PPCV is Plymouth’s official parent carer forum. We are a group of volunteer parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Together we work in partnership with our local authority, to help shape and improve the range of services in education, health and social care for families in the Plymouth area.
We are delighted to let you know that this years Preparing for Adulthood Conference is being held online and will run the week commencing the 24th of February.
Monday 24th of February is our first talk at 10am and Friday the 28th of February at 1pm is our last talk.
The talks will run for up to one and a half hours and this will include a Question and Answer session.
The session times each day are 10am, 1pm and 7pm.
Where possible and if appropriate we will record the talks for those of you who are unable to attend the sessions.
We will be inviting schools to attend with their young people were relevant to them.
We also have some fantastic virtual stall holders with videos available to watch on our dedicated Preparing For Adulthood Conference Page from the 24th February until 28th February.
Once you have registered for this event, you'll receive an email from us on 21st February with a weblink and password to access everything you need to watch the talks and take part in this annual conference.
Talks & Speakers
February 24, 2025
February 25, 2025
February 26, 2025
February 27, 2025
February 28, 2025
February 24, 2025
Main Schedule
10:00 - 11:30
Issues & Concerns
This session is for parent carers to voice any issues or concerns that they have round preparing for adulthood. As many of these concerns and questions will be answered on the Friday afternoon session from 1pm
13:00 - 14:30
Alex Partridge - 'Breaking down the negative ADHD stigma and unlocking the positives'.
Alex Partridge is one of the pioneers of social media content the way we know it today. At age 21, he founded UNILAD and LADBible, two of the most popular social news and entertainment Internet companies in the world with an astonishing following of 100 million people around the globe.
At 34 years old, Alex was diagnosed with ADHD and has quickly become a leading voice on social media around neurodiversity. His impassioned views on entrepreneurship and neurodiversity has quickly amassed him a following of over two million people.
Alex hosts the award winning podcast, ADHD Chatter. He will be sharing his personal lived experience with us as well as practical tips on how we can all better accommodate neurodiversity in the workplace.
Alex has spoken over 200 times for various brands, conferences and events including for Formula 1, BBC, Drapers, TED, Experian, The Business Show and British Airways.
19:00 - 20:30
Mark Ormrod
Mark is a former Royal Marines Commando who completed tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He was injured in Afghanistan on Christmas Eve 2007 and became the UKโs first triple amputee from the conflict. Since then he has become a successful author, motivational speaker and Britainโs most successful ever Invictus Games athlete winning 11 medals, four gold, and Spirit of the Games following which he won BBC South-Westโs Sports Personality of the Year. Prince Harry dubbed him โBritainโs answer to Superman.โ
The Amazon film #NoLimits โ the Mark Ormrod documentary tells his story up to 2017. In 2020, he was awarded an MBE for services to the Armed Forces and Veteran Community before winning Pride of Britainโs Fundraiser of the Year in 2021 after completing an ultratriathlon that raised over ยฃ600k. He is currently working on his second book and has an open water swimming world record. The father of three is married to Becky and does adaptive CrossFit and Brazilian jiu-jitsu in his spare time.
February 25, 2025
Main Schedule
10:00 - 11:30
Adult Services
What services are available and how to access them
13:00 - 14:30
Oncourse South West
Supported Internships
19:00 - 20:30
DWP
Making sure you have the right information and access to the right benefits
February 26, 2025
Main Schedule
10:00 - 11:30
Heather Adie
Heather Adie, 28 now diagnosed with Aspergers, Autism aged 18, diagnosis converted to AuDHD (Autism with ADHD) at age 25.
Heather would like to talk about her experience with late diagnosis, coping mechanisms, understanding what being Autistic means to her and finding her tribe whilst living with a diagnosis that typically makes people feel very โotheredโ from their peers.
13:00 - 14:30
Burnt out by School? Finding the Road to Recovery - Naomi Fisher
Dr Naomi Fisher will talk about the process of burnout in teenagers. Why are so many of our teenagers burnt out, and how can we help them recover? She'll explain what burnout looks like in teens, how it develops and how to start building a hopeful future.
19:00 - 20:30
Chris Bonnello - Lessons I wish I had learned growing up with autism
Being a former teacher, I try to focus on learning points that the audience can apply to their own lives. So rather than being too autobiographical (or perhaps auti-biographical?), this talk is loaded with insights I have gained from my experience of growing up autistic blended with hilariously awkward stories from my childhood, but all with applicable lessons attached to them. (Suitable for family groups, charities, or schools offering after-school events for parents)
Chris Bonnello is an autistic advocate, award-winning writer and international speaker, also a novelist and a former teacher. Since 2015 he has spoken about neurodiversity from both a professional and personal perspective; not merely encouraging acceptance, but teaching about the sheer importance of brains that think differently. Bonnello has delivered speeches as far away as India and Sydney Opera House, in addition to attracting a six-figure following on his online platform โAutistic Not Weirdโ.
February 27, 2025
Main Schedule
10:00 - 11:30
Kat Stanton - Together for Childhood - NSPCC
Together for Childhood Plymouth is an NSPCC project that aims to prevent child sexual abuse. We work with professionals, communities, and families to deliver activities to help keep young people safe.
In our Healthy Relationships session weโll looking at the difficulties some young people with SEND might face with relationships and think about how we can help develop healthier relationships through conversations and use of reputable resources.
13:00 - 14:30
Sarah Baines - Dyslexia
Sarah Baines works across Plymouth and Cornwall, in schools and other settings with adults and young people. Sarah is passionate about raising awareness of dyslexia, focusing on the advantages and challenges that dyslexic people face in education and the workplace. Dyslexia is not just about poor spelling, or low reading ability, with adjustments, there are ways to support those to reach their potential, in any level of education or in the workplace.
The talk will focus on
ยท What is dyslexia
ยท Signs of dyslexia
ยท Issues that may arise in moving from full time education
ยท Support available in further or higher education or in the workplace.
ยท Using technology to assist
It is time to tip the balance through targeted intervention and support, in favour of neurodiverse people to successfully achieve their goals.
19:00 - 20:30
Carrie Grant MBE, Broadcaster, Author & Campaigner
Carrie Grant MBE is a BAFTA award winning broadcaster and campaigner. Carrie is Mum to four children, both birth and adopted children, all neurodivergent, mixed race, trans and queer. Together with her husband, David, she is the author of "A Very Modern Family," a book The Times said was a โlifeline to familiesโ and The Daily Mail called, โThe most extraordinary Parenting Book of its time.โ In this talk Carrie will cover everything from diagnosis through to issues accessing services, child to parent abuse, suicidal ideation and self-harm, school refusal, finding the same page with partners and family, siblings, working with professionals, strategies and a whole lot of hope.
February 28, 2025
Main Schedule
10:00 - 11:30
Long Term Housing Issues For Young People
Aimed at families of young people (OVER the age of 18)
13:00 - 14:30
Issues & Concerns Feedback
Feedback from the issues and concerns session on monday
Virtual Stall Holders
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