Learning & events for forums

Our upcoming learning and events for parent carer forums, from online learning sessions to the national Contact and NNPCF conference.

In this article

Upcoming events/Online learning sessions

Future online learning

Drop in Session – Devolution Guidance and Information for PCFs

We know this is a particularly busy time, with the SEND reform consultation having only just closed.

Alongside this, we also know that a number of areas are being affected by devolution and local government reorganisation.

Working in partnership with the NNPCF, we’ve drafted some guidance based on what we know so far, some of this is assumptions based on how forums currently operate, and we are seeking urgent clarification from DfE on these assumptions. We recognise there are still a lot of gaps and unanswered questions, and we will do our best to get clarification on these as soon as possible.

We know you will have further questions, please do log them here LGR and devolution feedback. Your input will help us continue to shape and improve the guidance. We’re also working closely with the DfE and NNPCF to seek further information and clarity.

We’ll be holding regular drop-in sessions to explore devolution and local government reorganisation together in more detail. These sessions will give forums space to share experiences, ask questions, and tell us what support would be most helpful. This will help us continue to develop our guidance and support, while also informing our communication with the DfE about what support PCFs need.

You can register below for the first drop-in session on Thursday 11th June, 10:30 to 11:30.

Media Training

Join us for the upcoming online learning session ‘Media Training’ Taking place on Thursday 25th June 12:00 to 13:00 via Zoom.

Please email [email protected] ASAP if you would like to make us aware of any accessibility needs or reasonable adjustments, so that we can help you get the most out of the session

Description and registration link

Media training for Parent Carer Forums helps representatives feel confident and prepared when engaging with newspapers, radio, social media, and other local media platforms. The training explores how to communicate key messages clearly, handle interviews, respond to difficult questions, and use media opportunities to raise awareness of issues affecting families of children and young people with SEND.

The session also looks at how social media can be used positively to engage families, influence decision-makers, and build stronger community connections, while understanding the risks around confidentiality, reputational damage, misinformation, and managing challenging online interactions. It will also explain when it’s best not to respond when dealing with difficult online social media content. We are always keen to correct inaccuracies, but sometimes this can fan the flames, so the training will cover avoiding the temptation to react to everything that is posted online.

This session will be led by Elaine Bennett – Press and Communications Manager at Contact, Ruth Hobbs Contact Associate/CEO of Somerset Parent Carer Forum CIC and Helen Reid – Programme Officer at Contact.

Please email [email protected] ASAP if you would like to make us aware of any accessibility issues, so that we can assist your access to the session.

To register for the session please see the following registrations details – When: Thursday 25th June 2026 12:00 to 13:00. Register in advance for this session: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/4zo0POvoTP-f1F4CkfXjkQ

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the session.

Please note if you are unable to attend on the day, a recording of the session along with relevant documents will be available shortly after the session on our Resource Pages.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion workshop sessions

How do you ensure your forum is welcoming, diverse and extends its reach?

As a forum what challenges and barriers do you feel you face?

What would further development or support look like?

Contact is running four sessions of the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion workshop sessions again this year as part of our support offer for forums. We hope that all forums who haven’t already completed this will take some time to join this interactive, engaging and thought-provoking training. We know how busy forums are and adding to the pressure is something we’re keen to avoid. The workshops present an opportunity for some different learning on being inclusive by design, it’s not about death by PowerPoint or information overload – we want you all to enjoy the sessions and be able to take away tips and tools to your local areas that will increase your forum’s engagement with all communities!

Description and registration links

Celebrate diversity and Inclusion with your peers – be part of this fresh approach to EDI training focusing on interactive discussion, space to engage, challenging our own biases, understanding who is around you, and finding your ‘blind spots’. Use these engaging sessions to complement your forum’s knowledge of the Equality Act 2010, protected characteristics, and Contact’s Diversity and Inclusion toolkit to enable you to push boundaries and effect real culture change by ensuring growth, increasing empathy, and developing as human beings.

We challenge you to keep an open mind. Set yourselves challenges and take your actions forward.

Join an engaging and fun session that is shaped by you, the participants – let this be the start of your journey to inclusion, of something bigger!

Aims of training

• Forums to have a wider and more diverse membership

• Forums to use their training to influence other organisations

• Forums to build supportive relationships with each other Intended outcomes

Attending will increase your confidence to reach out to underrepresented groups and communities and help you to develop an inclusive and diverse forum team.

Each 2-hour session will be open to 25-30 participants, and we are running the session twice for forums who didn’t get to join us last year, each session will be different.

Book direct via the links shown below.

Session capacity is limited to 30 per session for booking purposes, if you find your preferred session is already fully booked, please try registering for the other session if you can.

Please email [email protected] ASAP if you would like to make us aware of any accessibility issues, so that we can assist your access to the session.

Dates and times of sessions and joining links

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Workshops will not be recorded to encourage open discussion and a safe space to discuss challenges and barriers

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected]

Further upcoming online learning sessions are regularly updated here as they become available. Please note that further information and resources for forums along with recently recorded online learning sessions are available on our Resource Pages.

Please email [email protected] ASAP if you would like to make us aware of any accessibility issues, so that we can assist your access to a session.

After registering for a session, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting – as this is an automated email please check your ‘clutter’ or ‘spam’ folder where this email may be redirected.

Please note if you are unable to attend on the day, recordings of sessions along with relevant documents will be available shortly after the session on our Resource Pages.

2024-25 Conference 

The Contact & NNPCF Joint in-person Conference took place on Tuesday 4th February 2025 at the Mercure Northampton. This event was really well attended. See the Highlights film from the day.

November 2024-25 Contact & NNPCF Joint Virtual Conference Recordings. 

The Contact and NNPCF Joint Virtual Conference took place on Wednesday 20th November 2024. Recordings from sessions on the day are now available on our dedicated Conference page.

2023-24 Joint face to face Conference recordings now available

The 2023-24 Contact & NNPCF joint face to face Conference took place on 29th February 2024 in Newcastle upon Tyne. Recordings from sessions on the day and a highlights film are now available on our dedicated Conference page.

2023-24 Virtual Conference Recordings now available

We’re happy to share recordings from the November 2023 Contact & NNPCF Joint Virtual Conference, which took place across 14, 15, and 16 November. See our dedicated conference page.

Further upcoming online learning sessions will be updated here as they become available. Please note that further information and resources for forums along with recently recorded online learning sessions are available on our Resource Pages.

2022-23 Face-to-face conference recordings now available

The face-to-face conference took place on 28th February 2023 at the Double Tree by Hilton in Bristol City Centre. Many thanks to all of those who joined us in person and those who joined us via the live stream. The face-to-face conference included presentations from key partners including the Department for Education, Ofsted and NHS England. In addition, there was a Q&A panel and a workshop session to co-produce policy areas.

We are happy to share recordings of the conference sessions and relevant presentations. You can view these on our dedicated conference page.

New to online learning?

An online learning session is a presentation live on the internet. You will be able to hear presentations live, follow the slides and ask or submit questions for the presenters to answer.

You will need a home computer, laptop, tablet or smart phone. It’s possible to join via telephone, although you won’t be able to see the presentation or submit questions.

A group of people sit around a table in a modern, well-lit room, engaged in discussion. Papers, drinks, and notepads are on the table, with handwritten notes visible in the foreground.

Past online learning

Visit out resources page to view past online learning sessions which cover a range of topics

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