What does the Parent Partnership do?

• Provides information to parents, carers and professionals involved with children with special educational needs.
• Provides information about how assessment procedures work
• Face to face work with parents in their home, school or local authority
• Provides a team of trained volunteers who act as Independent Parental Supporters
• Attends meetings between parents and school or Local Education Authorities representatives to exchange information
• Engages with parties when requested to aid reconciliation
• Provides information about the Regional Mediation Service
• Delivers training packages for schools and parents
• Provides information to parents, schools and others about the range of support available to parents 
• Forms links with other agencies to co-ordinate service provision and service outcomes

For more information visit the OAASIS (the Office for Advice, Assistance, Support and Information on Special Needs) website.

Independent Parental Supporter Service

Anyone can be a parental supporter. Our Parent Partnership Service trains volunteers to be Independent Parental Supporters. Then we match them with parents to provide support whilst their child's Special Educational Needs (SEN) are being identified. Independent Parental Supporters are optional but they're beneficial as they act as knowledgeable friends, whilst your child's needs are being addressed.

Parental Supporters help by: 

• Listening to worries and concerns
• Helping to understand the SEN Assessment procedures
• Assisting with letter and report writing
• Giving confidence to express views
• Accompanying parents to meetings and visits to schools
• Helping parents to draw up a profile of their child
• Remaining calm and reassuring

Training and support

The Parent Partnership Services provides volunteers with:

• Free training and 24-hour contact time
• Travel expenses
• Insurance
• Guidelines on how to support parents
• Ongoing support and supervision
• Opportunities to develop and enhance interpersonal skills in communication, listening and negotiating

Volunteers need to: 

• Be reliable and trustworthy
• Be confidential
• Be committed
• Be impartial  
• Have a willingness to learn