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Working Together Charter goes 'live'

We know at PODS, the power and importance of our parent carer voices, which we gather every day. We gather these voices and experiences to help us to co-produce local services.

As the formal Parent Carer Forum leading on Participation and Co-Production for the past fifteen years, we are in a really important place to share our families’ experiences - where it matters most – at a strategic and operational level, with key commissioners, managers and service leads across health, social care and education teams.

This Working Together Charter has been developed over the past three years to further support co-production and strengthen working together to ensure parent carer voices are included in all decisions and developments in the SEND World.

Over the years we have had many conversations with families and feedback has always mentioned communication and how important it is.  We have worked with partners to develop this charter, learning from best practice and a Department for Education recognised project.  The Working Together Charter (named by families) embeds 4 key principles to build ‘TRUST’.  They are:

Open Communication

Feeling Welcomed and Cared For

Feeling Valued and Included

Working in Partnership

Councillor Shirley Reynolds (Lab), cabinet member for Children, Young People and Families, said: “The work that Parents Opening Doors (PODS) does, together with their volunteers, providing face to face support for families, reducing isolation and influencing the improvement of services is incredibly important to support children and young people with special needs in our borough.

“We are delighted to work together with PODS, our NHS partners and any borough family who wishes to get involved - to help children and young people with SEND lead happier lives. We are on their side, we want them to be our equal partner, to feel valued, cared for and to make their voice heard in the decision making for services that matter to them.

“This project will strengthen the Co-production journey in Telford and Wrekin. We will encourage other organisations across the borough, such as schools, health providers and other settings to sign up to the SEND Co-Production charter and to embed its principles in everyday tasks, so we can all keep the involvement of families at the heart of everything we do. “

Jayne Stevens, Strategic Co-ordinator at PODS, says:

"We are excited to have developed the SEND ‘Working Together’ Charter with our parent carers, wider families members and local partners”

“The Charter values our families as genuine partners and ensures they have a voice where it matters most, so children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (and additional needs) have positive experience throughout their lives”

“Thank you for all your involvement, we look forward to 'Making A Difference' together"

Read more about the Working Together Charter here that is shared to the Telford & Wrekin Local Offer: https://orlo.uk/KUSz9

As part of the development, we were pleased to welcome Cllr Shirley Reynolds to the new PODS Hub earlier this month, to talk directly with local families. Pictured here are some of our staff, volunteers and champions of our Charity.

If you would like to get involved in supporting us to embed the Working Together Charter, or have any questions about it, please contact Jayne Stevens, Strategic Co-ordinator, 0777 534 2092 or jayne@podstelford.org

Information about wider PODS Charity ca be found on the website www.podstelford.org

Please note the above material is subject to copyright, please contact PODS before sharing any of the information in this PODS Ebulletin.

Thank you for reading our latest Ebulletin, please stay safe & well. 

Kerrie Seagrave, Member Support Co-ordinator

on behalf of PODS Parent Carer Forum.

We hope you enjoyed reading our latest e-bulletin - we hope you continue to find it useful. If you have any suggestions to make it better feel free to let me know.