Parents In Partnership are the parent carer forum for parents/carers of children and young people (from birth to 25 years old) with special educational needs and disabilities. We are funded by the DfE to encourage parent participation, we are all volunteer parents and carers ourselves, who believe parents and carers views are vital when bringing about changes which will enable all children and young people with disabilities to lead full and enriched lives. We sit in strategic meetings with partners from education, health and social care to ensure the voices of parents and carers are heard. We also signpost to services both local and national – “Empowering Parents through information sharing.” We also hold regular events such as coffee mornings, workshops etc and work in partnership to organise the annual Disability Information Day.
If you would like to become a member, you need to either: live in BwD, your child or young person needs to be educated in BwD or you need to be registered with a GP in BwD.
Complete the form and we will send you a joining pack out in the post.
Dear Parent Carers,
After 10 incredible years representing the voice of parent carers in Blackburn with Darwen through Parents in Partnership parent carer forum, it is with both pride and sadness that we share the news that we will be stepping away from BwDPiP. This decision has not been easy, but we believe it is time for a new generation of parent carers to step forward and continue the vital work of a parent carer forum in the area.
Our last official event will take place on 12th December 2024 (details to follow), and we hope you can join us to celebrate the achievements we have made together over the past decade. This will be a special opportunity to reflect on how far we’ve come, share our memories, and look ahead to the future of a new parent carer forum.
While this marks the end of our formal role, our commitment to the parent carer community remains strong. We will continue to work closely with Laura Burling a Contact Associate until March 2025. Laura will be helping to find and support new parent carer representatives from the area who want to carry forward the work of BwD PiP and set up what will become a new parent carer forum. We are confident that a new forum will evolve and serve as the vital voice for parent carers in Blackburn with Darwen.
We are so grateful to each and every one of you who has been part of this journey. Your stories, your strength, and your determination have inspired us every step of the way. Together, we have made a difference—shaping services, influencing decisions, and creating a more supportive environment for families like ours. We couldn’t have done it without you.
Thank you for your trust, your involvement, and your support over the years. We hope to see many of you at the event in December, and in the meantime, please know that BwD PiP remains committed to ensuring a smooth transition as new parent carers step forward.
If you’d like to speak to Laura about becoming involved in what will become the new parent carer forum you can contact her directly on 07808 774233 or email laura@co-designedsolutions.co.uk
With heartfelt thanks and best wishes,
Janet, Christina & Elaine
On behalf of Blackburn with Darwen Parents in Partnership (BwD PiP) Operations Group