What I’ve been doing on… SEND
The SEND system is in crisis, and children in Norfolk with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and their families are being let down by the current broken system.
Over the last year I’ve been listening to parents, families, and professionals, and what they think is needed to make essential changes.
I’ve been speaking about this in Parliament since October last year, when I welcomed the announcement of 76 additional SEND places in Norfolk schools. I also raised the issue of the lack of specialist schools in Norfolk, and our campaign to turn the empty Angel Road Junior School into one of these. Read it HERE.
Since then, the government has invested £1 billion into high needs SEND support, with Norwich City Council being granted £153 million of this in order to support this in our area.
Locally, I’ve been visiting schools and have spoken to teachers and staff to get their thoughts. I have also held a SEND Forum for parents and carers living in Norwich North, as well as launching a survey to gather experiences, and ideas.
I’m currently compiling all the information I’ve gathered around this issue into a report I’ll be publishing later in the summer and sharing with the county council and government ministers. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this.
I will continue to listen to parents, carers, and teachers, and continue to push for the reforms to the SEND system that are so desperately needed.