This National Inclusion Week, we’re celebrating inclusion and thinking about what it really means to create spaces where everyone feels valued, heard and supported, especially where it concerns children with SEND.
This year’s theme is “Build Trust. Navigate Change.”
For parent carers of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), these words can feel particularly important. Families often have to navigate change; whether that is starting a new school, moving between services, preparing for adulthood, adapting support as a young person’s needs change or responding to wider changes within SEND services.
What does inclusion really mean?
Inclusion is about much more than simply being present.
For children and young people with SEND, true inclusion means being able to participate, contribute and feel that they belong, and recognising that children and young people may need different things in order to have the same opportunity to thrive.
That could mean reasonable adjustments within the classroom, accessible communication, sensory considerations, additional support or simply taking the time to understand a young person as an individual. You do not need a diagnosis for your child to begin receiving support and for your child to feel included.
Most importantly, inclusion means listening to children, young people and their families and ensuring their experiences help shape the support they receive.
Building trust with families
Trust cannot be created through one conversation. It develops when families feel listened to, when communication is open and honest and when people follow through on what they say they will do.
For SEND families, relationships with schools, health professionals, local services and other organisations can span many years. There may also be several different professionals involved in supporting one child or young person. Strong relationships can make navigating this system feel less overwhelming.
Families should feel able to raise concerns, ask questions and share their experiences without feeling dismissed. Equally, professionals need opportunities to listen and understand what life looks like for children, young people and their families beyond appointments, meetings and paperwork.
The role of parent carer voices
At Medway Parent and Carers Forum (MPCF), listening to families is at the heart of what we do.
Through co-production, we gather the experiences and views of families of children and young people with SEND and use these to help inform and influence the development of Medway local services.
That includes hearing about what is working well as well as the areas where families feel things could improve. Parent carers have valuable knowledge gained through their lived experience. By creating opportunities for families, professionals and decision-makers to communicate openly, we can help build greater understanding and ensure parent carer voices are part of conversations about SEND provision in Medway.
To have your way on certain services in Medway, take a look at our Survey page to check on our current open surveys,
Find out more about National inclusion Week
National inclusion week is being run by inclusive employers where they are focused on inclusion in the work place. Find out more about how you can get incolved on their website