PaCC Round Up – March 2023 

Welcome to PaCC’s first update of the year. 

PaCC continue to represent our members, ensuring that your feedback and experiences are central to all that we do. This includes working in co-production with services, providing challenge when needed and sharing examples of good practice. The work we do is more important than ever, as more and more families are experiencing exceptionally difficult times.  

Since our last newsletter, myself and Leila Erin-Jenkins (PaCC’s Participation Worker) have attended various parent carer groups, coffee mornings and breakfast clubs sharing information about PaCC and listening to the experiences of the parent carers who attended. As well as continuing to visit existing groups, we are also planning new PaCC information sessions for parent carers. Keep a look out on social media and in your email inbox for more information.  

Home to School Transport (HTST) PaCConnects 

Last month, PaCC held two PaCConnect events focusing on HTST. Following feedback from parent carers about how we can make our events more accessible, one of these events was held online and in the evening. These PaCConnects followed a different format to our usual one, with the HTST team at the local authority delivering presentations that the parent carers who attended could feedback on. I’d like to thank Paolo Boldini (PaCC Engagement Co-Ordinator), Vanessa de Guzman (PaCC Participation Worker), Pippa Hodge (PaCC HTST rep) and the HTST team at the local authority for creating such a successful event. Also a big thank you to the parent carers who attended and shared such important feedback. You can read more about the HTST PaCConnects and see the presentations here.

PaCC Dynamic Support Register (DSR) Focus Group 

In December, PaCC held a focus group for parent carers so they could contribute to an area of work around the DSR. Thank you to the parent carers who attended, who not only shared such valuable information but thought provoking feedback too, and to Leila and Paolo for organising. You can find out more about the DSR and the focus group here.

Keyworkers 

PaCC have recently started working with the local authority and NHS Sussex around creating a new Keyworker service for Brighton & Hove. Here is some information about the service, which has been provided to PaCC.

PaCC online SEND workshop, focusing on education, for parent carers (previously the Hidden Children Surgery) 

PaCC is hosting another education workshop this month and the theme is ‘Transitions Across the Whole Range of Education’. This regular online participation event gives parent carers the opportunity to share their experiences around a particular theme related to education. PaCC then uses this valuable information in the work we do, ensuring that all feedback is anonymous. PaCC and the guests attending will not be able to offer individual advice or support during the workshop but can signpost parent carers to Amaze/SENDIASS after the workshop.  Find out more about the session and book a place here. 

PaCC Awards   

Our annual PaCC Awards are a great way of celebrating the individuals or organisations within Brighton & Hove who have gone above and beyond to make a difference for children and young people and their families. It is always a happy, emotional and inspiring event. Paolo has written more information about the PaCC Awards which you can read here.

If you aren’t already a member of PaCC, here are some details of how you can join. 

I’m looking forward to seeing you, face to face or online, at a PaCC event soon,  

Becky Robinson, Chair of PaCC