Engagement Workshops
In 2023 we coproduced two engagement workshops with Achieving for Children. These were held at the Windsor Family Hub in the summer and autumn terms. Tables were allocated different topics for discussion between parents and professionals. This allowed parents to share their lived experiences directly with decision makers and be involved in brainstorming solutions.
Coffee Mornings
Our coffee mornings began in September 2023 as a smaller version of the engagement workshops. They have evolved to be a monthly event, usually held on a Tuesday at Woody's Cafe, Windsor. Representatives of relevant organisations are invited to come and speak with parent carers; we ask that they provide information on how to access their service before asking for feedback on the service.
ERSA Community of Practice
Emotionally Related School Avoidance (ERSA) affects many children and families. On 25th April 2024 four forum representatives attended a Community of Practice event run by the Educational Psychology Service. This was also attended by schools, Education Welfare Officers, IAS, Achieving for Children and the NHS. We discussed what we would like support to look like, what is currently going well and where improvements are needed. The voice of parents is imperative at meetings like this to ensure our lived experience is heard and understood by decision makers.
Inclusion Summit
Each year Achieving for Children and SEND Voices RBWM coproduce the RBWM Inclusion Summit. This is a celebration of the improvements and achievements in RBWM SEND provision over the past year, and a chance for parent carers to meet the teams who work tirelessly to support their children. The sixth Inclusion Summit will be held on 20th May 2025 at Windsor Racecourse.
PINS
The 2024-5 Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) was a project funded by the Department for Education via NHS Integrated Care Boards, ours being Frimley ICB. We worked with Frimley and 13 RBWM primary, first and middle schools to make schools more inclusive for neurodiverse children and their families. This involved surveys, coffee mornings, training and sensory audits in schools. We are hugely grateful to the schools who welcomed us and were willing to listen to the feedback from their school's parents. Also, to the parents who gave up their time to take part in the surveys and discussions, we couldn't have done it without you all.
School Events
Representatives of SEND Voices RBWM are occasionally asked to attend school coffee mornings, fetes or other events. This may be to share our work, listen to feedback or help look for solutions. If your school would be interested in having us attend an event, please contact info@svrbwm.org.uk
Newsletter
Members of our forum receive a monthly newsletter via Mailchimp. This contains our upcoming events, along with a selection of local and national items of interest. We also try to ensure there is a mix of online and in-person sessions to suit everyone's availability. To become a member for free, follow the link at the top of this page.
