Islington Parents Forum 1st February 2017

What we have achieved as a forum

What we have done Creation of Islington Coproduction Board with representatives of the Local Authority and parent representatives of the Parents Forum Transition Strategy + Islington Transition board with a focus on an employment strategy from a younger age Involvement in the Ofsted SEND Inspection and onsite inspection with representatives of the Parent Forum Involvement in the consultation ‘The future of SEND provision in Islington’ responding to the increase of children with autism and severe and profound LD Involvement in the consultation for the review and change of Lough Road centre Involvement in the commissioning of Short Break services in Islington (consultation, recommendations and participation in interviews) Help design the process for reviewing EHCPs

How does Islington Parent Forum work? Parents have an opportunity to participate in consultations, help with the commissioning of services, give their views and ideas and share their experiences with professionals and the council Members of the Islington Parent Forum’s steering group (IPAG) collate the views of the forum and represent us on Islington’s Children with Disabilities Strategy Board  The group is facilitated by Centre 404. There are 6 sessions a year, term time only. Current sessions are planned for Tuesdays or Wednesdays 10am-1pm, where possible

Get involved! There are lots of changes going on at the moment with the implementation of the Children and Families Act and the Care Act, and it is more important than ever that parent carers help their local authorities and health partners to really understand the issues and views of those who use the services they provide, and to help shape what they look like. The most important thing is that you can make a difference where you live, for all children and young people with special educational needs or disability, and their families.

Tackling Social Isolation

Loneliness and Isolation Loneliness is a subjective negative feeling of lack or loss of meaningful social relationships (e.g. loss of partner, children relocating) Social Isolation is an objective measurement to indicate a lack of social interaction and relationships caused by loss of mobility or deteriorating health  

How social isolation affects your health and wellbeing Social Isolation can have a considerable negative impact on health and wellbeing. It is associated with increased risk of dementia, high blood pressure, stress levels, poorer immunity and death. Research has shown that having well-connected strong social relationships can have an impact on survival comparable with well-established risk factors for mortality such as smoking, obesity and physical inactivity

Services for me and my son or daughter Know your rights! Services for me and my son or daughter Social Isolation and its links to lack of regular contact with others, means that those who are most isolated have little or no contact with services.

How Centre 404 tackle social isolation Community support is particularly important - Come and meet people in a similar situation to you! We support vulnerable people on emotional, practical and social issues, giving them the confidence and strength to tackle any issues that might arise We act as an interface between the community and public services, helping individuals to find the appropriate interventions and empowering them to have their voice heard. We provide befriending programmes that help reduce social isolation - Help to build your own social network and give your knowledge to others in a similar situation!

If you want to know more about Parent Participation and its benefits visit Contact a Family Library and resources page here: http://www.cafamily.org.uk/get-involved/parent-carer-participation/