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National Co-production Week 2023 |
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National Co-production Week is back for an eighth year from 3rd-8th July 2023. It shares good practice and celebrates the contribution of people who help to make services better. Find out What co-production is and how to do it.
In Manchester, we are lucky to have an incredible community of children and young people and their parents and carers who are willing to work with us. Our SEND Co-production Charter provides the framework for us all to work together, keeping children and young people at the heart of everything we do.
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We are incredibly proud of what we have been able to achieve together with the Manchester Parent Carer Forum, Manchester Parent Champions, The SPACE Group, Changemakers, the Working Together Group, and everyone who has contributed, however small – it all matters! We know there is still more to do and want all children, young people and their parents and carers to have an opportunity to get involved and have their voice heard.
A big thank you to everyone who has contributed to our SEND journey over this last year, especially the parent/carers and young people who have given their time and energy to make a difference in the city. You are all amazing. We look forward to continuing this journey with you!
We’d like to give a special mention to The SPACE Group. They have grown rapidly over the last few years, being supported to host parent coffee mornings in Harpurhey and Burnage and now delivering a large part of our SEND Community Offer! They form part of 4CT Limited and have partnered with them to provide a wide range of fun summer activities and trips. All this has proved very popular with families - no wonder they have been shortlisted for the Spirit of Manchester Awards and the National Diversity Awards! Good luck, The SPACE Group!
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Manchester Parent Carer Forum |
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Since the Forum launch in 2017 and the publication of the SEND Co-production Charter back in 2018, Manchester has come quite a way towards building a co-productive culture across Education. Health, Social Care, and universal services across the city. Not only has the Forum been actively involved in co-production at the strategic level with service leads and at the operational level with practitioners, opportunities for individual parents/carers and for other groups to get involved in consultations, listening sessions and focus groups have been made available more and more over the past couple of years.
In the last year - another busy one - Manchester Parent Carer Forum activity includes work with:
- The Children Disabilities team and social workers, improving practice around SEND.
- Autism In Schools - A government-funded initiative that aims to improve support for autistic children and young people in mainstream secondary schools, involving four participating schools.
- The Early Years Social Communication Pathway (EY SCP) – A new team assessing for autism in Early Years children (aged up to 5 years) in South Manchester.
- The Family Hubs – New services offering early support to families and young people through to early adulthood. Manchester is one of 14 trailblazer areas nationally chosen to receive funding to fast-track delivery.
- SEND Transport Consultation – Review of the Home to School Transport policy.
- The SEND Community Offer – A programme of free activities for children and young people with SEND and their families.
Together, we can achieve better decisions and brighter futures for Manchester families. You can help make this happen.
Read more about MPCF's co-production activity.
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Manchester Parent Champions |
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It has been another busy year for Manchester Parent Champions. Their collaboration with SEND services is still going strong and they have achieved so much over the last year. Here are some of the highlights:
- Working on the SEND Transport Consultation and being part of the decision panel for upcoming SEND Transport tenders.
- Working closely with SENDIASS to co-produce a transport workshop, as well as a podcast around EHCP applications for the SENDIASS website.
- Being a key partner in the SEND Community Offer programme, running events and supporting Manchester Parent Carer Forum and The SPACE Group in promoting their activities.
- A local social media presence which has gone from strength to strength, with over 1300 SEND families connected to the Facebook group. Described by Ofsted SEND inspectors as a trusted source of advice and information for parent/carers, it is seen as a lifeline by many parents, offering advice, signposting and peer to peer support.
- Supporting the development and roll out of the new Family Hubs.
- Working in partnership with health services and encouraging them to attend the Local Offer Drop Ins. The Champions are always a friendly presence at the Drop Ins. Pop in to say hello and grab a cuppa!
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The Changemakers are a group of young people aged 14-25 with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). They meet regularly to contribute to local decision-making, review services for disabled young people in Manchester, and to develop their own self-advocacy skills, independence, and friendships. They are supported by Greater Manchester Youth Network in partnership with Manchester City Council as part of their youth leadership provision.
Through their work, the Changemakers have identified key themes from SEND Young People’s voice, particularly around independence and how adults around them can stifle their opportunities to take risks and do things by themselves. In collaboration with other SEND youth groups, The Changemakers are involved in designing a campaign to raise awareness of these issues.
They have also been involved in Youth Led Grant Making, receiving training and designing a grants programme. This has involved decision-making on grant applications and evaluating the projects. They have been asked to share the learning at a national level as SEND Youth Led Grant Making has not been tried or tested before.
Social Manchester is another exciting project. This involves SEND young people accessing various events and gigs of interest across the city with a volunteer. The project is due to launch in a few weeks!
The group is open to more young people who wish to join and make a difference. Find out more in the ‘How You Can Get Involved’ section.
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Manchester Local Offer
As part of Manchester City Council, we always welcome any thoughts or feedback from you to help make life better for SEND families in the city. You may just want to share your views on something or work with us to make changes – it’s up to you. Contact 0161 234 1946, localoffer@manchester.gov.uk. Find out more in Get Involved & Have Your Say.
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Manchester Parent Carer Forum (MPCF)
As parent/carers themselves, the Forum understands the day-to-day challenges faced by parent/carers. Their aim is to give SEND families a voice and they do this by working in partnership with the Council and staff in health and education settings. They would love to hear about your experiences – ‘the good, the bad, and the stuff that makes you want to bang your head against a wall!’ You can become a member for free. Get in touch using this online contact form or through Facebook. www.manchesterparentcarerforum.org.uk.
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Manchester Parent Champions
The Parent Champions raise awareness of the Local Offer in Manchester and offer peer support to other parent/carers. They also contribute to decisions made around services for SEND families in Manchester. To get in touch, contact them through their Facebook page or see this FAQ about Manchester Parent Champions on the Local Offer website.
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GMYN Changemakers
Young people aged 13 to 25 are invited to join the Changemakers. The group is a way for disabled young people to have a voice about the things that matter to them and help to make positive changes to services. It’s fun too, with a chance to make friends and learn new skills. To find out more, contact Luke on 07592 845246, luke.wilson@gmyn.co.uk.
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