S.P.A.C.E. – STAKEHOLDER PARENT AND CARER ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS

Stakeholder Parent and Carer Engagement (S.P.A.C.E.) meetings are giving families a strong and influential voice in shaping services and policy across Wales.

What began as a small gathering of four parents and eight stakeholders in Bangor in 2022 has grown into a national platform, co-led with Family Fund since 2025. At the heart of S.P.A.C.E. is a simple but powerful principle: families lead the conversation. By sharing lived experience and good practice directly with organisations, families are helping to shape more inclusive, responsive systems of support.

Today, S.P.A.C.E. represents families from every region of Wales, reflecting a rich diversity of cultures, impairments, ages, and backgrounds. It’s a space where voices are not only heard but acted upon.

From 2026, S.P.A.C.E. meetings will move to a quarterly schedule, rotating across Northeast Wales, Northwest Wales, Mid Wales, and South Wales. These national meetings will be complemented by regional gatherings in Wrexham, Gwynedd, and Ceredigion, locations requested by parents themselves. This structure ensures that local insight continues to feed into national advocacy.

Together with the emerging Coalition for Families with Disabled Children, S.P.A.C.E. is helping to ensure that families are not just consulted but are actively shaping the future of policy and practice in Wales.

S.P.A.C.E. welcomes a wide range of participants, including:

•            Parents and carers of disabled children

•            People with lived experience of disability

•            Social care, health, and well-being providers

•            Education professionals

•            Third sector and charity organisations

•            Providers offering or seeking inclusive solutions

•            In-person: Join us from 9:30am for tea, coffee, and networking.

•            Online: Connect via Teams from 10:00–11:00am (invites sent to all registered attendees).

•            Languages: Meetings are held in English, with minutes provided in both Welsh and English. Please let us know if you’d prefer to speak in another language.

•            Networking continues in person until midday.

Each meeting includes:

•            A news roundup of current projects, challenges, and opportunities

•            Three short presentations:

•            A parent or disabled young adult sharing lived experience

•            An organisation highlighting local impact

•            A provider reflecting on accessibility improvements and lessons learned

These sessions offer a vital space for connection, collaboration, and the sharing of best practice.

S.P.A.C.E. meetings are for everyone committed to improving the lives of disabled children and their families. Minutes are shared with a growing network of decision-makers and influencers, ensuring that the issues raised lead to real change.

Together, we are building a Wales where families are not just included, they are leading the way.