Jessica Tinsley - Working Together For Change
My name is Jessica Tinsley. I am a parent/carer to my son who has additional needs. I have been part of the Dudley Parent Carer Forum for a number of years now and have enjoyed being part of the Steering Group and being a member of the Preparing for Adulthood Task and Finish Group.
Rebecca Dingley - Working Together For Change
My Name is Rebecca Dingley. I currently volunteer as a member of Dudley’s ‘Working Together for change’ Forum. I became a member of this group to help support and make positive changes for children and young people with SEN within the Dudley borough. From a parent perspective, I believe that we have helped to make several positive changes by being able to voice our own opinions and most importantly being listened to. One of our sub groups which I feel we have made a significant impact on is Transitions, as a group we got nationally recognised for being one of the most strategic forum groups. It has not only had a positive effect on the children and young people with SEN within the Dudley borough but has also been a huge achievement for myself. This recognition has helped me by enhancing my confidence and thus having a positive effect on my emotional well-being.
Jennifer Jones - Working Together For Change
I am Jenny, proud mother of 3 children – all of whom have SEN.
Having experienced many difficulties with the SEND system I was eager to become involved with the Parent Carer Forum as a way to try to influence change locally.
I am currently a member of the steering group and attend the EHCP task and finish group.
Tina Cartwright
My name is Tina Cartwright and I care for my daughter who attends Old Park School.

I joined the parent Carer forum initially to keep me informed on what was happening in Dudley Send services. But also to help me to meet more parent carers as our lives can be quite isolating.
Getting together with other parent carers at our Steering group meetings is informative but also a lot of fun. You come away after hearing latest news and having a giggle feeling like we do matter and someone is listening.
I attend the EHCP task and finish group with other parents and although it can be frustrating because of the speed of progress it is really useful to hear what is happening within the SEN team.
I was invited to sit on the SEND Improvement Board and give a parents point of view on what’s happening or not.

Claire Powers - Working Together For Change
I’m Claire – Proud Mom to 2 lovely children aged 6 & 9. My 9 year old son was born at 26 weeks and has cerebral palsy, is partially sighted and has a number of other issues also.
I joined the Parent Carer Forum over 4 years ago with the hope of making it easier for others travelling a similar route by improving understanding of the parent carer and child’s view point and to hopefully improve and simplify the routes to getting and maintaining the help and support and education our children need and are entitled to. We have a long way to go, but I feel I’m playing a small part in hopefully improving things going forward.
I sit on the Forum Steering Group as well as the EHC (Educational, Health and Care Plan) subgroup and recently I have been representing Dudley at the Regional Parent Carer Forum also.
Linda Crockett - Working Together For Change
I am Linda Crockett, the grandmother of a 13-year-old girl who has autism, adhd and learning difficulties. She has been at Pens Meadow School because of her severe and complex needs since she was 4 years old. I have her overnight on one night most weeks and do the school run several times a week. I am retired now and volunteer at Pens Meadow as well as being a governor there. I taught in primary schools throughout my working life and was a SENCO for 14 years. My last school had Enhanced Learning Provision for SEN, so we had children with mild to moderate learning difficulties from a large catchment area. I have been a member of Working Together For Change, Dudley Parents’ Forum almost from its beginning and it has helped me to learn more about SEND services, and to become more confident, so that I have been able to signpost parents I know whose children have SEND to contact services they need, for example SENDIASS. I attend the EHCP group and the Preparation For Adulthood group.

 

Nicki Burrows and Donna Roberts

Nicki

Donna

Nicki and Donna are excited to be working together along with parent carer groups across Dudley borough and we are very keen to build on the excellent work that is already happening across the borough. We are committed to ensuring that parent carer voices are heard to influence decisions and improve changes to service delivery and redesign.

Dudley CVS have recently been awarded the contact a family contract to work with parent carers and facilitate the development of the Dudley parent carer forum 2014/2015. Working together for change is an independent parent carer forum that is endorsed by DMBC and working closely with the Clinical Commissioning Group.  We are very keen to build on the excellent work that is already happening across the borough.

The independent forum is supported by staff from DCVS who will host and facilitate the project for 2014/15 with a view to the forum being fully constituted and a stand alone organisation by 2015/16. Working together for change is endorsed by DMBC and works closely with clinical commissioning group who are supporting the development of the forum by contributing staff time and resources.