Bristol Parent Carers special needs charity funding restored

Leaked documents showed city council staff monitored social media posts of SEND parents critical of its services

A charity for special needs families has had its funding restored after it was controversially withdrawn by the council.

Bristol Parent Carers (BPC) lost its annual £17,500 grant from the Department for Education last year.

It happened during a row after leaked documents showed City Hall staff watched some social media posts of parents critical of the authority.

But the two organisations have now made amends and pledged to work together.

BPC has secured the £17,500 funding grant again for 2024, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Last year, leaked emails showed council officers had monitored accounts of parents with children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) for posts critical of the authority.

The authority had said the surveillance took place following a request by the BPC, a claim the charity denied. The council also insisted its withdrawal of support for the government funding was unrelated.

An internal report found there was "no systematic monitoring", but it was branded a whitewash by the parents affected.

Working together

But the organisations have made amends and released statements signifying a new era of co-operation.

BPC chair Hayley Hemming said: "With the support over the last year from our fantastic volunteers and neighbouring parent carer forum colleagues and our local health services, we have remained committed to ensuring that the DfE funding is reinstated in Bristol for the benefit of local families."

Councillor Asher Craig said in the press release: "Representing all communities is incredibly important to our administration.

"We are on track to meet our mayoral pledge to provide 450 specialist provision places by 2024 and are opening more specialist resources in schools across the city.

"This is an exciting time and opportunity to be working together, with partners, to shape the future, make further progress, and create equitable opportunities for a valued part of our Bristol community."

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