Many parents and carers who have children or young people with disabilities or additional needs, can often struggle to find the support that they need to manage on a day to day basis.  Offering a place for support, advice and a friendly ear to listen to you, Family Voice Peterborough are a local independent voluntary group, who are dedicated to improving the lives of those children and young people and their parents and carers.

Shailesh Vara MP recently visited the Family Voice Head Office in Peterborough and met with Louise Ravenscroft, Chief Operating Officer and other members of the team, to learn more about the vital services that they offer to many families within the region.

Family Voice is a registered charity that was established in 2009, and has the support of many organisations including Peterborough City Council and the Department for Education. One of their main functions is to help parent carers become actively involved in informing and shaping the services for children and young people with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) through parent participation.

In addition to these services, Family Voice Peterborough own two caravans which allows them to provide families who they support, with low cost short UK breaks.

Mr Vara said “Organisations like Family Voice Peterborough are so important to many families in Peterborough and the surrounding area. They offer much needed support and comfort and are continually working hard to improve services for those with special needs.

Many parents and carers contact me, seeking help and advice and wanting someone to listen to them, and we are very lucky to have this organisation in our region to offer these services, which can make all the difference to many families lives.”

Photo: Shailesh Vara MP, Louise Ravenscroft, Christine Nicholls & Claudia Dias