A new Parent Carer Forum has officially launched in Wolverhampton, giving parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) a stronger say in shaping local services.

SEND Wolves Parent Voice aims to work with parents, carers and the City of Wolverhampton Council to ensure services support children and young people with SEND, and that their voices are heard.

Parent carer forums are run by family members of children and young people with SEND and represent the collective voice of parents and carers in strategic discussions with the SEND Local Area Partnership – comprising the council, NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, the Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Wolverhampton Information, Advice and Support Service, Wolverhampton Voluntary Community Action, HY5! Youth Forum and schools.

In addition to this strategic role, the forum will also provide a space for sharing experiences and accessing information, helping to strengthen support networks and improve outcomes for families across the city.

SEND Wolves Parent Voice is the successor to Voice4Parents, which closed earlier this year after a decade of supporting families in the city. Members of the new forum met for the first time last week.

Councillor Jacqui Coogan, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education said: "Parent carer forums play a vital role in empowering parents to influence decisions, ensuring services meet families' needs, and raising awareness of challenges for children and young people with SEND and their families.

"It's really important that we have a strong parent carer forum to advocate for SEND children and young people, to ensure their families' voices are heard, and to help the SEND Local Area Partnership develop the best possible services for every child and young person in our city who has additional needs, so please find out more about how you can get involved.”

Further details on membership, events, and opportunities to get involved will be announced in the coming weeks.