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Welcome to the PAT Parent's Forum

WHAT WE WANT...

Hello! Welcome to the PAT Parent's Forum!

This is a forum run by parents for all parents who have children with disabilities. You will find a resource directory here too. 8 out of 10 families with disabled children say they are at breaking point. Only 6% of familes get support from Social Services. You can tell us about your own situation if you click here for our parent survey.

Some of our children may look a bit different; some might behave differently; some of them have special educational needs; some also have chronic or incurable illnesses; some of them have sensory impairment; some will have physical disabilities; some of our children live with more than one of these difficulties at the same time; and sadly, some are also in need of end-of-life care.

Each of these marvelous children is different and they are all special! Each of our children is an individual person in their own right. Each child is entitled to the same human dignity and respect that we expect for ourselves and from each other.

All our children rely on us to do our best! We are their proud parents! Every disabled child matters.

Click here to find contacts and resources. We hope that this website will be a place where all parents can find out about how to be:

A more effective champion for our children and families; A more effective advocate for ourselves and for each other; A more effective citizen able to make more informed choices; And, a more effective customer for all the services that our families need; every disabled child matters!

To find out how to join PAT just click here.

Click here to meet the team or visit our Chat Room. For late breaking news and announcements just click here.

To get a load off or to have your say why not visit the PAT parent BLOG. And finally....for more information about PAT why not have a look at our principles and values.

WHAT WE WANT...

What we want for our children and families...

We want our children and our families to matter. We want a dedicated key-worker for every disabled child and we want all disabled children and their families to get the right services and support – no matter where they live.

What we want for our communities and schools...

We want our children to be included in every aspect of creating the kind of society they need BUT we also want to transform short sighted thinking that leads to one-size-fits-all services and amenities. We want an education system that meets the needs of each child and enables each one to fulfill their own full potential.

What we want from government...

We want commitment to quality of life and equality of opportunity for every child in the country. We want poverty amongst disabled children and their families to be cut by 50% by 2010 and eliminated by 2020.

What we want from Local Authorities...

We want local Councils to implement the Local Authority Charter for Disabled Children in full partnership with parents. We want each local authority department to hold themselves accountable to parents for the quality of the services they deliver for our families. We want complete transparency and accountability in the way that all services are planned, commissioned and delivered. We want these children's services to be delivered on the basis of best practice.

What we want from ourselves and for each other...

We want genuine partnership with the professionals who deliver services for our families that is based on respect and true equality.

WHAT WE DO....

The PAT parent drop-in is available from 09:00 to 12:00 on Mondays at 75 Seaforth Road, Seaforth, Liverpool, L21 3TX.

Advocacy appointments are also available by arrangement, telephone 0151 286 3073 or you can click here to email gardinerl@hotmail.co.uk

Local Action...

We represent parents and help to consult, mobilise, organise and advocate with parents and their families. PAT is also a member of the CVS Community Empowerment Network, Advocacy Forum and the Forum for Health and Social Care.

Regional Action...

We represent parents within regional networks to build action alliances, and to achieve our common objectives. Currently we are supporting the Cheshire and Merseyside Child Health Development Programme to introduce a GP Kitemarking scheme so that local GPs will work to common standards of care for disabled children. We have been lobbying MPs to support a common platform including the right to respite breaks for parents and carers and the right to a key worker for every disabled child.

National Action...

We represent local parents in national campaigns to improve the lives of parents and families and especially parents with disabled children. We are supporting the campaign to End Child Poverty. We also support the Every Disabled Child Matters coalition. The successful PAT letter writing campaign has resulted in both the Local Authority and NHS Primary Care Trust agreeing to adopt a Charter of principles for Children's Services.