PCF OCTOBER NEWS

Here's our latest newsletter link....

PLUS....To keep you up to date on all of the work, that we are involved in, go to our new BLOG/noticeboard area....

PCF Monthly Roundup

It’s been a busy month for the Parent Carer Forum (PCF)! We attended 18 meetings, hosted five coffee events, and held our first virtual forum, meeting many new parents and carers.

We shared parent carer experiences in an Local Government Association (LGA) Peer Review, receiving fantastic feedback as a strong, robust PCF for Cheshire West and Chester – more details to come once the full report is out.

Our first Steering Group set priorities for the year, and we’ve contributed to Educational Health Care Plans (EHCP) Quality Assurance, Partnerships for Inclusion Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS), and SEND Strategy Delivery Groups – making sure your voices are heard.

Next up: the relaunch of the PCF Survey 2025/26 – The Big One!

For all our upcoming events, visit: Parent Carer Forum | Whats On

To help keep you up to date with everything we’re involved in, we’ve also created a brand-new Blog & Noticeboard area, where you can find the latest news, updates, and insights from the PCF team.

Thank you to everyone who attended our first forum!

Missed it? Catch up anytime!

Grab a cuppa, pop your headphones in, and catch up in your own time. 

Watch it back while: walking the dog, doing the dishes or having a quiet moment to yourself!

Virtual Parent Training

Communication & Empowerment Workshop

Monday 3rd November

10:00am – 11:30am

Virtual session (link will be sent the day before)
This interactive training is designed to give parent carers the confidence and tools they need to communicate effectively with professionals. We will share practical tips and real-life examples to help you prepare for meetings and be assertive in challenging conversations.

Whether you’re new to navigating SEND systems or looking to strengthen your existing skills, this session will help you feel more prepared, empowered, and heard.

Neurodiversity Forum

Understanding Neurodiversity &

Support Services in

Cheshire West and Chester

Support for Employment

We’re excited to share this fantastic video about the CWAC Supported Employment Scheme!

This scheme helps people with a Learning Disability or Autism to find and keep meaningful work. 

• Ongoing support is provided to the individual for as long as they need it.
• The team also supports employers, making sure everyone can work well together.
• Watch the video below to learn more!

Free Information Sessions for Parent Carers

Do you have concerns that your child may have additional needs?

Would you like to know more about who can help you and your child?

The SEND Information, Advice and Support Service is running a series of free sessions across Cheshire West and Chester this November.

More Information can be found on our “Whats-On Page” in the link below

Parent/carer Coffee Events

There are a number of parent carer coffee events happening in Cheshire West and Chester, where our volunteers attend regularly including at the children centres, SPACE charity and Koala. Please keep an eye on our website where we will advertise them along with other SEND coffee events in the borough.

Volunteering Team

All our volunteers are parent/carers with children and young people with SEND that live and/or access schools/services in Cheshire West and Chester. Between us all we have a wealth of lived experience navigating the SEND system. There is someone in our team that understands and can help guide you in the right direction. Please contact info@pcfcheshirewest.org or call 07900840867 to chat to someone from our team.

For more information about us check out our Facebook page, YouTube Channel and Website.

PCF Survey 2025/26 - “The Big One”!

As we prepare to relaunch our Parent Carer Survey 2025/26 – The Big One!, we’re inviting feedback from parents and carers before the questions are finalised.

We plan to keep the core questions the same so we can compare responses with previous years and see what’s changed, what’s improved, and what still needs to be done. This will be used as a way of measuring progress from the PCF Survey 2024 which is embedded in the SEND Strategy 2025/26 and will help shape the SEND priorities 2026/27. You can get a snapshot of how that looks here 

Parents’ Voices Shaping the SEND Strategy …Now & Next!

If you have suggestions or ideas for the next survey, we’d love to hear from you! Together, we can make The Big One even more meaningful and ensure every parent carer’s voice continues to shape local SEND services.

You can revisit the last the survey results along with the survey questions on the link below.

Please contact us with any suggestions at info@pcfcheshirewest.org

To read more, click below to link to the full newsletter...

USEFUL CONTACTS....

Live Well Cheshire West - www.livewell.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk

Information Advice and Support Service (IASS) - Tel 0300 123 7001 

www.livewell.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/Services/1279 

SEN Team - Tel 0151 337 6505
senteam@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk

Starting Well - www.startingwell.org.uk/

West Cheshire 0-16 CAMHS Tel - 01244 393200
www.cwp.nhs.uk/services-and-locations/services/west-cheshire-0-16-camhs/

IPSEA- Call-in Helpline Tel- 0300 22 5899
https://www.ipsea.org.uk/Pages/Category/service-overview

CONTACT Advice Line -Tel-0808 808 3555
https://contact.org.uk/ 

Copyright © 2025 CWAC PCF, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:  Info@pcfcheshirewest.org