 Welcome to PFAN’s February Newsletter Last year as Covid-19 gripped the world, families scrambled to meet the needs of not just their children. For families in poverty, the challenges they faced amplified. For many families on the edges of poverty, the tenuous financial balance they fought to maintain was lost. For our most vulnerable, the years of austerity cut support services were further annihilated. Across the country, many families apart from their children through child protection systems, found new hurdles growing up like a jungle around them as they tried to move forward to reunify their families. These heartbroken families, already facing isolation and stigma have been continuing to find ways to adapt to a world gone virtual. PFAN’s journey into trying to better understand the challenges parents and families were facing since lockdown began with a consultation, in partnership with NFJO, with parents involved in remote Family Court hearings due to coronavirus restrictions. PFAN found that parents had severe problems with their legal representation and felt their hearings were inhumane and unfair. Read the full report here. Since this consultation, PFAN has been busy supporting families and raising awareness of the need to include the voices of those with lived experience in the decisions and development of services that impact them and their families. February saw parent leaders at PFAN engaged in discussions with the United Nations 59th convenining Multi-stakeholder Forum during the Commission for Social Development, the Association of Child Protection Professionals, and at conferences and more. Read more to find out they had to say.  Lived experience as a parent advocate speaking about the C P system and the effect of poverty in 2021 Francesca Crozier-Roche’s presentation on 15-01-2021 to the Association of Child Protection Professionals’ conference Child Poverty: Rising levels during Covid-19 and impact on child protection cases. Shared best practice for 2021. Read more here  Behind the Screen Tammy Mayes’ presentation to the ATD Fourth World UN Webinar “Behind the Screen: Grassroots Experiences Accessing Social Services and Education in a Digital World.” Read more here  Why we need digital inclusion Taliah Drayak’s presentation on the 12 February 2021 to the United Nation’s Commission for Social Development during the Multi-stakeholder Forum on “Socially just transition towards sustainable development: the role of digital technologies on social development and well-being of all” Read more here  Welcome to the Toolkit for Transformation Webinar Building an international parent-led movement fighting for families affected by child welfare If you are interested in learning more about parent advocacy around the world – look no further than the International Parent Advocacy Network’s Toolkit for Transformation. In this toolkit webinar, you will hear from just a few of the parent leaders who contributed towards the creation of the Toolkit for Transformation. Please visit Home (parentadvocacy.net) where you will find information and resources that parent advocates and their allies around the world have created. This toolkit is a labour of love and hope co-created by IPAN and Rise. Please also take a moment to fill in our survey at the bottom of the toolkit, which will help us improve the toolkit going forward. You can watch the webinar recording here.  PFAN is developing a resource for parent advocacy support. If you belong to or know of an organisation or support service that provides advocacy or support for parents who have children in care or on the edges of care – please contact us so that we can add this service to our map. Thank you for your help. Together we are stronger!  Mother’s Day is a time that is especially hard for many. The media portrays a one size fits all image with heavy expectations of perfection. This is a very hard time for anyone apart from their child/children. Hence Parents Families and Allies Network – PFAN and All Together in Dignity /ATD Fourth World come together to make a safe space where mothers can enjoy some time in a welcoming community and be reminded that you are valuable as a mother and a person. If you know a mother apart from her children who would like to attend please share the following event. |
 Nuffield Family Justice Observatory have launched a consultation seeking views from parents, family members and professionals on stand-alone supervision orders and their use in care proceedings. The survey takes 10-15 minutes to complete. Please take part here.  The FRG has a newly updated free guide for families with a child in the care system during this pandemic. It explains the legal provisions. It sets out ways parents can keep in contact with, & support, their children while Covid-19 restrictions are in place. For more information click here or here. Visit our website Join our mailing list |