On Monday I will be wearing a White Rose

[TessTing]

If you happen to be attending in the Westminster area on Monday and you spot a small group of ladies wearing White Roses, please out yourself as a MNer by calling out in a loud voice "Hello! TessTing!"

A bit cryptic at the moment I know but please just humour me here. Am very curious to know which MNers are involved in a shared interest.

btw I am a regular here but been more of a quiet lurker ever since the DM Gate.

I tried Googling but no joy, TT. Give us a clue?

is it anything to do with DM are liars campaign?

???

Was at the National Conference for Parent Participation Forums and Ed Balls was the Speaker - even gave us extra time for questions too.

A few hundred parents were there - all parents of children with a disability or additional needs.

Absolutey brilliant way to have input into local and national policy.

There are local and regional groups all over the country. I could tell you more if anyone is interested in finding or starting their own local group?

Riven! Glad you saw this, I thought you and many other parents would be interested.

OK so in very brief detail. Government - Dept for Children Schools and Families (DCSF) via Together For Disabled Children (TDC) pay local councils Aiming High to gather a few parents and engage them in local issues around services for disabled children.

Issues might cover short breaks, transition, health, education or anything else really.

The thing is that the service providers MUST consult in a meaningful way with parents and carers.

The plus side is grants of £10k are on offer to most groups. Local groups are now connecting to form Regional Groups and there is soon to be a national forum for national policies.

If things are really that bad in your area then it's time to speak out.

Search the web for "Parent Participation" AND "Together Disabled Children" They're even on Facebook now.

Bit embarassed at the soap-box announcement so off on to TTR yahoo to explain myself. Are you on there too?

Hi Tessting,
I nearly asked if you were going there. Are you part of a steering group. My mate Marsha was one of the speakers. She said it was good, she even travelled down with Ed balls and his family!!

www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=310804050067&ref=ts
this is the fb group we started but hasn't really took off. Trying to set it up nationally.

www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=87765940094&ref=ts
this is our local parent steering group fb group.

We have aiming high funding also.. alot of money involved in re registering all children rather than just using existing databases, also created new webite, new jobs for team of aiming high project workers & short break finders etc... With the exception of the very lovely woodland lodge that the council has purchased - and I guess they could of done that anyway had they chosen to- I also have not seen an increase in serevices.
All it means is the kids clubs & groups that were already out there are on one list/website.
So as far as I can tell lots of money spent, lots of leaflets produced, some jobs created or job titles changed BUT NO MORE SUPPORT FOR PARENTS & KIDS!

devien: Say hi to Marsha - I was sat right in front of her!

Don't want to out myself here though in case of DM infiltration causing it to be published as some major illegal imigrant benefit scroungers conference or worse, a donkey fanciers convention.

Ok SO really wanted to know WHO is on their local TDC Parent Participation Forum with all official funding etc. ?

Dev: FB looks good with good membership too. Marsha had nerves of steel! (Sounding like her personal stalker now)

annon: If your area isn't doing it right, then try the TDC website and follow it through.