Terms of Reference Purpose / Mission Richmond SEND Family Voice exists to work in partnership with the Local Authority (Achieving for Children) and other public services to develop measureable changes and improvements for children & young people with Special Educational Needs & Disabilities and their families. How = Partnership We will work in partnership with the statutory and voluntary sector organisations to achieve this purpose. In light of the changes within the Children’s & Families Act 2014, we will learn and develop together new ways of working to achieve shared, agreed goals. Richmond SEND Family Voice believes that by working collaboratively as a ‘critical friend’ with a constructive, solution focussed approach we will best serve the families we represent. We will take care to constantly review our activities to ensure our work is sustainable and retains focus on our purpose. Our membership includes residents of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames who are families of child or young person with Special Educational Needs & Disability (ages 0-25). We also include those who use SEN services within Richmond, whether they are resident in the borough or not. Membership includes parents & carers and children & young people. Richmond SEND Family Voice will facilitate a constant communication cycle between the steering group and the wider membership. Richmond SEND Family Voice will empower the families of children and young people with additional needs or disabilities to obtain the best possible education, care and services by becoming partners in the shaping of family focused services.
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We aim to empower families to create a package of support and intervention for their children & young people with the aim of achieving the greatest independence possible for that young person. We will ensure that parents, carers and young people are representatives sitting on statutory focus / strategy groups; including education, health and care.
Information, Consultation & Participation These three elements underpin the activities of Richmond SEND Family Voice: Information All families need to be provided with relevant, timely information. The better informed families are, the more confident and empowered they are. Consultation Consultation is a two way communication and the wider membership of Richmond SEND Family Voice will always be provided with the opportunity to have their voice heard. We will reply to families’ responses and explain what has changed as a result of consultations (or where & why it has not been possible to make changes). Many families don’t have time to get involved in full participation, however all families have opinions. RSFV v4 – 10th July 2014 (R-WR) updated 21st Nov.2014
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Participation Participation is a significant step on from consultation and requires a commitment. The steering group for Richmond SEND Family Voice take this role. Members of the steering group undertake to devote the necessary time and commitment to becoming actively involved in Richmond SEND Family Voice through attendance at meetings and training; keeping themselves informed and supporting planned activities, engagement and outreach. Informed and empowered, the steering group are actively involved in achieving Richmond Family Voice’s purpose. Richmond SEND Family Voice’s steering group will develop and improve services. Code of Conduct The seven principles of public life identified by the Nolan Committee guide the content of our Code of Conduct. Selflessness: take decisions in terms of Richmond SEND : Family Voice’s values and mission and not to gain financial or material benefits for ourselves, our family and friends other than in the case of universal benefit. Integrity: not place ourselves under obligations to individuals or organisations that might influence us in the performance of our duties. Objectivity: to ensure that we represent, at all times, a range of disability, Special Educational Needs, cultures, social backgrounds and geographical areas. Accountability: accept accountability for our decisions and actions to Richmond SEND : Family Voice’s members, the providers of public funds and other stakeholders, and submit ourselves to appropriate scrutiny. Openness: be open about all decisions and actions that we take; and where required give reasons for our decisions. Honesty: declare private interests relating to our duties and take steps to resolve conflicts arising in a way that protects Richmond SEND : Family Voice’s reputation, values and mission. Leadership: promote and support these principles by leadership and example.
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Focus : 30th June 2014
Richmond SEND Family Voice is formed.
The overarching focus is to ensure parents, carers, children and young people are fully cognisant of the changes underway as a result of the Childrens’ & Families Act. The outcome for this is to ensure that families are prepared and confident as we all move forward together. The report “Integrated Services …exploring parent/carer views in light of the SEND Reforms” informs Richmond SEND Family Voice’s focus in its early months. The report provides these areas of focus: Richmond SEND Family Voice’s steering group is to develop working plans for & with: o Integrated Services with Caroline Baxter, Integrated Services manager, AfC o Transition support & services with Simon James, Associate Director for SEND, AfC o Pathways to independence (post -16 education & employment) with Eamonn Gilbert; Strategic Lead 14-19 Commissioning, AfC
Outcomes The outcomes from these areas of focus are: o Parents, carers, children and young people will be active in developing how services are integrated within Richmond, with a longer term proposal of providing a dedicated facility (a building) in which to house these services. Therefore the services will be more responsive to the local needs and will be both more effective and more efficient. o Parents, carers, children and young people will be active in developing the transition support and services for children & young people as they prepare for adulthood. Therefore the support offered to families will directly reflect the needs and views of children and young people and will provide a smoother path towards independence and adulthood. o Parents, carers and young people will be active in informing the post-16 education and paths to employment, constructively ly contributing to the current goal of developing new provision within Richmond and positively responding to young peoples’ aspirations for their future education and employment.
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Other outcomes include: o Developing the professional status of Richmond SEND Family Voice by training its volunteers to enable to represent and advocate effectively o Supporting the development of the Young People’s Champions and the forum for their voices o Greater awareness of and contributions to the Local Offer o Richmond SEND Family Voice to be recognised as a case study as an example of best practice of family participation. In addition, Richmond SEND Family Voice will ensure families voices are heard where there are changes to services or specific concerns. Our focus will be to facilitate an open discussion that will lead to greater partnership and service development. Approach 1. Develop the ‘inward’ and ’outward’ communications cycle to Inform, Listen, Consult and Feedback. We will do this via: Events o Outreach – visiting disability specific support groups’ and school coffee mornings o Public meetings to support discussions and joint development of specific issues (eg post-16 education & employment) o Contact with front line staff (eg family support workers, SENCo’s and school nurses) to extend discussions with the ‘hard to reach’ groups o Information events – where consultation is not the major focus, but information and publicity for specific services Other Media Pro-active face to face discussions through the events above are markedly better than the more passive forms of communications. We will use the following media to support our events: o Website - including links to our partners and a Richmond SEND Family Voice Facebook page where events are publicised and kept up-to-date o Facebook and Twitter – to support the above o Weekly E-mail – to support the above and as a conversational tool where people find this form most convenient o Twice yearly paper newsletter – to support the above and as collateral that can be placed in GP surgeries, the disability advice centre, used at events etc This RSFV v4 – 10th July 2014 (R-WR) updated 21st Nov.2014
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would be distributed to families of children/young with a statement of SEN / EHCP via the Local Authority. o Telephone support – a dedicated number with all text/telephone messages responded to within 48 hours 2. Develop the infrastructure of Richmond SEND Family Voice, to support sustainability, representation and a clear professional direction for the group: Development and Training programmes to include: o Effective governance - listening, assertiveness, conduct in meetings, how to use personal experiences, speaking with confidence o Safeguarding and Child Protection o Supervision (in particular, to support the outreach work) o Advocacy & Facilitation (how to provide best practice) Administrative support and collateral to include: o A virtual administrative assistant o A telephone number and telephone
Terms of reference will be reviewed once a year – next review May 2015.
Date:
22nd August 2014
as Chair + Parent (of ASD / ADHD) as Parent rep (of Downs Syndrome) as Parent rep (of medical needs & sld) for Richmond ADHD + Parent for Richmond Dyslexia + Parent for Richmond Mencap + Parent for Clarendon School + Parent for Strathmore School for TRAPHIC + Parent
Signed: RAWood-Robinson
Romany Wood-Robinson Prisca Cox Kate Thomson Eva Akins Sophie Camilleri (Chair) Teresa Jones (CEO) Jo Dixon (Chair of Governors) Harry James (Chair of Governors) Nicola Staines
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