Empowering Parents, Transforming Services:

Our Unique Parent Volunteer Training

At the Parent Carer Forum Cheshire West, we believe that lived experience is the key to improving SEND services. Our recent six-week Parent Volunteer Training Programme was designed to equip parent carers with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to work alongside professionals, advocate for families, and influence real change.

This training has been an incredible journey of learning, collaboration, and powerful conversations—here’s how we did it!

Laying the Foundations: Understanding the SEND Landscape

Our first few weeks focused on understanding the complexities of SEND services, the different agencies involved, and the critical role of co-production.

Week 1: We launched our programme with an inspiring session featuring:

• Cllr Adam Llangan, Cabinet Member for Children and Families, who shared insights into local government and decision-making.

• Lisa Alfred from CONTACT, who connected our work to the national SEND landscape.

• Mark O’Grady & Sarah Symons, who provided an overview of the LiveWell Local Offer, GAPS, and how families can navigate local support.

Week 2: We welcomed IASS (Information, Advice, and Support Service) to train our volunteers on how to help families access SEND support. Navigating the system can be overwhelming, so equipping our reps with practical knowledge and signposting skills was essential.

Week 3: A deep dive into key SEND topics, including:

• Social Care Services – Understanding how to access assessments, direct payments, and short breaks.

• SEND Mediation & Tribunals – A case study on the challenges of appealing SEND decisions.

• The Role of a SENCO – A first-hand perspective from a school SENCO on the challenges of inclusion in mainstream and specialist settings.

Week 4: Bridging the Gap Between Parents & Professionals

One of the most powerful aspects of our training was the honest and open discussions between parent carers and professionals, particularly in education.

We were joined by the SEN Team, who provided a detailed overview of their structure and purpose. They shared insights into how they support schools, work with families, and navigate the complexities of SEND provision. This session gave our volunteers a clearer understanding of the education system and how they can effectively advocate for change.

💬 “The education session felt more like a conversation than a lecture—it was so engaging and relevant!” – Parent Volunteer

Week 5: We explored co-production within the NHS, with an expert parent leader guiding us through how families and professionals can work together to improve health services.

Week 6: Our volunteers tackled some of the biggest challenges in SEND. A Focus on Health & Commissioning

As we progressed, our focus turned to health services and commissioning, two crucial areas where parent voice can shape better outcomes.

Health & SEND Governance – With Gill Tyler (DCO) explaining how services are commissioned under the Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board.

Commissioning of Services – With Steven Arnold, who walked us through how services like short breaks and carer support are commissioned, ensuring that parent voice is embedded at every stage.

These sessions were packed with valuable insights, equipping our volunteers with the knowledge to challenge, influence, and drive meaningful change in SEND services.

A Huge Congratulations to Our New Parent Volunteers! 🎉

Over the last six weeks, our volunteers have demonstrated incredible dedication, passion, and resilience. Whether they were able to attend every session or just a few, their commitment to amplifying parent voices and working in partnership with professionals is truly inspiring.

👏 A huge thank you to all the professionals who contributed their time and expertise.

What Our Volunteers Are Saying

The feedback from our volunteers has been overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the value and impact of the training:

💬 “Absolutely loved it. So interesting and I learned so much. Speakers were very relevant, and I feel more confident about where to find information now. Really enjoyed it ”

💬 “The training was so informative. I learned an incredible amount about how the SEND system works and I can’t wait to get stuck in and help more now I’ve completed it.”

💬 “The training was excellent. Rather than information being conveyed out, it was all delivered in an interactive way, particularly as we had lots of questions! I think we also felt heard, and that people in the professional posts are listening and working to deliver improvements. The training encompassed quite a breadth of SEND services, which enabled us to better understand how the services link together, what they can deliver, when, and how. Really excellent few weeks, thank you!”

💬 “I agree, the session today was brilliant. I have been through the parent training before but found today really useful and interesting. Gillian was fantastic—she made so much sense and was so knowledgeable. I also loved how the education session became more of a group chat (and that all the slides were new and relevant). I’ve learned a lot!”

You can access the presentation slides from our 2025 Training Programme below.

Week 1
The Council Structure

Intro to PCF - PCF Structure

All about SEND 'Local Offer' and 'Live Well'

Council Comms Team, PCF Comms Team

Week 2
SENDIASS Information, Advice and Support Service

SEN Code of Practice

Understanding SEN Support & EHCPs

Education Health & Care Plans

Meeting Professionals

Week 3
Social Care Overview

Co-Production

Mediation

The role of a SENCO

Week 4
Education Access

SEN Team

Specialist Teaching

Week 5
The Health Landscape

The Role of The DCO

Strategic Commissioning

Market Management

Our Ways of Working

The purpose/aim of the Parent Carer Forum:  

Parent Carers and Professionals networking and sharing information. 

Parent Carers sharing views and experiences with decision makers and influencing services to achieve the best possible outcomes for our children and young people. 

Parent Carers meeting and sharing experiences with other Parent Carers. 

Parent Carers possible involvement in Local Authority strategic meetings 

Training and signposting for Parent Carers 

If you have any other questions, please email us at: contact.pcfcwac@gmail.com or call 07900 840867

Join us and have your voice heard at any of our events in 2024/25...