Running under the umbrella of another organisation 
(hosting)

• Enables you to utilise a partner’s expertise in a given area.
• Can have mutual learning and a shared knowledge benefits (host and hosted).
• Can capitalize on each other’s size or prestige.
• Can help to expand the reach of both forum and host.
• Can save money on shared expenses.
• Supports legal compliance with some of the trickier areas such as employment, finance, policies and GDPR.
• Removes the back-office burden on the forum.
• Could add capacity such as admin support enabling forum to focus on participation.
• Adds a level of protection for steering group. Company becomes liable for funding/employment not just a single individual.
• Can be a trusted advisor to bounce ideas off and help with any challenges.

• Relationship challenges can involve a lot of time to resolve.
• Loss of control and ability to make decisions.
• Element of risk – neither organisation can predict the future.
• Damage to reputation if the arrangement does not work.
• Some financial risk if protocols not in place.
• Organisations become too comfortable with each other and lines blur over time.
• No clear plan if either party want to end the arrangement, leading to relationship breakdown.

When selecting a host, think about the reputation of the host organisation.  How are they viewed by:

• Parent carers.
• Services providers.
• Local authority.
• Health services.
• Funders.

Some questions the steering group may want to reflect on could include:

• Do they have any experience of working with similar organisations to a forum?
• What is your own relationship with the host like?
• Is the team comfortable working together (host and forum)?
• How secure is the host, including the length of time in existence, turnover of staff, financial status? (check Companies house/charities commission, annual reports)
• How transparent is the organisation about its work?
• If they are a local provider and forum has to review the service, how will this work?
• What would be the impact if the arrangement does not work?
• What are your expectations of the relationship?

You will need to check any condition from funders to ensure hosting arrangements meet these. Any regulatory bodies such as Companies House and the Charity Commission will also need to have their regulations met alongside any requirements of your governing document.

The conditions of the DFE participation grant includes requirements for hosted forums. The host will need to agree the following:

• The forum steering group completes the grant application as the grant applicant. The host will complete the host section and agree to the conditions of grant.
• The Department for Education (DfE) grant is used as per the forum’s directions to support the development of the steering group and work of the forum.
• You have agreed support needs, and are clear and transparent about roles and responsibilities, costs of support services provided such as possible worker, recruitment, office base, and any fees for organisational overheads such as IT and HR support, management and managing disagreements. You will provide regular financial updates on grant spend to the forum.
• You have agreed your role in relation to record keeping with the forum steering group.
• There is an MOU in place between you and the forum that sets out all of the above

Having an MOU is an essential requirement of the DFE participation grant. Staff turnover, members of forum steering group and financial/political climate we are working in change over time, and it’s important both parties do not to see the MOU as a tick box exercise, but rather as a way of protecting your relationship and providing a level of transparency. MOUs should be reviewed regularly to keep them relevant. It is a good idea to review MOUs annually or if you have a change in steering group/board members, for example a new chair.

Things an MOU should contain:

• Background – outlining how you have got to this point.
• Purpose and scope.
• Information on both Host and forum including what they do and aims and vision.
• Objectives – what do you want to achieve.
• Partnership values.
• Roles and responsibilities.
• Duration.
• How you will communicate.
• Confidentiality and data protection.
• Arrangements to end the MOU.
• How you manage disagreements.
• Space to record any variations or dispute resolution.
• Disclaimer regarding legal responsibilities.
• Place for signing.

Here’s an example of a hosting MOU that you could use as a template: Hosting MOU

Working through a process of change – ‘Listen 4 Change’ St Helens Parent Carer Forum

“Keep moving forward – Don’t stay where it’s familiar and comfortable if it’s not working for you as a forum”.

Listen 4 Change is the Department for Education (DfE) funded parent carer forum in St Helens and currently receives the £17500 from the DfE to carry out the strategic parent carer participation work in the area. There are 11 parent carers involved in the Listen 4 Change Steering Group, you can see who they are and what brings them to the parent carer forum here – Meet The Team – Listen4Change

The forum has been through several changes in the last 12 months and have re-established as an independent group. We know there are lots of forums out there that have been through or are going through similar changes, so we thought we’d take this opportunity to ask Listen 4 Change a few questions. In this story they give us some of their top tips for working through a process of change, share a few of the key challenges and tell us how they reduced that all-consuming feeling of overwhelm! Have a read of their story here.