Annual Conference for Parent Carer Forums
In November 2018, 200 attendees representing 87 parent carer forums from across England attended Contact’s and the National Network of Parent Carer Forums’ (NNPCF) annual Parent Participation Conference in Coventry. Family Voice Norfolk is part of the NNPCF and Tracey Sismey, our Chair, attended on our behalf.
At the event marking an incredible 10 years of Contact supporting parent carer forums, key note speaker Children’s Minister Nadhim Zahawi addressed the conference, noting that the growth in parent carer forum membership in the last 10 years has been ‘staggering’.
You can click here to find links to:
- a video of Nadhim Zahawi’s key note speech
- a video about the difference parent carer forums have made in 10 years
- a video of Amanda Batter, CEO of Contract, on 10 years of parent carer forums
- Contact’s annual parent carer participation review
Over the last 10 years parent participation has grown from a seed of an idea in 2008 with only 465 parent carers known to be involved in planning local services in England, to the influential movement it is today of almost 95,000 parent carers.
Gail Walshe, Contact Head of Parent Participation, said of the conference: “The collective noise and passion of so many parent carers in one place is very inspiring and everyone comes away with renewed energy for championing the changes they want to see for all families with disabled children.” Our Chair would certainly agree!