Parent Carer Forum Lead

Accountability: CEO/Trustees of PODs, Parents Opening Doors. Contracted hours: 30-35 hours per week (worked flexibly over a 2-month period). Holidays: 20 days plus Bank Holidays per year, this will be pro rata. Length of contract: Initial 3 months’ probation leading to a 2-year fixed term, with a view to extending where funding allows.

PODS is an award-winning charity based in Telford and Wrekin who supports families with children aged 0-25 with an additional need or disability. Alongside a carer friendly accreditation, we support and employ a diverse small team of employees, we are a compassionate employer who strives to support and develop our workforce. Our parent carer forum is at the heart of our Charity and runs through everything we do. We value the experience and expertise of parent carers, and this role aims to amplify and strengthen their voice, enabling them to influence and design the services they use, improving the health and wellbeing of those living with SEND.

This role is also open to both internal and external applicants and is funded through the National Lottery and Department for Education. We are seeking an enthusiastic and compassionate individual who can work alongside existing staff to lead our well-established Parent Carer Forum made up of dedicated and inspiring volunteer parent representatives who sit within our steering group.

Your role will be to promote and deliver high standards of parent carer participation and coproduction, alongside developing good practice by empowering parent carers to become more involved and breaking down barriers to participation. You will be required to establish and maintain good working relationships and links across a range of services throughout the NHS, Local Authority and Social Care, thus extending the involvement of parent carers in decision making and service planning.

There will be an element of signposting of partner services and organisations; knowledge and experience of children and adult services is essential. As the role is to lead the parent carer forum, it is essential that the applicant has lived experience of children with SEND. You will be required to facilitate and plan at least one steering group meeting per month with the volunteer parent representatives.

You will deliver training to new and potential parent representatives around the work of the forum and how to carry out their duties as well as provide ongoing support and 1-1 to existing volunteers where appropriate. Applicants will be asked to complete an enhanced DBS check as well as provide 2 references. The successful applicant will be completing duties in line with their job title as well as offering support to other staff and the voluntary team.

Please note that this is a hybrid role and will involve working from an office base, with some flexibility for home working and as business needs demand differing locations within Telford.