NNPCF & Contact a Family Parent Carer Participation Bulletin Sept 2012
No 4
National Network of Parent Carer Forums ‘Our Strength is our Shared Experience’
Contact: Sue North Tel: 07738896474 sue.north@cafamily.org.uk www.nnpcf.org.uk www.cafamily.org.uk
Strengthening Parent Carer Participation
Formal Response of NNPCF and Contact a Family (Strengthening Parent Carer Participation Strategic Partner) to the Draft Provisions for the Forth Coming Children & Families Bill Working together in the Strengthening Parent Carer Participation Programme, the National Network of Parent Carer Forums and Contact a Family are taking this opportunity to make a joint response to the draft provisions of the forthcoming Children and Families Bill. While the published draft document is complex and has to be framed in legal language, we welcome the assurance stated at the Department of Education’s briefing on 4th September that there will be considerable opportunities over the next six months for the learning from Pathfinders and families to influence the final shape and the detail of the legislation, later revised statutory guidance, and revised Code of Practice. At the NNPCF, we are committed to working closely with delivery partners and the Departments to get the best outcomes for children and young adults with disabilities and additional needs and their families, and we will make every effort to represent the views, experiences and ideas from the wide range of parent carer members working in local forums. The NNPCF and Contact a Family will work hard to enable local forums to actively contribute to the process of influencing the legislation and Code of Practice guidance, and tackling the concerns expressed by families.
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We look forward to the onward development of participation, active involvement and co-production that underlies the development of a single assessment and Education Health and Care Plan and responsive services. We especially welcome the proposal that both established and new Academies, Free Schools, and further education establishments, will share the same duties and obligations as maintained schools to safeguard the education of children and young people with SEN. We welcome the new duty for joint commissioning which will require local authorities and health bodies to take joint responsibility for providing services. We look forward to contributing to how this process can be made transparent, effective and solution focussed and outcomes based. Similarly we believe the Local Offer could be a mechanism that focuses meaningful information into one place although achieving this is challenging on the ground. The Local Offer could be a tool to help service providers and commissioners from across health, education, social care and beyond to work together with families and reach a better shared understanding about how to maximise the opportunities and achievements of disabled children and young people. We are aware of some somewhat disturbing and inaccurate interpretations that are being circulated and will be working with the DfE team and other partners to publish accurate information and clarification aimed specifically at parent carers. We will use our communication newsletter, website and all other means to keep local forum members and the wider community of parent carers informed, involved and effective; and with our partner colleagues anticipate a very lively autumn and spring term! Further information on the draft provisions is available on the link below. http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/send/sen/a00213564/ wms-sen-reform