About pp4danbarnet

pp4danbarnet is Barnet's Parent-Carer Forum formed out of the Government’s Strategy for Aiming High for Disabled Children Programme (AHDC). Every Local Authority in England should have an equivalent to pp4danBarnet. The organisation is led by Parent-Carers, but works with virtually every Barnet organisation said to be dealing with disability and care needs.

What is a Parent-Carer?  Someone who has to provide the extra care required for children and young people with a disability and additional needs aged 0 - 25 years.

pp4danBarnet aims to get Parent-Carers voices heard at the centre of all decision making and planning for our families.

How will we do this?  In several ways, but always by first asking Barnet Parent-Carers to give their views and experiences about a subject which we can then explore how best to ask for improvements and changes.

This is why we need all Barnet Parent-Carers to get involved with pp4danBarnet so they know their views count and are being heard. As a strong organisation, acting as one, we can and will make a difference.

pp4danBarnet can prepare Reports of Parent-Carers anonymised views and experiences and present to the right people if we think that certain areas need improving or existing work maintained. Recent work includes Speech, Language and Communication Needs and How to Help the Parent-Carers who wish to Return to Work incuding Training. A new project is reviewing Transition from Children's Services to Adult Services. Other involvement may be seeking Parent-Carers advice on speciaised equipment, or asking to form a Parent-Carer Panel when organisations are interviewing for new staff that will be working with our families.

AHDC want Barnet's Parent-Carer Forum pp4danBarnet to be involved with all areas and services that affect our families. This will include Education & Training, Family Welfare Services, Health, Benefits, Police, Leisure, Emotional Support, Relationships, Getting Out and About and Transport, Housing, Employment & Volunteering, & General Support. We have made a start by being part of the Coalition for the new plans for Barnet's Centre for Independent Living which is for those affected by disability and additional needs aged 18+.

pp4danBarnet has also made a start with placing our Parent-Carers Representatives on Committees, usually Multi-Agency, that meet to make decisions and plan for our families futures. We need more Representatives to cover all the various Committees and ensure we have our experience and expertise included. Parent-Carers will have Induction Training from pp4danBarnet before joining any Committee and will have to agree to pp4danBarnet's Code of Conduct, see pp4danBarnet Code of Conduct , to ensure all present are comfortable at meetings and we expect others to show the same respect as we ask of our Representatives.

pp4danBarnet has regular meetings to discuss our progress and prepare future actions and Training that will help shape our views on various aspects. We have received Training on Disability Awareness, The Disability Discrimination Act, Carers Assessments and Short Breaks, Welfare Benefits, and Maturing Matters delivered by Brook London to discuss the Sex & Relationship lessons being taught in schools from September 2010.

We will be having regular evening meetings for those who cannot attend during the daytime.

We will also be doing lots of Outreach work to ensure we meet and include all Parent-Carers.

pp4danBarnet Representatives must not:
1. shape individual care packages for their own children.
2. develop the Forum to pursue resolution of probems or concerns regarding their own child.
3. deveop involvement in one service for disabled children (e.g. a Forum on education issues, a consultation on Short Break Services), or to promote an individual, an individual group, or to use and manipulate pp4danBarnet to benefit themselves or the Aims of another organisation.

We have agreed to have an Inner Circle of members who have demonstrated they are working for the best interests of pp4danBarnet and who will make the initial decisions and Action Plans to deliver to the wider membership.

Indirectly the work of all Parent-Carers will benefit all children and young people with a disability and additional needs ages 0 - 25 years.

We have just begun....... Come and join us!