Local SEND Reform Plans · 40 documents asked · 40 answered · 0 not stated · run 11 September 2026
How is the parent carer forum involved in this plan, and does it have a formal role in governance or sign-off?
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Ask for a surveyA clear pattern runs through almost all these plans. Parent carer forums are described as valued co-production partners: consulted, surveyed, invited to workshops, and sometimes given seats on partnership boards. But formal sign-off is almost universally reserved for the same five statutory officers—council CEO, ICB CEO, DCS, ICB Place Director, and CFO/Section 151 Officer. In council after council—Barnsley, Brighton and Hove, Bromley, Cambridgeshire, Cornwall, Cumberland, Dorset, East Sussex, Hertfordshire, Hounslow, Isle of Wight, North Northamptonshire, Nottingham, Oxfordshire, Reading, Richmond, Rochdale, Shropshire, Slough, Somerset, South Gloucestershire, South Tyneside, Wirral, Worcestershire—the forum shapes content but has no sign-off authority.
A handful of councils stand out for going further. Bath and North East Somerset is unusual: its forum director is a named signatory who formally signed the plan. Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole similarly lists a named forum representative among its signatories. Bury and Coventry give the forum a seat on the main SEND partnership board with shared oversight, though not sign-off. Bristol goes furthest in framing language, calling its forum "an equal strategic partner" and "an equal partner in decision-making," though even here no explicit sign-off role is stated. Norfolk's Family Voice Norfolk co-chairs its Local Inclusion Partnership, another notably strong role. Stoke-on-Trent names its forum as a required sign-off body specifically for the universal offer agreement, a narrower but concrete power.
Few councils give numbers. Bristol cites over 4,000 families represented by its forum. Hertfordshire mentions a new Parent Carer Insight and Learning Group in development. Rochdale self-rates its co-production maturity as "2 - Developing." Most others describe involvement qualitatively, without figures.
Solihull and Staffordshire say relatively little, describing forum involvement only in general co-production terms without addressing governance or sign-off directly.
Not stated: Leeds.
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The question was put to each document on its own, using up to six of its most relevant pages. Page numbers in the table link to the document itself.
Model claude-sonnet-5. How a survey is made.
Every document's answer
Barnsley
The Parent Carer Forum (referred to as BSCC) is involved as a member of the SEND Local Area Partnership (LAP), ensuring parent/carer perspectives influence strategic decision-making p63. It contributes to co-production of the plan, including feedback loops and testing of delivery models p63. However, formal sign-off of the plan is required only from the Council CEO, ICB CEO, DCS, ICB NHS Place Director, and CFO/Section 151 Officer p4; the forum is not listed among these mandatory sign-off roles.
Bath and North East Somerset
Yes, the B&NES Parent Carer Forum (BPCF) has a formal role. Rachel Hale, BPCF Director, is a listed signatory who formally signed off the plan on 16 June 2026 p2. BPCF attends the LAIP, the overall governance vehicle with system accountability p12, and a funded BPCF Transformation Lead sits as a core member of the SEND Reform Board p13. BPCF also co-produced the plan's content through workshops and surveys p12.
Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole
Yes, the Parent Carer Forum has a formal role: Louise Middleton of the "PCT Parent/Carer Forum" is listed among named signatories who signed off the plan on 15/06/2026, alongside the BCP CEO, ICB CEO, DCS and CFO p2. The Strategic Parent Carer Forum for Dorset and BCP Place also sits within governance structures, agreeing collective recommendations on health-related SEND pathways for escalation to decision-making boards p72. The plan also commits to strengthening co-production through the Forum going forward p63.
Brighton and Hove
The plan states it is "crucial that representative family carers e.g. the local Parent Carer Forum, are involved in the development of the plan" p2. Co-production is strengthened through a refreshed partnership agreement with PaCC and Amaze, involving workshops, surveys and quarterly "You said / we did" reporting p28, and parent/carer voice feeds into monitoring via the Parent Carer Council and SENDIASS p32. However, formal sign-off is limited to named statutory officers—CEO, ICB Chief Executive, DCS, ICB Place Director, CFO—with no Parent Carer Forum signatory role specified p2.
Bristol
The Bristol Parent Carer Forum (PCF), representing over 4,000 families, is described as "an equal strategic partner" within the SEND system, with sustainable funding and embedded involvement in decision-making, delivery, and review p13, and as "an equal partner in decision-making, quality assurance and service development" p4. It also oversees Parent Navigators under the Experts at Hand offer p41 and participated in reform workshops p38. No excerpt states it has formal sign-off or voting authority within governance structures.
Bromley
Bromley Parent Carer Forum is involved through co-production, including an initial session generating insight on system strengths, barriers, and priorities, supplemented by ongoing engagement via Padlet and planned further sessions p50. The forum is recognised as a key co-production partner alongside Champions 4 Change and other engagement structures p14. However, formal sign-off is required only from named senior officers (LA CEO, ICB CEO, DCS, ICB NHS Place Director, CFO), with other partners "encouraged" but not required to review and sign off p2. The forum has no formal governance sign-off role.
Bury
The Bury2Gether Parent Carer Forum (PCF) is a formal governance member: it sits alongside senior leaders from education, health and social care on the strengthened SEND Partnership Board, giving shared accountability, oversight and assurance p37. Co-production with Bury2Gether is also strengthened through targeted engagement, a Co-Production charter, and a "You said, we did" feedback approach reported through governance p38. No excerpt indicates the PCF has formal sign-off authority over the plan itself.
Cambridgeshire
The Parent Carer Forum (PINPOINT) is expected to be involved in developing the plan p25 and sits on the Children’s Outcomes Board alongside the Chief Executive, ICB, Police and schools p70. It contributes via listening sessions, co-production, and six-monthly "You Said, We Did" reports (page 34, page 62). However, it is not among the named roles required for formal sign-off, which is limited to the CEO, ICB Chief Executive, DCS, ICB Place Director and CFO p25.
Cornwall
The Cornwall Parent Carer Forum (CPCF) is involved through engagement in developing the plan, co-leading workstreams, and representation on multi-agency delivery groups and commissioning of the Expert at Hand offer (page 59, page 14). The plan commits to giving CPCF a "clear, agreed strategic role" p14. However, it is not listed among the mandatory formal sign-off roles, which are limited to the LA CEO, ICB CEO, DCS, ICB NHS Place Director, and CFO p2.
Coventry
The Parent Carer Forum (PCF) has a formal seat on the SEND and AP Partnership Board via a named "PCF rep" as part of its membership (page 22, page 27). It provides "strategic input and challenge," co-produces surveys/feedback tools with the Quality Assurance workspace, and tracks how its input informs decisions (page 22, page 27). Co-production audit trails aim for "joint sign-off with Parent Carer Forum (PCF)" p6. However, the Board holds actual "sign-off escalation actions" and decision rights, not the PCF itself p27.
Cumberland
The Parent Carer Forum (SENDAC), chaired by Georgina Grant, is committed to co-producing Cumberland's local SEND plan, though it has not endorsed the national SEND Reform Plan due to concerns over inclusion direction p5. It is expected to be involved in developing the plan and encouraged to review/sign off, but formal sign-off is only mandatory for the LA CEO, ICB CEO, DCS, ICB NHS Place Director, and CFO p2. The Forum's role is described as "formal partnership arrangements" for co-production, not statutory sign-off p19.
Dorset
The Dorset Parent Carer Council is described as "embedded across governance and delivery at all levels," involved in planning, implementation and review, and represented at the strategic level via the Alliance for Inclusion and Excellence in Education p66. It contributed to developing the plan and works alongside the local authority on family concerns and feedback (page 1, page 25). However, formal sign-off rests only with named officials—CEO, ICB Chief Executive, DCS, ICB NHS Place Director, and CFO—not the Parent Carer Council p1.
Durham
The Parent Carer Forum (MCT Durham) is engaged through an MOU that ensures co-production is "sustainable, representative and influential" p16, with each themed workstream required to demonstrate active engagement with the PCF and feedback loops such as "You said, we did" informing decisions p16. The plan also seeks DfE support to strengthen engagement with parent carer forums p17. However, unlike the Schools Forum, which has a defined formal governance role with set meeting frequency and sign-off responsibilities p33, no equivalent formal governance or sign-off role for the PCF is stated.
East Sussex
The East Sussex Parent Carer Forum (ESPCF) is described as instrumental in co-producing plans, including a SEND Co-production Handbook and Charter p7, and its involvement is expected in developing the plan p1. It has formal governance representation as a named member on the SEND Strategy Governance Board and the SEND Strategy and Reforms Implementation Group p32. However, formal sign-off rests with named officers—LA CEO, ICB CEO, DCS, ICB NHS Place Director, CFO—not the PCF itself p1.
Hackney
The PCF is funded as "an independent strategic partner in SEND reform design and governance" p62, with its chair and vice chair sitting on the SEND & AP Partnership Board and holding monthly meetings with the Head of SEND and ICB lead p62. PCF representatives also sit on this Board contributing to commissioning discussions p63. However, formal sign-off on resource allocation rests with the SEND and AP Partnership Board itself, not the PCF alone p30, though the plan currently notes the PCF is "represented at the Board level" but not yet fully representative p14.
Harrow
The Harrow Parent Carer Forum is described as playing "a central role in co-production and shared decision-making," represented within the SEND and AP Partnership Board and wider governance arrangements p19. It also sits on a dedicated "Parent Carer Forum and Children & Young People Participation Group," but this body only has an "Advisory and influence role," not formal decision rights, escalating to the SEND & AP Partnership Board p85. Formal sign-off rests with named LA/ICB officers, not the Forum p1.
Hertfordshire
The Parent Carer Forum (Herts Parent Carer Involvement, HPCI) is expected to be involved in developing the plan and is described as "embedded within SEND governance," regularly working with the partnership on improvement activities (page 39, page 1). A new Parent Carer Insight & Learning Group is also being developed to strengthen links with the voluntary sector p39. However, it is not listed among the roles required for formal plan sign-off, which is limited to the LA CEO, ICB CEO, DCS, ICB NHS Place Director, and CFO/Section 151 Officer p1.
Hounslow
The Hounslow Parent Carer Forum (HPCF) is well-established and contributes at strategic and operational levels, having co-produced the Local Offer and Top Up Funding model p19. It will "continue to be represented within governance structures and workstreams" and remains central to implementation alongside co-production groups and youth council (pages 35, 40). However, formal sign-off of the plan is limited to named officials—CEO, ICB Chief Executive, DCS, ICB NHS Place Director, and CFO—with the PCF only encouraged, not required, to review and sign off p2.
Isle of Wight
The Parent Carer Forum (PCF) is engaged through bespoke meetings and ongoing consultation, contributing to shaping the Reform Plan's content p124, and receives continued LA/ICB investment to build trust and capacity, including officer posts and peer support networks p126. However, formal sign-off is required only from the LA CEO, ICB CEO, DCS, ICB NHS Place Director, and CFO p1. The plan "encourage[s]" other contributors, including school and trust leaders, to review and sign-off, but the PCF is not listed among mandatory or encouraged formal sign-off roles p1.
Kingston upon Thames
The Kingston Parent Carer Forum (KPCF), established since 2019 and funded by Achieving for Children, was part of the steering group that developed the Plan and collected parent feedback via surveys p50. It meets monthly with the SEND Parent and Carer Consortium and, "as a minimum," will be consulted at the earliest stages of service development p16. It sits within governance mechanisms like the coproduction and engagement strategic oversight group led by the PCF chair and Director of Children's Services, and will be consulted on workforce/engagement decisions (page 15, page 46), but it is not shown holding formal sign-off authority.
Leeds
The plan states that children, young people and parents/carers should feel their voices are heard, with this evidenced through a "PCF annual survey, launching 22 June 2026" p6. Voice, influence and coproduction are described as central to the reform p6. However, the excerpt does not specify any formal governance role or sign-off authority for the parent carer forum. Not stated in the pages retrieved.
Norfolk
The parent carer forum, Family Voice Norfolk (FVN), holds a formal governance role as co-chair of the Local Inclusion Partnership (LIP), the strategic SEND/AP forum holding the single Area Inclusion Plan p101. FVN is widely involved in SEND improvement and partnership work, and co-production benchmarks are agreed via the LIP p61. However, leadership changes affecting Family Voice Norfolk are flagged as an area needing improvement, and strategic leads don't always regularly attend partnership board meetings p101.
North Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire Parent Carer Voices was engaged through workshops shaping the plan and is described as a "critical connector" for embedding lived experience into design, delivery and evaluation (page 47, page 35). It will help co-design Inclusion Partnerships and Experts at Hand, with "participation in governance" mentioned as an ongoing feedback mechanism p47. However, formal sign-off rests with the CEO, ICB Chief Executive, DCS, ICB Place Director and CFO, not the parent carer forum, though its involvement in development is described as "crucial" p25.
Nottingham
The Rainbow Parent Carer Forum (PCF) is involved through meetings, surveys, and having representative family carers sitting on partnership boards, with plans to join reform project steering groups, roadshows, and Family Hub drop-ins p70. It is also encouraged to build peer-to-peer support for system change p41. However, formal sign-off rests with the LA Chief Executive, ICB Chief Executive, DCS, ICB NHS Place Director, and LA CFO/Section 151 Officer—PCF is not listed among required or minimum sign-off authorities p25.
Oxfordshire
The Oxfordshire Parent Carer Forum (OxPCF) is closely involved as a feedback and co-production partner: it maintains a feedback tracker shared with stakeholders p27, contributed to workshops shaping the plan p24, runs SEND Connect sessions to gather parent views p24, and is expected to gain representation on district cluster steering groups and PCF advisory groups p12. However, formal sign-off is limited to the LA CEO, ICB CEO, DCS, ICB NHS Place Director and CFO/Section 151 Officer; the PCF is not listed among required formal sign-off authorities p1.
Reading
The Parent Carer Forum (PCF) shapes design, delivery and assurance, and provides feedback on Family Hubs and SEND resolution processes to inform performance review (page 4, page 49). However, a formal PCF structure exists but is "relatively new" and requires further support to engage strategically, with attendance at partnership boards remaining limited and not yet consistent (page 16, page 17). Formal sign-off rests with named officers (CEO, ICB, DCS, NHS Place Director, CFO) rather than the PCF p1.
Richmond upon Thames
The Richmond Parent Carer Forum (PCF) is a longstanding representative body (since 2019), funded partly by Achieving for Children, with an open relationship with system leaders p15. It sits as a standing member of the quarterly SEND Partnership Board, with agenda items for feedback p14, and was part of the multi-agency steering group developing the Reform Plan, running its own workshops with parents p44. PCF representatives also feature in SEAH delivery oversight p64. However, it is consulted and represented rather than given formal sign-off authority; the PCF will be "consulted at the earliest stages," not granted decision-making sign-off power p14.
Rochdale
The Parent Carer Forum (PCF) is described as involved in developing the plan, with its representatives ("PCV") embedded as genuine partners in strategic and operational SEND work, attending leadership meetings and co-production workshops p44. Rochdale's self-assessment rates this at "2 - Developing," meaning the PCF has a formalised structure but does not yet regularly attend partnership board meetings or have universal embedded participation p43. However, formal sign-off of the plan itself is required only from named statutory officers (LA CEO, ICB CEO, DCS, ICB Place Director, CFO); the PCF is not listed among these mandatory sign-off roles p1.
Shropshire
The Parent Carer Forum (PCF) is a key co-production partner: it contributed to engagement events shaping the maturity matrix, provides ongoing feedback via surveys, Big Listen activity, and lived-experience intelligence feeding into quality assurance and monitoring (page 29, page 34). Governance mechanisms are expected to include PCF representation on membership lists p35. However, formal sign-off is restricted to the LA CEO, ICB CEO, DCS, ICB NHS Place Director, and CFO/Section 151 Officer; PCF involvement is encouraged but not a formal sign-off requirement p2.
Slough
The Parent Carer Forum (PCF) is treated as a key enabler and co-production partner, involved in shaping the universal offer, Experts at Hand, sufficiency planning, health pathways and annual reviews (page 31, page 5). Milestones include agreeing "the Parent Carer Forum operating model and representation" and confirming "PCF and CYP voice routes" p42. However, it has no formal sign-off role: mandatory sign-off rests with the CEO, ICB Chief Executive, DCS, ICB Place Director and CFO, with other partners only "encouraged" to review p25.
Solihull
Solihull Parent Carer Voice (SPCV) is named as a partner that will help set up and run parental engagement groups in schools as part of the Experts at Hand offer p4. The plan also commits to embedding co-production with parent carers in decision-making, service improvement and evaluation, and to strengthening governance for shared accountability p5. However, the excerpts do not describe a formal sign-off or governance seat for the forum specifically.
Somerset
The Somerset Parent Carer Forum acts as a co-designer, represented on the SEND Partnership Board and giving bi-monthly feedback (page 15, page 42). It also leads a co-production workstream, recruiting a co-production lead and delivery plan p31. However, formal sign-off of the plan is required only from the LA Chief Executive, ICB Chief Executive, DCS, ICB NHS Place Director, and CFO p1; the Forum is "encouraged" to review but has no mandated sign-off role p1.
South Gloucestershire
The Parent Carer Forum (PCF) is engaged throughout the plan's development and delivery, with commitments to ensure it is "properly resourced and consistently engaged in shaping decisions" p123. It has representation on strategic governance and programme boards, co-production workshops, and Universal Offer design/review p35, and features in AP strategy consultation and governance groups p105. However, formal sign-off authority rests only with the LA CEO, DCS, CFO, and ICB representatives p25; the PCF is not listed among those with sign-off responsibility.
South Tyneside
The Parent Carer Forum (PCF) is represented within governance structures, including SEND Reform Workstreams and the Strategic Board, providing regular challenge and insight that informs decisions, service design and commissioning priorities (page 47, page 55). It contributes feedback via a "You said/we did/not yet" approach and participates in monitoring and co-production activity p52. However, at Strategic Board level it "does not make formal decisions" but informs priorities and service design p55. Formal sign-off of the plan itself rests with statutory officers (CEO, DCS, ICB leads, CFO), not the PCF p1.
Staffordshire
The plan states the partnership "will continue to work with Parent Carer Forums and newly developing children and youth participation groups to co-design priorities, test proposed changes and monitor impact" p88, with feedback loops embedded within partnership boards and delivery groups p88. However, no excerpt describes a formal governance seat, voting role, or sign-off authority for the Forum within the SEND governance structure—engagement appears advisory/co-design rather than a formal decision-making role.
Stoke-on-Trent
The Parent Carer Forum, described as "a well-established consortia arrangement including several parent groups," is a key coproduction partner p30. It is explicitly named as a required sign-off body for the partnership-wide universal offer agreement, alongside the local authority, ICB, MAT and school representatives p30. More broadly, national guidance states it is "crucial" that the forum is involved in developing the plan p4, but formal plan sign-off is limited to named statutory officers (CEO, ICB Chief Executive, DCS, ICB Place Director, CFO), not the forum itself p4.
Wigan
The Parent Carer Forum (PCF) is used as a delivery and engagement channel, alongside SENDIASS and Embrace, to build parental trust, shape provision, and support resolution and coproduction (page 48, page 27, page 12). Parent and carer feedback has directly informed priorities such as earlier intervention and mainstream inclusion p48. However, formal oversight of Building Block 4 sits with a named SEND Reform Senior Responsible Officer reporting through the SEND and Alternative Provision Partnership Board p27; no evidence indicates the PCF holds a formal governance or sign-off role.
Wirral
The Parent Carer Forum is treated as a key coproduction partner: consulted in developing the plan, feeding into monitoring via regular engagement and satisfaction measures, and represented (Chair and a Representative) on a governance-related board alongside council and ICB officers (page 25, page 20). Its involvement is expected in shaping the plan p88 and is central to strengthened coproduction arrangements p83. However, formal sign-off of the plan is required only from the CEO, ICB CEO, DCS, ICB NHS Place Director and CFO — the Forum has no formal sign-off role p88.
Wolverhampton
The SEND Wolves Parent Carer Forum engages through ongoing participation, feeding formally into the SEND Reform Steering Group and SEND & Inclusion Partnership Board p29. Its role is "advisory and influential," informing decision-making "rather than holding formal sign-off authority" p29. It also actively shapes delivery and priorities alongside MATs and health partners p10, and a "re-established Parent Carer Forum" supports co-production and consistent participation across the plan p3.
Worcestershire
The Worcestershire Parent Carer Forum (WPCF) is heavily involved through co-production, having "expanded its reach" and engaging with families in developing outcomes and reform plans p28, and it participates in ongoing feedback loops and monitoring co-production p39. However, WPCF is not among the bodies required for formal sign-off—the plan must be formally signed off by the CEO, ICB Chief Executive, DCS, ICB Place Director, and CFO p1. WPCF's role is engagement/co-production, not formal governance sign-off.
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