Parents Voices in Wales CIC is a parent led social enterprise company supporting parents and carers across Wales whose children and young people experience challenges in neurodivergence and mental health.
Ceri Reed founded Parents Voices in Wales in 2018 due to the disconnect between families, education, and statutory services in meeting the needs of children. This led to Parents Voices becoming a stakeholder in the coproduction of the NEST/NYTH Framework, a planning tool to promote whole system working across all Regional Partnership Boards, Health Boards, Local Authorities and Education.
One of the core principles of the NEST/NYTH Framework is empowering people to coproduce their own care and Parents Voices in Wales CIC acts as both conduit and facilitator of coproduction for Gwent Neurodevelopmental Services, working alongside Dr Kavitha Pasunuru, Assistant Divisional Director / Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist.
As part of the coproduction the digital padlet tool has been created by parents and carers to support families whose children or young people have entered the Gwent pathway for neurodevelopmental assessment. The Padlet is a live resource being continually updated to meet the needs of families who wish to learn more about the referral pathway and neurodivergent conditions.
Together Gwent Neurodevelopmental Services and parents and carers work positively and collaboratively to ensure that local services meet the needs of the local population.