2024-25 Contact & NNPCF Joint In-Person Conference FAQ

2024-25 Contact & NNPCF Joint In-Person Conference FAQ

Date: Tuesday 4^th February 2025

(Timings are anticipated to be 10.00am arrival, 10:30am start and finishing at 4pm with Tea and Cake provided for social networking afterwards.  Timings are subject to change depending on speaker timings and will be confirmed in the finalised agenda)

Location: Mercure Northampton, Silver Street, Northampton, NN1 2TA

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

If you require this information in a different format, or if you have any questions that are not answered below, please email [email protected].

How do I book my place at the in-person conference?

Booking for this year’s conference will again be via an online Formsite application.  The link to the booking form can be found at the end of this FAQ document. 

Is the Conference agenda available?

At this early stage the agenda to the conference is not yet available, once this has been finalised a copy of the agenda will be emailed to those who have booked with finalised timings and a link will also be made available here.

Who is the in-person conference aimed at?

The conference is for Parent Carer Forum (PCF) leads (not the broad parent carer membership) who are able to represent and feedback to their forum.

Please consider who should attend by considering those who have attended before and those who would gain from the experience of attending the conference.

Should your PCF wish to send a paid worker or a parent carer who’s young person is over 25 years old, then please contact your Parent Carer Participation Adviser (via the how we support forums page) before booking.

This conference is for all Parent Carer Forums including those that are newly established.  If you have not been before, please do reach out to your Contact Regional Adviser or your Regional NNPCF Representative who will be happy to discuss what the day entails with you.

How many places are there per forum at the in-person conference?

We want to welcome as many Parent Carer Forums as possible.  So, places are limited 2 Parent Carer Forum representatives per forum.  Places will be offered on a first come first served basis.  Parent Carer Forums who request more than two places will be added to the waiting list and will be notified if additional places become available.

What if at the last minute I cannot attend; can someone attend in my place?

We do understand that circumstances beyond your control are unavoidable, and we will do our best to accommodate last minute changes.  Please notify us of any changes at [email protected] as soon as possible.

If you or another member of your Parent Carer Forum representative are unable to attend, please notify us as soon as possible, so that we can release the place to those on the waiting list.

Accessibility needs.

At the point of booking, please let us know if you have any accessibility needs and what you need to enable you to be fully included.  We will strive, along with the venue, to do our best to accommodate access needs, to support your involvement and enjoyment of the conference.

Should you have any other concerns or requirements, please do not hesitate to contact us on [email protected].

Refreshments.

There will be light refreshments on arrival, a hot lunch, afternoon tea and coffee. 

This year in response to feedback regarding networking opportunities, tea and cake will be served after the conference and we hope that you will be able to join us.

The venue will make every effort to meet dietary requirements, food allergies and/or intolerance. It is therefore vital that you complete the online booking form, to notify us of your individual requirements.

Once you have informed us of your requirements, you will receive confirmation or a request for additional information by email. If you do not receive this confirmation email, please contact us at [email protected]. 

Directions and Parking.

The venue offers 180 free parking spaces to all conference attendees in front of the hotel.  Simply drive in, park up and log your registration at reception.

Accommodation.

The Mercure Northampton has offered a preferential Bed & Breakfast rate of £90 until 23^rd December 2024.  If you book after this time, the rate cannot be guaranteed.

In order book your room at this rate, please call 01604 739 988 option 1 and quote ‘CONTACT ALLOCATION’.

The NNPCF, Contact and an NNPCF Representative visited the venue to ensure ease of access and suitability, including wheelchair access.

Alternative accommodation is available within the area, which may better suit your individual needs or budget, along with alternative booking sites etc. which may show different/lower prices across all hotel options. We can advise that the IBIS Northampton Centre hotel is within a short walk of the conference venue and has additional accessible rooms.

For those Parent Carer Forums that may not have been before, many conference attendees will arrive the night before (depending on travel requirements) and/or stay the night of the conference.  Often there is informal socialising in the evenings, particularly within regions.  Please speak to your NNPCF Regional Representative to find out what may happen and if there are any informal plans.

To book your place at the in-person Contact & NNPCF 2024-25 National Conference on Tuesday 4^th February 2025 click here.