Suffolk Parent Carer Forum
SPCF’s aim is to ensure that every parent carer in Suffolk's voice, views and experiences matter and that they contribute towards developing and improving services. We do this by reaching out to parent carers to be involved by representing parent carers experience and expertise to decision-makers and making recommendations for service improvements.
We participate in a wide range of local projects and events
News and Updates
The Winter edition of our newsletter is now live! This edition has updates and information for families on SEND Education and Health in Suffolk. It also offers avenues of support and activities over the seasonal break.
Click on the button below to take a look!
This year, we ran our Annual Survey from 14th May for 3 weeks to enable participants enough time to express their views and provide SPCF with a clear picture of how parents and carers were feeling about Education and Health services in Suffolk for their children and young people with SEND. We intend to use the findings of the survey to steer positive change with SEND & Mental Health Services in Suffolk. You can access the report below.
SPCF In The Media
Our Chair, Claire Smith and Chair of Trustees, Sue Willgoss were on BBC Radio Suffolk talking about the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment Report. You can listen to their segments below!
Suffolk SEND care plan data breaches labelled 'shocking' | East Anglian Daily Times
Our Chair, Claire Smith, was on BBC Radio Suffolk on Friday morning discussing Suffolk County Council's investment and staff increase in SEND since their Ofsted inspection. Listen below!
Listen to our Chair, Claire, talk about school attendance this morning on BBC Radio Suffolk.
Our Chair, Claire Smith and Cllr Samantha Murray spoke to BBC Radio Suffolk during yesterday's Open Forum Event about SEND services in Suffolk for children and young people.
"This situation with EHCPS has gone on a long time. If you look back at the data, the problems we have now are not new, but they're not getting better.
Hello, I just wanted to say thank you. I commented on a post 5 weeks ago about personal budgets having previously been told by someone my son wouldn’t be entitled to it because it wasn’t a specialist school. An administrator from SPCF, replied and said to question this. I finally sent a letter yesterday and have heard back already. They have said he is entitled to a personal budget. Thank you so much if it wasn’t for you guys, I would still be struggling to pay for his fuel to get him to school. Thank you.
"Based on the PCF’s report and my observations on how members of the PCF represented the interest of families of children with SEND at the meeting today, it is clear that the PCF is doing some great work on behalf of parents in Suffolk"
-Brian Gale - SEN and Disability Professional Adviser - Dept for Education
Our Aims & Objectives
To be the strategic consultative body within Suffolk representing families of children and young people with special/additional needs and/or disabilities, providing a liaison point for Statutory and Voluntary Agencies within Suffolk. This will be achieved by providing Parent Carer Representatives to work in co-production with local services.
To consult with and inform our membership with a view to ensuring that all children and young people in Suffolk with special/additional needs and/or disabilities meet their full potential and achieve the best possible outcomes.
