Once a quarter, as part of the Transforming Care Project there are children and young people peer network events where professionals from across the North East are able to come together with parents and carers and find out about the project, best practice across the region and often there are activities to try and look at how we could improve the experiences of children and young people with learning disabilities and/or autism and their families.
Our most recent event had presentations from Marie Jevon, the founder of Include ‘in’ Autism, which is a charity based in Sunderland. They provide early intervention and crisis support and workshops and other various services. She spoke about the experiences of parents and carers of children/young people with autism and how to improve that experience for them.
Becca, SPCF’s chair, also spoke about the needs led neurodevelopmental pathway that is still being developed. We’ve been approached by professionals across the area wanting to know more about the pathway and the sunflower programme especially. It has been so well received by families it is fantastic that other areas will potentially be commissioning it. As part of the North East Regional Network of Parent Carer Forums, we recognise that the services you get vary from town to town, city to city and county to county. The outcomes of children, young people and their families should not be dependent upon a postcode. So it is fantastic to hear best practice being taken on board and shared.
We will be participating in the next phase of the transforming care project which will see the schools project expanding into primary schools which we are very excited about. Early intervention is so important in the development of children and young people. We look forward to seeing what will come from this and very excited to meet the parents and carers at these schools. Working with them to develop positive relationships with professionals and become involved in the development of the schools offer to children and young people with SEND.
