ACERT hosted two online meetings to share our ideas for a parents’ network and dedicated website offering advice and support on issues related to education. These are associated with the Networks Conference to be held at the Friends Meeting House in Manchester on 26th June.
The material on the website will also be downloadable as a booklet for families. It will be written in direct, jargon-free language, emphasising parents’ rights and linking to other organisations supporting parents.
We also aim to include a chatroom where parents can discuss the issues which concern them, and those with more experience and confidence can empower each other.
The online meetings were positive and we learned about important work being done across the country. There is a need for an updated listing of support services across the UK and details of the kinds of assistance they can provide.
Feedback from participants was that it is a needed initiative, but would benefit from video clips, ideally of parents sharing their experiences and suggesting how issues might be tackled.
The list of issues now includes:
| Education rights | Attendance rules | Curriculum content |
| Finding a school place | Travelling absence | Supporting education |
| Enrolment dates | Dual registration | Bullying and racism |
| Mid-year admissions | Distance learning | Making complaints |
| Dual registration | Exclusions | Special Needs |
| Transport to school | Transfer to secondary school. | Child protection |
| Home Education | School homework expectation | Post 14 options |
| Vocational education | Further and Higher Education | Adult education |
…but could be extended further in future.
Please let us know if there are other topics which we should address and if you would like to be more closely involved with the development of the network.
The online meetings were conducted using Zoom, which is similar to Skype but with better quality and stability. It allows anyone with an internet connection (it works fine on Smartphones) to participate in the development of the network.
Let us know if you would like to become more involved.
