Published 7th January 2021

A new Forum to give parents and carers of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) an independent voice in Southend-on-Sea has been appointed by the Department for Education.

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council and Southend-on-Sea Clinical Commissioning Group are pleased to partner with Southend SEND Independent Forum (SSIF), as the official forum for the parents and carers of children and young people with SEND.

Already supported by the Department for Education, SSIF have an established website, a broad social media presence and are providing the voice for parents and carers.

Labour’s Anne Jones, cabinet member for children and learning, said: “I’m pleased to welcome our new partnership with Southend SEND Independent Forum and would like to thank everyone for participating to represent Southend’s families of children with Special Educational Needs/Disabilities. We are really looking forward to working with SSIF, the lived experience of parents and carers is vital in the design and delivery of SEND services. I urge SEND families to get involved and become a SSIF member for advice and to have your voice heard.”

The group are keen to expand their membership so that they can effectively represent the voice of all Southend families of children with Special Educational Needs/Disabilities.

If you are a parent or carer of a child or young person with SEND aged 0-25 and you live in Southend, SSIF would love you to get involved.

As a member you can access advice, support and information, or there are opportunities to become more actively involved by supporting the committee and representing all families.

Emma Traylor, Chair of SSIF said: “Hope is where the heart is. The team of SSIF and I all have a lot of heart and lived experience and we want to help parents and carers in Southend have a voice. We want to ensure these voices help shape the services available and help meet the needs of families in Southend. We are proud to be the PCF for Southend and we will strive to let your voices be heard. Together we can make positive change, in the right way.”

For more information regarding SSIF please see https://www.southendsendindependentforum.co.uk