Parent carer forum handbook

The second edition of the handbook for parent carer forums.

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Welcome to the parent carer forum handbook

Department for Education funded parent carer forums have developed substantially over the years. Their collective influence and impact is phenomenal, with a forum in nearly every local authority area in England, connecting with and representing the voices of over 153,000 parent carers. Each forum is unique and is shaped by its own community, structure and challenges. Despite the differences, all forums are united by a shared commitment and passion: Placing parent carer experiences at the heart of service development.

In a complex and ever-changing landscape for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), forums continue to shine as a beacon of dedication and resilience. They listen to their parent carer communities and work proactively with local systems – which are often really struggling – towards solutions. At the same time, they manage the day-to-day responsibilities of running a forum – supporting volunteers, guiding staff and making budgets work. Their tireless commitment is making a real and lasting difference in the lives of families across England.

This handbook is a reference tool for forums, grounded in the purpose and requirements of the Department for Education grant.  It provides  information and guidance to  help forums   run effectively, and in a way that builds trust  -an essential component for co-production. Whilst this is not an exhaustive guide on how to run a forum, it does include the topics forums will need to consider and explore to run well.

We want to acknowledge that a lot that goes into running a forum, and the impact they can make relies heavily on systems and services genuinely valuing parent carer experience.

This handbook is intended to be a living document which will grow and evolve as forums feedback what they need.

Do you have any thoughts about this page? Visit our How to feedback page to share them.

Looking for something else? You can find a full list of pages on our Parent carer forum handbook contents page.

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Browse the handbook

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About the handbook

Find out how to use the handbook and how you can support its development.

About the handbook
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Forums – the basics

This section covers the origins of forums, their role and examples of work forums do.

Parent carer forums – the basics
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Setting up a forum

Find out about the things you will need as a new forum.

Setting up a new parent carer forum
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Running the forum

Find out about the things you will need to run your forum.

Running the parent carer forum
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Working in partnership

Help to understand who forums might work with and how to establish effective partnerships.

Working in partnership
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Communication & parent carer voice

Find out how to gather views, raise awareness of the forum and feedback on forum activity.

Communication
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Support for forums

Find out about the range of support available for forums.

Support for forums

Managing difficult situations

Help to manage challenges that may arise.

Managing difficult situations
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Developing existing forums

Information for existing forums to support continued growth.

Developing your forum