Coproduction in Action – Wirral’s SEND Preparation for Adulthood Event

Back at the beginning of October, Wirral’s first SEND Preparation for Adulthood Festival took place at the Floral Pavillion. More than 500 local people came along to find out about the support available for families and SEND young people across Wirral!

The marketplace hosted more than 50 stalls offering a wide range of services and advice. The event was a great opportunity to network for not just parents/carers but also service providers. Many of those who attended on the day told us that one of the best things about the event was finding out about services that they hadn’t come across before. Stallholders told us that they appreciated the opportunity to meet and collaborate with other service providers, helping to create better sign posting for clients and families. 

It was fantastic to see people of all ages, exploring the numerous opportunities and resources available them in order to prepare for their own adulthood journey.

Wirral’s Mayor opened the event in the theatre, introducing the first of many talks and presentations that were live streamed for those who couldn’t attend in person. The talks were insightful and offered valuable guidance for all.  The day ended in a fitting way with a dance performance by SEND Youth Voice Group. A performance that they choreographed themselves. 

Councillor Paul Stewart, Leader of Wirral Council, attended the festival, meeting local families and young people. Commenting on the event, he said: “Accessing the right support at the right time is vital in helping young people feel confident about their future – especially in the case of our young people with SEND. Whether it’s entering the world of work, education opportunities, living independently or more, young people with SEND can conquer any challenge they may face, with the right preparation making things a whole lot easier.” 

The festival was co-produced by Parent Carer Participation (PCPW), SENDIASS and partners at Wirral Council and the NHS. Now that the dust has settled and all involved have had time to reflect on the event, we caught up with some of the organisers to ask them about their experiences of coproduction and how they felt it went.

 Colleagues at Wirral Council and the NHS all felt that it was a positive experience. The opportunity to have input from all of the partners was useful in shaping what the festival would look like. There was a sense of togetherness with a shared vision throughout the process of putting the event together, and all parties were committed to making it a success!

For PCPW, the different people and agencies involved in producing the festival, and all of the varied perspectives and ideas that they brought, really added value to the event. We felt that everyone’s ideas were listened to and all involved were positive and supportive. 

The group felt that bringing everyone together with a focus on producing the festival had a ripple effect as we shared knowledge and ideas, with not only the event itself benefitting but also the wider work being carried out by the different groups and agencies. 

Talking about the event, Cath Griffiths, Chair of PCPW, said: “It was a true piece of co-production from the outset. It was such a positive experience and the whole journey was really enjoyable.” 

“It showed us that true coproduction can’t just be done in a meeting room for an hour or two. It takes time and relationship building for it to be valuable. This event gave us an example of how this can be done from the ground up.” 

Click here to read more about the SEND Preparation for Adulthood Festival and to watch the talks that took place on the day.