What is Family Voice?

Family Voice Peterborough is a local registered charity who are actively seeking to improve services in all areas of the lives of children and young people with disabilities or additional needs. They support parents and carers of children and young people aged 0—25 years with a disability or additional needs.

Family Voice Peterborough send parent reps and trustees to attend strategic meetings in relation to various strands of the SEND reforms.

The service they provide includes:

• Helping parents and carers engage with professionals across Health, Education and Social Care.
• Facilitating participation in service delivery.
• Providing a voice for parents at strategic level meetings
• Holding informative events 
• Helping parents and carers have access to the information about what services are available to them.
• Signposting parents and carers to other agencies/ organisations who provide specific services that they do not.

Aims:

To ensure parents and carers have a genuine influence in the shaping of services

• Facilitate participation in service delivery
• To raise awareness of unmet needs and ensure that parents and carers have the opportunity to raise issues and areas of concern
• To work in partnership with all other statutory and voluntary organisations
• To be a positive force to encourage and ensure that the local authority improves services for our children and young people
• To be the strategic consultative body within Peterborough representing families of children and young people with disabilities and additional needs

You can contact Family Voice by completing their Contact form.

Family Voice Office Address:

105 Paynels
Orton Goldhay
Peterborough
PE2 5QP

Family Voice Telephone number: 01733 685510.

Expert Parent Training Programme

Family Voice offers the Expert Parent Training Programme designed by the Council for Disabled Children.  

The Expert Parent Programme began in 2014, supported by research led by the Every Disabled Child Matters campaign which found that parents and carers of disabled children faced numerous barriers in accessing health services and struggled to navigate the health system. 

The programme was developed with funding support from the Department of Health and Care, NHS England, and Health Education England.

The Expert Parent Programme drew on evidence of the positive impact of parent-led training and empowers parents of disabled children and young people to become more confident and resilient when engaging with health services, and the other services that they come across. 

The course is free to parent carers and can be booked via Family Voice. 

Hall for Hire

Extras

Wi-Fi and Tea and Coffee Making Facilities

Pricing

Day Rate (9am to 5pm) – £20 per hour

Evening Rate (5pm to 10pm) – £22 per hour

Weekend Rate (9am to 10pm) – £24 per hour

Availability

To see when the community centre is available for hire, look through the calendar on the Goldhay Centre webpage . You can also find details of other groups using the hall, some of which may be open for you to attend.

To BOOK 01733 685510 OR office@familyvoice.org

Upcoming trips, activities and events

You can view all the upcoming events on the Family Voice calendar on their website. 

Are you following our YouTube Channel? 

We've been uploading some of our virtual events to our YouTube so you can always access them if you're unable to attend. 

Check out this video from our last Parent Carer Workshop: Challenging Behaviours.

Parent carer coffee morning, Every 3rd Wednesday of the Month

On the third Wednesday of the month between 12:30 and 2pm drop by and join the Family Voice Peterborough team for an informal chat, signposting and light refreshments

Visit www.familyvoice.org/events for exact details.

Family Voice Peterborough - Evening and weekend community hubs 

Do you want a space to relax with the children after school or work, or maybe on a Saturday lunchtime?

Perhaps you want to speak to someone about local services or advice, or see what food is available for free collection?

Then drop by the Family Voice Peterborough new community hubs.

They are open to anyone and everyone. They have games, colouring for adults and children, refreshments and more.

There are also free activities during the daytime.

Email office@familyvoice.org  for more information.

When 

4pm to 7 pm Monday and Wednesday Evenings

11am to 1pm on Saturdays

Where 

The Family Voice Peterborough Golday Centre. 

105 Paynels, Peterborough PE2 5QP

Stay and Play session for preschool children with SEND

Family Voice Peterborough is hosting Barnardos at the Goldhay Centre every fortnight to hold a Stay and Play session for preschool children with SEND.

If you want to find out more, contact Barnardo's on their Facebook page, @OrtonCFC, or call them on 01733 391652.

Employment Hubs for Parents

Family Voice Peterborough is hosting Cross Keys Homes on the first Monday of the month, to provide their Employment Hubs for Parents. 

The next session is on Monday 6th November 12:30pm to 2pm at the Goldhay Centre in Orton Goldhay. 

Future sessions will be on the first Monday of the month at 12:30pm to 2pm

Email ruth.mingay@crosskeyshomes.co.uk for more information.

The hub you can get support with:

• Building Your Confidence
• Options for Childcare
• Interviews and Applications
• Support with Upskilling

Parent/Carer half termly listening meetings

The meetings will take place half termly, with one meeting in person and the following meeting taking place virtually. This will then support Parent/Carers from all communities to attend should they wish. 

The purpose of the meeting is to ensure that Peterborough City Council’s SEND, Inclusion and Social Care service have the chance to meet with individual Parent Carers like yourself to understand your lived experience. We would like to work with the council to improve the co-production between them and Parent Carers which will result in achieving the best outcomes for our children and young people.

There is no need to book, simply drop by and have a chat, raise any concerns and share your views of services.

The first meeting was held on 6 October 2022.  Here are the results of the October 2022 meeting.

You Said We Did October 2022

Parents/Carers half termly listening meetings – Terms of Reference 2022

Purpose 

To ensure that Peterborough City Council’s (PCC) SEND, Inclusion and Social Care service meets with individual parents/carers to understand their lived experience. To work with the parents/carers to improve the co-production between PCC and Parent/Carers which will result in achieving the best outcomes for our children and young people (CYP). To provide an opportunity for information sharing and signposting.

Membership

Chair

Head of SEND & Inclusion/Social Care Service/Team Manager (required)

Service Representatives

(required)    Head of Family Voice         

(required)    Minute taker                         

(required)    Individual Parent/Carers    

(required)    Social Care                           

 (optional)    Health                                  

Membership Information

The Head of SEND and Inclusion and a Service/Team Manager for Social Care will attend half termly to meet with individual parent/carers that would like to discuss their lived experience. The Head of Family Voice will attend to facilitate the meeting.

Designated rep can be sent for Head of Family Voice, Head of SEND/Inclusion and Service Manager for Social Care

Scope of Meeting

The Meeting will:

Listen to individual parent/carers lived experience to help improve the service the CYP receive and improve co-production between PCC and individual parent/carers

The meeting will be limited to 15 parent/carers to ensure voices are heard

Helps to create a shared understanding of the lived experience of PCC families 

Individual parent/carers can raise general themes

The meeting is not a forum for raising individual concerns around professionals from education, health, and social care. There are processes in place to manage this

Terms of Reference

The Board will:

Welcome and apologies

Review minutes from last meeting

Listen to individual parent/carers lived experience

Listen to what is working well to build on the current successes

Take actions away to look at how to improve the service 

You said, we did section

Meeting Schedule

The meeting will take place half termly, alternating one meeting in person and the following meeting taking place virtually. This will support parent/carers from all communities to attend should they wish.

Review of Terms of Reference

Review Date:

These Terms of Reference will be reviewed annually on or around 1st April each year.

SEND newsletter

This Newsletter for parents is published quarterly.

• Read the November 2023 Special Education Needs and Disability in Peterborough - SEND Update

• Read the July 2023 Special Education Needs and Disability in Peterborough - SEND Update

• Read the March 2023 Special Education Needs and Disability in Peterborough -  SEND Update 

• Read the November 2022 Special Education Needs and Disability in Peterborough - SEND Update

• Read the July 2022 Special Education Needs and Disability in Peterborough - SEND Update

• Read the March 2022 Special Education Needs and Disability in Peterborough - SEND Update 

• Read the November 2021 Special Education Needs and Disability in Peterborough - SEND Update

Youth Community Collective

Scope's Youth Community Collective will bring together young people.

The aim is to improve their local community for disabled people. You will choose the challenges you want to take on in your local community. Scope will support you with bringing about change.

Get together with other like-minded people and make your local community better. You and the group you are working with will initially meet every month. Scope will work with your group on the best format for these meetings. Group meetings are where you design projects and act on issues that matter the most. Working as a team to achieve your goals.

Who can join the programme?

It’s for you if you: 

• want to create a better community for disabled people
• live in Peterborough
• are a disabled or non-disabled young person
• are between 18 and 25 years old

You will find more details on the Scope website.

Community Engagement Programme

Scope's Community Engagement programme empowers local people to take action and create change in their local communities.

The programme is for disabled adults aged over 25, families, parents and unpaid carers of disabled children.

Groups of local people meet once a month at an informal gathering where they can meet new people and find out about a range of planned activities. Each area has a programme of planned activities and some campaigns designed and developed by local people.

 Examples of planned local activities and campaigns include:

• sleep workshops for parents
• disability awareness training for local retailers
• art workshops
• accessible allotments

You will find more details on the Scope website

(please note the age range of 12-65 is incorrect on this webpage and needs to be updated)

Caring Together -  parent carer workshops, hubs and resources

For parents looking after their children with additional needs (parent carers), Caring Together are able to offer a range of information and support including:

• Carers hubs
• Family carers’ prescription
• Listening Ear service
• Carers magazine and ebulletin
• Carer’s card
• Hope Programme
• Transition planning – the move into adulthood
• Local offer

View their website for more details

The SEND Strategy 2019 - 2024 

• You can find out more about the SEND Strategy on the SEND Strategy web page.

More information about the SEND strategy engagement process feedback

• View A summary of the SEND strategy consultation feedback 

Talking points

Family Voice Peterborough (FVP) has decided after some consideration, to adopt the National Network of Parent Carer Forums's (NNPCF) approach to raising issues of importance known as ‘talking points’.

FVP will listen to what topics parent carers feel are most important, evidence these concerns and collate them into specific ‘Topics of Importance’.

The ‘topics of importance’ will detail the issue under discussion, what is being said, any sources of evidence used to develop the ‘topic of importance, what messages will be given to key partners and possible recommendations for change.’

FVP will choose the ‘topics of importance’ based on evidence gathered through online surveys and social media polls, soft intelligence from face to face and online discussions and through other interactions with parent carers in coffee mornings at schools, focus groups, networking events. FVP will also look to find other innovative ways to engage with parents and listen to their concerns as not all parents make use of social media channels.

Parents on Panel

The first Topic of Importance to be published is Parents on Panels. 

The Local Authority response has also been published.

Information and Communication

The second Topic of Importance is Information and Communication.  

The Local Authority response has also been published.

COVID-19

The third Topic of Importance is COVID-19.  

The Local Authority response has also been published 

Education and Communication During COVID-19

The fourth Topic of Importance is Education and Communication During COVID-19  

The Local Authority response has also been published 

Lockdown and access to education for SEND children

The fifth Topic of Importance is Lockdown and access to education for SEND children

The Local Authority response has also been published

Preparing for Adulthood

The sixth Topic of Importance is Preparing for adulthood

The Local Authority response has also been published

Early Help, Support and Carers Wellbeing

The seventh Topic of Importance is Early Help, Support and Carers Wellbeing

The Local Authority response has also been published

Educational Experience

The eighth Topic of Importance is Educational Experience

The Local Authority response has also been published

Topic of Importance – Respite and Leisure Time

The ninth Topic of Importance  is Respite and Leisure Time

The Local Authority response has also been published

Topic of Importance – Preparing for Adulthood and Education

The tenth Topic of Importance is Preparing for Adulthood and Education

The Local Authority response has also been published 

Preparing for Adulthood -  Response to Topic of Importance Survey Report 

Topic of Importance - Education

The eleventh Topic of importance is Education

Parent carer participation webinars

Contact a Family have published their most recent parent carer participation webinars online, these can be found at the following links:

• Understanding and working with the health system 
• Introduction to Parent Carer Participation 

All other recorded webinars can be found on the Contact a Family web page along with training videos and the latest reports on parent carer participation.

What is the project?

The Seldom Heard project was launched in recognition of the need to get better at seeking the views of children and adults with learning disabilities and more complex communication challenges.

How can you get involved?

For further information and regular project updates straight into your inbox, you can sign up to the Seldom Heard email network.

To sign up, please email seldomheardvoices@thecbf.org.uk

You can also view the Challenting Behaviour Foundation website to find more details.

Coproduction is being equal partners and co-creators in a collaborative relationship

We all strive to coproduce, participate and consult with people as much as possible because we want to listen to the views of not only providers, but also the people that matter most – those children and young people using services, their carers and families.

Often, we want to do more than just listen. We want them involved in decisions too. To help us do this, there is a plethora of toolkits, how to guides, academic literature reviews, coproduction strategies, experts and checklists.

We have developed this booklet as a reference source and a guide for colleagues with contributions and collective wisdom from incredible Officers and local organisations, all experts in participation, engagement and coproduction.

We have produced this booklet to make it freely to everyone to learn about and ensure we all coproduce.

View the Are You Coproducing booklet

Your views about Cambridgeshire and Peterborough's SEND Strategy.

We have been asked to gather views about Cambridgeshire and Peterborough's SEND Strategy.

Now that Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have decoupled and with the strategy due to end in 2024 the LA are seeking the views of parent carers about next steps. 

Your views from this survey will be shared with the Local Authority to help them decide on the priorities they will focus on, and whether to extend the strategy as it is for a while longer with a focus on just Peterborough or to start to coproduce a new SEND Strategy.

Could you complete our survey and give us your thoughts? If you are a parent carer we would love to hear from you. 

Take the survey

Family Voice Peterborough Health Inequalities Survey

We at Family Voice Peterborough (FVP) have been working to raise awareness of Health Inequalities.

In August we published a Health Survey asking parent carers to share their experiences with waiting times and how they secure health appointments. We are now gathering further views about how health services are experienced by Children and Young People with SEND, particularly the neurodiverse community.

The information collected in this form will be included in a Topic of Importance, which we will share with Peterborough City Council and Health partners.

If you think you can help us twe would love to hear from you.  Please take part in our short research survey. 

Take the survey

You will find information about the Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) joint inspection in June 2019 and subsequent actions on the CQC and Ofsted Inspection of SEND (Local Offer) webpage