NNPCF Priorities for the coming year
At our AGM on 31 January, we asked forums to help co-produce our priorities and strategic work for the upcoming year. We really value the input of parent carer forums in shaping the future for the NNPCF.
If you missed the AGM you can fill in our poll to help us shape our work over the next year here.
Poll closes 14 February
Major Conditions Strategy and Mental Health
Steven Barclay (Secretary of State for Health and Social Care) has announced the development of a Major Conditions strategy which will combine mental health policy with a broader strategy including other major conditions. It appears that this will replace the proposed 10 year Mental Health Plan and Health Disparities Paper.
The NNPCF is considering its response to this announcement and would like to hear from forums on this issue.
Forum leads are invited to fill in our forms survey here.
The NNPCF is also looking for case studies from individual members on mental health in children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities which can be completed here.
Prevention in Health and Social Care
The Health and Social Care committee is launching a major new inquiry into prevention in health and social care. At this stage of the inquiry, the committee are looking to hear from organisations who are interested in preventative healthcare.
The NNPCF will be submitting a response highlighting the need for therapies and early intervention, as well the importance of early intervention for mental health.
The committee is looking to find out
- why these issues are important in preventative healthcare
- why this area would benefit from scrutiny
- why the government needs to take action in this area
The NNPCF already has several case studies on mental health but we would love some more to help inform our response. Individual parent carers can fill in the case study here.
Additionally, local forums can contact the NNPCF by emailing Claire Fisher at consultation@nnpcf.org.uk.
Both local forums and individual members can submit their own response to this call for evidence at Prevention in health and social care
Closing date 8 Feb 2023
Persistence absence and support for disadvantaged pupils
The education committee has launched an inquiry into the persistent absence and support for disadvantaged pupils. Children with SEND are included in this definition of disadvantaged.
The NNPCF will be submitting a response representing the needs of children and young people with SEND including issues such as school transport, tribunal waiting times and schools not meeting needs.
The committee is looking to find out:
- the factors causing persistent and severe absence among pupils with SEND and those in alternative provisions
- how schools and families can be better supported to improve attendance, and how this affects pupils and families who are clinically vulnerable to covid-19
- the impact of the department of education’s proposed reforms to improve attendance
- the impact of breakfast clubs and free school meals on improving attendance for disadvantaged pupils
- the role of Holiday Activities and Food programme and other after school and holiday clubs, such as sports, in improving attendance and engagement with school.
The NNPCF already has several case studies on attendance but we would love some more to help inform our response. Individual parent carers can fill in the case study here.
We also have case studies on children’s needs not being met (for those without an EHCP), where school transport is affecting attendance at school or another educational setting, and would like to hear from those who have taken local authorities to tribunal over placement issues and how that has affected attendance.
Local forums can contact the NNPCF by emailing Claire Fisher at consultation@nnpcf.org.uk. Both Local Forums or individual members can submit their own response to this call for evidence at Persistent absence and support for disadvantaged pupils.
Closing date 9 February 2023
Education Recovery in schools
In May 2021 the Public Accounts Committee reported concerns about the catch up offer and the scale of hidden harm from the school closures during the pandemic including for children with special educational needs and disabilities. They stated “Children with special educational needs and disabilities found remote learning especially difficult, and some lost access to specialist support and equipment, increasing risks to their health and welfare.”
The Public Accounts committee will be questioning senior officials at the Department of Education and are running a call for evidence on how the department is supporting education recovery in schools following the COVID-19 pandemic, including:
- whether it’s managing the programme for education recovery in schools in an effective way;
- if it’s achieving value for money from the National Tutoring Programme;
- and if it’s is achieving value for money from the other funding it has provided to support education recovery in schools.
Individual members and local forums can directly respond to this call for evidence at Education Recovery in Schools.
Closing date 27 February 2023
Energy Bills Support
Following on from the work done by the National Audit Office on Energy Bill Support, the Public Accounts Committee will question senior officials at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Treasury on the energy price scheme. The Call for Evidence covers many areas, including:
- the schemes’ design and operation in practice
- the options the government is looking at for future schemes
Individual members and local forums can respond to this call for evidence at Energy Bills Support.
Closing date 6pm 19 February 2023
UK Covid-19 Inquiry
The UK Covid-19 Inquiry is inviting individuals to share their experiences of the pandemic with them here. Module 3 on healthcare is currently open, and the NNPCF will be submitting evidence when invited to do so.
T Levels
The Department of Education (DofE) is seeking views on the content of future qualifications to support progression to T levels and are inviting feedback. The deadline for submitting responses if Thursday 6 April 2023.
As part of the review of post-16 qualifications at level 2 and below, the DofE intends to consider for funding level 2 qualifications designed to support progression to T levels; approved qualifications would be available for first teaching from 2026. These qualifications could be taken by young people as part of a broader T Level Transition Programme (TLTP), or by adults outside of a TLTP.
The DofE intends that the content of these qualifications will be based on the national technical outcomes (NTOs) developed for the T Level Transition Programme. The DofE are seeking views on how the NTOs should be used in developing these qualifications. Full details about the proposals and how to provide feedback can be found here.
Further information on the T Level Transition Programme and the national technical outcomes for the first eleven T Level routes, you can access this here.
| We are looking at different ways of presenting information, below you can follow the link to our consultation sway. |
| February Consultation Briefing |