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In this special issue of the newsletter, find out how parent carers and young people are having a say in the city - and how you can join them! |
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Last week was Co-production Week! Each year, it shares good practice and celebrates the contribution of people who help to make services better. Co-production is a way of working that develops and maintains equal partnerships between the people who use services and those who plan/develop/run them. It's built on a foundation of trust and respect and relies on partners valuing each others' expertise and contributions.
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Our Co-production Charter
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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 together. Our SEND Co-production Charter provides the framework, 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. We look forward to continuing this journey with you!
Our minute-long video about The Local Offer is full of friendly faces from SEND co-production in Manchester!
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Manchester Parent Carer Forum |
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Manchester Parent Carer Forum (MPCF) plays a key role in co-production in Manchester. Activity over the last year includes:
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Change Programme - A national project to test and improve some of the policy changes that were proposed in the SEND and AP Improvement Plan
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Autism in Schools project - A government-funded initiative to improve support for autistic and other neurodivergent children and young people in mainstream secondary schools
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Dingley’s Promise Early Years Inclusion Project - Building inclusion across Early Years settings, including a training programme for Manchester’s Early Years practitioners, settings, and parents/carers of young children with SEND
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Early Years Social Communication Pathway - A pilot project to find child-friendly efficient ways to complete the assessment and give support to families
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Neuroprofiling - Co-producing a neuroprofiling tool with parents, carers, and other agencies, to help professionals, settings and families put in place the necessary support and adjusments for a child, including those awaiting diagnosis
- Emotionally based school non-attendance document - Developing this guidance for education settings and parents
- SEND Community Offer - Developing and offering activities for families through MPCF, as well as a summer 2024 partnership with 4CT Limited and The SPACE Group
- The Forum remains closely involved in strategic boards, such as Manchester's SEND Board and the Local Offer Review Board, and long-running initiatives, including About Me, EHCP moderation, Ordinarily Available Provision, Preparing for Adulthood, and the SCP autism post-diagnostic workshops
MPCF thanks all parents and carers involved, as well as the Manchester Working Together Network (MWTN), made up of local organisations and support groups who promote the Forum and share issues and stories they hear from their members. The Forum also thanks Manchester City Council, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) and Manchester Local Care Organisation (MLCO) for recognising the importance of lived experience in shaping the services they provide.
The work doesn’t end here. The aim is get more parents/carers, young people and groups and organisations involved, growing the membership from all of Manchester’s communities. See the last section.
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Manchester Parent Champions |
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Manchester Parent Champions have been an essential part of SEND co-production in Manchester for ten years! Back in January, they celebrated this special anniversary. It was a fantastic gathering, celebrating all they do and the partnership work in our city that makes such a difference to families.
Big congratulations again to Geraldine Hills for her MBE in the 2024 New Year’s Honours List, awarded for services to Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. Geraldine - a major drive behind Manchester Parent Champions - is a true changemaker!
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The SPACE Group continue to go from strength to strength. They have grown rapidly over the last few years, hosting parent coffee mornings in Harpurhey and Burnage and delivering a large part of the SEND Community Offer in co-production with families. Earlier in the year, they won in their category - Promoting Equality and Diversity - at the Be Proud Awards, celebrating Manchester's many volunteers and the unsung heroes who make Our Manchester great. The group were also shortlisted for the Community Organisation Award for Disability in the National Diversity Awards 2023. They are fantastic role models for parents new to the world of SEND. If you are a parent carer in Manchester and would like to connect with them, find The SPACE Group Manchester on Facebook.
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The Changemakers are a group of disabled and neurodivergent young people working together to platform youth voice and shape the Local Offer across Manchester. Co-production is at the heart of everything the group does and they are empowered to direct their efforts towards topics that are important in their own lives. Recent examples include:
- A focus on changing the language that is used to describe disabled and neurodivergent young people
- Contributing to improvements on the Local Offer website
- Engagement with a project aimed at supporting transitions to adulthood for SEND young people leaving education
The benefit of this highly co-produced approach to decision-making is felt not only by the group, who describe the importance of ‘really feeling like we're doing something useful’, but also by professionals trying to engage meaningfully with issues facing young people. With disabled and neurodivergent young people often feeling unheard and infantalised, the Changemakers are continuing to advocate for co-production not to be seen as a 'tick box' exercise but as absolutely essential in any decision-making process that affects them.
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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 and have your say.
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Manchester Parent Carer Forum
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 via the Local Offer.
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The Changemakers
Young people aged 14 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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