ON Friday [19 July], Jen Craft, Member of Parliament for Thurrock, met with local parents to hear their views on improving the system of support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
As the mother of a disabled daughter herself, Mrs Craft led conversations with local families about current provision in Thurrock, which sees many children unable to access the right support.
The two sessions in Grays were an opportunity for parents to feed into the government’s upcoming plans to improve resources and support. The Schools White Paper, expected in the autumn, will include changes to SEND provision, overhauling the existing system so it is able to meet the needs of every child. Mrs Craft will be sharing the issues raised in the meetings with ministers, ensuring the voices of Thurrock families are heard during the development of these plans.
The upcoming changes to the SEND system follows action taken by the Labour government in its first year in office to improve provision. This includes £1bn investment in the high needs budget – with £2 million for Thurrock specifically – and £740m to adapt classrooms and build specialist facilities.
The event on Friday was attended by several SEND professionals, including representatives from PAT SENDIASS and Thurrock Family Forum, as well as Cllr Mark Hooper, Cabinet Member of Health and Wellbeing.
Mrs Craft’s meeting with families follows a separate session hearing directly from SEND professionals. She will also be launching a survey over the summer, so local families who were unable to attend the sessions will be able to have their experiences heard.
Jen Craft, Member of Parliament for Thurrock, said:
“As a SEND parent, I know what it’s like to have to fight for your child, navigating an under-resourced education system that ignores their basic needs.
“The proposed reforms offer a rare opportunity for lasting change, making life easier for SEND children and their families.
“Parents know better than anyone what their children need, so I determined that their voices are front and centre of the upcoming changes”.
Mo James, from PATT SENDIASS, said:
“There has been lots of encouragement in the press to ‘write to your MP’ regarding the SEND reforms. For many of the parent/carers in the room on Friday, that would never have happened.
“This event gave families the opportunity to have open and honest conversations with someone who understood their challenges because they are living it too. Jen made those in the room feel listened to and understood.
“The passion for change in the room was heartfelt and genuine and people left feeling that what they said mattered.”
