## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** **From 1[st ] April 2021 Period start date To 31[st ] March 2022 Period end date Charity name: Kent PACT (Parents and Carers Together) Charity registration number: 1194016** ## **Objectives and Activities** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| ||Para 1.17|To relieve the needs of children and young
people with disabilities and special educational
needs aged between 0 and 25, and their
families/carers, in Kent through:
a) the provision of opportunities for
parents and carers to influence the
decisions that affect their families and to
contribute to developing services that
meet the needs of their families;
b) the provision of advice and support to
parents and carers via forums,
workshops and other means to inform
and empower them about the services
and issues that affect their families;
c) liaising and forming partnerships with
statutory authorities and other agencies
to represent the views of families,
influence positive change in the delivery
of services for children and young
people with disabilities and special
educational needs and ensure the best
possible outcomes for them.| |Summary of the main
activities in relation to those
purposes for the public
benefit, in particular, the
activities, projects or services
identified in the accounts.|Para 1.17 and
1.19|•
Business plan submitted to the Local
Education Authority to enable us to
create a staff team able to deliver our
objectives across Kent which is a vast
area with over 18000 families having
children or young people with an
Education Health and Care Plan
•
3 year funding agreed, staff recruited,
registered as an employer and engaged
employment support through
Shoosmiths (formerly Lex Leyton)
•
We have built strong professional
relationships with strategic partners
with the Local Authorityand the Kent &| ||Medway Clinical Commissioning Group| |---|---| |•|Due to restrictions of Pandemic, we| ||have run campaigns through social| ||media to grow membership and increase| ||our reach.| |•|We have created 15 Facebook Closed| ||Groups to enable parents to ask| ||questions, share experiences and| ||provide feedback on hot topics| |•|We also have a group for other| ||professionals and support groups within| ||the SEND arena to share information,| ||ideas or seek opinions from our| ||members| |•|We were able to hold a delayed face to| ||face launch event where parents could| ||hear from some of our strategic partners| ||within the Local Authority SEND| ||Directorate and the local CCG as well as| ||attend a marketplace featuring services| ||available to support families of children| ||and young people with SEND| |•|Our AGM followed a similar format with| ||speakers and a marketplace focused on| ||Post 16 transition| |•|We have held one round of Parent| ||Participation Training to enable parents| ||to represent the views of others with| ||our strategic partners| |•|We have held virtual coffee mornings to| ||enable parents to share experiences and| ||knowledge| |•|We have run a series of Meet the| ||Professional sessions virtually to enable| ||parents to engage directly with| ||members of the SEND Team from the| ||local authority| |•|One staff member and one trustee have| ||received training to enable them to| ||conduct quality assurance reviews on| ||EHCPs for the local authority| |•|We have represented parents at all the| ||SEND Improvement Board meetings this| ||year| |•|We have represented parents at| ||quarterly DfE reviews of progress| ||towards the local authority’s Written| ||Statement of Action| |•|In response to widespread parental| ||concern, we raised the issue of SEND| ||Transport at SEND Improvement Board| ||level. Highlighting to senior Directors| ||issues that they had previously been| ||unaware of.| |•|Following this we have worked closely| |---|---| ||with the three areas that are involved in| ||agreeing and allocating transport to| ||improve services and communications| ||with parents| |•|We conducted a virtual Q&A around| ||transport with the Service Manager on| ||behalf of parents. This was| ||subsequently released on our YouTube| ||channel to encourage wider| ||engagement| |•|We took the voice of parents to a| ||Cabinet Meeting regarding Transport| |•|We have been involved in representing| ||parent views to the Formal Investigation| ||which is currently underway| |•|For this work, we received a| ||Healthwatch Recognition Award| |•|We have sat on Stakeholder Interview| ||Panels for senior positions within the| ||KCC SEND Directorship and the local| ||health authority, helping to ensure| ||people appointed to decision making| ||posts listen to the voice of parents| |•|We have worked on Kent’s Co-| ||Production Charter, the local SEND| ||Strategy, the Mainstream Core| ||Standards and the County Approach to| ||Inclusive Education documents. Again,| ||ensuring parent views are considered| |•|We have co-produced Kent’s Local Offer,| ||working to ensure it is presented in a| ||parent friendly way and that information| ||is easy to find| |•|We have worked with the KCC| ||Communications Department to review| ||letters and documents sent to parents| ||ensuring they are less corporate and| ||easier to understand| |•|We have co-produced mandatory| ||training for all staff working within the| ||SEND Department at the Local Authority| |•|We were identified within a joint bid to| ||NHS England by KCC and the CCG to| ||recruit, employ and manage a team of 4| ||Peer Associates as part of the Key| ||Worker Project supporting families of| ||children with SEND and Mental Health| ||difficulties| |•|The role of the Peer Associates is to| ||support the families as they approach| ||crisis and are at risk of their child being| ||hospitalised under Tier 4 support. They| ||attend meetings, visit families, offer| ||telephone support and help children to| ||re-engage with their education. The aim| |||is to reduce the number of children and
young people with SEND facing a mental
health admission| |---|---|---| |Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit|Para 1.18|The Trustees can confirm that they have taken
regard to the guidance contained in the Charity
Commission’s general guidance on public benefit| ## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Policy on grant making|Para 1.38|| |Policy on social investment
including program related
investment|Para 1.38|| |Contribution made by
volunteers|Para 1.38|In this, our first year our trustees have
volunteered a considerable amount of their time
and expertise to ensure Kent PACT could meet
its objectives and operate strong financial
control over its funds. Also to ensure all
relevant employment law has been complied
with taking professional advice as necessary| |Other||| ## **Achievements and Performance** SORP reference |Summary of the main
achievements of the charity,
identifying the difference the
charity’s work has made to
the circumstances of its
beneficiaries and any wider
benefits to society as a
whole.|Para 1.20|See bullet points under Summary of Main
Activities. All of this work has led to the Parents,
carers and families of children and young people
with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
within Kent having an effective forum that can
take their views to the highest level where they
can be heard and taken into consideration when
services are planned and policies are set.| |---|---|---| ## **Additional information (optional)** ## You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |Achievements against
objectives set|Para 1.41|| |---|---|---| |Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set|Para 1.41|| |Investment performance
against objectives|Para 1.41|| |Other||We are proud to have received some positive
feedback from the parents and carers we serve
as well as our professional strategic partners and
wish to share some examples here:
•
As a health partner, your representation
at the EHCP appreciative inquiry audit
for health advice and being a member of
the interview panel at the Deputy DCO
positions have been invaluable. The
voice of parents is pivotal but the
movement towards having you as an
equal partner in everything that we do,
has been such a positive shift in culture.
(from the DCO Kent & Medway Quality,
and Safeguarding Directorate. NHS Kent
& Medway Clinical Commissioning
Group)
•
From Parents:| |-|I am under no illusion this will|I am under no illusion this will| |---|---|---| ||change|tomorrow but a collective| ||pressure from a group like this can|| ||gradually make the voice of parents|| ||heard.|| |-|I stand back and applaud the help I|| ||have gotten from a system and|| ||forums|such as yours.| |-|Without Kent PACT although it is not|| ||for individual families or cases,|| ||without it we wouldn’t have a voice|| ||as a whole. So thank you and|| ||continue your great efforts.|| |From the Corporate Director for Children, Young||| |People and|Education KCC|| ||-|I am writing to express my| |||sincere thanks to you and all| |||the other parents at Kent| |||PACT who have engaged so| |||readily with us at KCC during| |||the course of the pandemic.| |||The last 12 months have| |||been incredibly challenging| |||for all of us, none more so| |||than for parents of children| |||and young people with| |||SEND. The way you have| |||worked with us throughout| |||this time has been| |||incredible, given the other| |||demands on your time. You| |||have helped us in our| |||improvement work to| |||understand parents’| |||perspectives better, and| |||also reached out to other| |||parents to hear their views| |||and then represent them to| |||us. You have done this| |||while also building a new| |||parents organisation from| |||scratch, and managing the| |||huge demands of your own| |||children and families at this| |||most challenging of times.| |||You have done this with| |||good humour, honesty and| |||integrity and many long| |||hours of work in your own| |||time. Thank you and all the| |||other parents in PACT very| |||much – I am very grateful| |||for your work, and I am sure| |||all parents of children and| |||young people with SEND are| equally grateful. ## **Financial Review** |**Financial Review**||| |---|---|---| |Review of the charity’s financial
position at the end of the
period|Para 1.21|The Trustees feel the charity is in a strong
position at the year end. Forecasts were robust
and spending has been rigorously monitored.
The DfE grant was spent in accordance with the
rules and there is no reason to believe our
application for this year’s grant will not be
successful. The KCC funding has been agreed for
a 3 year period. We plan to begin negotiations
in October of this year (mid way through year 2)
to secure further funding. The Key Worker
project is a closely monitored by the overall
project team and reported to NHS England.| |Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|Trustees believe it is prudent to hold reserves to
cover salaries and other expenses for at least 3
months.| |Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|| |Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para 1.22|| |Details of fund materially in
deficit|Para 1.24|| |Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern|Para 1.23|| |**Additional information (optional)**
Youmay choose toincludefurtherstatements||whererelevant about:| |The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)|Para 1.47|The Department for Education
Kent County Council SEND Directorate
Kent & Medway CCG with KCC through NHSE
Fundraising: Nurture Community Group
ASDA green tokens
ACUIT| |Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted|Para 1.46|Kent PACT does not intend to invest funds – our
principal income streams are directly to cover
salaries and other expenses. Any fund raising is
small and used to the benefit of our members
such as the provision of Wellbeing Packs during
the Pandemic.| |A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|Para 1.46|The principal risk is that funding from the DfE or
KCC is not renewed.| |Other||| ## **Structure, Governance and Management** |Description of charity’s
trusts:||| |---|---|---| |Type of governing document
(trust deed,royalcharter)|Para 1.25|Constitution| |How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association,CIO)|Para 1.25|Charitable Incorporate Organisation| |Trustee selection methods
including details of any
constitutional provisions e.g.
election to post or name of
any person or body entitled
to appoint one or more
trustees|Para 1.25|Any member can indicate that they would like to
become a trustee. Trustees are voted in by
members.| ## **Additional information (optional)** ## You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |Policies and procedures
adopted for the induction and
training of trustees|Para 1.51|| |---|---|---| |The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the
charity works|Para 1.51|| |Relationship with any related
parties|Para 1.51|| |Other||| ## **Reference and Administrative details** |Charityname|Kent Parents and Carers Together| |---|---| |Other name the charityuses|Kent PACT| |Registered charitynumber|1194016| |Charity’s principal address|The Howard de Walden Centre
Bluett Street
Maidstone
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20|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year **|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee (ifany)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||Alison White|Chair||| ||Fiona Handscombe|Vice Chair||| ||Clare Winwood|Secretary||| ||Aylee Richmond|Treasurer||| ||Sharon King|||| ||Brian Griggs|||| ||Kim Daniels||Appointed to join
trustees at AGM 24/5/22|| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| ## – Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved **Director name** Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity **Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year** ## **Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others** Description of the assets held in this capacity Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets ## **Additional information (optional)** ## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)** **Type of Name Address adviser** ## **Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)** Kent PACT employees Mrs Vicky Edwards as Operations Manager ## **Exemptions from disclosure** Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details ## **Other optional information** Resubmission of Annual Report following discussion with Charities Commission regarding human error in transferring information between submitted documents and Commission reporting questions. ## **Declarations** ## **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.** **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** _SKing_ **Signature(s)** Mrs Sharon King **Full name(s) Position (eg Secretary,** Trustee **Chair, etc) Date 24/03/2024.** ## **211194016** ||||£|£| |---|---|---|---|---| |Income|KCC|Grants|138265.00|| ||Space 2 Be Me|Grant|12577.63|| ||Contact A Family (DfE)|Grant|15408.79|| ||Ian Community (Nurture)|Donation|740.00|| ||Acuit|Donation|500.00|| ||Canon Europa|Donation|500.00|| |||||167991.42| |||£||| |Expenses|Salaries|71609.78||| ||PAYE|9480.57||| ||NEST Pension|2563.08||| ||HR|2365.42||| ||Staff training|266.73||| ||Postal address|25.00||| ||Software|4779.06||| ||Stationery and marketing|2296.70||| ||Postage|44.23||| ||Hardware|6758.33||| ||Telephone|2905.10||| ||Travel|1177.45||| ||Events|749.05||| ||Quadrant meetings|661.36||| ||Susbcriptions / fees|200.00||| ||Parent training|550.00||| ||Insurance|665.28||| ||DBS checks|57.50||| ||Bank charges|80.00||| ||Website|2138.20||109372.84| |Excess||||58618.58| ||Balance at bank|||58618.58| CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trustees Kent Parents and Carers Together On accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022 Charity no (if any) 1194016 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ('the Trust") for the year ended As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ("the Act"). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. Independent IThe charity's gross income exceeded £250,000 and l am qualified to examiner's statement undertake the examination by being a qualified member of [insert name of applicable listed body]]. Delete [ ] if not applicable. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below") which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair, view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply, Date: 2410412024 Responsibilities and basis of report Signed: Name: Andrew Kite Relevant professional qualification(s) or body Fellow of the Institute of Accountants and Bookkeepers, Fellow of the International Association of Accounting Professionals, ICPA (Fellow) Oct 2018 IER (if any): Address: Lombard House, 12-17 Upper Bridge Street, Canterbury, CT12NF Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose, There are no items to disclose. IER Oct 2018