In May, our Ashdown Club for children and young people with special needs, underwent a PAT (Parent Assessment Team) assessment. The PAT mark is a Charter Mark of Excellence awarded by parents who are trained as Assessors.
The mark is awarded to organisations and services who demonstrate they provide good support for disabled children and young people and designed to help parents and carers make an informed decision about which children's service they use.
The PAT mark scheme was created in West Sussex and is a joint venture between West Sussex Parents' Forum and West Sussex County Council. It is quite likely to become a national initiative.
Charlotte Brackley, Manager of Ashdown said 'Achieving the PAT mark is a condition of the Early Years Intervention Grant which Ashdown successfully bid for this year and which funds all our school holiday provision delivered at the club throughout the year. Two parent Assessors conducted a two and a half hour assessment of the service during the May half-term and awarded us 46 out of a possible 48 points.'