Working jointly with Parent Carer Forum Devon (PCFD), Sarah Lord has recently joined the DiAS team as Ambassador Volunteer Coordinator. Here, she introduces herself.

“I am very excited to introduce myself as the new Ambassador Volunteer Coordinator for Devon.

I have worked for over 20 years in education in a variety of roles, but it is my experience as a former SENDCo which supports me most in my current position; I have been alongside many families in their SEND journey over the years and I really understand the challenges and rewards that can bring.  I am also a qualified counsellor for children and young people and recognise the importance of supporting the mental health of both parents and children when they are impacted by SEND.

We are very fortunate to have a well-established network of Ambassador Volunteers across Devon who have experience themselves of supporting children with SEND, either in their own families or in their jobs. They assist other parents by sharing information from DiAS and helping them to access their services.  They also ensure the families’ views on local services and support are fed back through the PCFD.

My role is to ensure that these parents, carers and professionals are supported in their role, have access to relevant information and have the training and skills to support others.  As well as supporting the network of volunteers we already have, I would like to grow the network in areas that currently have less representation.

If you are interested and would like to know how you could find out more about the project, or become an Ambassador Volunteer yourself, please get in touch!”

Sarah Lord

Ambassador Volunteer Coordinator