Justine Bailey

Justine Bailey is a parent of two children and parent carer to her son who has a range of SEND and was diagnosed with ASD, ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder, significant Social Communication and Processing difficulties, Social Anxiety and significant mental health issues, is now 23 years old and lives at home. 

Justine gave up a successful career in business administration and resource management including human resources to care for her son. 

Through her own SEND journey, Justine became increasingly passionate about gaining insight into the world of SEND, local provision and how it would impact life for my son and them as a family.  Her initial goal was to increase her knowledge of policy and procedure to ensure that her son was able to access and be supported within the local education system and his community.   

Justine was a parent governor of a local primary school between 2009 and 2011, working closely with the school as part of the governing body team who contributed to the school’s successful self-evaluation.  During this time and until 2014 Justine also developed and ran a voluntary group called Sportism with a small group of parent carers who provided sports and leisure activities for High Functioning Autistic children and young people and their families. 

Justine became chair of the forum in 2013 and become a director in 2014 following incorporation of the forum as a company limited by guarantee and is incredibly committed and passionate about ensuring the voices of parent carers of children and young people with SEND in Trafford is heard locally and beyond.  Justine was the lead on developing the business model for the Forum in 2013. 

She also drives the forum to work in partnership with Trafford LA and key stakeholders, influencing and embedding positive change for children and young people with SEND and their families and sits on many working groups and boards within Trafford, Greater Manchester and across the North West. 

Justine has ensured that the voice of parent carers has been pivotal throughout the years with major SEND campaigns, projects, service reviews, consultations, and changes to SEND legislation including contributions to the SEND Pathfinder Task and Finish groups, SEND Reform 2014 working groups, on-going Strategic local authority and health boards, local SEN review meetings, third party stakeholder activity and SENDIASS Steering group.  Justine continues to champion parent carer and SEND children and young people's voices throughout Trafford, Greater Manchester, and the Northwest. 

Justine qualified as a Mediation Practitioner in 2012, and along with other members of our Team has also taken the opportunity to engage with training offered by the Parents Forum and external government run training, attending numerous courses and workshops concentrating on Parent Carer Forums, SEND Pathfinder, SEND reforms, Safeguarding and Co-production.   

Justine has successfully completed the charity IPSEA’s SEND legal training levels 1 and 2 and is working towards her level 3 which is the highest certification IPSEA offer. This training is the training completed by caseworkers for SENDIASS (free, impartial, and confidential information advice and support service which is a legal requirement for local authorities to provide).  As part of Trafford Parents Forum’s commitment to partnership development Justine is also one of the Team completing the local authorities ‘Reducing Parental Conflict’ training and will be able to deliver that alongside other member of the forum team.