We are more than just a group; we are a team of passionate individuals driven by a common purpose. With a diverse blend of talents and expertise, we bring creativity, dedication and a commitment to making a positive impact within our organisation and the community we help.
Who are the Bromley Parent Carer Forum
The people behind the Bromley Parent Carer Forum
Fiona (Chair)
Fiona’s Bio
Hi, I’m Fiona. I come from a background in science and education, and am the parent of a primary aged child with SEND. Despite my background, I have, at times, felt ill-equipped to navigate the system to get the appropriate support in place to meet his needs. I want to help bring about positive change to the services accessed by us and our young people.
Chantelle (Secretary)
Chantelle’s Bio
Hello, I’m Chantelle. I’m a mother of three children – George, Jenson and Jessica. Before I had children, I trained as a teacher, working with children with severe and complex needs.
My daughter, Jessica, has special educational needs. I bring a profound understanding of the needs of SEND families to the Bromley Parent Carer Forum, and I’m excited to be part of a group of people who have a real understanding of the daily challenges faced by families with SEND children.
I hope as a group we can make positive changes to ensure children and young people with special educational needs get the support, care and opportunities they need to reach their potential, as well as supporting families to access existing services in Bromley.
Jenna
Jenna’s Bio
Hi, I’m Jenna, mother to a 15-year-old with complex needs. My commitment to supporting parents and creating an impact on SEN-related services in the Bromley area led me to becoming part of the Bromley Parent Carer Forum. I am looking forward to contributing to positive change through honest and constructive feedback.
Janet
Janet’s Bio
Hi, I’m Janet. I am a grandmother and carer of a child with SEND, and have first-hand experience of the highs and lows of navigating the SEND landscape throughout school and the wider world. At times, I have struggled with red tape and panels, jargon, and understanding what is needed for my grandson’s wellbeing. My goal is to unite parents, carers, and the local authority to initiate new ideas to enhance SEND delivery in Bromley.
Tim
Tim’s Bio
Hello, I’m Tim. I’m a grandad supporting a child with complex needs, navigating the numerous and varied hurdles required to access support, both for education and development in society. I am committed to supporting my colleagues in Bromley Parent Carer Forum to work with the Local Authority, ensuring the borough’s children and young people reach their full potential through service development and improvement.
Ros
Ros’ Bio
Hello, my name is Ros Luff and I’ve been part of the Parent Carer Forum structure since 2010. My youngest child is autistic and whilst supporting him through school, I have learnt a lot about the special educational needs and disabilities landscape.
I believe that information is key, and that parents bring a wealth of knowledge that can help support other families. I look for ways to help build peer relationships and develop solution-focused approaches, and am always learning from other families.
I have been a local, national and regional representative for the National Network of Parent Carer Forums, and am currently one of two London regional representatives.
I was involved with the pathfinder leading up to the 2014 Children and Families Act and am now active as part of the DfE SEND Change Programme. I endeavour to bring the lived experiences of our SEND community to partners in education, health and social care, to inform their planning for SEND. I look to developing a model of co-production, as partnership working is the best way to develop the support or guidance for our SEND families to reach positive outcomes.
Elaine
Elaine’s Bio
Hello, I am mother to five-year-old Arthur, who has social and communication delay. We noticed his speech wasn’t quite where it should be at around eighteen months, and were told to wait for his two-year check. Then Covid hit, and we found ourselves pretty much alone. It was at this point that we realised that Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) was already oversubscribed and underfunded, even before Covid, and we were stuck in the middle. Despite working full-time and juggling home-schooling for two children, I made it my mission to educate myself on all things SALT. I secured a EHCP for him just before he started primary school, and have made it my mission ever since to ensure that he gets the support, love and care he needs.
Helping evolve the Bromley Parent Carer Forum seemed the natural thing to do. I want to make sure that others who find themselves in a world they are not familiar with, or who feel lost or unsupported, have the support of others’ experience and don’t feel alone on their journey, no matter where on the journey they may be.
Lowri
Lowri’s Bio
Hello, I’m Lowri, mother of 10-year-old Emily. During Covid, homeschooling made me realise that educationally she was really struggling and masking, especially in school. When she was seven years old, she broke down at bedtime and said, “Mummy I can’t read”. My reply was, “That’s great, now we can sort that out!” And what a journey it’s been! Getting a diagnosis is really important, if you don’t know what the problem is, it can’t be fixed. Some things can’t be fixed, but there’s always a way through. Emily has dyslexia, along with other ‘co-morbid’ conditions, which is a term I don’t like; as a mother I see her talents and gifts. Equally, I see her struggles and the impact they have on her. She’s one of the lucky ones, because she’s been able to take advantage of attending Flexi-school Dyslexia, which is part of the Local Offer with Bromley Local Authority. Emily was the first from her school to attend with the support of her school, and I know that even with all the progress she has made there’s still a long way to go.
Being part of the steering group of the Bromley Parent Carer Forum is totally new for me. But if I can help other families and children navigate this crazy, emotional journey and feel less isolated, then it’s a win!
Joanne Clark Bio (Deputy chair BPCF)
Joanne’s Bio
I am a neurodivergent parent of three neurodivergent young people, two of whom are in secondary provision and one who has left home and is working.
Over the last 11+ years, I’ve had to navigate 3 very different pathways to support them as individuals. For two of my younger children, getting their needs identified and supported in a mainstream setting has been really challenging and stressful. For one child who does not have a diagnosis, being understood and getting the right support has been even more challenging. This has severely impacted their learning and more importantly their well-being.
I started my own SEND journey aged 13 due to an unexpected major illness. Provisions were put in place which helped support me through my mainstream secondary education. The support I received at the time particularly from one tutor was done with kindness and encouragement, which helped me want to be at school and learn. I will always be thankful to her.
I joined Bromley Parent Carer Forum as I wanted to better understand the needs of SEND young people and their families. By working alongside them with local authority and other service providers, I hope SEND provision can be improved and looked at in a holistic way and reduce fragmentation within services.