Suffolk Parent Carer Forum

We are a group of parent carers who have come together to build the forum so that we can help shape the provisions and services our children and young people with special/additional needs and/or disabilities (including mental health) access. We do this through co-production, participation and consultation.

Our work in suicide prevention

Our objectives are to serve as the strategic consultative body within Suffolk, representing the voices of families with children and young people who have special or additional needs, disabilities, or mental health challenges.

We act as a liaison point for statutory and voluntary agencies, collaborating with local services through Experts by Experience to foster co-production. Additionally, we consult with and inform our membership to ensure that all children and young people in Suffolk reach their full potential and achieve the best possible outcomes.

We are member of the Suffolk Suicide Prevention Steering Group as well as the Children and Young People Suicide Prevention Group. We have fed into the Suffolk Suicide Prevention Plan by sharing the lived experience of those with strategic partners.

Our current priorities

Raise awareness of the link between suicide and individuals with SEND, while sharing the lived experiences of those with mental health challenges as valuable feedback for services and providers.

Work collaboratively with services to improve the lived experience and prevent a decline in the mental health of children and young people, and ensure families are signposted to appropriate support services.

Our current challenges

The mental health of children and young people is deteriorating, while insufficient or inaccessible support from health services is pushing more individuals into crisis.

An increasing number of parents are seeking guidance on managing self-harm and supporting their children. Meanwhile, voluntary sector organisations, which are stepping in to fill the gap, are now reaching their capacity.