What we do - Have your say! - Other local and national surveys and consultations

See below for other local and national surveys, consultations, petitions, etc. you might like to take part in.

Have Your Say on Direct Payments in Wiltshire

Do you, or someone you care for, use Direct Payments, (sometimes called a Personal Budget or Personal Payment Plan)?

Direct Payments is about giving people more choice and control over how their care and support needs are met. Instead of the Local Authority arranging services for you, the money can be given directly to you (or managed on your behalf), so you can decide what works best; this could be from employing a personal assistant, arranging home care, or paying for activities, therapy, equipment, or short breaks.

Direct Payments work differently for everyone, and sometimes it isn’t straightforward. That’s why Voice It, Hear It is leading an independent piece of engagement to gather the real lived experiences of people across Wiltshire.

They want to hear from people who:
• are currently using Direct Payments
• were offered it but chose not to take it up,
• tried it but later went back to council-arranged support, or
• care for or support someone who has been involved in Direct Payments
• are a professional who supports, advises, or works with people offered Direct Payments.

Why your voice matters
Your insights will directly feed into a report that will be shared with Wiltshire Council, local partners, and the wider community later this year.

How you can take part
You can share your story in whatever way works best for you:-
• complete our online survey; share as much as you would like in your own time, at your own pace: https://survey.communityfirst.org.uk/zs/3CBZvN
• a one-to-one chat on the phone or by video call,
• a face-to-face meeting,
• possibly through a group or organisation you already know and trust.

Conversations are guided by a few open questions, kept confidential, and can remain anonymous if you wish.

Email: voice@communityfirst.org.uk
Phone: 01380 722 475

This project is part of Voice It, Hear It and supported by Wiltshire Council.

Help Wiltshire Council Settle on a New Name for the New Wiltshire Short Breaks Scheme

Wiltshire Council is excited to be launching a new approach to short breaks for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) next year.

This new model will offer a wider range of options to better support SEND families, shaped by feedback from parents, carers, and partners.

As part of this, they are looking for a new name for the scheme and would love your input.

As a result of previous opportunities to suggest names for the scheme, a short list of possible names is being offered for voting. Please click [HERE] to view five name options and vote for your favourite using the Menti app:

Voting is open until Monday 3rd November 2025, and the most popular name will become the official name for the new model.

Wiltshire Council will be sharing more updates soon, but for now, thank you for taking part!

How do You Think Transitions Between Children and Adult Services in Wiltshire Could be Improved?

A partnership with Wiltshire Council and local NHS Partners are looking at how they can work to improve transitions between children and adult’s services.

They would hugely value your thoughts and opinions to help to shape pilot projects in this area.

Please click on the link below to complete a short survey. If you have any further thoughts or information you would like to share please contact:- lucy.moses@wiltshire.gov.uk.

[SURVEY]

What are Your Experiences of the Wiltshire SENDIASS Service?

Wiltshire Council is inviting anyone who has had direct experience of the Wiltshire SENDIASS service (delivered by Family Action). Feedback submitted to Wiltshire Council through this survey will help to inform future intentions for the delivery of an information advice and support service in Wiltshire.

There are two services in Wiltshire with similar names, but with different responsibilities. Please carefully read the descriptions below, to ensure you feedback about intended service.

SENDIASS provides free, impartial information, advice, and support concerning Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

SENDIS:- This service, operated by the Wiltshire Parent Carer Council (WPCC), is not the focus of this survey. WPCC’s SENDIS offers a signposting service to training and support available for parents of children with SEND needs.

Wiltshire Council’s survey is specifically requesting feedback on the SENDIASS service operated by Family Action.

Please only complete this survey if you have had a direct experience with the SENDIASS service (Family Action).

Click [HERE] to complete the survey.

Would Some Support from a Volunteer be Helpful to you as a Parent Carer?

Wiltshire Council is inviting all parent carers of primary aged children (with or without SEND) to complete a short survey. The survey has been set up to gather information about how parents would feel about the possibility of accessing volunteer support for families with primary aged children, if it were available.

The survey has just three tick questions plus one question giving the opportunity to suggest other means of support not listed in the survey. To complete the survey, click [HERE].

Are You Interested in Becoming a Health Research Champion?

What is a Health Research Champion?
Research Champions are patients, carers, and members of the public who are passionate about improving health and care. They help raise awareness of research, share opportunities, and support conversations in their own communities.

They also play an important role in helping health and care staff understand the patient experience of research - so research becomes more relevant, human, and inclusive.

What can Research Champions do?
The role is flexible and shaped by what each person is comfortable with. Champions might:
• Talk to friends, family, or community groups about health and care research
• Share resources like [Be Part of Research] or Join Dementia Research
• Help people learn how to get involved in research studies
• Take part in local events or community conversations
• Support training for researchers, or get involved in outreach (e.g. schools, newsletters, or interviews)

There’s no fixed commitment; people can do as much or as little as they like, depending on their time, energy, and interests.

Why does this matter?
Health and care research helps develop new diagnoses, treatments, and ways of working. The more people who are aware and involved, the more inclusive and impactful research becomes. When research reflects the real experiences and needs of communities, it leads to better health outcomes for everyone.

To express your interest in becoming a Health Research Champion, please click [HERE].

Family Experiences Research - Dingley's Promise

Dingley’s Promise provide education to children under 5 with SEND and support to their families. They work to ensure the voices of children and families are heard and to push for policy change which improves lives. If you have a child aged 0-5 with SEND please complete the short research survey below and Dingley’s Promise will ensure that your voice is heard.
[Family Experiences Research - Dingley's Promise].

Wiltshire Council SEND Youth Forum

Wiltshire Council is looking for young people aged 11 to 24 with SEND to be part of a new Wiltshire SEND Youth Forum.

What is it?
• A space to be heard on the things that are important to you
• A chance to be part of positive change and influence decision about services within Wiltshire Council

Sessions could take place at weekends or evenings with food, activities. Discussions will take place in an informal way through discussions, drawing, writing. Everyone will have a chance to share their thoughts in a way that is accessible and comfortable to them.

If you are interested in being part of the Youth Forum, click [HERE]; this will take you to a short survey where if you wish to join, you can put your details in and you will be contacted with further information.

Wiltshire Centre for Independent Living Pioneers – helping young people with SEND have their voice

The Wilts CIL Coproduction Team works alongside children and young people with SEND aged 5 to 25 years, enabling them to share their views and work towards future goals as Wiltshire’s Young Pioneers. Young people joining the Pioneers do not need to have a formal diagnosis or an EHCP.

Young Pioneers come together for sessions, and there are opportunities to engage with the WILTS CIL Coproduction Team online, over the phone, in person or with a visit to your school/educational setting; please contact them to find out more.

Email: getinvolved@wiltshirecil.org.uk

Call: 0300 1233442

Share Your thoughts on Childhood Vaccinations and the Vaccination Service in Wiltshire

Healthwatch Wiltshire has been asked by Wiltshire Council to gather views about childhood vaccinations and the vaccination service in Wiltshire. Their [survey] takes approximately 7 minutes to complete and your responses will kept anonymous.

BANES, Swindon & Wiltshire (BSW) Experiences of Young People’s Transition from CAMHS at 18 years Old – Parent Carer and Young People’s Surveys

Oxford Health Foundation Trust Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) and Avon and Wiltshire Partnership Trust Mental Health Service (AMHS) are keen to better understand the experience of young people and their parents/carers as they transition at 18 years of age from CAMHS to AMHS in Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset and Swindon.

The surveys below are for parent carers and young people who have had experience of transitioning from CAMHS at 18 in the last 2 years.

This survey will take 5 minutes to answer. Your input will help shape the future of this important process.

The focus on learning from these surveys will happen in one area at a time starting with Wiltshire and in time moving on to Bath and North East Somerset and Swindon as a fuller picture of need is developed.

The aspiration is that every young person under CAMHS will receive information about a range of options in adult mental health services, be asked their views to add to any adult mental health service referral and receive information on support available for parents/carers.

Responses will be stored and analysed in a group with other responses by a joint CAMHS and AMHS service development team, in order to improve services for young people in the future. It will not be linked to your young person’s clinical records or used to inform their individual care. If you would like to discuss your young person’s individual care please contact their clinician(s).

The surveys will be anonymous unless you choose to provide your details to be contacted to join a focus group or take part in a semi-structured interview.

Please click on the links below or scan the QR code to take part in the surveys:

[Parent carer survey]





[Young people's survey]