Ms Caroline Canton:

On the family forums we have been actively helping the CHOs and CDNTs get their family forums up and running. We have had workshops for children disability network managers on how to get them moving. This Friday we will have an online session with facilitators. Each CHO is looking for an independent facilitator for the family forums. This is very important in order that it is balanced for families and they feel they can take part.

Some have certainly got going already and CHO 6 is well advanced. Almost all of its family forums have had their first meeting. There might be one or two still to go. Other CHOs have them in line. They certainly are all working on this and are aware it is very important. We really want to get the family forums up and running so that families have a chance to get together, ask their questions of the children's disability network managers and start the process of looking at co-design and their ideas of what would improve services. We need to involve parents. They are the ones who know what is needed.