Who We Are
Slough SEND Parent Carer Forum is run entirely by parent carers, for parent carers. Here’s what a Parent Carer Forum is, how we work alongside local services, what we can help with, and who’s currently steering things.
What is a Parent Carer Forum?
A Parent Carer Forum (PCF) is a group of parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) who work together with local services to improve the support on offer.
Every local area in England has one. They’re independent of the council and the NHS, but funded to work in partnership with them, making sure decisions about SEND services are shaped by families who actually use them, not made about them without them.
In Short
- Run by parent carers, for parent carers
- Independent of the council and NHS
- Funded by the Department for Education
- Part of the National Network of Parent Carer Forums
- Exists in every local authority area in England
What We Do
We’re here to amplify the voices of parent carers and help improve SEND services. While we don’t provide individual casework, we can help you find the right support.
What We Can Do
- Represent your voice and experiences to those who plan and deliver SEND services
- Signpost you to the right local and national support
- Sit on regional and national boards and panels alongside services, as part of co-production
- Run events, workshops and drop-ins for parent carers to connect and share experience
- Gather feedback to help shape policy, strategy and service design
Services We Don't Provide
- We don't provide individual advocacy or represent families at tribunals.
- We don't investigate complaints or act as a formal complaints service.
- We don't provide counselling, therapy or peer-support groups.
- We don't deliver medical assessments, respite care or educational interventions.
- We don't make decisions on behalf of families or promote individual cases or agendas.
Co-production
Co-production means parent carers and services planning and designing SEND support together, as equal partners, rather than services deciding and families being consulted afterwards.
We sit on regional and national groups and panels alongside health, education and local authority colleagues, bringing lived experience to the table at the point decisions are actually made.
Who we work alongside
- Slough Borough Council
- NHS Frimley and NHS Berkshire
- Local schools and settings
- The Department for Education
- The National Network of Parent Carer Forums
Meet Slough Parent Carer Forum Team
We’re all parents and carers of children with SEND in Slough. This is who’s currently steering the forum, but the real work happens across every voice we listen to.
Chair
Imran Anwar
Chair
Co-Chairs
Charlotte Carty
Co-Chair
Sharon Carty
Co-Chair
Admin & Steering Committee
Natasha Hughes
Administrator and Steer co.
Membership Secretaries
Belinda Gomes
Membership Secretary and PCF Steer co. member
Shravani Chada
Membership Secretary and PCF Steer co. member
Shama Shahid
Membership Secretary and PCF Steer co. member
PCF Representatives
Aesia Hassan
PCF Steering co. representative
Gemma
PCF Steering co. representative
Our Mission
Listen
to families
Represent
parent voices
Partner
with professionals
Ensure
every voice matters
Influence
positive change
Together we make a difference for SEND families across Slough
Our Policies
As an accountable organisation, we publish the policies that govern how we work. You’re welcome to read or download any of them below.
