MP brings together Northamptonshire SEND community to find real solutions to a real crisis
Lee Barron, the Member of Parliament for Corby and East Northamptonshire will this week (Thursday 23 January 2025) bring together leading voices in the Northamptonshire SEND community to find what he says are ‘real solutions to a real crisis.’
The MP has invited parents, advocates, education professionals spanning Early Years, Primary, Secondary and Post 16 providers, Post 18 employment, North Northamptonshire Council, Educational Psychologists, Occupational therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, Charities and Teacher Education representatives to Corby for a special round table meeting.
“While the Government have invested a real-term increase in the education budget, including enhanced provisions for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), what we know is that we have a system designed to fail those children.” Lee Barron MP said.
“The influential Parliamentary Education Select Committee has launched a major new inquiry focused on finding solutions to the crisis in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision.”
“I know from the very powerful and passionate stories I have heard from local families about the real crisis they face that something radical has to be done.”
“That is why I have brought this important group of people together and that is why I want our submission to this inquiry to be one that is community and professional led. They experience every day this crisis and they are the voices that count.”
The round table will consider key questions including support for children and young people with SEND, current and future SEND needs the current and future model of SEND provision, Finance, funding and capacity of SEND provision and the accountability and inspection of SEND provision.
“What a difference a year makes. From being a distraught parent with failed Special Education Needs and disabilities (SEND) children, I am now part of something so positive I am for the first time feeling hope.” said Julie Heron, who has two daughters both with special educational needs and who will be in attendance at the meeting.
“Previously everyone worked on their own managing their own situation but for real change to happen it has to be collaborative and across the board.
“This is the first step to this and the start of something positive."