t: 07516 185380
A voice for families of children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities
RFF Annual SEND Conference
in March 2023
With Steve Broach, Barrister
Brian Grady, Director of Education at Brighter Futures for Children and
Dr Ruth Moyes, Research Fellow

To watch the conference speakers, click on https://bit.ly/3lHkwte
Steve Broach's session is provided for information only and should not be relied on for legal advice.
RFF Annual Information and Fun Day September 2024
Thank you for attending!
![IMG_9311[1].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/8c01d1_9673798cac7b4bc8bb144bfe9abfc24e~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_125,h_117,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/IMG_9311%5B1%5D.jpg)
We reached 28 families at our Preparation for Adulthood Information & Fun Afternoon in November 2024
COFFEE MORNINGS / EVENINGS
COFFEE EVENING 27 June 2024, at RISC
Six parent carers attended a discussion with Joyshree Saikia, the Community Engagement and Research Advisor and Turgut Karlidag, a SEND Specialist from RISE. RISE is the new Reading Inclusion Support in Education team.
To read in full download the pdf
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COFFEE EVENING 16 May 2024, at RISC
Over 20 parent carers and a two young people attended a discussion with Sunni Mehmi, Assistant Director of Adult Social Care and Claire Thomas, Senior Educational Psychologist for Reading's Mental Health Support Team.
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COFFEE EVENING 28 Mar 2024, at The Avenue School
Eight parent carers attended a discussion with Joyshree Saikia, the Community Engagement and Research Advisor from RISE and Andrea O’Neil Anti-Racist and Racial Equity Network. RISE is the new Reading Inclusion Support in Education team.
To read in full download the pdf
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COFFEE EVENING 1 Feb 2024, at The Avenue School
Eleven parent carers attended a discussion with the Berkshire West Keyworking Service, the new Learning Disability CAMHS service and Berkshire Remap.
To read in full download the pdf
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COFFEE EVENING 26 Sept 2023, at Southcote Community Hub
Emma Duly, the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Health Visitor spoke to 4 parents carers.
To read in full download the pdf
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COFFEE AFTERNOON 18 May 2023 via Zoom
Health Care and Delivering Better Values Programme that BFfC is Applying For
Miranda Walcott, Designated Clinical Officer for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities for the BOB Integrated Care Board (ICB) attended our online session. Fran Morgan and Ramona Bridgman from Reading Families’ Forum also attended with seven other parent carers.
To read in full download the pdf
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COFFEE AFTERNOON 20 Mar 2023 via Zoom
New Keyworker Scheme
Emma Mapes, Keyworker Team Lead, joined Fran Morgan and Ramona Bridgman from Reading Families’ Forum and two other parent carers. The Team covers Wokingham, West Berks and Reading and is set up for young people up to 18, who are autistic and/or have a learning disability and are at risk of being admitted to a psychiatric unit.
To read in full download the pdf
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COFFEE MORNING 10 Feb 2023 via Zoom
Children’s Social Care and Breaks for Parents
The following joined Fran Morgan and Ramona Bridgman from Reading Families’ Forum and three other parent carers:
· Albina Brahilika, Team manager Children and Young People’s Disability Team (CYPDT)
· Leonard, Senior Social Worker;
. Chelsea and Jo short breaks workers from CYPDT
To read in full download the pdf
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COFFEE AFTERNOON 16 Nov 2022 via Zoom
Aimee Trimmer, Early Years SEND Team Manager, and Tanya Spiers from Dingley’s Promise joined 3 parent carers. Fran Morgan and Ramona Bridgman were present from Reading Families’ Forum. We discussed transitions to primary school for children with additional needs.
To read in full download the pdf
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COFFEE AFTERNOON 22 Sept 2022 via Zoom
Miranda Walcott, Designated Clinical Officer, for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities aged up to 25 (DCO) joined 4 parent carers. Miranda is DCO for Berkshire West (Reading, West Berkshire and Wokingham.) She works
for the Integrated Care Board across Buckinghamshire, Berkshire West and Oxfordshire that replaced Clinical
Commissioning Groups.
To read in full download the pdf
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COFFEE AFTERNOON 14th July 2022 via Zoom
Nicola Norris, Interim Disability Lead, Mark Hobson, Short Breaks Coordinator, Samantha Whitehouse, Cressingham Manager and Helena Baptista the Registered Home Manager of Pinecroft Children’s Home joined 7 parent carers. All work for Brighter Futures for Children. Ramona Bridgman, RFF Chair, Pauline Hamilton, RFF Trustee, Fran Morgan, Participation Coordinator and Autism Berkshire also attended.
The staff from Brighter Futures for Children talked about their services and parent carers asked questions.
To read in full download the pdf
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COFFEE AFTERNOON 25th May 2022 via Zoom
Nina Crispin, Information & Engagement Officer, and Amanda Nyeke, Public Health and Wellbeing Manager, from Reading Borough Council, joined us.
Two parent carers and Autism Berkshire attended to discuss the draft Reading all age Autism Strategy priorities and suggested actions. 4 other parent carers emailed their views and a 7th had to leave due to internet connection issues.
To read in full download the pdf
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COFFEE MORNING 11th May 2022 via Zoom
Fiona Hostler, the Safeguarding and Children Missing Education officer from Brighter Futures for Children, joined 10 parent carers at our coffee morning to talk to families about children missing education, giving generic advice..
To read in full download the pdf
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COFFEE MORNING 3rd March 2022 via Zoom
Nina Crispin, Information & Engagement Officer, and Katie Badger, Trainee Public Health Programme Officer, from Reading Borough Council, joined 7 parent carers at our coffee morning to gather families’ views about what the new Reading all age Autism Strategy should include.
To read in full download the pdf
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COFFEE MORNING 20th January 2022 via Zoom
Nikki Stevens, SEND team manager, joined 5 parent carers at our coffee morning to answer parent carers’ questions.
The SEND team assess, issue and review Education, Health and Care Plans. They also support schools to use the graduated response document for those children who are on SEND support and don’t have an Education, Health and Care Plan.
To read in full download the pdf
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