Join Us
Join us today, just by being a member you can support our work to improve the lives of local families. Membership is FREE to parent carers living in the Wokingham Borough with a child or young person aged 0-25 with any Special Educational Needs or Disability. You will receive our newsletter and e-bulletins with updates on our work, events for families, consultations and relevant information that may affect you and your family.
- We provide our members with up to date information about what is available to local families, building your knowledge so that you can make informed decisions for your family. Well-informed parents are confident to give opinions about the things that really matter to their families.
- Find out about events like Local Offer Live and our AGM (It's not boring!)
It's easy to join, just use the "Become A Member" button at the top of this page. If you prefer, please email:info@sendvoiceswokingham.org.uk with the following; your name, address, special educational need and/or disability & year of birth of your child and we will add you to our list.
(We take confidentiality seriously. Any data we hold about you will be stored carefully and never given to any third parties. Please see our Privacy Statement and Data Protection Policy for more information).
Max Cards for All Members
We are pleased to announce that we will be able to give all members of SEND Voices Wokingham a Max Card. The Max Card is the UK's leading discount card for foster families and families of children with additional needs age 0-25. Families can use their Max Card at venues across the UK to get free or discounted admission. More details can be found on the on our Max Card information sheet and the Max Card website: www.maxcard.co.uk. *Proof of SEND will be requested when you collect your Max Card from a SEND Voices Wokingham event.
* Proof of SEND - proof can include EHCP, DLA, diagnosis letter, Blue Badge, letter from health or social care professional, letter from education. If you don't have any of these, we have a form here: Proof of SEND form, which you can get signed by a health, education or social care professional.
Get Involved
Like and Follow our Facebook page you can also leave us a comment to let us know what matters to you.
- Have a chat with us at our Coffee Morning or one of our evening drop-ins
- Share your experiences with us, tell us what matters to you, what works for your family? What do you find difficult? What is the most frustrating thing?
- Check our Participation Opportunities, where you can complete a survey or consultation or come to a consultation about a specific service.
- Come along to one of our training days. We always run them during the school day to make it easier for parents to attend. See what's coming up on our events page.
- You might like to get more involved and join our team of Parent Carer Representatives or think about joining our parent carer Particiaption Group? Just use the contact form to let us know.
Make a difference
“When you do nothing you feel overwhelmed and powerless, but when you get involved you feel the sense of hope and accomplishment that comes from knowing that you are working to make things better." (Maya Angelou).
What is Parent Carer Participation?
Parent carers can often pinpoint problems frequently experienced by families with disabled children. This knowledge is useful to professionals as they plan services to meet disabled children's needs.
Parent Carer Participation is when parents and professionals work together, recognising each other's expert knowledge, to make informed decisions about children's services and provisions that make the best use of people's time and money. When parents and carers participate with providers in a practical way it is called co-production. Evidence shows that these partnerships often make the best use of people's time and money, whilst also improving outcomes for disabled children.
When parents and professionals work together they better meet families' needs. Parent carers have lived experience of children and young people with additional needs. They can make informed and positive decisions which will benefit their own families and the lives of others.
Why is Parent Carer Participation So Important?
Parent Carer participation is critical to shaping provisions and services and ensuring that they meet the needs of the children and young people that use them and their families. Professionals can make decisions based upon what they believe to be the problems and issues facing families, however, a parent understands what matters to families and the impact of these decisions on families.
Results of our Surveys
Annual SEND Survey:
Annual Transport Survey:
Termly Feedback from Families Report
Each term we will be collating a Feedback from Families report. This report will be shared with the Wokingham Area SEND Quality Assurance Board. The purpose of the Area SEND Assurance Board is to oversee, coordinate, and interrogate all information across the Wokingham SEND system that provides intelligence about the performance and quality of services, and outcomes achieved for children and young people with SEND.
SEND Improvement Updated with WBC & Health - Including Q&A's from families
SEND Update for families with WBC & Health 1st February 2024
Safety Valve Update from Wokingham Borough Council plus Q&A Session, Wednesday 8th November 2023
SEND Innovation & Improvement Update/SEND Voices Wokingham AGM 8th March 2023
SEND Improvement & Innovation Programme Update- Monday 4th May 2022
SEND Innovation & Innovation Programme Update from Meeting with WBC & Parents 29th June 2021
