A NEW forum designed to give parents and carers of children with special educational needs and disabilities an independent voice in Southend has been appointed by the Department for Education.

Southend Council and the clinical commissioning group have partnered with the Southend Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Independent Forum.

Already supported by the Department for Education, the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Independent Forum provides parents and carers with a voice and support.

Councillor Anne Jones, cabinet member for children and learning, hopes the Southend community will take advantage of the new link-up during the coronavirus pandemic.

She said: “I’m pleased to welcome our new partnership with the Southend Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Independent Forum and would like to thank everyone for participating to represent Southend’s families of children with special educational needs and disabilities.

“We are really looking forward to working with the independent forum. The lived experience of parents and carers is vital in the design and delivery of special educational needs and disabilities services.

“I urge special educational needs and disabilities families to get involved and become an independent forum member for advice and to have your voice heard.”

The Southend Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Independent Forum looks to ensure the views of parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities are heard.

Emma Traylor, chair of the Southend Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Independent Forum, said: “Hope is where the heart is. The Southend Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Independent Forum team and I all have a lot of heart and lived experience and we want to help parents and carers in Southend have a voice.

"We want to ensure these voices help shape the services available and help meet the needs of families in Southend.

"Together we can make positive change, in the right way.”

If you are a parent or carer of someone aged up to 25 with special educational needs or disabilities and live in Southend, the independent forum would like you to get involved. For more information, visit southendsendindependentforum.co.uk.