What We Do
Coffee morning and forum meetings
Our regular coffee mornings and evening meetings are informal and relaxed. We often invite guest speakers from education, health and early years to talk to parents about local SEND services and answer their questions. Even if a particular guest speaker does not interest you, there is always time for a chat and a hot drink at every meeting. Children are also welcome to attend. There is no pressure to come regularly or even stay for the whole session as we know that your free time can be limited and unpredictable.
Events
We run workshops and training events for parents on a wide range of SEND-related issues. As well as gaining expertise and insight, you will be supported by other parent carer trainers who may have lived through the stage of your ‘journey’ and who will have knowledge and information to share with you that could be really beneficial. We also organise information days which give parents, carers and young people the chance to meet local services and providers.
Partnership working
We work closely with Brent Council, health providers, schools and other organisations to help design and deliver local services that meet the needs of children and young people with SEND. We regularly attend their meetings and committees to feedback the views and experiences of our members.
Parent carers can help to highlight problems that are frequently experienced by families of children with additional needs, and this knowledge is useful to help professionals make informed choices about local services.
Evidence shows that this sort of active participation leads to improved service provision, take up and ultimately better outcomes for children and young people with SEND.
Who we are
The forum is an independent, parent-led organisation that helps bring together parents and carers of children and young people aged 0-25 with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Brent.
We help and support families of children with SEND by providing information, advice and a listening ear. By gathering ideas and feedback from our members, we also work closely with local organisations to positively improve the planning and delivery of services in Brent for children and young people with additional needs and disabilities.
Set up in 2017, our forum is run by a friendly group of volunteers who are all parent carers and understand the issues and challenges that looking after a child with SEND can bring.
If you would like to know more about our group please get in touch, or come along to one of our meetings to find out more about how we can support you.
Meet the BPCF CIC Board of Directors
My name is Amytia Puspawresti. I was born in Indonesia but I have lived in England for the last 10 years. I have one daughter and one son. My son has a rare genetic condition known as Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome.
Reality sets in all the time about what Pitt-Hopkins has stolen from my son and our future seems so unknown at times. I often have the feeling of helplessness but I never let myself go there. I choose to fight and believe in a brighter future for my son. He deserves the world and it’s my job to give him as much of the real and happy life as possible. Both my son and daughter are a great source of inspiration for me.
I am a parent representative on the Brent Parent Carer forum. This is an important platform for me as I can meet other parents who have children with special needs and can share my story and hear their stories. I can be the voice for my son and for all other parents in a similar situation. I have good access to information, can give feedback and help to improve the services that are available in Brent for Special Needs Children.
My name is Antoinette Johnson, I am one of the Directors of CIC (Community Interest Company) arm of the forum. I am a mother of two children. My son has Autism and learning difficult and current attends Woodfield School. My journey started with the forum from being invited to attend a meeting from a fellow parent who attended the school. I attended the meeting with an open mind not knowing what to expected, but found it was community of support from other parents and it helped to reassure me that I was not alone. Monthly meeting provided answers to some of the questions I needed answering
I found the forum helped me to find a place of belonging and ultimately understand that my son’s needs required to be met on all levels, which lead me to start volunteering to learn more about the services and assist to create a community which is more inclusive.
Being apart of the forum and the CIC has help developed my skills and knowledge as well as help me to become a voice/ representative for parents to collaborate in partnership with the local authority to shape and deliver better services for SEND community.
My name is Carol Foyle, I am one of the Directors of Brent Parent Carer Forum CIC (Community Interest Company)
I am 64 years old and am a mother of two adult children and a nanna along with being part of a wonderful, blended family. My son is autistic and lives at home with me.
My journey into the SEND world started a long time before my son was born. I have worked in a variety of different roles from the age 16 all connected with SEND and Learning disability and working with families. I retired in 2016 as a Director for Children, Youth, and Family service for a large voluntary organisation. I have loved all my roles which didn’t prepare me to be a parent carer. Since retiring I have returned to my first love working directly with parents, which leads me to where I am today, a very proud Director and Parent Participation Lead for BPCF CIC. I am passionate about working with parents and their families to
ensure their voices are heard and understood. Working in partnership in a solution-focused way will make change happen.
I’m Mirela Costea, Director and Neurodiversity Lead at Brent Parent Carer Forum.
I am employed as the part time Administrator for BPCF. I’m a parent of a 15-year-old autistic son who attends a mainstream school, and it’s through my own journey as a parent carer that my passion for supporting families truly began.
I understand how rewarding, yet at times challenging, it can be to navigate education, health, and social care systems. That’s why I’m committed to making sure parent and carer voices are heard and included in the decisions that shape the services we all rely on.
At Brent Parent Carer Forum, I focus on promoting greater understanding of neurodiversity and working in partnership with schools, professionals, and families to create more inclusive environments where every child can feel valued and thrive.