Piloting a new service for SEND parents and carers: interview with Suzy Jennings
KIDS recently launched our new Family Support Online service, which supports parents/carers of children and young people with SEND. We interviewed Suzy, who leads the project, to gain an insight into her work.
Can you introduce yourself?
I’m Suzy Jennings, Head of Business Development at KIDS. My role is to lead the development of Family Support Online as a new offer from KIDS, which we hope will help us reach many more families across England.
How did Family Support Online begin?
The project comes from parents and carers telling us that they need specialist support to help them navigate the health, social care and education system surrounding children and young people with SEND.
KIDS went through a process of developing different solutions for the problems parents and carers were facing, and from that the idea of an online advice, support and information service was born.
How does this service bridge a gap in the market?
On one hand we’ve got the free-to-access information and advice services, many of which are overwhelmed with demand. On the other are the specialist professionals who offer specific expertise in areas such as law, counselling or advocacy. Our service aims to sit in the middle.
KIDS wanted to develop a service that anyone in England could access, regardless of condition or disability. With Family Support Online, parents and carers can now access practical and emotional support from specialists who understand the challenges they face and can help them navigate the system.
What has been your biggest challenge working on this project?
My biggest challenge is reaching the people who might need it. This includes parents and carers who don’t know who KIDS are and aren’t already accessing our services. They don’t run in our networks so it’s harder to reach them.
What has been your biggest success?
My biggest success so far has been getting the service from concept to launch and providing expert advice and support to our first client.
What have you learnt while working on this project?
I‘ve learnt that there is a huge commitment from KIDS to provide the support so many people need.
While there is funding available in pockets around the country, there is inconsistency in the quality and accessibility of that support. KIDS is committed to finding a solution so we can fill that chasm of need, so to speak.
How does it feel to be part of that?
I feel enormously proud and privileged to be part of this project and to be working with my colleagues at KIDS to deliver it. I also feel a huge sense of responsibility to make it successful so it’s providing the support that people need, when they need it.
What are your future aspirations for Family Support Online?
I want the people who need our service to know it’s available – that our Specialists are ready to take their calls, answer their emails, and help them with whatever challenge they're facing.
Our next step is to develop online training courses for parents and carers so they can access live training sessions in group settings, as well as being able to access the 1:1 support Family Support Online currently offers.
Any final words?
Developing Family Support Online has very much been a team effort from many people at KIDS. It’s been a great experience to work within an organisation that is so committed to delivering the best support for parents, carers, children and young people in England.