The West Berkshire Parent Carer Forum is for parents/carers who wish to make a difference in our community.
We are a friendly group of parent carers who have children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities aged 0-25 years. As a Forum we support and train parent carers to enable them to have input and be involved with shaping services alongside the professionals who provide health, education, adult and social services.
Our shared mission is to improve and enhance the experiences and opportunities of children and young people with additional needs by enabling parents and carers to be heard and be at the heart of decisions about development and delivery of services in West Berkshire..
The Forum will represent the views of the collective community and not an individual voice. The role of the forum is not to advocate for individual families and will signpost to specialist services. The views of parents and carers in the local area are represented by our 10 Steering Group members who are parents and carers who have children with a variety of disabilities and/or special educational needs.
We have been out and about visiting schools for coffee mornings, and our Steering Group members have attended lots of meetings with the Local Authority to discuss SEND in West Berkshire. We also joined in with a very interesting Multi Agency EHCP Audit workshop with Health to discuss and collaborate our EHCP vision, and have lots more meetings and get togethers with Local Services to come.
The current meetings we attend are:
Thematic Group 1 - Supporting Early Years Thematic Group 2 - Continuum of Local Provision Thematic Group 3 - Post 16 Thematic Group 4 - SEND Transitions Thematic Group 5 - Physical & Mental Well-being & Health in Children
Muliti-agency EHCP Audit
SEND Providers Forum Meeting
Children & Young Persons Group
The Local Offer Website Update
Joint Implementation Group Reading (JIG)
And more...
We also collaborate with Family Forum (Reading), and Reach Wokingham in a variety of topics, such as Travel, and RBH Provision for SEND.
If you are interested in the Steering Group and would like to find out more, please contact Fiona on 07860 942280 or email fionaworby@roseroad.org.uk
We would love to hear from you!
Below is a range of activities that are happening over the next few weeks. Have a wonderful Easter,
HAPPY DAYS 5-10 YRS OLD Happy Days runs once a month during term time and during some holidays for special events. It is for children aged 5—10 years old on the Autistic Spectrum, ADHD, or have deaf- ness, along with their siblings and parents. Costs are per session per child and parents have to stay and are free on most sessions.
Monday 16th April = Slime Making Today we will make slime as well as play with toys and games. A movie will be on in the chill room and for tea we will have burgers and chips, as well as fruit and veg snacks. £3 per child and parents free
Save the following dates for your diary:
*Easter Dates:
Wednesdays— £5 child & parents free
4th April Easter Egg Hunt
11th April Afternoon Tea and pottery painting
SATURDAY 12TH MAY—QUIZ SUNDAY
1ST JULY—SUMMER FAYRE
*Summer Dates: Wednesdays— £5 child & £5 adult per session
1st August Swindon Train Museum
15th August Movie & pizza
Wantage 29th August Gulliver's Kingdom * for both groups times to be confirmed limited spaces*
NEWBURY RG14 3BQ
COLES DINER @ MARY HARE
SUNDAY 1ST JULY 12-3PM
SUMMER LOVIN' SUMMER FAYRE
“Summer Lovin’ had me a blast”
A 1950’s Summer Fayre with over 50 stalls, games, inflatable rides & cash raffle!
ENTRANCE £2 for adults / £1 for children on the day - save by buying before the event via Eventbrite and group tickets Summer Fayre Tickets Eventbrite Link
Stall holders please contact Mrs Kirilynn Gardner on k.gardner@maryhare.org.uk
The Call Us Sitting Service provides experienced support workers who can give a family with a disabled child(ren) (aged 0-18yrs) a short break in the family home or at the Call Us House.
Parents/ carers can go out for a few hours, safe in the knowledge that their child is being cared for by a skilled worker or, be supported by the worker caring for the child(ren) in the home so the parent/carer can get on with tasks that it would otherwise be hard to do.
Families can self-refer or be referred by the professionals working with them. There is a short referral form available on request.
First of all we will visit the family to make sure we get as much information as possible about the child(ren)’s needs, likes and dislikes. We can work with children with complex health needs and behaviour issues. We will try and match workers and provide consistency so that families get to know their workers.
The service is supported by West Berkshire Children’s Services and the subsidised costs are: £5 p/h (mileage is charged on occasion at 20p per mile)
(Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice and Support Service)
What we do
The Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Information, Advice and Support (IAS) Service for West Berkshire provides:
free and confidential service, provided independently from education, health and care providers
Impartial information, advice and support relating to special educational needs and disability (SEND)
Advice and support from independently trained Information, Advice and Support (IAS) Service staff
Support through the statutory processes relating to Statements of Special Educational Needs and the new Education Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment and planning
Information and practical support to find the answers to your questions in relation to education, social care and health services
Who we can help
We can provide information, advice and support to:
Parents or carers of a child or young person (aged 0-25) with a disability and/or special educational needs
Parents or carers who are worried that their child or young person may have a disability or special educational needs;
If your child has questions, we can help them too
Young people aged 16-25 who have a disability and/or special educational needs
Our service is for people who live in West Berkshire. If you don’t live in West Berkshire, but need support, we can put you in touch with your local IAS Service.
How we can help
We aim to provide you with help that is right for you. We can help by
Listening to your views and concerns
Helping you feel more confident to express your views
Explaining your options, rights and responsibilities
Help in preparing for meetings and/or attending meetings with you;
Answering your questions about Statements of Special Educational Needs and Educational Health and Care (EHC) Plans;
Supporting you through a needs assessment or review
Support to resolve disagreements
Developing networks and links locally to provide solutions to your individual queries
Are you, or is someone you know, providing much-needed care for a loved one?
Get free access to a range of support and services – right when you need it most.
Call us: 0118 324 7333
Carers Trust provides timely, personalised information and support via the Reading & West Berkshire Carers Hub to make caring for a loved one easier.
The Carers Hub can offer:
Information, advice and guidance
Signposting to other organisations
Short break accommodation
Access to Carers support groups
Free health and well-being memberships
Access to Carers breaks
Free training and caring support
Carers Smart’ benefits and discounts
Carers grants
Peer support
Are you wondering if you are a Carer?
You may not see yourself as one, but if you are looking after someone – whether it be an adult or child – who fits one or more of the example descriptions below, then you are a Carer.
They:
are elderly and frail
are physically disabled
have a learning disability
have mental health problems
have a history of substance misuse
have a long term health condition
have a sensory impairment
There is a range of support available to you, which will help you look after yourself as well as the loved one you care for. Carers Trust provides a range of support and services which can be accessed via the Carers Hub – funded by: Reading Borough Council, West Berkshire Council, North & West Reading CCG
South Reading CCG, Newbury & District CCG.
Reading and West Berkshire Carers Hub runs a friendly support group for carers in West Berkshire, which meets on the First Wednesday of each month. All carers welcome.
Please call 0118 3247333 if you would like any further information about the group.
WHERE: Pangbourne Small Village Hall, RG8 7DY
COST: Free
CONTACT: Reading and West Berkshire Carers Hub 0118 324 7333
The Local offer sets out provision which is available for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), aged 0 to 25, including education, health and social care services.
Where you see the green West Berkshire Local Offer flag, on the top, right corner of a record in this directory, you will know that the service or provider has submitted information on what they can offer a child or young person who has SEND. This is known as their Local Offer. Please do take a look, there are providers of a range of services which may be useful to you.
