Parent Carer Voice Herefordshire (PCVH) is a community group of parent carers, and for partner carers. The parents behind this group are well aware of the joys, challenges, and realities of raising a child with additional needs, as it is something they are living every day. United by their shared experiences, the group exists to make sure that the voices of families across Herefordshire are heard. Debbie Hobbs, the Strategic Lead of PCVH, caught up with us for more following its recognition with this award. Best Parent Carer Support Organisation 2026 – Herefordshire Working closely with families, schools, health services, local authorities, and community organisations, everything that Parent Carer Voice Herefordshire does is to make a positive difference for children and young people with SEND. PCVH offers a number of ways for families to get involved, from surveys and focus groups to information events, workshops, and support sessions. Parents also get the chance to share their experiences, access useful information, and connect with others who understand their journey. Behind PCVH is the belief that every family’s story is worth listening to, and that the best support can only be created when families and professionals work together as equals, in a process known as co-production. This belief, along with the core values of kindness, inclusion, honesty, respect, and collaboration, guides the organisation at every turn. Debbie added: “At the end of the day, we’re passionate about creating a stronger, more inclusive community where children and young people with SEND, and their families, can thrive.” As it takes the time to listen, build relationships, and make sure parent carers feel both valued and supported, PCVH lives its difference, which is simply that it comprises parents who have experienced the challenges they speak of first-hand. Having sat through the frustrations, filled in the forms, fought for support, and experienced the highs and lows, families know that these Parent Reps genuinely understand what it is they are going through. Since it is part of the local SEND community, PCVH has the kind of authenticity that cannot be manufactured. It advocates for support and services in the area with a genuineness that families can really get behind, and the fact that it works with (never for) the likes of local authorities, health commissioning bodies, and social care providers means it acts as the voice of the people – influencing and informing the provisions and services accessed by the children, young people, and families who all fall into this category. Whilst it remains a small organisation run by parent carers, mainly as volunteers, Debbie spoke of the significant growth PCVH has achieved over the last few years. This includes the number of families it has worked with, but also the influence parent carers have in shaping how services are introduced and accessed across Herefordshire. Debbie explained: “Our community has grown from under 1,000 engaged members to more than 2,400, giving us an even stronger platform to represent the voices of families and drive positive change.” As the SEND landscape continues to change at a rapid pace, driven mainly by a focus on inclusion within mainstream education, more families are seeking support, assessments, and the specialist provisions available to them. This has put pressure on education, health, and local authority services across the country, and Herefordshire is no different. As a result, families want to feel more involved in shaping the services to ensure they are as beneficial as possible, thus aligning them with PCVH. Reflecting both on these developments and their impact moving forwards, Debbie told us in closing: “We’re seeing a growing recognition that better outcomes happen when families, professionals, and services work together. That’s encouraging, and it’s something we hope continues to develop both here in Herefordshire and across the wider Midlands region.” Ultimately, the message Parent Carer Voice Herefordshire wants to stress is that when families are listened to, believed, and included as equal partners, lives can change. That belief is what drives this parent carer forum in Herefordshire as it advocates for co-production and a parent voice in SEND services. More on its work across everything from neurodivergent support and diagnosis to managing special education needs and disabilities across the county can be found by visiting Parent Carer Voice Herefordshire at the web address below. “We believe that every community member has a role to play in shaping our future. Join us in our mission to foster connections and drive positive change in our neighbourhoods. Your voice matters!” Contact: Debbie Hobbs Company: Parent Carer Voice Herefordshire Web Address: https://pcvh.co.uk/
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