What is a Parent Carer Forum?

The SEND Reforms of 2014 set out that local authorities and health partners must work with parent carers and young people to improve services in their area, for example through their local parent carer forum.

A parent carer forum is a group of parents and carers of children who have additional needs, special educational needs and/or disabilities. Their aim is to make sure the services in their area meet the needs of disabled children and their families.

They do this by gathering the views of local families and then working in partnership with local authorities, education settings, health providers and other providers to highlight where local services, processes and commissioners are working well, or challenge when changes or improvements need to be made.

This video shows what being part of a forum means.

In England there are parent carer forums in almost all local authority areas. See public contact details for the parent carer forums in England.

Pinpoint is the Parent Carer Forum for Cambridgeshire.

Forums usually have a steering group of parents who lead this work and listen to the views of other parents in the local area to make sure they know what is important to them. In Pinpoint’s case, we have a Board for the charity. We are always looking for parent carers to join our Board.  If this is of interest then please email chair@pinpoint-cambs.org.uk.  Any Cambridgeshire SEND Parent is able to be part of the forum.  You can be part of the forum in a way that suits you:  you can join our mailing list, follow us on social media, join our Reference Group, become a rep / volunteer / Champion, attend a network meeting or simply keep in touch when there is something you want to share with us: information@pinpoint-cambs.org.uk

The forum represents the views of parents in the local area but does not advocate for individual families.