Our parent ambassadors have been key in the following areas:
Supporting review of Local Offer information including the development of the One Minute Guides, ensuring parent/ carers are represented at SEND Strategic Partnership Board and SEND work streams, participating in short break consultations which helped see the development of a new short breaks team, contributing to the SEND Inspections, ensuring the Lived Experience of families is present in multiple coproduction projects.
SEND Parent/ Carer Ambassador Objectives:
- To support and enhance the work of the Parents Forum and other established Parent Groups in Bradford;
- To help Bradford build a broader network of parental voice;
- To support two-way communication and better understanding of the lived experiences of families with SEND;
- To raise awareness of the Local Offer and support services for children and young people with SEND and their families.
- To assist Bradford Council and it’s partners in improving services for all children and young people with SEND and their families;
- To help inform the commissioning of services; and
- To signpost other parents and carers to the Local Offer and SEND Services get the right support for their children to give them the best possible outcomes in life.
Getting Involved:
If you would like to express an interest in becoming an ambassador then please send an email the SEND Transformation and Compliance team at SENDTandC@bradford.gov.uk
Philippa McCann – SEND Ambassador profile
Can you tell us a little bit about your family and yourself?
I'm Mama to Big Small age 10 and Small Small age 7, and wife to Ian. We are a neurodiverse family; three of us are Autistic and two of us have ADHD, and one of us is Dyslexic!
I am a Communications and Public Affairs specialist, having worked for several years in Westminster as parliamentary advisor to the Chief Executive of a government body. We relocated to Yorkshire in 2010 where I worked as Parliamentary Affairs and Crisis Communications Specialist until 2017 when I took a major career break to become carer for my children.
Having said that, I am busier now than ever! I do still work, but in a less intense and far more flexible family friendly role. I continue to be a daily navigator of SEND paperwork, the keeper of the family appointments diary, chef to small but incredibly critical diners who only eat a very limited menu, the family taxi driver, and every other role that busy parents fulfil.
I volunteer as a SEND Ambassador within BDMC. I am a trustee of the Parents Forum of Bradford and Airedale. I am a trained Sleep Practitioner, and I sit on a SEND Steering Board for The Sleep Charity, overlooking their Sleep Talker project.
Why did you join as a SEND Ambassador?
I found out about the role of SEND Ambassador through the Local Offer emails, which I in turn discovered through Bradford Council’s Covid-19 communications. I felt that I had a lot of opinions about SEND provision within Bradford but had never actually done anything about them. This seemed like an excellent opportunity!
What has been the highlight of your experience as a SEND Ambassador? And what changes in SEND Services are you pleased to hear about?
As a SEND Ambassador I have been given opportunities to voice those opinions in practical ways. I was invited to contribute directly to the Ofsted inspection which was a very interesting process, and I attend regular SEND meetings within Bradford Council and take every chance I can, to remind them who their customers are! I have also seen first-hand that there are good things happening, changes happening within SEND Transport will have a positive impact for families in 2023.
What advice would you give to other parent carers?
Try to build the best relationship you can with your SENDCo. This isn’t always easy, but if you can work together jointly to support your child, it will help you all in the future.
