The Parent and Carer Alliance believe that carers are ‘experts by experience’. We want to harness a collective voice to bring action that changes the culture of SEND services, ensuring that all parent carers feel supported.
WE NEED YOUR HELP TO RECOMMEND IMPROVEMENTS
The Parent and Carer Alliance C.I.C are excited to announce that we have been commissioned by Professor Luke Clements and the School of Law’s Legal Entitlements & Problem-Solving (LEaP) Project at the University of Leeds, to undertake a consultation into Disability Needs Assessments.
The aim is to use the experiences and expertise of Parent Carers and their families, and to incorporate their ideas, as to how a needs assessment could be done more effectively and result in better support for families whose children have additional needs.
Please watch this video and then
TELL US YOUR OPINIONS
We have reviewed other disability needs assessments and combined them into this consultation document of ideas we think could be included in a child/young person’s disability needs assessment – an assessment which focuses on the needs that arise as a result of the disability, NOT from safeguarding.
Please click here to read the document (DNA is an abbreviation of disability needs assessment) and then take a few minutes to give your opinions by completing this questionnaire
Your support is essential and very much appreciated. The questionnaire also asks if you’d be happy to discuss this further by meeting online and/or in person.
ADVICE ON LOCAL AUTHORITY POWERS
Professor Luke Clements, the Cerebra Professor of Law and Social Justice at the School of Law, University of Leeds, has kindly produced a document for us – ‘The Misuse by local authorities of their protection powers’. We believe this is the first guidance of its type in the UK and so is vital reading for all parent carers. Please click here to read it.
Ambitious about Autism is the national charity for children and young people with autism. They provide services, raise awareness and understanding, and campaign for change. They have a key campaign about education –
All children have a right to a full education, but for nearly 45% of children with autism this simply isn’t their experience. Too many children are being excluded from school, legally and illegally. For information about their campaign and resources about exclusion please click here
Using the Law to Fight Cuts to Disabled People’s Services
For a practical guide for campaigners – disabled people, families, carers and local Groups, please click here .
This paper is intended to help campaigners – including disabled people and those supporting them – understand how the law can be used to help fight cuts to valued services in their area. The paper is intended to be read by those who do not have a legal background. However, any individual or local group who is considering legal action in relation to actual or proposed cuts to services should not rely only on this paper but should seek specialist advice, including legal advice.
This paper has been written by Steve Broach and Kate Whittaker. Steve is a barrister at Doughty Street Chambers, and Kate is a consultant solicitor at Scott-Moncrieff & Associates, and also provides independent legal consultancy and training. Both Steve and Kate specialise in cases involving disabled adults and children and others who need care and support from public bodies.
If there are issues that you feel the Parent and Carer Alliance could take action about, please Click here and contact us