
Torquay
Devon
TQ2 6UY

Phone
01803 607075