Integrated Care Boards – National Network of Parent Carer Forums C.I.C

On Friday 30 June, Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) published their Joint Forward Plans.

These outline their priorities and strategies for the next five years.

This will be a key document for the development and delivery of health and care services including for children with SEND.

Parent Carer Forums should review the plans published by their ICBs , available here: https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/find-your-local-integrated-care-board/

In particular, forums should look for the following themes in the plans:

Do children and young people feature prominently in the plan
Do children and young people with SEND feature?
Do the plans for CYP with SEND reflect local needs, for example:
- Sufficient community based services to meet need (paediatricians, SALT, Ots, Physio, CAHMS)
- School nursing
The roll out of key long term plan programmes such as the Dynamic Support Register, Care (Education) Treatment Reviews, Key working
Transitions to adulthood including things such as annual Learning Disability Autism health checks, LeDeR
Recognition of the needs of parent carers and an understanding that these needs are different from other types of carers
The principles of coproduction and support for community groups and the voluntary sector (e.g. PCF’s)
Plus any other priorities that have been identified locality

For more information on the development of ICBs please take a look at the webinars and articles:

NHS publishes guidance for executive lead roles in ICBs – National Network of Parent Carer Forums C.I.C (nnpcf.org.uk)

What can SEND families and parent carer forums expect from Integrated Care Boards – YouTube

NHS publishes guidance for executive lead roles in ICBs

The NHS recently published guidance on key roles within Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) that have direct relevance to the work of parent carer forums.

You can find the document here: NHS England » Executive lead roles within integrated care boards

The purpose of these roles is to ensure that the core responsibilities of ICBs when it comes to vulnerable groups are championed, have visibility at board level and are considered in all aspects of ICB planning and delivery.

Parent carer forums should ensure that they know who their executive lead is for each area and we would recommend that they seek to meet with them and understand how they plan to approach their role and how parent carer forums will be involved.

The following framework was published on 23/05/23

NHS England » A framework for addressing practical barriers to integration of VCSE organisations in integrated care systems

For more information on the set up of ICBs and how parent carer forums can work with them, see our webinars on the topic: What can SEND families and parent carer forums expect from Integrated Care Boards – YouTube

Each ICB must appoint an executive lead, at board level for each of the following areas. Some specific responsibilities are highlighted below but for the full list see the guidance:

Children and young people aged 0 to 25 (CYP)
- Championing coproduction
- How the needs of children and young people will be me in the ICB joint forward plan
- Overview of the quality of services for CYP
- Ensuring appropriate resources are allocated to CYP services
Children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
- Supporting local area SEND inspections
- Supporting Designated Clinical and Medical Officers (DCO / DMO)
- Effective coproduction and engagement
Safeguarding (all-age), including looked after children
Learning disability and autism (all-age).
Down syndrome (all-age).

Many of these roles were implemented as a result of work by the NNPCF and others to make changes to the 2022 Health and Care Act (see links below)

Lords concludes examination of Health and Care Bill – National Network of Parent Carer Forums C.I.C (nnpcf.org.uk)

Putting Children and Young People with SEND at the Heart of the Health and Care Bill – National Network of Parent Carer Forums C.I.C (nnpcf.org.uk)