Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

Parents and carers invited to special educational needs forum.

Parents and carers of children with special educational needs (SEN) are being encouraged to attend meetings being held around Wiltshire this autumn, in order to discuss SEN policy and practice in the county.

The SEN parents’ forum is made up of four area meetings during September, and a county forum in November. It is organised by Wiltshire Council and run by the ask parent partnership service, which is part of the local charity ask (advice and services for kids and young people) and the statutory parent partnership service for the county.

The aim of each area meeting is to identify questions to be taken forward to the county forum. The questions, which will relate to SEN issues, policies and practices rather than individual children, will then be discussed at the county forum on Tuesday, November 10th.

The county forum gives parents and carers the opportunity to meet with educational specialists from the council in a constructive and relaxed setting, and to raise and explore different SEN topics. It aims to improve the understanding SEN processes and practice. For example, parents are able to ask about how or why things are done in a certain way.

It also helps to ensure that developments in SEN policy and practice are influenced through discussions with parents by providing examples of how decisions impact on families and identifying where parents agree with local authority practice and where they see a need for change.

Areas of discussion so far have included - provision for various types of SEN, (for example autism), requesting a statutory assessment of SEN, referral to services such as CAMHS (child/adolescent mental health service), special examination arrangements, and parental involvement in SEN developments. Outcomes of the forum - along updates on issues raised at previous meetings - are given to those who attend the meetings and are published on Wiltshire Council’s website www.wiltshire.gov.uk and ask’s website www.askwiltshire.org

Feedback from parents and carers about previous forums has been very positive. They commented that the forum is a very valuable resource and have been impressed by the level of commitment shown by both professionals and parents. Attendees also said they appreciated the chance to gain a better understanding of SEN processes.

Details of the area meetings, running from 9.30am to 12.30pm are:

Salisbury, Tuesday September 22nd

Tidworth, Thursday September 24th

Chippenham, Monday September 28th

Trowbridge, Wednesday September 30th.

For further information please contact the ask office on 01380 871200 or apps@askwiltshire.org

For an online attendance form visit the parent partnership website www.askwiltshire.org or write to SEN forum, ask Parent Partnership Service, ask, Elmsgate, Edington Road, Steeple Ashton, BA14 6HP.