Blackburn with Darwen’s SEND Parent Champion scheme has picked up national recognition for the second year in a row, after Bethany Pegg was named winner of the Parent Champions Best Newcomer Award.
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The award, announced in May at the Coram Family and Childcare Parent Champions Awards 2026, recognises new Parent Champion volunteers who have made a significant difference since joining the scheme.
The council said Bethany has made a “significant difference” for SEND families across the borough in a short time, with Maria Nugent, Head of Early Years & Community Development, praising her “initiative, dedication and ability to turn lived experience into meaningful action”.
Bethany has set up and delivered a SEND Saturday Club and SEND holiday activities, designed to meet unmet need in the community. She is also working with Family Hubs to bring a SEND play bus into local communities over the summer.
Bethany said the award was “a huge surprise” and added that it was not just for her, but reflected the support around her. She thanked volunteers, families, businesses, community members, venue providers, donors and advisers, along with fellow SEND Parent Champions, co-ordinators, her family, friends and husband.
The SEND Parent Champion model in Blackburn with Darwen focuses on building confidence and connections with parents of children with SEND, while helping ensure services reflect families’ needs.
Coram Family and Childcare says more than 400 people currently volunteer as Parent Champions nationally, reaching over 100,000 families in the last year.
Blackburn with Darwen also won two awards in 2025, when Diane Price took the Volunteer of the Year – Biggest Impact award and Sarah Sumner won Volunteer of the Year – Best Newcomer.
For more information on the 2026 awards, visit Coram Family and Childcare’s website.
