Learn how this Hartlepool community group could help you

The event is being organised by the Hartlepool Parent Forum 1 Hart, 1 Mind, 1 Future.

Group member Christine Fewster explained: “We are a constituted group run by volunteers who all have children and young people with additional needs and disabilities.

“The primary focus for our group is to continue to work with our local authority, education, health and service providers to ensure local services for disabled children are meaningful and effective.

“We continue to work to be a voice for Hartlepool families and give information and sign-post to services that we feel maybe of benefit to families.

“It is essential that families get involved to ensure we continue to voice the needs and expectations of families in Hartlepool to ensure our children grow and flourish into adulthood.

“We offer peer to peer support through cake and coffee mornings as well as family-based activity after school and during holiday time.

“We have grown from strength to strength and now have more than 300 members.”

Christine goes on to say that the group is part of the North East Parent Partnership and works with the National Network of Parent Carer Forums “where we feedback local issues to provide evidence to influence change in services from a national level”.

The group is holding its annual conference on Tuesday, March 28, at the William Gray suite, between 9.30pm and 2.30pm “where we will have workshops and information on local special educational needs and disability services, health, social care and many charities and service providers”.

For more information, email [email protected], ring (01429) 863766 and visit www.onefuture.org.uk.