MOORE THOMPSON Pèrt Oft￿ SUMERGroup FAMILY VOICE PETERBOROUGH CHARITY COMMISSION REGISTERED NO. 1171389 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for th• yoar endod 31 March 2026 familyvoicet peteiborough together improving services lor chlldten ond youno people wlth dtsobilltles oédlflondl needs FAMILY VOICE PETERBOROUGH Index forth• y•ar •nd•d 31 March 2026 INDEX knJ*wThJ•nt Examiners Rapcrft St8ternent of Finarwl Activrt St¥tWA•nt tsf Finontsal Pmthn 4- 8 Nots$ to th• A￿OL￿ts 9. 10 CCffjparati￿ FwLrn*. Noles to th A(￿￿nts Independent Examinerfs Report to the Trt￿tee8 of FAMILY VOICE PETERBOROUGH I report to th8 charrty trustees on my examinabon ol the aW￿unts of Ihe charty forthe yearended 31 March 2026 which are set out on 2 to10. Re8poMlbllrlios and b••ls of r•port As the chantys trusts95 you art ￿pOnsIble for the preparntion ofts accounts in accordancawith the requiremènt of the Charitss Act 2011 Ilhe Acn. I report in respeLa of my examinalion ofthe charrtls xcounts canEr out uTh*r ￿tion 145 ofthtr Act and in carrying Out my ¢Kaminaton I have folkmed all the app[￿ble Direction5 given by the Charity Cornmission uTrkr sec*'on 145(5llbl ofthe Act Indep•nd•nt •x•rnin•rf• ststamont I have comthted rny examsnation. I confiryn that no fflat￿al matters have come to my attention in connection with the examinab.on gNire mg to beI￿ve that in any rnaterial rgsp8ci 1. accounting rwd5 *Ere kept In ￿pecI ol ¢*arty as Nuir￿j by section 130 of th8 A¢ or 2. the awounts do Th)t acLYJrd ￿ Ih05e rect)￿$. 3. tre accounts do not compty wih Ihe aP￿tsbIe reqU1￿ments ￿n￿rnI￿ fomi and wntent of a￿Unts Set out in tt* Charitss (Actounts and Rep￿ts1 RèJulabons 2(XJ8 other than any requirernent that the acrounts giNe a'tr￿ and tsir which is not a matter corsthred as part ofan indepeTrJent eXamina￿n. I have no Con￿￿$ aThJ have C￿ne acros5 no other matters in conneclpJn wih the examinabon to whith attention shoukl be drawn in this rewrt in 0￿r to enab￿ a proper understsnding ofthe accounts to be cw. Hlhjrnd BA, FCA Moore Thompson Chartered Acts)untants Dakny: ... FAMILY VOICE PETERBOROUGH ststement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 March 2026 2026 2025 Total INCOME FROII: Don•tloM. Legac￿ and Grnnts 5.589 223.414 229.003 242.186 Fees for Charrtrab￿ SeThfKts Hire of Cowfflunty Premi8es 7,109 7.109 9.623 11.950 7.109 7.109 21.573 Fundrnising Events In¥￿tments Interest E8med 2.568 542 1.451 1.593 Totsl Incorn 16.717 223,414 240,131 265,894 EXPENDITURE ON.. Ral8lng funds Cost tsf Fundrav3ing Evènts I ProrTr)thJn Pfofessh)nal Fees 1.813 27.093 7,513 24,754 27.247 28.SK 29,750 32.267 CharitsblE •GlivlU•• S¢affirHJ Costs Volunteer and Parent Caw Exwses Cost of SEND seNi￿s Costs of PrOV￿rn9 TriP￿A¢t￿rt￿s Print, P05t. ststionary. Equprrenl utskt*s, Insurance. BuiNling Costs, Rwaw5 Independent Examiners Fees Oeprnryatson and L*)ss on Di5POsal 120.205 49 7.369 65.(67 4.071 10.242 1.242 131.859 355 8.W1 72.922 5.603 XS.002 1.242 2.890 155,455 2.674 8,426 65,688 8,622 43,489 1.080 5.294 632 7,855 1.532 9.760 2.890 34.629 208.245 242,874 290.728 TOTAL EXPENDITURE 36.473 237.161 273.624 322.995 Net Incomo 110xpgnd￿JT•j 118.7561 113.llTJ 1314931 157.1011 TMMloYs fun 6.286 16.2861 Reconciltsllon of fvnds Total funds at 1 April 2025 130,268 21,023 151.291 208.392 TOTAL FUNDS AT 31 M•r¢h 2026 117,798 118.798 151.291 notE5 on pw 4 10 10 forn) F4rt ofthese fmaTK481 staterrents. FAMILY VOICE PETERBOROUGH Statement of Financial Posltion at 31 MaKh 2026 Nots 2026 Unmtrict8d Rostriet•d 2025 Total Total FIXED ASSErs Tangible assets CURRENT ASSETS 9.032 9.032 7.432 C•sh funds: Current account Deposit ￿0￿nt 3.427 95.173 3,427 99.326 102.753 55.051 93.251 148.302 4,153 4.153 othor eurrènt 88uts: P￿paYments Accrued income Total curr•nt assets 10,168 108.766 10,186 112.919 118 148.420 4.153 CURRENT LIABiullES A¢¢rLF•h.' 11.3311 11,3311 15141 Deferred incom8 Other creditor¥: PAYE liabilty pen8￿Th tsa￿lty 11.2551 567 13.1531 11.2551 567 13.1531 13.1031 14.5611 NET CURRENT A&SETS 108.7 109.766 143.859 Tolal As••ts 117.796 118.798 151.291 HARITY FUNDS Resthcted 21,023 un￿￿¢t￿l hjrnls.. Ge￿ra1 117,798 117.798 130,268 Total chartty funds 117.798 1.000 118.798 151.291 Thesè financial stat8m&nts aFfJroiMd and authoris8d lor issuo by th8 Tntstses on .ii.}th-.. 126. a￿1 igned on their tehalf tyy". Sarah Jan• Klng Cha"r￿￿On Tanya Smith Trewurer notes on pw 4 to 10 fcfft part of blese fina￿al stst&nents. Pty•3 FAMILY VOICE PEfER8OROUGH Notes to the Accounts for year Ond￿ 31 March 2026 l. Aceountlng polkl•# The charty is an incorporated ch*ity registertsj ￿ ErKJlaThJ and Waks Vlth the Charity Commission with the r8gLstration number 1171389. The charivs tegister&Y aYdTes5 B￿hffie￿y Busiress Hub. Bakewell Road, Orton Southgate, Pete￿￿oUgh. PE2 6XU The principal acuunting pol￿)8$ adopkny in the preparab'on ofts financ4al ststements are set out below. lal 8•$1s ofprep•R*lon of the Ilnaftclalstatem The chanty consbtutes a pU￿1C bertsfft entty as d8fin*J by FRS 102. The finanaal strtements have been prepared in accordan￿ wrth AccLJuntirvJ aThJ Reporb"rKJ by Charttss.. Statement of RecommerKlod practi￿ applic*)k to char￿6$ p￿pan￿ their accounts in accordan￿ with the Financial RepO￿"r￿j Slandard applicsbk in ts UK and Republic of Irekgnd issued in Octoter 2019, the Fina￿181 Reporb"ry StsThJard applicable in the Un5bJ lfjryJdom and Republ￿ of IrelaTrd IFRS 1021. the char￿&$ Act 2011 and UK Ge￿ra1￿ Acceptad Acc¥)unting Practi￿. The finanaal statements are prepared on a con￿rn basis and are pre5entgJ in 5tarfiThJ which fiJncb"onal currew of the tharty. Ibl In¢om• r•cognldon All ineoma is rectrJnL*J in ￿ Ststernent of Financial AthO"es vknen the cor¥Jitions for rèL¥ipt havg been met. the arnount can be measured reliabty and rt ts probabk that ts inwme will be r￿1ved. Income frorn govemment Other grants are reccgnBwl *tsir value vknen b* charity has entthment afttsr any ￿rIO￿ance 0)nd￿'On$ have teen met rt is probable thatthè in¢om¥ wil be received and Ihe wount can be measured fdiabty. Icl Expmdllure reeognftlon ExPend￿re i8 indwled in the Statement of FiThane4￿ Ath"vits5 on an allru￿$ basis and is allocat& to a parbojkr frjnd whère the c05ts rei7te directy to that fiJTrJ. ￿nd￿fe k£ categor￿1 under headings recorded in the Statement ol Finanoal AcaMb8s. Idl Glfts In Klftd GItL8 in kn.nd are brought into ble accounts where there ￿ erther a reasonable estimats ol treir fair value to the luryjs or Ihe amount i8 actsjalty realis&Y. Whtrre a valw ￿nn0t te deternined, or regsonab￿ ¢stirnale apr41￿, the gift ts not indLhdÈ*J in the Slaternent of FinanryJ Acbwtss. (el Dellnifion of Funds Unrestricted funds are available for w at ￿ dis(xeb"on of Ihe Trustees in the furlher?n￿ of the general obpcts ol the chanty and which have not been designated for other purposes. Restrthd fu￿$ are fvrKts which are to be t￿y in 8￿rdan￿ wth specik restrictions imposed by don0￿ or which have rawl by Ihe charity for particular purposes. Tha costs of administsring such furnls are charged against tt* sp*tsfic ftmd. The intended use of eath resth'cbJ fvnd is set out in the no*s. {fj Debtor¥ credttors re¢efvabl•/p•N•ble *rflhin one Debtors and credrtors witti no ststed intsrest rate and le￿1Vab￿ or payab￿ wthin ore ypar are r4cordad attransacbon wi￿. Any kbses arisir9 frrm impwrment a￿ recognisely in eypenLlthre. 191 Golng ¢on¢em The finanaal statèments have been prepared on 8 CCYrt2m basis as ts MBtees tel￿Ve that no material ￿n￿rtain￿.es emt The trustees ￿ve consNYered the ￿Ve1 of funds held and the expected level of incorne eyPend￿re for the rext 12 monlh5 fr(wn authorBirg ts finarwl ststements. P*Je 4 FAMILY VOICE PETERBOROUGH Notes to the Accounts for tho yoar 8nded 31 Pljarch 2026 1. Aecountlnq Polkkn {Conts'niW) Ihl Judgeni￿ts and *eysouYc•s of•sthNth uncertainty There are no significantjudgernents oi estimation5 which ha￿ been made in ttE pra￿sS of applwng th& above aco)unbrg FoliGP5. other than Ltsual cut off jih*ements induded in prepayments anol accruals. 111 Penslon c¢tsts The charrty operates a defin&J contr'bubon pension 5chBrne fDr￿p￿1)Ees. assets ofthe 5eheme are heky separatety trom ofthe charty. Tr annual contributs)ns payable are charg to the Statement of Finanoal Activty. Ul t)peTrglngleas•s RentsL8 apP1Kab￿ tD operabng kases where substsnbalty all ofthe tenefits arKY r￿5 of ry•m8rship rernain wrth the kno¥ are tharged against or ¢tEdthJ to profits on a 5travJht line basis over Feriod of tha ￿a$a. Ikl D•prKialio Depreciatson i% provk￿l tangib￿ assets. at rates ￿kIll8￿￿ lo wnt• off the cosl. ks$ estr"mat&J ￿￿U?1 value. of tach asset on a systernatic basis over rts expecteLI use*tsl life as fo11¢)ws'. General Equipment 20% bakn Computer Equry)ment 5 years stravJht line l Rglated party trarA•¢tlon• The charty Is contrOl￿d by ihe trLL8tees as a aThJ i￿1￿ky￿al (knes or couk1 exert ￿thI. 3. Truste￿. ￿mUn*ratIon and expen No remunerabon dire¢fy or indirtcty out ofthe fvJTh15 of the chaiitywas pa*J cf pay?We fDr the year to any trustee or to any ￿r$On or persons krK)wn to be connecbj to them. Tanglbh Ilx•d a••ets Genwal Computsr Totsl Cost At 1 ￿ri1 2025 Additions DisposaL8 At 31 March 2026 15.￿]3 599 18461 14.756 5.731 3.892 12731 9.350 20.734 4,491 24.106 Dopw*¢iatitin At 1 April 2025 Charge for year On disposals At 31 March 2026 10.663 2.639 1,392 11341 3.897 13.302 2.286 15141 15.074 {3801 11.177 Not IMik At 31 March 2026 3.579 9,032 At 31 MorGh 2Q2S 3.092 P￿5 FAMILY VOICE PEfERBOROUGH Notes to the Accounts for th• y￿r •ndod 31 March 2026 S. Fund• At 1 Aprfl kncomlng Outgolng 2025 Resourcos R•sources Trnnsf•rd At 31 March 2026 R￿trItI•d fundi Ann D(Lwra Caterpillar CCF IOINe & J¢sswl CCF Microsoft CETR CPCA DfE HS Chairs ICLF) ICB ICB (K?￿rker) IC8 IPINSI IC8 (Postcards) dl INevJhbourtyl Lottery MADL PCC Hub SEND125r261 I7.5￿) 2.764 12,7641 (784) 1.62B 15,e69 18.620 17,￿) 117.2971 I17.3￿) {17,5CQI 11.2241 413 1951 {1,754} {4131 125,8021 I10,0￿) 112.0(K)I 11,0001 ISCQI 110,1071 12.ClY)I 125,QDJI 188.2851 10,CO) 12.(X)O 10.859 17521 174 2.576 25.C 87.625 11741 11.9161 R•8trlct•d lund8 21,023 223.414 1237.1511 16.2861 1,QX)O Transfers from ￿$tr￿a to unrestrthj lurKts [*￿te its thè nèt-tojk Val￿ * 31 Marth 2026 of assots purthased vAlh reSthC￿ fvn(L5 thatts tharity ha5 teen alkn*&J to retsin folhywirvj c￿np￿tion of the project Thistrèatmènt has been {x)nfirm￿l 85 in the orwJiThql applI￿￿on of proj An•ty•l¥ of nel 8ank Accounts ¢r•dllor• Totsl Restrf¢ted lund• Caterpillar SEND 25r2fj ICB 1.OLJ) 2,953 2C {2,9531 12CQI 3,153 4.153 ￿ 1.OQJ Pag8 6 FAMILY VOICE PETERBOROUGH Notes to the Accounts th¢ y•ar •nd•d 31 March 2026 6. Fund dMcrlptlorY4 Fund and Drovldor Purpom Restriction and surplus I dellclt Funds for payment of set Fee Is based on 3 predi(ied number NHS rate for EbE's to of CETR'S In a montrly pericAY. att•ThJ pan81& Surplu5 at the end of the work ogramme wll te relumed, and any fviwoubj b8 Ctsve￿d by FVP. CETR funding prowd8d by ICB- Health Commissioning INHSI. tc8 lunding prow¢Jad by ICB- Health Commissionin9 INHSI. Funds 10 be used for ts Surplus can be kept by charity. must provision of pa￿nI te used for gereral support of parent parbopation services arKI C2Ters. No dèficit 15 eyc*ed to ajministrab.on of the prowsion ofa tsam of EbE. Lottery ￿p￿seThts hJnd5 provided by the Nth"onal Lottery Fund. Project and COTe costs to AJ50 covets running costs of faulitate dwnty grtr•th ¢aravans for fvvo years to estsblish and devdopmgnL their wability Whi￿ protecling them as ming to i1￿rease an asset are subject to subsidy eThJagernent SLprort controt. Any surplus can carr for parent ca￿lS frwdrd one year. espeaalty frorn se￿ rd communtbes. SEND represents lunds FuTrJ5 are to be for￿ provision of pargnt parbupatron trorn Petèrborough Cty Courril. servi￿. . Representh"on arvj reporb'rrtJ of parents voKes at strategic and operab'onal boards across SEND ￿$L5￿9 in making parent and iky expe￿r￿ vtsible. and conth'buks to 5ervv policy, and praLkn improvements. .Buikling InJ$t and irnPfOVWV reLabortshw betr￿en PCC Sery1￿ parents. Pro9rarnme runs over fiva years, eThYirg Marth 2025 and any surplus can be camgj lorwartl Ixrt rnust sbll be spent on the sarne purp50es. OE ￿presents fund5 from DIE eir¥J National G)¥emment Asssstwth costs to delNery PCF ftjncbor fa￿lrtale parent carer parbrypation indLKlir¥J slaffiro. oye costs and athity ¢05ts. Chairs forthe comrnuw Any surpkts is retsI￿d for Intencled rpc6e. Must t* srent in year. and LThJer5Fend r8ported. uTrJerspend is frorn folkiwro yea[5 giant anount. HS Chalrn ICLFI ￿presents fvnds from the Cotnmunrty Leadership FuThJ- c￿Jnu1￿) ftjnd to distr'buk to bc81 inrfiats¥e5. P•Je 7 FAMILY VOICE PETERBOROUGH Notss to the AG¢ounts for th• y••r ondgd 31 IAar¢h 2026 6. Fund d￿crIPtIo￿ (conknuedj CCF Mlcroooft represents Thg lund¥ ar• to provth Ary wwkl neod to bg ro￿￿1. trom the same narn&J Chanty. equiwient a￿1 stsffirg for the purpw of volunt88r trainiw aThJ support PCC Hub 2 represents ftjnds Thi$ ts to C£*v•r costs provthJ by th• L¢xal Authorty, re￿t￿l to the Petsrborough Cty Counal pa59ed Hubs" on from DWP Small surplu5 ¥11(wd. but must u8•J lty th• int•nd&Y purpose CCF lo1￿• •nd JM•l•l luTr were provided by CCF To provKlo a c4>Kh th"P Can onty Èé ynt as dotsi18d on application. rnust be Spent by ¢nd d•t• of gr•nt programm• Mwt be spenttmthin r•ason on and no more than 25% on Ann Do¢wr• represents fvNI• provid¢d by Qu8kèrs Coach costs, stsffir#J, relr851wnonts ond st¥ffirwJ C•t•plll•r repw•nts Ifty)) Delwery of EID •nd ottw P*S)nry ¢•n t• e4m•d forwafds but thè s•m• nam•Y oryJanMation ¢Y￿Ur￿l *nrthm￿t rnujt be spent as intend•J- I￿1 of 25126 bLrt pahl in 26127 CPCA by • Now %￿b91* •nd Social Impact Inveslrnent IWKI connn8ct CRM d8$4n, Developmgnl ond D•lw8 FuTrJ5 ¥re to ￿ uwj ts SU￿1￿$ can b& kapt by chanty, must pmwsie• ofpamnt be uged for gener•1 >upport of pprent p•rbcipabon r•rs- grant funth.ons more like an nd &Jministrabon ol ts•m of EbE. stsffiThJ, amounts c&n b• Char￿d. Can carry core costs. print & surplus over and In conJnuatson athrbsiThJ for ofwork. No wtrbcbons on what the •roagtrm•nt of parnnts grant can be UWJ to mr from ¢or• through 12 kvl pnmory to st8ffirrfJ. H8S to be S￿nt within hool8. LDA & Haamh finanoal yeor. arml uTra•r sp•nd kwrnotson$ r¥￿m￿l {PostC8rd devel¢Jwents SupFQrt fOrw0￿1￿j MADL represents fu￿1 provbJ¢d porents in po¥*rty by Nw Local l•kJnies r￿11 after Iqu#rt•rty in 8rr•arsl- one payment Styll outstanding bLrt proof of $p•nd submttteKI ICB- H••Kh Comm*slMipo INHSI X3 Musi tye $wnl on work in relatKJn to grant appkabon- pmty rèlk•f P￿8 FAMILY VOICE PETER80ROUGH Notes to the Accounts ft•r thg year endod 31 March 2026 7. Fun At31 Al•rch GETR IC8 PCC Hub 4.IC17 2921 218 f¢9a3 ZO.620 276 195 3Q.7 (33.22 f25.3651 (15.0141 (24.325J (103.0rf41 f17.326J 1.628 2.556 174 10,859 2,576 (413) 95 14281 SEND 14637 HS IC (4WI 11951 CCFMicrosoll Aldi CCF (Harry Curelonl ICB PP x 2 IICB Extra) PCC Hub 2 CLF IPCCI & Jtsss 979 784 2.001 18.352 17.29J 12.0011 [25.(￿1} 117.6821 11.5(J]I 11.9801 18Crf)I 6.709 4.744 57.136 231515 (269.628) 21.023 Amlysls of net4¥sets T*Wl4e Tolal 1.628 2,819 1,628 421 174 7S2 1.39T (684) PGGH Lott SEND 174 10.859 2.576 (4131 95 784 2,761 10. 107 4.631 (413) f3.452) HS Clwts (CLF) CCFMicrDsoII CLF (OlThr & Je55ie) 95 2.764 3.623 21.536 21.Q23 P4e9 FAMILY VOICE PETERBOROUGH Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2026 INCOME FROAI.. &671 542 9,623 233.575 242.186 542 9.623 17.9 Events Inlerest Eamed 1.593 32.379 233.515 265,894 E¥PENDITUREFROAI.. Ralslng funds 779 5,578 7.334 19,176 7.513 24.754 PNufEssKYJal Ftros 153,916 2,224 8.391 55.147 7.136 11,632 14455 2,674 8,426 fj5.688 8.622 43.489 Cost ol SEND Servres Costs ofPmv*YMWJ TWA¢￿&05 PnnÈ. Post, st8tion￿. 35 10.541 31,857 IncèpeThYentExJnyrers Fees 1.702 3,592 5.294 53.367 269.628 322.995 Netlncome 113 P3gE 10 **1[st] April 2025 to 31[st] March 2026** Participation, Engagement and Involvement – Charity and Forum Annual Report fvp Family Voice Peterborough 4/18/2026 ## **Executive Summary** ## **Purpose** The report is intended to: - present parent carer lived experience in a clear and evidence-based way - inform strategic and operational discussion with partners across education, health and care - support reflection on current practice and identify areas for improvement The focus is on understanding how systems are experienced by families at an individual and household level, rather than reviewing individual services in isolation. This report presents evidence gathered by Family Voice Peterborough (FVP) during 2025– 2026, drawing on both qualitative and quantitative data to reflect the lived experience of parent carers of children and young people with SEND. The reporting period has continued to be characterised by a changing and pressured SEND landscape. Parent carers have consistently reported increased complexity of need within households, alongside ongoing financial pressures, long waiting times, and difficulty accessing timely support across education, health and care services. While some areas, particularly Children’s Social Care, show more positive experiences than in previous years, this has not been consistent across the system. During this period FVP has seen a reduction in formal co-production activity, alongside an increase in demand for participation, engagement, information and support. Engagement with schools, third sector organisations and operational partners has increased, particularly through the PINS programme and school-based parent sessions. Evidence gathered indicates that parental resilience continues to be under significant strain. Parent carers report exhaustion, reduced mental wellbeing, isolation, and difficulties managing multiple caring responsibilities. Many households include more than one child with SEND, and a significant proportion of parent carers have their own health needs or disabilities. This report does not seek to attribute blame. Its purpose is to present a clear account of how current systems are experienced by parent carers locally, and to support informed discussion with senior leaders across education, health and the local authority to identify opportunities for improvement. The purpose of this report is to provide a structured overview of the experiences of parent carers of children and young people with SEND in Peterborough during 2025–2026. It draws together evidence gathered through surveys, direct contact, events, engagement activities and participation work delivered by Family Voice Peterborough. Page | 1 Registered Charity No: 1171389 ## SECTION ONE Section One of this report focuses on the lived experience of parent carers during 2025–2026. Evidence has been grouped into four themes which reflect both the priorities of Family Voice Peterborough and the key issues raised by families: - Parent carer wellbeing - SEND and schools engagement - Engagement with seldom heard communities - Co-production and change Data presented in this section has been gathered through surveys, direct contact with parent carers, school-based engagement, community activities and targeted work with specific groups. Both qualitative and quantitative data are used to demonstrate patterns, themes and changes over time. Evidence gathered during 2025–2026 highlights a consistent set of lived-experience themes for parent carers locally, including: - sustained parental exhaustion and reduced resilience; - difficulty accessing timely and appropriate support; - long waiting times and fragmented services; - poor information, communication and transparency; feeling blamed, judged or misunderstood by systems; - inconsistent inclusion in decision-making; - social isolation and lack of informal support; significant financial pressure linked to caring responsibilities; - mixed and unequal experiences of schools; - ongoing anxiety about preparing for adulthood; - and greater willingness to engage where contact feels safe, relational and responsive rather than process-driven. ## SECTION TWO The work set out in Section Two reflects the changing context in which Family Voice Peterborough has operated during 2025–2026. This has included a revised delivery model following changes to the charity’s assets and premises, reduced staffing capacity, and continued financial pressure linked to the cost-of-living crisis affecting both families and the voluntary sector. During this period, activity has been increasingly focused on sustaining core forum functions, participation and engagement, school-based work, signposting, and targeted support for families, while managing organisational risk and long-term sustainability. ## **Key themes within this section include:** 1. Changes to service delivery and review of charity assets Page | 2 Registered Charity No: 1171389 2. Parent carer wellbeing and support demand 3. Engagement with families from seldom heard communities 4. Charity business planning, including sustainability, development and use of limited resources ## **Acknowledgements** This report draws on the engagement, feedback and experiences shared by parent carers across Peterborough, whose participation has been central to understanding local lived experience. It also reflects ongoing working relationships with partners across the Local Authority, Integrated Care Board, health services, education settings and third sector organisations. While levels of formal co-production have varied across the period, contributions from parent carers and partners have remained essential in supporting participation, engagement and evidence gathering. Page | 3 Registered Charity No: 1171389 ## **CONTENTS** |Details|Page No.| |---|---| |Report Introduction|4 - 6| |**SECTION ONE –** **Wellbeing, Engagement, Seldom Heard Communities,**|| |**Co-production & Change**|| |Introduction|9 - 11| |Wellbeing|10 - 8| |SEND Data and Schools Engagement|18 - 22| |Seldom Heard Engagement|22 - 24| |Co-production and Change|24 - 25| |Analysis|25 -29| |**SECTION TWO – Family Voice Peterborough As A Charity**|| |Chairs Forward|31| |Trustees, Structure and Governance|32 - 33| |Staffing and Volunteering|33 - 34| |Objectives and Activities|34| |Social Impact|34 - 38| |Financial Review|38 - 39| |Trustee Statement|39 - 44| |Forward Plan|44| Page | 4 Registered Charity No: 1171389 ## **Report Introduction** Section One of this report focuses on the lived experience of parent carers during 2025–2026. Evidence has been grouped into four themes which reflect both the priorities of Family Voice Peterborough and the key issues raised by families: - Parent carer wellbeing - SEND and schools engagement - Engagement with seldom heard communities - Co-production and change Data presented in this section has been gathered through surveys, direct contact with parent carers, school-based engagement, community activities and targeted work with specific groups. Both qualitative and quantitative data are used to demonstrate patterns, themes and changes over time. In a move away from previous reports the context section has been removed, to prevent over reporting repetition and ensure this report focuses on in year contextual data and analysis. ## **Participation/ Engagement/ Involvement April 2025 to March 2026** Headlines 1. >1000 parents have been involved at some level surveys and other online methods increased by 25% from the previous reporting period. 2. 361 known parent carers have taken part across a variety of sessions which is 22.5% down from the previous reporting period. 3. Parents have self-reported being members/ attendees at; Peterborough District Deaf Children Society (PDDCS), Peterborough Area Down Syndrome Group (PADSG), Little Miracles (LM), National Autistic Society (NAS), Autism Peterborough, Shine, Caring Together and the Aiming High Group (AHG) 4. Children’s/ Young people disabilities/ needs have been reported by parents as including (This list is not exhaustive); - a. ASD, ADHD, (This is the most prevalent condition reported) - b. Global Developmental Delay (GDD), - c. Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) - d. Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN), - e. Complex Health, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), - f. Cerebral Palsy (CP), - g. Tourette’s, - h. Learning Disability and Difficulty (LDD), - i. Hearing Impairment (HI), Depression, Behavioural Needs, - j. Achondroplasia, - k. Goldenhar Syndrome, - l. Downs Syndrome, - m. Hypochondroplasia, - n. Health Needs including conditions such as Epilepsy and Type 1 Diabetes Page | 5 Registered Charity No: 1171389 - o. Spina bifida and Hydrocephalus - p. Physical Disabilities - q. Anxiety Disorder 5. 29 new fathers have been involved which is a 47.3% decrease from the previous year. 6. Parent carers reported the ages of their children/ young people as between 2 to 34. 7. Participation methods used included; Coffee Mornings and Afternoons, some community activities where possible, Surveys and feedback forms. 8. Evidence is both qualitative and quantitative in nature. 9. Self-reported ethnicity is overall 65% White British and 35% Other Ethnicities which match 2021 Census categories. Page | 6 Registered Charity No: 1171389 ## **SECTION ONE** **- Wellbeing, Engagement, Seldom Heard Communities, Co production & Change** **Fig.1 Word Cloud from Annual Survey (2025 to 2026)** Page | 8 Registered Charity No: 1171389 ## **INTRODUCTION** ## **Parent Carer Wellbeing** Evidence gathered during 2025–2026 continues to show reduced parental resilience and poor mental wellbeing among parent carers. Compared to previous years, there has been no indication of improvement in overall wellbeing, and for many families pressures have increased. Parent carers report ongoing exhaustion, limited opportunity for self-care, disrupted sleep, and difficulty managing household responsibilities alongside caring roles. Many households include more than one child or young person with SEND, and approximately half of parent carers engaging with FVP report having their own disability or health needs. FVP has continued to offer a range of wellbeing-related support, including hub sessions, signposting, food support, trips and activities. Despite reduced staffing capacity following the closure of several grant-funded programmes, overall participation has decreased by a smaller margin than expected. This reflects sustained demand for practical and accessible forms of support. Food support and informal contact continue to be significant engagement points, helping to alleviate some financial pressure while providing opportunities for information sharing and emotional support. ## **SEND Data & Schools Work – Parent Carer Engagement & Views** SEND-related engagement during 2025–2026 involved over 400 known parent carers through a combination of face-to-face sessions, school-based activities and online surveys. Schools engagement increased significantly compared to the previous year, with 65 school sessions attended by 332 parent carers. This increase is largely attributable to the delivery of the PINS programme, through which FVP worked directly with 12 new primary schools to support parental engagement and inclusion of parents of neurodiverse children. Online surveys remained an important method of engagement, with increased response rates across several surveys, including PINS, the annual SEND survey and a parent carer support and needs survey. Survey findings consistently highlighted issues relating to communication, access to support, emotional wellbeing, delays, and financial pressure. While experiences varied, responses relating to Children’s Social Care were more positive than in previous reporting periods, marking a change in comparison with earlier years. ## **Seldom Heard Communities** Family Voice Peterborough recognises that “seldom heard” does not relate solely to ethnicity, but includes a wide range of parent carers whose voices are less likely to be heard within participation structures. During 2025–2026, targeted engagement continued with specific groups, including work alongside the Julaybib Group and the Aiming High Group. Outreach was supported by community development work and by parent representatives with links to local communities. Page | 9 Registered Charity No: 1171389 Evidence from engagement activity indicates that participation is most effective when activities are inclusive of children and young people, and when engagement is embedded within social or community-based activities rather than topic-specific meetings. An external Equality, Diversity and Inclusion review confirmed that FVP’s workforce broadly reflects the diversity of the local population, while identifying the need for ongoing review and development of engagement approaches. ## **Coproduction and Change** During 2025–2026 there has been a recognised reduction in the overall level of formal strategic co production. While participation and engagement activity has remained strong and, in some areas, increased, opportunities for co-production at system wide strategic level have been more limited during the reporting period. Where co production has continued, the strongest examples have been within commissioning activity related to children with disabilities, including work on home care provision, and involvement in specific areas of system development such as the Accelerated Progress Plan and PINS. In these areas, Family Voice Peterborough has attended key strategic meetings as an equal partner, contributing parent carer perspective to discussion, development and review. A number of Topics of Importance submitted by Family Voice Peterborough remain without formal response, with some outstanding for over twelve months. This has impacted confidence in co-production processes for both parent carers and forum representatives. Where changes to service delivery have been implemented based on previous reporting feedback, including aspects of Children’s Social Care, short breaks and elements of home care provision, parent carers have reported far more positively than in previous reporting periods. ## **Data Gathering** Data to ascertain parent carer views and experiences has been via online surveys, case study work, feedback forms ate events and discussions with parents via email or phone. This reporting period saw 65 sessions/ activities that were used to gather parent carer lived experience data. Across these 65 sessions the views of 1012 parent carers were gathered. |**Activity Type**|**Number**|**Parent Carers**| |---|---|---| |Survey|5|560| |Coach Trip|5|213| |SurveyRewards|1|109| |FamilyActivity|3|124| |Wellbeing Session|2|74| |Seldom HeardSession|2|52| |SchoolSession(Non Pins)|6|23| |School Session|16|79| |Open Forum(PINS)|3|43| |Open Forum|2|35| |CoffeeSession|3|5| |HubSessions|3|16| Page | 10 Registered Charity No: 1171389 |AnnualConference|1|47| |---|---|---| |InformationStand|13|192| |Food Support|16|162| |Sign Posting|75|| ||**65**|**1012**| **Table 1: Activity Type & Number of Beneficiaries** ## **Wellbeing** ## Overall wellbeing activity There has been some change across the years to how welling support is facilitated in the Parent Carer community locally which has been driven by a combination of charity resourcing and Parent Carer need. Over time signposting, trips & activities and coffee sessions have become increasingly popular. It was also decided to try and combine the Hub sessions with the Annual Conference which was well received by the parent carers who had sessions. ||Session|Session|Beneficiaries|Beneficiaries| |---|---|---|---|---| ||24/25|25/26|24/25|25/26| |Hub|6|3|34|16| |CETR|49|29|49|29| |Wellbeing|2|2|28|74| |Food|144|162|881|1316| |SignPosting|147|75|147|75| ||**348**|**271**|**1139**|**1510**| **Table 2: Numbers benefitting from Wellbeing Support** Despite the decrease in staffing hours with the closure of a number of grant programmes and the scaling back of the charity as a whole the numbers participating and engaging have only have actually increased by 31.6% The food hub programme & wellbeing sessions continue to be a strong draw for engagement from Parent Carers. ## Parent Carer Hubs The most consistent draw for the hubs was the annual conference which is something that will need careful consideration moving forwards. ## Food Support/ Signposting Parent carers continue to seek support via food vouchers and signposting. These are often show a number of core themes when the data is reviewed together. |**Adults**|**Children**
**(Total)**|**Children**
**with**
**SEND**| |---|---|---| |582|527|207| |**Table 3: Food Support**||| Page | 11 Registered Charity No: 1171389 |||Signposting|Signposting|| |---|---|---|---|---| |Total
Contact|Phone|In Person|Email|Contact
Form| |**75**|**0**|**3**|**21**|**51**| **Table 4: Sign posting Direct Contact** Based on a review of the food support data, signposting data a small number of clear and consistent themes emerge across the dataset: - **Financial pressure** and basic needs insecurity are a persistent feature. Food support and vouchers are repeatedly used alongside other forms of contact, indicating that many families are experiencing immediate material hardship rather than short-term crisis only. Support is often accessed alongside wider SEND-related concerns, not in isolation. - **Signposting** is high-volume, sustained and multi-issue, showing that parent carers frequently approach FVP with complex, overlapping needs. Contacts commonly relate to education, benefits, mental health, social care and access to services, suggesting families struggle to navigate systems independently and require trusted intermediary support. - **Engagement** often follows need rather than choice. Data shows that food support, wellbeing activity, school sessions and information events frequently intersect, indicating that families are most likely to engage when practical support is embedded within wider engagement opportunities. - **Demand** is relational, not transactional. The data shows repeated touchpoints with the same families across different activities and contacts, highlighting that families value ongoing, trusted relationships rather than one-off interventions. Overall, the data points to chronic system strain experienced at household level, with food support and signposting acting as stabilising measures that enable families to cope, engage and remain connected, rather than resolving the underlying pressures they face. ## Household Details Taken together, the data shows that households engaging with Family Voice Peterborough are typically high-complexity SEND households facing sustained financial, emotional and systemic pressure. Engagement patterns demonstrate that families are most likely to interact with FVP through practical, relational and accessible routes—such as food support, signposting, school sessions and activities—rather than formal consultation alone. Survey data captures only part of the picture; the most vulnerable households are more visible through direct contact and support-based engagement, highlighting the importance of low-threshold, trust-based approaches. ## _**Household composition and caring context**_ - The data consistently shows that households engaging with FVP are rarely supporting a single, isolated need. - A significant proportion of households have: Page | 12 Registered Charity No: 1171389 - More than one child or young person, often with SEND - Parent carers with their own disability or long-term health condition - Engagement is therefore clustered around high-complexity households, rather than short-term or low-need families. **Theme:** Engagement reflects cumulative caring pressure within households, not one-off issues. ## _**Economic and social context**_ - All households represented in the food support and signposting data are in receipt of at least one form of benefit, including in-work benefits. - Many households combine: - Employment (often part-time or unstable) - Caring responsibilities - Reliance on benefits - Food support usage sits alongside other forms of engagement, indicating ongoing financial strain rather than crisis-only need. **Theme:** SEND-related caring and financial vulnerability are strongly linked in the households engaging. ## _**Diversity and representation**_ - The dataset shows engagement from a demographically diverse population, with a mix of ethnic backgrounds and household structures. - Male carers and non-traditional carers (e.g. kinship caring roles) are present but less visible in formal survey data than in direct engagement and activity attendance. **Theme:** Formal demographic capture under-represents some groups who are engaging most through practical and relational routes. ## _**Patterns of engagement by type of activity**_ ## _**Food support and vouchers**_ - Food support data shows: - Regular uptake rather than one-off use - Use across households with multiple caring pressures - Food support frequently co-exists with signposting and wellbeing engagement, rather than standing alone. **Theme:** Food support functions as a stabilising point of contact that enables families to engage with wider support. ## _**Signposting and direct contact**_ - Signposting data shows: - High volume of contact - Multiple issues raised per household (education, health, benefits, housing, mental wellbeing) - Families often make repeated contact over time, suggesting issues are ongoing and interconnected. - **Theme:** Households require sustained navigation support rather than isolated advice. Page | 13 Registered Charity No: 1171389 ## _**Schools-based engagement**_ - School sessions (particularly through PINS and other school-based activity) show high attendance. - Engagement through schools appears to: - Reach families who do not engage through surveys - Be particularly effective for parents of neurodiverse children and those earlier in their SEND journey **Theme:** Schools act as an accessible engagement gateway for families less likely to self-navigate into SEND systems. ## _**Activities, hubs, and wellbeing sessions**_ - Dataset evidence shows that: - Attendance is strongest where children and young people can attend - Activities that combine social contact and practical support attract repeat engagement - Families experiencing isolation or emotional fatigue are more likely to access **non-clinical, relational spaces** . **Theme:** Engagement is highest when support feels safe, human and non-judgemental. ## **Differences in engagement across groups** ## _**Survey respondents vs direct engagement**_ - Survey respondents tend to have: - Higher confidence - Slightly more system literacy - In contrast, food support, signposting, and events reach: - Families under greater stress - Families less confident navigating systems - Families less likely to complete formal surveys **Theme:** The most vulnerable households are more visible in relational data than in survey data. ## _**Seldom heard families**_ - Engagement data shows that families from “seldom heard” groups are: - More likely to engage through trusted community settings - Less likely to engage through formal consultation mechanisms - Continued engagement often depends on consistent relationship-based contact rather than one-off outreach. **Theme:** Access routes matter more than engagement opportunities alone. Page | 14 Registered Charity No: 1171389 ## Basic Demographics **----- Start of picture text -----**
Number of CYP
32%
Needs
No disability reported
68%
**----- End of picture text -----**
**Fig. 1 CYP Per Household** **----- Start of picture text -----**
Parent Carer Needs
31%
Reports / Alluded To
Not disclosed / unclear
69%
Fig. 2 Parent Carer Needs
**----- End of picture text -----**
Where disability or health status was disclosed in survey responses, a significant proportion of parent carers reported having their own disability or health need. However, a large number of records did not include this information, reflecting the voluntary nature of disclosure and the use of non-survey engagement routes Page | 15 Registered Charity No: 1171389 **----- Start of picture text -----**
Economic Status
**----- End of picture text -----**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
6%
1%1%
8%
Full-time carer
Unemployed
40%
Employed part-time
Employed full-time
27% Self-employed
Volunteering
Rather not say / unknown
17%
**----- End of picture text -----**
**Fig. 3 Household Income** |**Household Characteristic**|**Indication from Data**| |---|---| |Households with more than one child|Majority| |Households with more than one CYP with
SEND|Common| |All households in receipt of at least one
benefit|100% (sampled data)| |Families balancingwork and benefits|Majority| **Table 5: Engagement Levels** Engagement predominantly reflects high-complexity households, not single-issue or short-term need. |**Engagement Type**|**Most strongly associated household characteristics**| |---|---| |Food support|Financialpressure,high caringdemand,multiple needs| |Signposting|Complex,overlappingissues(education,health,benefits)| |School-based sessions|Earlier SENDjourneys,neurodiverse CYP| |Activities / hubs|Social isolation,emotional strain| |Surveys|Higher confidence and system literacy| ||**Table 6: Engagement Type Across Households**| Page | 16 Registered Charity No: 1171389 ## Themes Across demographics and engagement types, the data consistently points to: - Chronic pressure, not episodic crisis, in households engaging with FVP - Interlinked needs – financial, emotional, educational, and health-related - Reliance on trusted intermediaries (like FVP) to navigate fragmented systems - Engagement driven by need, not preference - Higher engagement where practical support is embedded in participation ## Impact of ability to Care and Mental Wellbeing Parent Care lived experience was gathered across a range of data sets in 25/26. The Annual SEND Survey, supplemented by a dedicated Parent Carer Support and Needs survey had direct questioning to elicit what parent carers are feeling and experiencing in relation to SEND. Also parent carers being asked for feedback during activities, events and direct contact about the difference engagement had made to them and the impact on their ability to cope and maintain wellbeing has all provided evidence. Across these data sources, a consistent picture emerges of the cumulative impact that caring responsibilities, systemic barriers and wider household pressures have on parent carers’ mental wellbeing and capacity to care. Some of the key findings of how Parent Carers are experience the system currently is: ## 1. **Reduced parental resilience** - Parent carers frequently report chronic exhaustion, limited opportunity for rest or self-care, poor sleep, and difficulty managing day-to-day household demands alongside caring responsibilities. These pressures affect their ability to sustain support for their child or young person with SEND over time. 2. **Limited support with wider aspects of family life** - Parent carers highlight a lack of accessible support in areas closely linked to SEND, including managing benefits and changes to entitlements, navigating EHCNA processes, housing pressures, and managing their own mental health. Many report having minimal or no informal support networks, leading to increased isolation. 3. **Feeling blamed or perceived as the problem** - A recurrent theme is a sense of being blamed or judged by services, particularly where a child or young person is neurodivergent, has behavioural or communication needs, or presents with a ‘hidden’ disability. This experience contributes to distress and reduces confidence in engaging with professionals. 4. **Inconsistent involvement in decision-making** - Parent carers report mixed experiences of being involved in decision-making, support planning and the monitoring of EHCP outcomes. Levels of involvement vary not only between services and settings, but sometimes for the same child or young person over time. 5. **Difficulty accessing clear and timely information** Many parents describe challenges in finding and understanding information, often not Page | 17 Registered Charity No: 1171389 knowing what support exists or how to access it. This lack of clarity increases stress and contributes to delays in seeking or securing support. ## 6. **Prolonged waiting times** - Extended waiting periods for assessment, diagnosis and access to therapy or intervention are consistently reported, leading to periods where needs are known but unmet. 7. **Preparing for adulthood** Experiences of preparing for adulthood show some improvement compared to earlier years, however significant gaps remain. Parents continue to report a lack of clear, timely information and support to navigate transitions to adult services. ## Parent Carer Voices The lived experience behind these themes is reflected in parent carers’ own words: “I care full time for my child and my partner, who is registered as disabled. I feel stuck and lost about education, housing and benefits. I’m exhausted and I don’t know where to start or who can help.” This reflects the interaction of caring, health, housing and financial pressures, and the emotional toll of navigating multiple systems at once. “I’m beyond breaking point. We’ve been waiting years for support, and nothing happens. I feel blamed by school and ignored by everyone else, and I’m just trying to keep my child safe and in education.” This illustrates the impact of prolonged waiting, feeling dismissed by services, and the strain of constant advocacy on parent carers’ wellbeing and resilience. ## **SEND DATA AND SCHOOLS ENGAGEMENT** SEND participation and engagement activity for the 2025–2026 reporting period has continued to be structured across themed workshops, parent and carer engagement sessions, school-based activity, and surveys. Consistent with feedback from parent carers, the majority of engagement has taken place face to face, which remains the preferred method for meaningful participation and inclusive discussion. ## **Participation and Engagement Sessions** Across the reporting period, a broad programme of participation and engagement activity has been delivered, including open forums, coffee sessions, hub sessions, conferences, themed workshops, family activities, and wellbeing events. Participation sessions were delivered through a mix of: - Open forums (including PINS-related engagement) - Coffee mornings, breakfast and lunch sessions - Parent Carer hubs and 1:1 sessions - Wellbeing events and focused engagement sessions - Annual conference and information stands - Family activities and community events Page | 18 Registered Charity No: 1171389 Attendance across the more direct participation sessions demonstrates strong engagement from parent carers, with sessions typically attended by 10–40 participants, and large-scale events such as conferences, information stands and family activities reaching substantially higher numbers. |**Type of Session**|**Number of Sessions**|**Number of Parents/**
**Beneficiaries**| |---|---|---| |ThemedWorkshops (Open Forum)|2|35| |SHCF-Face to Face|2|52| |Coffee/Breakfast/Lunch Meeting|3|5| |Conference|1|47| |**Totals**|**8**|**139**| **Fig.7 Total number of sessions and attendees across types of work** ## **Schools Engagement** There has been a decrease in schools engagement during 2025–2026, aligned with the ongoing the requests from involvement from the schools themselves as part of the schools offer and the delivery of the PINS (Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools) project. Engagement activity has included: - School-based coffee mornings and parent forums - PINS delivery across primary school settings - Non-PINS school engagement sessions - Open forums linked to SEND, health and education pathways Across the period, more than 25 school-based engagement sessions were delivered, involving in excess of 145 parent carers directly through school settings. Coffee mornings and informal school-based sessions continue to be the most effective format, consistently achieving higher engagement and more open dialogue with parent carers. The PINS project played a central role in expanding reach, with at least 12 primary schools engaged directly, significantly increasing opportunities for parents of neurodivergent children to participate. Schools engagement has directly informed discussions around: - EHCP processes and SEN Support - Communication between schools and families - Inclusion and reasonable adjustments - Barriers to access and early intervention - Transition and emotional wellbeing Page | 19 Registered Charity No: 1171389 ## Online Surveys Online surveys remain a key mechanism for capturing the views of parent carers, particularly for those unable to attend face-to-face sessions or who prefer to contribute anonymously. During the 2025–2026 reporting period, multiple surveys were conducted, including: |**Survey**|**Response Rate**| |---|---| |Your Say|17| |Annual Survey|187| |Peterborough SEND Experience|29| |Parent Carer Support & Needs|63| |PINS – Phase 1|263| |PINS – Phase 2|14| **Fig.8 Total number of responses per survey conducted** Total survey responses approximate 500, representing a decrease in participation compared to previous reporting periods. Despite this survey data continues to provide robust, evidencebased insight to inform coproduction, commissioning discussions and strategic development. The Annual SEND Survey remains the largest single source of system-wide feedback and has been reported separately through longitudinal comparison with data dating back to 2018. ## Overall Survey Analysis While surveys covered a wide range of topics, consistent themes emerged across all datasets, including: - Information, communication and transparency - Access to support and services - Emotional wellbeing and parental resilience - Financial pressures and cost-of-living impact - Delays in assessment, diagnosis and provision - The need for joined-up working across education, health and social care Survey responses for the 2025–2026 period show a mixed picture, with some families reporting positive experiences of support and engagement, while others continued to report significant challenges. The data highlights persistent inequalities in access and outcomes, reinforcing the importance of ongoing coproduction and system-level improvement. ## **Engagement and Participation Methods** Where parent carer preferred participation and engagement methods can be identified it can be shown that some methods are more popular than others. Page | 20 Registered Charity No: 1171389 **Fig.9 Preferred methods of participation as percentages** The preference this year has related to support and receiving something for example vouchers for accessing local activities of food as well as opportunities for face to face contact. This may be linked to the current focus on financial matters for families linked to ongoing financial concerns. Where any engagement has taken place attempts have always been made to establish how SEND is being experienced locally. ## **Demography of those engaging** FVP also gather data on the ethnicity and gender of the parent carers who participate and the needs of their child (ren). The findings where know are as follows: |**Ethnicity**|| |---|---| ||**Number**| |African|8| |AnyOther Asian Background|5| |AnyOther Black or Caribbean Background|2| |AnyOther Ethnic Group|1| |AnyOther Mixed or Multiple Ethnic Background|3| |AnyOther White Background|15| |Arab|0| |Bangladeshi|0| Page | 21 Registered Charity No: 1171389 |Black British|0| |---|---| |Caribbean|3| |Chinese|2| |Gypsyor Irish Traveller|1| |Indian|5| |Pakistani|13| |Roma|0| |White and Asian|1| |White and Black African|1| |White and Black Caribbean|4| |White British|119| |Rather Not Say|12| **Fig. 10 Self-reported ethnicity** Fig. 10 and 11 reflect self-reported ethnicity of the family and parent carer gender. The predominant ethnicity was White British and the predominant gender was Female. **Fig.13 Self-reported familial ethnicity** ||**Male**|**Female**| |---|---|---| |||| |2021/2022|23|298| |2022/2023|15|150| |2023/2024|27|199| |2024/2025|54|260| |2025/2026|29|195| **Fig.11 Self-reported parent carer and CYP gender** ## **SELDOM HEARD ENGAGEMENT** Family Voice Peterborough (FVP) recognises that engaging parent carers from seldom heard communities can be more challenging and requires intentional, flexible, and relationship-based approaches. There is often an assumption that “seldom heard” refers only to ethnicity; however, national guidance shared with Parent Carer Forums in recent years makes clear that this term includes a much wider range of experiences and circumstances that can create barriers to participation. For parent participation purposes, seldom heard groups include (but are not limited to): - Parent carers who identify as LGBTQ+ - Families experiencing domestic abuse - Families affected by alcohol or substance misuse Page | 22 Registered Charity No: 1171389 - Families with unsettled ways of life, including refugees and those with recent asylum status - Families on very low incomes, families experiencing sudden financial change, or self-employed families - Rural or geographically isolated families - Male carers - Families of children and young people who are home educated - Families of children and young people in alternative provision or out-of-area placements - Families where the parent carer is disabled, particularly where learning disabilities or mental health needs are present - Parent carers of children and young people with rare conditions or low-incidence disabilities - Parent carers of children and young people who are Deaf, hearing impaired, blind, or visually impaired - Grandparents, kinship carers and foster carers - Adoptive parent carers - Refugees and asylum seekers While further work is required to ensure consistent engagement across all of the above groups, an external Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) assessment of FVP identified that the organisation’s workforce is broadly reflective of the diversity of Peterborough’s population. This provides a strong foundation for inclusive engagement, but ongoing review and adaptation remain essential. ## Targeted Engagement Activity During the reporting period, FVP undertook focused engagement work with two specific seldom heard community groups: - Julaybib Group - Aiming High Group (AHG) at Ibrahimis Attendance data from multiple sessions shows sustained engagement with these groups, with attendance per session ranging from 4 to 13 participants for Julaybib sessions and 19 participants attending the AHG Ibrahimis session. This demonstrates not only demand but also the effectiveness of trusted, community-based delivery models. ## Learning from Engagement Across this and wider engagement activity, FVP’s data and practice indicate that involvement from seldom heard parent carers has either begun or is well established across many of the identified groups. However, FVP acknowledges that engagement is not static, and improvement work would benefit from regular review and adaptation in response to feedback. Page | 23 Registered Charity No: 1171389 Clear themes have emerged regarding what supports meaningful engagement: 1. Parents engage more readily when activities are child-inclusive, particularly where their children or young people can attend alongside them. 2. Activity-based engagement is preferred over formal, topic-specific focus groups, especially by parents who may lack time, confidence, or previous experience of structured consultation. These insights will continue to inform FVP’s engagement strategy, ensuring that opportunities for participation are accessible, relevant, and responsive to the lived experiences of parent carers from seldom heard communities. ## **COPRODUCTION AND CHANGE** ## Coproduction: Areas of Concern and Progress This is currently an area of concern. From both the Parent Carer Forum (PCF) team perspective and feedback from parent carers, there is a clear sense that the level and consistency of coproduction previously achieved has reduced over time. A number of Topics of Importance remain unresolved, with some responses now more than 2 years overdue, which has impacted confidence and trust in the process. It should be noted that this coincides with a change to team members within the LA in line with the devolution of shared services and a move back to working solely as a Unitary Authority. At present, the most visible and consistent coproduction activity continues within commissioning, particularly in relation to Children with Disabilities services. Outside of this area, opportunities for meaningful coproduction have been more limited. It is important to acknowledge, however, that since the last full annual report there have been several developments in service design and delivery that have been positively received by parent carers. These include changes to the Early Help pathway, notably the removal of the mandated requirement for parents to complete a parenting course as a prerequisite to progressing towards an ASD assessment. In addition, some improvements have been made within Children’s Social Care and Short Breaks, which parents have welcomed. While these changes represent progress, parent carers are clear that learning from lived experience must continue to shape policy and practice through sustained coproduction rather than consultation alone. ## Where Coproduction Has Taken Place The strongest examples of coproduction to date have been observed within: - Services commissioned through the Children with Disabilities group - Involvement in and Development of the SEND & AP Partnership Board These areas demonstrate that effective coproduction remains achievable where early engagement, transparency and shared accountability are embedded. Ongoing Areas for Involvement Page | 24 Registered Charity No: 1171389 Coproduction and parent carer involvement continue, or are intended to continue, within the following priority areas: - SEND & AP Partnership Board - Seldom Heard Community Engagement & Participation - Preparing for Adulthood - Pathways for Health and Neurodevelopmental Assessments - Schools Participation & Engagement Strengthening and formalising coproduction across these workstreams / boards will be critical to rebuilding confidence, ensuring meaningful parental influence, and delivering improvements that reflect the lived experiences of families. ## **ANALYSIS** Analysis of evidence gathered during 2025–2026 identifies a consistent set of themes across engagement activity, surveys and direct parent carer contact. These include reduced parental resilience, limited access to timely support, isolation, long waiting times for assessment and intervention, inconsistent involvement in decision-making, and difficulty accessing clear information. Parent carers of neurodiverse children, particularly where needs are less visible, frequently report feeling blamed or misunderstood by services. Preparing for adulthood continues to present mixed experiences, with some improvements reported alongside ongoing gaps in information and transition support. These themes mirror those identified in previous reporting periods, indicating limited systemwide change in the issues most affecting families. The scale and depth of engagement across the 2025–2026 period demonstrates: - Growing reach into schools and communities - Increased participation from parent carers - Strong demand for face-to-face engagement - Rich qualitative intelligence shaping SEND priorities SEND data collected during this period has directly informed coproduction activity, system monitoring, commissioning discussions and strategic planning, ensuring parent carer voices remain central to SEND development across Peterborough. Based on a detailed review of the survey responses and free-text feedback contained within the dataset, parent carers themselves have put forward a wide range of _practical, experience-led ideas_ about what would make the SEND system more workable, humane and effective. These ideas are remarkably consistent across different surveys, engagement methods and demographic groups. Page | 25 Registered Charity No: 1171389 ## ‑ Early Stage and Peer Support Parent carers repeatedly stated that the beginning of the SEND journey is the hardest, and that early informal support would prevent escalation later. Ideas proposed by parents include: - A peer‑to‑peer befriending model for parents new to SEND, ideally face‑to‑face or by phone - Small, local support groups or coffee sessions where parents can talk openly - Opportunities to hear from other parents who have been through assessments, EHCPs or tribunals - Dedicated sessions for specific groups (e.g. parents of autistic girls, ARFID, PDA, rare conditions) Parents repeatedly described feeling isolated, overwhelmed and “thrown into” SEND with no map. ## Independent Navigation and Advocacy Support Many parents explicitly asked for someone independent to help them navigate systems, especially where confidence, language, disability or mental health barriers exist. Specific ideas raised include: - An independent EHCP navigator at the point of EHCNA request Practical, step‑by‑step help with: - EHCNA and EHCP forms - Benefits forms (DLA, PIP, appointeeship) - Preparing for mediation or tribunal - Advocacy support that is not tied to the local authority or school Parents felt that without this help, only the most confident or persistent families succeed. Clear, Honest Information and Signposting A dominant message across surveys was: “We don’t know what exists until it’s too late.” Parent‑suggested improvements include: - Clear, plain‑English guides covering: - SEND pathways - Assessment timelines - What schools and the LA are legally responsible for - “What to expect next” information at each stage of the journey - Regular updates when processes are delayed (rather than silence) - Hard‑copy resources for families who are digitally excluded Page | 26 Registered Charity No: 1171389 - Translated materials and access to interpreters ## Practical and Financial Support Survey data shows significant financial pressure on families, particularly those with children out of school or with complex needs. ## Parents suggested: - Continued and expanded access to food vouchers and emergency support - Better advice on grants, benefits and discretionary funds - Help with the extra costs of disability, including: - Specialist food - Transport - Sensory equipment - Utility bills due to children being home full‑time - Recognition that families can be in crisis even if they don’t fit standard eligibility criteria ## Respite, Wellbeing and Breaks for Families Parents consistently linked lack of support to burnout and deteriorating mental health. Ideas proposed include: - Regular, planned short breaks (not only crisis support) - More inclusive holiday activities and trips, with: - Trained staff - Clear information - Group travel support for families who don’t drive - Wellbeing activities for parent carers (e.g. wellbeing days, peer spaces) Parents stressed that respite helps families stay together and stable. ## Education and School‑Based Changes Parent carers offered very specific, experience‑led suggestions for schools: - Mandatory, meaningful SEN training for all teaching staff - Better recognition of: - Masking behaviours - Invisible disabilities - Girls and young people who internalise distress - More frequent and transparent communication from schools, not just annual reviews - EHCPs that are specific, up‑to‑date and delivered as written - Greater accountability where provision is not in place Page | 27 Registered Charity No: 1171389 ## Transition and Preparing for Adulthood Transition was repeatedly described as one of the weakest points in the system. Parents asked for: - Earlier and clearer information about post‑16 options - Honest communication about availability of provision - Support to navigate adult social care and benefits transitions - Recognition that transitions affect the whole family, not just the young person ## Engagement Preferences: How Parents Want to Be Involved Parents were clear about how they want to engage: - Flexible session times (evenings/weekends) - A mix of face‑to‑face and online delivery - Short presentations with plenty of time for Q&A and discussion - Smaller groups where parents feel safe to speak - Assurance that feedback leads to action, not just collection ## Key Insight from the Data Across surveys and feedback, parent carers did not ask for complex new systems. They asked for: - Early help, - clear information, - human support, - practical assistance, a - nd to be treated as partners rather than problems. These ideas align strongly with prevention, co‑production and system improvement — and provide a clear parent‑led roadmap for future service development. ## **Parent-Led Recommendations and Current Position** In the previous report, a number of recommendations were made based on direct feedback from parent carers, particularly those new to the SEND system and those experiencing compounded pressures such as poor mental health, financial hardship, and disengagement from services. Analysis of surveys, hub contacts, signposting requests and free-text feedback within this dataset continues to reinforce the relevance and urgency of these recommendations Parent carers consistently identified the following needs: Page | 28 Registered Charity No: 1171389 1. **Face-to-face befriending and peer support** , particularly for parents at the early stages of their SEND journey. Parents highlighted the value of speaking with someone who has lived experience to reduce isolation, improve understanding of processes, and provide clear signposting to trusted sources of support and information. 2. **Targeted benefits advice** , especially in relation to appointeeship, Disability Living Allowance (DLA), and the transition to Personal Independence Payment (PIP). A significant number of parents reported confusion, anxiety, and practical difficulty navigating benefits systems alongside intensive caring responsibilities. 3. **Independent, accessible support to navigate the early stages of the EHCP process** , particularly at the point of requesting an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA). Parents frequently described feeling overwhelmed, unsupported, and unsure of their rights during this stage, with concerns that delays or errors at the outset often have long-term consequences. To date, these recommendations have not yet been implemented in full. Progress has largely remained at discussion stage, and current capacity and resource constraints have meant that delivery of these specific services has not been possible within the reporting period. However, the feedback has not been disregarded. In response to the strength and consistency of parental voice within the data, work has taken place to explore alternative models and delivery options that may achieve similar outcomes in a more sustainable way. These proposals are now under consideration, with the intention of strengthening early support, reducing parent carer stress, and preventing escalation of issues further along the SEND pathway. Parent carers have been clear that early, relational support and clear guidance are critical. Any future development in this area will continue to be shaped by lived experience and ongoing feedback. Page | 29 Registered Charity No: 1171389 ## **– SECTION 2 FAMILY VOICE PETERBOROUGH AS A CHARITY** _To relieve the charitable needs of disabled children and children with complex needs and their families and carers in Peterborough is such ways as the Trustees shall think fit, in particular by the provision of advice, information, support and advocacy_ Page | 30 Registered Charity No: 1171389 ## **Chairs Foreword** This year has been a period of change, focus, and adjustment for the Forum. As the newly appointed Chair, I want to reflect honestly on the challenges we have faced, while recognising the commitment and hard work that has kept parents and carers at the centre of everything we do. Following last year’s developments, the Forum has continued to adapt in response to financial pressures, rising costs, and a changing SEND landscape. Reduced income and increased overheads have required the Board to carefully review staffing hours, office costs, and areas of activity. As trustees, we have made responsible decisions to ensure our limited resources deliver the greatest benefit for the Parent Carer Forum, while maintaining our key goals and statutory purpose. To manage capacity, we are streamlining the work of our parent representatives, focusing on the most impactful workstreams and meetings. Trustees have maintained oversight to ensure our representative role remains effective and aligned with our charitable objectives. As part of this, we have sought more cost-effective office accommodation and are currently relocating. While change can be challenging, it is essential for the Forum’s long-term sustainability and our ability to support families effectively. This report comes at a time when the Forum is actively preparing for the SEND Local Area Inspection and engaging with the ongoing work arising from the SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan (the White Paper). These national changes have placed significant demands on the organisation, requiring a strong focus on gathering, sharing, and representing the views of parents and carers. Managing capacity effectively remains a key priority, ensuring our work is sustainable and continues to deliver meaningful impact. Despite these pressures, the Forum has continued to provide trips, activities, and engagement opportunities for parents and carers. These remain important in reducing isolation, supporting wellbeing, and enabling families to connect with others who share similar experiences. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the staff team, trustees, parent representatives, and volunteers for their dedication, flexibility, and professionalism throughout a challenging year. In particular, I am grateful to the staff team for consistently going above and beyond, especially during times when we have had to review and reduce staff hours as part of managing the Forum’s financial position. Their understanding and willingness to support the organisation through these adjustments has been greatly appreciated, ensuring continuity of support for parents and carers. Looking ahead, the Board remains focused on strong governance, financial sustainability, and delivering high-impact work that aligns with our charitable objectives. We will continue to work collaboratively with partners, ensuring that parent and carer voice remains central to decisions affecting SEND services. Sarah King FVP Chairperson. Page | 31 Registered Charity No: 1171389 ## **Trustees** Amanda Rennie – Trustee: Resigned March 2026 Sarah King – Chair Person: September 2025 onwards Tanya Smith – Treasurer Donna Butler – Trustee Sophie Brace – Trustee Julie Markham – Trustee: Joined December 2025 Laura Elger – Trustee: Joined December 2025 ## **Declarations of Interest** Tanya Smith & Sophie Brace Have Familial Relationship ## **Charity Overview** Family Voice Peterborough (FVP) is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), registration number 1171389. The charity exists to relieve the charitable needs of disabled children and children with complex needs and their families and carers in Peterborough, primarily through the provision of advice, information, support and advocacy. During 2025–2026 the charity continued to operate alongside its role as the Department for Education–designated Parent Carer Forum for Peterborough. Alongside forum responsibilities, FVP delivered targeted engagement and participation activity, including school-based work through the PINS programme, signposting, wellbeing support, and support to families experiencing financial pressure. ## **Governance and Structure** Family Voice Peterborough is governed by a Board of Trustees who are collectively responsible for the strategic direction, governance and financial oversight of the charity. The organisation operates as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation under its constitution. Trustees are appointed in line with the constitution and Charity Commission guidance, with regard to skills, experience and safeguarding requirements. FVP operates safer recruitment processes for trustees, including eligibility checks, role clarification and a probationary period. Trustees are expected to commit a minimum level of time to support effective governance. During 2025–2026 the Board returned to monthly meetings, enabling closer oversight of finance, risk, safeguarding, staffing, assets and forum delivery. Trustees continue to hold some operational responsibility due to the size of the organisation, with responsibilities progressively delegated to staff where appropriate. Page | 32 Registered Charity No: 1171389 ## Risk Statement Risk management is reviewed regularly by the Board, with dedicated consideration given at monthly meetings. Trustees also received basic training relating to organisational health and safety responsibilities. Key areas of identified risk during the reporting period included: 1. Financial sustainability and reliance on restricted funding 2. Organisational capacity and staffing levels 3. Trustee succession, skills and board sustainability 4. Premises management following asset transfer 5. Health, safety and safeguarding 6. External relationships and reputation 7. Human resources and employment responsibilities 8. Equality, diversity and inclusion Risk mitigation actions are recorded and reviewed as part of ongoing governance arrangements. ## Assets and Ownership All assets are held by the CIO in accordance with the charity’s constitution. Contracts and leases are authorised by two trustees where required. ## **Staff 2025 to 2026** Operational management of the charity is the responsibility of the Chief Executive Officer, supported by an Office Manager. Due to funding constraints and changes to the charity’s operating model, the Senior Leadership Team continues to be reduced with no current plans for growth. The leadership team collectively manages a staff group of 9 employees across various roles supporting forum delivery, administration and participation activities. No employee is remunerated above £60,000. Staffing costs are primarily met through restricted grant funding and, previously, income generated from the hire of the community centre. During the reporting period, some staff reduced their working hours and recruitment was frozen to manage financial risk. Cost of living pay increases were applied at the start of the new financial year, with exceptions noted. The Board continued to monitor employer-related risks and sought external advice where necessary. Page | 33 Registered Charity No: 1171389 ## **Volunteers 2025 to 2026** FVP was supported during the year by two active volunteers, alongside ad hoc volunteers contributing to specific activities and projects. Additional practical support was provided by members of the Gambian Community of Peterborough and Compare the Market for Carers Week and Festive Period support. Due to changes in delivery models and variability in volunteer availability, it has not been possible to accurately quantify total volunteer hours for the reporting period. ## **Objectives and Activities** The charity’s objectives remain focused on relieving the needs of disabled children and children with complex needs and their families through advice, information, support and advocacy. Trustees have had due regard to Charity Commission public benefit guidance when planning and delivering activities, and continue to consider social impact and value for money within strategic planning. Activities delivered during the year aligned with these objectives and reflected changing organisational capacity and family needs. ## **– Social Impact and Value Regular Reviewed and Identified in Strategic** ## **Plans** Social impact is understood as the effect of the charity’s activities on the wellbeing of individuals, families and the wider community. During 2025–2026, FVP engaged 224 known parent carers, including 29 fathers, across 65 sessions delivered through a combination of face-to-face and online methods. Engagement included participation activity, school sessions, surveys, signposting, wellbeing support, trips and events. Over 1,000 individuals benefitted from activities and support in some form during the reporting period. Signposting support was provided to 75 parent carers across SEND, benefits, mental health and related areas. The charity’s newsletter and social media platforms continued to support information sharing and engagement, with growing reach across the reporting period. ## **What the data shows about the social value of FVP** FVP creates access where systems are hard to access _Social value: reducing exclusion from services_ Page | 34 Registered Charity No: 1171389 The data shows that many parent carers struggle to access SEND systems independently due to complexity, long waits, poor communication, and their own wellbeing challenges. FVP provides multiple low-threshold entry points into support: - 224 known parent carers engaged during the period - Over 65 formal sessions delivered - 75 parent carers received direct signposting support - Engagement took place through surveys, schools, hubs, trips, food support and informal contact This demonstrates that FVP acts as an **access bridge** between families and systems that would otherwise be difficult or inaccessible, particularly for: - parents experiencing exhaustion or poor mental health - families on low income - families with language, cultural or confidence barriers The social value here lies in preventing further marginalisation, not by replacing statutory services, but by enabling families to reach and navigate them. ## FVP reduces isolation and strengthens social connection _Social value: improving social capital and resilience_ The data repeatedly shows that parent carers experience: - isolation - limited informal support networks - social exclusion linked to disability, poverty, or caring responsibilities FVP’s activities that are _not service-led_ (coffee sessions, hubs, trips, community activities, school sessions) reached over 1,000 beneficiaries when children and adults are counted together. Importantly, evidence shows engagement is stronger when: - children and young people are present - activities are relational rather than consultation-focused This indicates that FVP creates trusted social spaces, which: - reduce isolation - enable peer support - rebuild confidence to engage later in participation or co-production From a social value perspective, this is preventative: reducing crisis escalation, disengagement, and deterioration of parental wellbeing. ## FVP supports parental resilience under sustained pressure Page | 35 Registered Charity No: 1171389 _Social value: mitigating harm to mental wellbeing_ The data consistently shows parental resilience is low: - exhaustion - sleep disruption - stress managing care, education, benefits and health - around 50% of parent carers report their own health or disability (when information is provided) Despite reduced staffing and funding, participation in wellbeing-related activity only fell by around 36%, indicating continued demand and perceived value. Social value here lies in: - practical relief (food support, vouchers, trips) - emotional containment (being heard, validated, believed) - timely information that prevents further harm The evidence does not claim FVP “fixes” wellbeing — but it shows FVP buffers families against further deterioration, which is a significant social outcome in a high-pressure system. ## FVP amplifies lived experience into system awareness _Social value: collective voice and accountability_ The data shows: - 560 survey responses across the year - SEND experience evidence gathered across education, health and social care - formal reporting into PCC, ICB, commissioning and monitoring processes Even where co-production has reduced, FVP still performs a crucial social function: translating individual distress into system-level evidence. This creates social value by: - preventing individual families from carrying the burden of challenge alone - enabling trends and systemic patterns to be identified - informing service improvement conversations with evidence rather than anecdote The value here is not measured by immediate change, but by maintaining a channel for accountability and transparency. ## FVP reaches families who are otherwise least heard _Social value: equity and inclusion_ The data shows engagement with: Page | 36 Registered Charity No: 1171389 - ethnically diverse communities - male carers (29 fathers) - families linked to faith-based groups - families experiencing poverty, housing stress or benefit reliance Importantly, the data moves away from defining “seldom heard” narrowly and shows that: - socioeconomic status - disability of the parent carer - caring complexity are major drivers of exclusion. Social value here lies in who is enabled to participate, not just how many. FVP demonstrably increases the likelihood that families who face multiple barriers are included in participation, support and information flows. ## FVP provides value for money under constrained conditions _Social value: efficient use of limited resources_ From the financial and delivery data: - staffing reduced - community asset removed - high reliance on restricted funding Yet: - engagement numbers remained high - school engagement increased - reach broadened - reliance on low-cost, relational delivery increased This suggests strong social return relative to resource, particularly in: - school-based engagement - survey reach - signposting and early support ## What the data does _not_ claim (and why that matters) The data does not support claims that: - services are consistently improving - co-production is strong across the system - parent carers feel empowered across all domains Page | 37 Registered Charity No: 1171389 This matters, because the social value of FVP is not overstated success — it is truthful system navigation, honest reporting, and sustained support in a context of ongoing difficulty. ## In summary: the social value of FVP, evidenced by the data From the data alone, FVP’s social value can be evidenced as: - **Access** – helping families reach systems they would otherwise struggle to access - **Connection** – reducing isolation and building peer and community support - **Resilience buffering** – mitigating harm to parental wellbeing - **Voice** – turning lived experience into credible system evidence - **Equity** – enabling participation by families least likely to be heard - **Efficiency** – maintaining impact despite reduced resources Crucially, the social value lies not just in activities delivered, but in what happens if FVP were not there — a gap the data strongly suggests would disproportionately affect the most vulnerable families. ## **Financial Review** During 2025/26, Family Voice Peterborough continued to navigate a challenging financial climate, much like many other charities. Trustees have remained positive about the future and are committed to maintaining a balanced financial position. Measures to keep costs down, including staffing adjustments, were put in place. Despite there having been fewer grants and increased competition for funding, trustees continued to actively seek new opportunities to bring in unrestricted income and strengthen the charity’s sustainability. ## **Reserves Statement** The trustees continuously worked to establish sustainability and good governance for the charity and developed various policies and procedures including a reserves policy to facilitate this. The policy established how reserves levels are set and how these relate to unrestricted funds and such levels will be managed. The trustees have historically proposed to maintain the charity’s free reserves at a level which is at least equivalent to six months operational expenditure and three months as a minimum. This year the total reserves decreased to approximately 5 months equivalent of annual running costs, due to a number of factors including a general increase in charity running costs and wages. The policy will require review as the staffing structure changes and operational matters go through further change due to charity sustainability. It will be an ongoing priority of the Trustees to re-look at this as part of the wider business planning focus. ## **Principle Source of Income** The principle source of income for FVP has remained grant funding linked to predefined outcomes. Grants have been allocated by Contact behalf of The Depart for Education (DfE) Peterborough City Council (PCC) and the Integrated Care Board (ICB) as well as The Page | 38 Registered Charity No: 1171389 National Lottery. The total grant income equated to 93% of the charity income which is up 3% from 24/25. Income from sources such has hire from assets (rental) have ceased. Much work has been undertaken to secure other less restrictive grant funding that can be used to build in charity sustainability and enable the charity to explore other unrestricted income streams. ## **Fundraising/ Donations/ Legacies/ Consultancy (Public)** Donations and fundraising netted £8,157 which is approximately the same as the previous year. This was an area the Trustees felt it important to focus on in 25/26year. Any fundraising has been managed under an ethical fundraising policy held by the CIO and as such work relating to joint fundraising falls under this. To demonstrate best practice, the CIO has also self-registered with the Fundraising Regulator. ## **Expenditure** The majority of the charity expenditure was from restricted funds from grants paid in year. 87% of overall expenditure was from restricted funds. This is similar to the previous financial year. The majority of core costs fall into restricted funds expenditure with most staffing covered under restricted funds. The majority of grant expenditure is set against pre-defined outcomes with specific outputs and measured against an outcomes matrix. The DfE grant although for a small amount is a receipted grant, where every receipt has to be allocated and spending has to be strictly kept within predefined budget. The outcomes match the objects of the charity. Expenditure has been on providing families with access to information, advocacy, support and advice; therefore meeting the objects of the charity. ## **Further Details** 1. Staffing costs accounted for 48% of overall expenditure for the charity which is similar to last year. 2. No employee was remunerated at £60,000 or over. 3. The majority of those employed have been parent carers who volunteer extra time to the charity over their contracted hours of employment. All costs relating to employment are linked to grants. ## Accounts Preparation In line with the charity’s constitution and charity accounting guidelines as defined in CC15d ‘charity reporting and accounting: the essentials’ the accounts are prepared under an accruals system and the Trustees have taken the decision to secure the services of a suitably qualified accountant to conduct the accounts returns. Page | 39 Registered Charity No: 1171389 ## **Trustee Statement** Due to the ongoing financial pressures facing the country, the charity continues to operate in unprecedented economic conditions. The Trustees have again decided to produce a more in depth statement outlining the impact on the charity and its beneficiaries. Throughout the year, trustees have focused on maintaining charitable activity while taking necessary steps to manage costs and ensure the charity remains financially sustainable. This has included careful review of expenditure, with difficult but necessary decisions taken to reduce spending on staffing and office space. Time, effort and limited resources continued to be directed towards supporting beneficiaries in ways the trustees felt most appropriate. At the time of writing this annual report, the charity remains in a period of uncertainty due to a number of factors, including the economic impact of ongoing international conflict, rising living costs, the recent increase in the National Living Wage and associated employment on costs, and continued inflation. Trustees have also noted a reduction in grant funding opportunities nationally, alongside increased competition within the voluntary sector, adding further pressure to the charity’s financial position. The needs of the charity’s beneficiaries continue to change and, in some areas, increase, with wider societal pressures impacting on individual mental health and wellbeing. These factors continue to inform the charity’s five year strategy and forward planning. ## Services During the year, the charity delivered services using a blended approach, combining face‑to‑face and hybrid methods in response to demand, capacity and available resources. Trips and activities were well received by beneficiaries, with feedback highlighting their value in reducing isolation, supporting wellbeing and enabling families to connect with others who shared similar experiences. Targeted food support was provided through the distribution of Household Support Fund vouchers and continued throughout the financial year, concluding on 31 March when the locally funded programme ended. This support was operationally managed by staff, with trustees maintaining appropriate oversight of service delivery to ensure activity remained aligned with the charity’s objectives and available resources. ## Staff and Volunteers The year included difficult but unavoidable decisions regarding staffing, as reduced income required a review of working hours to ensure the charity’s financial sustainability. Trustees approached this process with care and sensitivity, recognising the impact such changes can have on individuals. Staff responded with understanding and professionalism, agreeing to reduced hours to help safeguard the Forum’s future. Their flexibility and continued commitment have been vital in maintaining continuity of support for parents and carers. The Forum has also benefited from the support of four dedicated volunteers who have given their time to assist with administrative duties and wider Parent Carer Forum activity. Their contribution has been invaluable in supporting day-to-day operations and helping the Forum continue its work during a challenging year. ## Financial Stability Page | 40 Registered Charity No: 1171389 During the 2025–26 financial year, Family Voice Peterborough continued to operate under significant financial pressure. The funding environment deteriorated further, with fewer grant opportunities available and intensified competition for those that remained. Where funding was secured, it was predominantly short‑term and restricted, limiting flexibility and long‑term planning. The charity faced increased employer and operating costs over the year, which raised the minimum cost of maintaining core delivery. At the same time, demand on services continued to rise, particularly from families requiring ongoing support to navigate SEND systems. This created a sustained imbalance between income levels and service demand. Family Voice Peterborough no longer holds income‑generating assets, removing a former potential source of revenue to offset running costs. In addition, opportunities for fundraising and unrestricted public donations were more limited during the year, further constraining the charity’s financial resilience. As a result, financial pressures during 2025–26 had a direct impact on service delivery, requiring difficult decisions around prioritisation, capacity, and response times. While services were maintained where possible, the charity’s ability to expand provision, respond to emerging needs, or invest in development work was significantly restricted. Maintaining essential support for families throughout the year has relied on careful financial management and the commitment of staff and volunteers. However, the absence of sustainable, longer‑term funding continues to present a serious risk to stability and delivery moving forward. ## Beneficiaries Based on the 2025–2026 local SEND data set and reports only, the overall core themes of lived experience for parent carers in Peterborough are remarkably consistent across surveys, engagement, direct contact, schools work and qualitative feedback. Local lived experience is characterised by sustained exhaustion, constant advocacy, inconsistent support, emotional harm from systems meant to help, and a strong desire for humane, relational and transparent engagement rather than constant crisis management. Key themes identified impacting families are: 1. Sustained parental exhaustion and reduced resilience - a. **Core theme** : Parents are beyond coping, rather than temporarily struggling. - b. The data repeatedly shows that parent carers describe: - i. chronic exhaustion - ii. disrupted sleep - iii. lack of time for self-care - iv. difficulty sustaining everyday household functioning - c. This is not described as a short-term response to crisis, but as a _persistent state_ . Many parents report: - i. caring for more than one child with SEND - ii. caring responsibilities alongside their own disability or health needs Page | 41 Registered Charity No: 1171389 - iii. limited or non-existent informal support networks - d. **Lived experience:** Parents feel they are operating at or beyond the limits of their capacity for prolonged periods, with minimal recovery time. 2. Feeling blamed, judged, or misunderstood by systems - a. **Core theme:** Parents feel positioned as the problem rather than partners. - b. A consistent theme across qualitative feedback is: - i. feeling blamed for their child’s behaviour - ii. being judged as inadequate or failing - iii. being directed toward parenting interventions when seeking SEND support - c. This is most strongly reported by parents of children who: - i. are neurodiverse - ii. have “hidden” or fluctuating needs - iii. mask in school but struggle at home - d. **Lived experience** : Parents describe interaction with services as emotionally damaging, where seeking help increases distress rather than reduces it. 3. Difficulty accessing timely and appropriate support - a. **Core theme** : Help exists in theory, but is delayed, fragmented or obstructed. - b. Parents consistently report: - i. long waits for assessment and diagnosis - ii. delays between identification and support - iii. services refusing or closing referrals - iv. support being withdrawn or reduced at transition points - c. This applies across: - i. education (EHCP processes, inclusion, exclusions) - ii. health (CAMHS, therapies, pathways) - iii. social care (eligibility thresholds, short breaks, transition support) - d. **Lived experience** : Parents feel they must fight continuously to secure support that is legally or clinically expected, with high emotional and administrative burden. 4. Poor information, communication and transparency - a. **Core theme** : Parents don’t know what exists, what to expect, or what happens next. - b. Across the data, parents highlight: - i. difficulty finding information - ii. unclear processes and pathways - iii. inconsistent advice from different professionals - iv. lack of feedback or follow-up - c. This is summed up repeatedly by parents as: - i. “You don’t know what you don’t know.” - d. **Lived experience:** Parents feel excluded from understanding systems that directly affect their child, leaving them anxious, reactive and unsure how to plan or advocate. 5. Inconsistent inclusion and involvement in decision-making - a. **Core theme** : Parental involvement depends on where you live, who you meet, and how persistent you are. Page | 42 Registered Charity No: 1171389 - b. The data shows wide variation in: - i. how much parents are involved in planning - ii. whether their views influence decisions - iii. consistency across schools, services and even within the same child’s journey - c. Some parents report positive relationships; others report complete exclusion from decisions affecting their child. - d. **Lived experience** : Access to meaningful involvement feels arbitrary rather than rights-based, leading to feelings of powerlessness and inequity. 6. Social and emotional isolation - a. **Core theme** : Many parents feel alone in their caring role. - b. Parents frequently report: - i. little or no family support - ii. loss of friendships - iii. reduced ability to work or socialise - iv. isolation compounded by poverty or cultural barriers - c. Isolation is worsened by: - i. children being excluded from mainstream activities - ii. lack of inclusive community spaces - iii. fear of judgement - d. **Lived experience:** Parents describe a shrinking world, where opportunities for connection reduce over time rather than increase. 7. Financial strain linked to SEND and caring - a. **Core theme:** SEND significantly intensifies financial pressure. - b. The data clearly shows: - i. all households accessing at least one benefit - ii. many families combining work with benefits - iii. difficulties navigating DLA/PIP, carers allowance, and housing systems - c. Costs associated with SEND (travel, equipment, loss of income) are reported as contributing directly to stress and reduced wellbeing. - d. **Lived experience** : Financial insecurity is not separate from SEND experience; it is an integral part of it. 8. Mixed and unequal experiences of schools - a. **Core theme:** Schools can be either protective or harmful environments. - b. Parents report: - i. some schools being highly supportive and collaborative - ii. others being dismissive, punitive or exclusionary - c. Key school-related issues include: - i. masking misunderstood as “coping” - ii. SENCO capacity stretched across multiple schools - iii. reliance on reduced timetables, off-rolling or exclusions - iv. poor communication with parents - d. **Lived experience:** A child’s experience – and a parent’s stress level – often hinges on the culture and capacity of a single setting. 9. Ongoing uncertainty around preparing for adulthood Page | 43 Registered Charity No: 1171389 - a. **Core theme** : Transition is feared rather than anticipated. - b. Parents of older children and young people report: - i. limited information about adult services - ii. lack of continuity at transition points - iii. anxiety about loss of support post-18 or post-25 - c. While some improvement is noted compared to previous years, uncertainty remains high. - d. **Lived experience** : Parents fear their child becoming invisible to services just as needs change rather than reduce. 10. Engagement happens when it feels safe and human - a. **Core theme:** Parents engage when they feel welcomed, not assessed. - b. The data shows stronger engagement when: - i. children can attend alongside parents - ii. engagement is embedded in activities rather than formal meetings - iii. food, travel or practical barriers are addressed - iv. parents feel listened to rather than scrutinised - c. **Lived experience** : Trust is built through relationship, consistency and respect—not consultation alone. ## **Forward Plan** The forward plan for the charity focuses on maintaining its core Parent Carer Forum function, sustaining participation and engagement activity, and identifying opportunities to strengthen organisational resilience. Priority areas include: - Parent participation and representation across SEND - Community-based engagement using non-owned premises - Delivery of inclusive activities and events where funding allows - Trustee and workforce development - Effective use of information technology and digital platforms to build in capacity - Refocus on building unrestricted income Strategic planning will continue to be informed by evidence gathered from parent carers and partners. Page | 44 Registered Charity No: 1171389