The event, hosted by the PODS (Parents Opening Doors) Parent Carer Forum, will be held at the Ramada Hotel in Telford on July 4 and aims to give parent carers the opportunity to have their voices heard at the highest level.

The Question Time panel members will include Telford and Wrekin Council commissioner for vulnerable people, Sam Ives, and service delivery managers as well as Simon Wellman from the SEND 0-25yrs team and Debbie Lloyd from the council’s early help and support team.

On the health panel will be David Evans, Chief Officer of Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Catherine Smith, Designated Clinical Officer, and Vicki Pike, Women and Children’s commissioner for the CCG.

Jayne Stevens, participation co-ordinator at the forum, said: “This is an opportunity for parent carers to feel they are part of something that is actioning change and share their experiences first hand

“It is also an opportunity to meet the whole PODS team and find out what we have been up to in the last 12 months, meet other parent carers to share ideas and experiences and hear about about our upcoming inclusive family trips and events.

Families will also hear an update on the Face 2 Face befriender scheme, which offers parent carers emotional and practical peer to peer support hosted by PODS.

Shana Weare, Face 2 Face scheme co-ordinator, will also be holding a taster session in Lego based therapy for attendees to engage in.

PODS, which provides a variety of support for families in the Telford and Wrekin area, celebrates its 10-year anniversary in 2018, and is on the lookout for new trustees to lend their support to the project.

“We are delighted to have been working with local families for 10 years and we will be holding a number of events to celebrate,” added Jayne.

“We have had such great support as a project right from the start with help from Telford and Wrekin Community Voluntary Service, and have managed to boost our offerings by securing two Big Lottery grants totalling more than £630,000 over the past six years.

“We have so many wonderful volunteer parent reps, befrienders and supporters who we are so grateful to, but we are now looking for new trustees to help us steer our way through the next 10 years of success and growth.”

If you would like to attend the forum please register here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/question-time-panel-with-lahealth-incorporating-our-agm-tickets-47146039072

For more information about PODS and upcoming events visit https://www.podstelford.org/