Introduction
Warrington Parents and Carers “Working Together – So What?” conference is the third partnership event with our colleagues from the Local Authority and Health. In 2016, the theme was “How can we make a difference together,” which led to the first draft of the SEND strategy. In 2017 we built on this draft, looking in greater detail at gaps and priorities. This led on to the “2020 Vision for SEND” strategy document – a much more detailed look at local provision and issues. This year, we felt it was important to bring more of a challenge to the event – hence “So What?”
- So what’s been done with the things you’ve told us?
- So what’s working well in Warrington?
- So what are the challenges?
- So what do we do next?
The event was well attended and received. This is a summary of the day, complete with links to the presentations.
Opening Session
  
Jean Fitzpatrick opened the conference with an analogy of birds in flight – “It takes just one bird to urge an entire flock to change direction.” She also looked at how the birds support each other when injured. Then we ran the video that we had commissioned to illustrate the need for parent participation – “Power In Numbers”
See the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qkf3Eu0COSE
CLICK HERE TO SEE JEAN’S PRESENTATION
Our SEND Journey – Achieving the 2020 Vision
 
Cathy Hamer gave some background on the SEND reforms and our journey in Warrington, summarising the content of our previous two “Working in Partnership” events. She ran through our 20/20 vision, covering how we should be thinking / feeling / saying and doing. She listed progress made and issues for the future.
CLICK HERE TO SEE CATHY’S PRESENTATION
Our SEND Strategy and the Next Steps
Paula Worthington gave an overview of SEND support in Warrington, starting with the priorities that have been identified in the 20/20 Vision SEND Strategy. She went on to look at context; what parents and carers have told them; what is working well and challenges.
TO SEE PAULA’S PRESENTATION CLICK HERE
Activity 1: How can we do things differently so that we can live within our means and meet the needs of our children?
 
Working at tables, groups of parents, carers and professionals worked together to look at different ways of working; how to do it; what success would look like and to share any other ideas. This feedback will be typed up and analysed.
Warrington’s Education Offer
 
Paul King, Tracey Hatton, Stuart Wright, Louise Atkin and Craig Burgess ran through the provision in Warrington – schools, special schools and designated provisions. They stressed Warrington’s commitment to inclusion within mainstream schools, and looked at challeges.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THEIR PRESENTATION
You Said / We Did: Social Care, Short Breaks, Early Help
Clare Pickering spoke about the Short Breaks journey, covering the new Short Breaks Strategy and outstanding issues. Kath Hingston reported on Social Care including issues around the front door, training, transition and information. Elaine Bentley discussed the importance of Early Help – getting the right support at the earliest stage throughout the child / young person’s journey.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE SOCIAL CARE SLIDES
Activity Two – So What? Reflections on Social Care
Working at tables, groups of parents, carers and professionals worked together to look at different ways of working; how to do it; what success would look like and to share any other ideas. This feedback will be typed up and analysed.
A Young Person’s Experience
 
Three young people from the “Oi Listen” group at Woolston 6th Form College came to share their perspective. This was a very powerful presentation as they talked about what was important to them. Unfortunately we’ve had to crop off their lovely faces in order to share their presentation.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE YOUNG PERSON’S EXPERIENCE
A Parent’s Experience
Another powerful presentation was brought to us by Matt Machin, who went through his experience from a Dad’s point of view.
CLICK HERE TO SEE MATT’S PRESENTATION
Lunch – Marketplace
Over the lunchtime break, we had a range of local providers / charities with information of use to our families.
You Said / We Did – Health
Steve Tatham and Greg Field shared the floor for the Health presentation. They looked at Joint Commissioning – what it is and what it hopes to achieve. “You said / We did” in the areas of EHCP completion; Getting help, care coordination & information; Early Years Support & Neuro-developmental Issues; Diagnostic Pathways and Transition.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE HEALTH PRESENTATION
Activity Three – So What? Reflections on Health
Working at tables, groups of parents, carers and professionals worked together to look at different ways of working; how to do it; what success would look like and to share any other ideas. This feedback will be typed up and analysed.
Bringing It Together – Building the Pledge
Paula Worthington and Sharon Wilson presented this segment together with an aim of creating some achievable steps to take forward. After a brief introduction, activity moved to the tables to created individual “pledges” that the professionals and parent/carers could sign up to together. We have recorded these pledges and will be working together with relevant personnel to move them forward.
Closing the Conference
  
Jean Fitzpatrick thanked everyone for attending and for their input into the day. Gail Hall finished the day off with a splash of colour and song, attempting to include the major themes of the day to the tune of “We Can Work It Out!”
CLICK HERE TO VIEW GAIL’S PRESENTATION
What’s Next
Whilst we have received excellent feedback on the conference, the real work starts now, as we gather all the information together to make a difference for our families.
The activity sessions will soon be typed up, then we would like to get together with our professional partners to analyse this and plan future work.
The conference was recorded, so we shall be putting the presentations online to enable access for those who could not attend the conference
Team WarrPAC would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank You” to all those involved in making this conference such a success. We look forward to working with you in the future.
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Thank you to all those who joined us at the conference. We’d love to hear from anyone with updates on what’s working well, and any challenges that you are facing. Please keep in touch by……
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Tel: 07581 302172 or 07940 466092
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