At Bright Futures, we are committed to ensuring that the people we support and educate have the best wrap-around support from all those in their life. That’s why our specialist teams regularly work with parents and families to offer additional support and advice, giving them access to our specialist knowledge and external partners so that the support, tools and strategies that help them to thrive aren’t limited to the classroom but continued at home as well.
Last week our schools and external partners came together to host our annual Parent and Family Conference. Designed with families in mind, the event was scheduled around school drop-off and pick-up times to make attending as accessible as possible. The day began with a relaxed drop-in session, giving families the opportunity to connect with our teams and partner organisations at their own pace, before moving into two interactive workshops.
Shine Therapy delivered a session on communication, while our school Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) team shared practical strategies and insights to help families better understand and support their child’s needs at home and beyond.
Families were introduced to a range of practical strategies, resources and advice from our experienced teams that can be used at home to support and develop communication skills, understand the reasons behind behaviour and promote positive outcomes and support regulation, independence and participation in everyday activities.
Laura Randles, Assistant Head at Willow Tree Park and the School’s dedicated PBS Lead, led the workshop on Positive Behaviour Support, which proved invaluable for families. The session covered practical behaviour strategies families could use within the home environment, helping them to develop and understanding of the reasons behind behaviour and developing consistent approaches between home and school The session saw many families signing up to receive further individual support and guidance on how to implement Positive Behaviour Support strategies at home.
Families were able to speak to a variety of our specialist teams across Bright Futures about a range of topics, including EHCP Support and Information, puberty and relationships and transitions to adulthood and post-16. They also had the opportunity to learn more about our Care offer. Our referrals and transition team ran a stand for families considering their next steps after education, and how our residential Care offer supports those who live with us to develop independence, life skills and confidence.
We were also joined by Warrington Borough Council who discussed the support services available to families, as well as our Speech and Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy partners, Shine Therapy, who delivered engaging stands and workshops providing valuable sensory strategies, practical ideas and personalised advice.
Parents were also given the opportunity to share feedback on their experiences, celebrate successes and discuss ideas for future parent events, helping us to continually improve the support we provide to families.
“I truly cannot fault Bright Futures, you are progressive and adaptive. The team are always so caring, knowledgeable and supportive.” – Parent
“My son is very happy and doing really well. As parents, we couldn’t be happier. We appreciate the help and support from all the team.” – Parent
It was great to receive so much positive feedback on the support our schools provide and how much the families we work with value the work they do.
