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How to share your views and help shape services

Have your say

Share your views

There are several ways you can share your experiences and help improve SEND services in Hampshire. You can get involved through parent carer groups, youth forums, consultations and website feedback.

Hampshire Parent Carer Network (HPCN)

The Hampshire Parent Carer Network is run by parent carers of children with SEND 0-25. They are a mixture of volunteers and employees.

Their purpose is to listen to parent carers and feed their views back to Hampshire County Council and the NHS.

The HPCN  works with Hampshire County Council and the NHS  to co-produce and influence services that matter to parent carers of children with SEND.

When Hampshire County Council and NHS partners want feedback on services or proposed changes, we often work with the HPCN to gather the views of parent carers. This may be through meeting with parent carers online, in person or by using surveys.

The HPCN also runs monthly meet ups for parent carers called Get Togethers. These are currently run in Fleet, Basingstoke, Alresford, Eastleigh and online, providing an opportunity to engage with parent carers and listen to their views.

If there is not a meet up in your area and you are interested in running for the HPCN, please contact them at participation@hpcn.org.uk.

The HPCN is free to join and be a member of. They are always looking for more parent carers to join them so that a wide range of experiences and perspectives can be represented.

Join the HPCN and have your say

There are also other ways you can get involved and share your views

At the bottom of every page on Connect to Support Hampshire you will find a feedback tool:

Select either face to complete a short feedback form about the information on this website.

  • Have we missed information that you need?
  • Could you not find what what you were looking for?
  • Have we got something wrong?

Your feedback helps us improve the website and make sure information is accurate, helpful and easy to find for parents, carers, young people and  professionals.

We review feedback regularly and use it to make improvements to the website.

See what has changed as a result of feedback

At the bottom of every page on Connect to Support Hampshire you will find a feedback tool:

Select either face to complete a short feedback form about the information on this website.

  • Have we missed information that you need?
  • Could you not find what what you were looking for?
  • Have we got something wrong?

Your feedback helps us improve the website and make sure information is accurate, helpful and easy to find for parents, carers, young people and  professionals.

We review feedback regularly and use it to make improvements to the website.

See what has changed as a result of feedback

​Hampshire County Council regularly runs Public consultations that provide opportunities for members of the public to share their thoughts on Council services

View current consultations

​Hampshire County Council regularly runs Public consultations that provide opportunities for members of the public to share their thoughts on Council services

View current consultations

The Hampshire SEND Youth Forum gives young people aged 14 to 25 with SEND  the opportunity to share their views and help shape local services.

Young people taking part in the forum help ensure that the views and experiences of children and young people with SEND are considered in decision making. The forum acts as a Steering Group, overseeing the SEND Participation Strategy and Action Plan and helping to ensure the voices of young people are represented. Members of the forum have also helped to develop Hampshire's SEND Participation Strategy.

  • SEND Groups and Youth Forums: There are a range of groups in schools, community settings and partner organisations for children and young people including those with SEND. These group engage with the forum as and when needed to support wider participation and bring forward views from different lived experiences, representing a broader range of young people. ​
  • Young People Sub Groups: The SEND Youth Forum can also establish smaller groups focused on specific interests or areas of work. these groups bring together young people with shared interests and help move forward particular projects or pieces of work.

Join the SEND Youth Forum

The Hampshire SEND Youth Forum gives young people aged 14 to 25 with SEND  the opportunity to share their views and help shape local services.

Young people taking part in the forum help ensure that the views and experiences of children and young people with SEND are considered in decision making. The forum acts as a Steering Group, overseeing the SEND Participation Strategy and Action Plan and helping to ensure the voices of young people are represented. Members of the forum have also helped to develop Hampshire's SEND Participation Strategy.

  • SEND Groups and Youth Forums: There are a range of groups in schools, community settings and partner organisations for children and young people including those with SEND. These group engage with the forum as and when needed to support wider participation and bring forward views from different lived experiences, representing a broader range of young people. ​
  • Young People Sub Groups: The SEND Youth Forum can also establish smaller groups focused on specific interests or areas of work. these groups bring together young people with shared interests and help move forward particular projects or pieces of work.

Join the SEND Youth Forum

As well as the Hampshire SEND Youth Forum, a number of organisations help children, young people and families have their voices heard and influence local services: ​

  • KIDS and Council for Disabled Children's Young People's Participation (South)
    The Department for Education has jointly commissioned Kids with the Council for Disabled Children to deliver a national participation programme that supports disabled children and young people, and those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) to have their voices heard.​

Find out about Making Participation Work

  • Hampshire SENDIASS
    Hampshire SENDIASS is an impartial Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) that aims to make a positive and lasting difference for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disability (SEND) and their parents and carers. SENDIASS regularly feedback information and areas of concerns to Hampshire County Council and partner organisations to help inform improvements to services.

Visit Hampshire SENDIASS

As well as the Hampshire SEND Youth Forum, a number of organisations help children, young people and families have their voices heard and influence local services: ​

  • KIDS and Council for Disabled Children's Young People's Participation (South)
    The Department for Education has jointly commissioned Kids with the Council for Disabled Children to deliver a national participation programme that supports disabled children and young people, and those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) to have their voices heard.​

Find out about Making Participation Work

  • Hampshire SENDIASS
    Hampshire SENDIASS is an impartial Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) that aims to make a positive and lasting difference for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disability (SEND) and their parents and carers. SENDIASS regularly feedback information and areas of concerns to Hampshire County Council and partner organisations to help inform improvements to services.

Visit Hampshire SENDIASS

If your child or young person has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), annual reviews provide an opportunity for children, young people and parents/carers to share their views and discuss their individual circumstances.

A range of person-centred planning resources can help young people prepare for these conversations and make sure their views are included.

View the person-centred planning resources

The video below explains more about sharing your views and making sure your voice is heard during the EHCP process.

 

If your child or young person has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), annual reviews provide an opportunity for children, young people and parents/carers to share their views and discuss their individual circumstances.

A range of person-centred planning resources can help young people prepare for these conversations and make sure their views are included.

View the person-centred planning resources

The video below explains more about sharing your views and making sure your voice is heard during the EHCP process.

 

Ofsted and CQC work together to inspect education, health and social care services for children with SEND in each local area. These are known as Area SEND inspection.

The views of children, young people and families are an important part of the inspection process. Ofsted may ask people to complete surveys or take part in discussions when carrying out an inspection in your hospital, school or college.

Learn about Area SEND inspections

 

Ofsted and CQC work together to inspect education, health and social care services for children with SEND in each local area. These are known as Area SEND inspection.

The views of children, young people and families are an important part of the inspection process. Ofsted may ask people to complete surveys or take part in discussions when carrying out an inspection in your hospital, school or college.

Learn about Area SEND inspections

 

Helping to shape adult social care

In Hampshire County Council Adult services, people who use services and carers are at the heart service design and improvement. This means there are many opportunities to get involved, including surveys, questionnaires; focus groups; projects and conferences.

 

  • Personalisation Expert Panel
    The Personalisation Expert Panel is a service-user led group that meets with the departmental management team to guide the direction of the department.  

Join the Personalisation Expert Panel

  • Other opportunities to get involved
    There are many other opportunities to get involved and help shape adult social care services.

 

  • Influencing SEND services
    You can also find out more about how children, young people and families help shape the SEND Local Offer.

 

Helping to shape adult social care

In Hampshire County Council Adult services, people who use services and carers are at the heart service design and improvement. This means there are many opportunities to get involved, including surveys, questionnaires; focus groups; projects and conferences.

 

  • Personalisation Expert Panel
    The Personalisation Expert Panel is a service-user led group that meets with the departmental management team to guide the direction of the department.  

Join the Personalisation Expert Panel

  • Other opportunities to get involved
    There are many other opportunities to get involved and help shape adult social care services.

 

  • Influencing SEND services
    You can also find out more about how children, young people and families help shape the SEND Local Offer.