Parent Partnership

Providing advice, support and information for parents of children with special educational needs.

What is Parent Partnership?

Parent Partnership is about supporting families who have one or more children with special needs. This may only be in the form of telephone help, or by the provision of a named person. A named person will visit you in your own home and can provide all sorts of support linked to your child’s special educational needs. Most named persons are volunteers.

Families do not have to have a named person, but the quality of support on offer makes it a very attractive proposition.

A named person will:

Be independent of the local authority
Respect your privacy and be completely confidential
Listen to any worries or concerns
Help with practical problems such as letters, forms, attending meetings etc
Go with you to schools, meetings reviews etc., and help you to get your views across
Help you understand and use the system for supporting your child with special educational needs
Help you prepare your case IF you ever need to go to a special educational needs tribunal

If you are reading this and would like to volunteer to be a named person then please ring the Helpline on 01344 354011.

What are the benefits of being a volunteer named person?:

You will have the satisfaction of supporting families and their children where there are special needs
You will receive free and comprehensive training in the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice and how to work with families in their own homes
You will receive travelling expenses
You will be rewarded by seeing children and their parents receive the support they need to meet their identified needs

You will get your supervision and support from the Parent Partnership Co-ordinator.