Join us at our webinar to explore how to genuinely embed the voices of children, young people, and families within SEND practice

Tuesday 9th December
3 - 4:30pm

Free sign up here

Join us for the fourth instalment in our SEND knowledge sharing webinar series!

Despite coproduction being a cornerstone of the SEND Code of Practice, many professionals across education, health, and social care still struggle to build meaningful partnerships with children, young people and their families. This webinar brings together three leading experts who will share practical strategies, honest reflections, and experience led approaches to making coproduction work in practice.

You'll hear from:

• STEP Swindon's Director, Paul Dobson, who will explore how genuine co-production allows children and young people with special educational needs, as well as those who are neurodivergent, to influence the services that affect their lives.
• A Co-chair of the National Parent Carer Forum, offering perspective on building trust with young people and their families and turning parental expertise into collaborative action.
• A senior local authority SEND professional with multi-authority experience, who will explore systemic barriers to effective coproduction and share what works across different contexts and resource constraints

We'll dedicate time for an anonymous digital whiteboard session where you can share your experiences, challenges, and questions in real-time. Our expert panel will respond to themes and questions throughout the session, creating space for honest dialogue about what really happens in practice.

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Our speakers

Paul Dobson, Director, Swindon STEP

With over 22 years of experience working with children and young people, Paul Dobson is a passionate advocate for youth voice and participation. As the Director of STEP (Swindon), he is dedicated to ensuring that young people are not only heard but truly empowered to shape the world around them.

In his presentation, “Real Voices, Real Change: Co-Producing with Neurodivergent Children and Young People in Swindon,” Paul will explore how genuine co-production allows children and young people with special educational needs, as well as those who are neurodivergent, to influence the services that affect their lives.

By referencing completed co-production projects and case studies, he will illustrate what authentic engagement looks like and how it can go beyond tokenism. This approach not only enhances children’s and young people’s skills and confidence but also improves the quality and responsiveness of the services that support them.

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