Shaping the Future of Alternative Provision in Oxfordshire – Join Our New Working Group

We know that navigating Alternative Provision (AEP) can be confusing, frustrating, and overwhelming. Whether your child is already in AEP, has been offered a place, or you’re considering it as an option, the process can feel unclear and inconsistent.

That’s why we’re launching a short-term AEP Working Group—bringing together parent carers and Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) representatives to co-design practical, accessible guidance for families like yours.

What Is the AEP Working Group?

This group will meet four to five times across five weeks, in a mix of online and (if needed) in-person sessions. Together, we’ll explore:

• What parent carers wish they’d known about AEP

• The information and support families need when navigating the process

• How we can make guidance more helpful, inclusive, and user-friendly

This isn’t a consultation — it’s a co-design process, where your lived experience directly shapes the final guidance shared with families across Oxfordshire.

Who Can Join?

We’re looking for parent carers of children and young people who:

• Are currently in Alternative Provision

• Have been offered a place

• Are struggling to access it

• Are in the process of considering AEP

We’re especially keen to ensure the group reflects a wide range of experiences across the county — so we’re prioritising diversity in location, gender, children’s ages, and cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

What’s Involved?

• Four to five evening sessions, starting in May 2025

• Option to attend online or in person, depending on access needs

• A £10 voucher per session to thank you for your time

• A chance to shape something practical that will help other families

How to Take Part

📅 Closing date to express interest: 9am, Thursday 24 April 2025

📝 Sign up here: www.tinyurl.com/OXAEPWorkingGroup

If online access is a challenge, or you have any accessibility needs, just let us know in the form — we’ll do our best to support you to take part and if you have any queries, please don't hesitiate to pop us an email

Your Voice Matters

Families are the experts in their own experiences. By co-designing this guidance, we can make it clearer, kinder, and more useful for others who are trying to make sense of AEP.

We’d love you to be part of it.