S.E.N.D REFORM ENGLAND
Parliamentary Drop-In
On 16th January 2024, S.E.N.D Reform England hosted a parliamentary drop-in event, sponsored by Clive Lewis MP. The event was hugely successful, with a number of cross-party MPs plus MPs secretaries, from across the county. We were joined by the campaign group "Let Us Learn Too" who share our passion for an inclusive education for all.
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What Was the Purpose?
S.E.N.D Reform England are lobbying at both Central and Local Government levels for a reform of the entire SEND system. We believe that a collaborative approach is needed across all political parties and key stakeholders to make meaningful changes for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. The purpose of the Parliamentary drop-in was to engage politicians into the conversation and to build relationships to gain support in Parliament, but also drive change at a local level.
What we are asking of MPs
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Make SEND a priority - Add SEND to all party manifestos for the upcoming general election
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Pledge to speak up for the educational rights for children with SEND in parliament to put pressure on the Department for Education to reform the current system
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Work with Local Authorities to improve services locally
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Support our request for a dedicated minister for SEND
What was our pitch?
In Our Pack
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Introduction to the SEND Reform England Campaign
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Our Mission Statement
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Observations from a SEN Lawyer - The complexities of the current EHCP system and how Local Authorities are consistently breaching their legal obligations and the implications to children and young people and their families
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Suggested "short term reasonable adjustments" to mainstream settings at little or no cost to the public purse.
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Suggested "medium / long term adjustments" to mainstream settings with initial costs, but long term savings to the SEND educational system as a whole.
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Adjustments needed in SEND settings
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What is working in other countries and can we use other models to improve the system in England?
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Observations from the Head of a school for children with significant learning disabilities - The challenges facing SEN settings
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Case studies of settings that are getting it right!
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Exploring the impact of failings in the SEND education system to the economy. Investment now means significant savings in the future
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Observations from an Early Years SENCo
Outcomes and What's Next?
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The event was a huge success with 41 MPs in attendance and many others sending representatives in their absence. We have also had a number of MPs reach out to us after the event for a copy of our pack.
Every MP we spoke to confirmed that issues around SEND support is one of the top subjects being raised by their constituents and makes up a large part of their caseload.
It was encouraging to see so many MPs engaged in the subject and we thank every one of them for their time, commitment and support. Some key attendees include Robin Walker MP (Chair of the House of Commons Education Select Committee), Helen Hayes MP (Shadow Minister for Education), Florence Eshalomi MP (Shadow Minister Levelling Up, Housing Communities and Local Government) and Munira Wilson MP (Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Education). We would also like to thank our sponsor Clive Lewis MP for his continued support since we launched our campaign in June 2023 with our very first protest at Parliament Square Gardens. His commitment to children and young people with SEND is uncompromising.
We are now following-up with all our contacts and hope to continue building relationships and gaining support for our campaign across the pollical landscape. We will be looking for MPs assistance in engaging with decision makers at Local Authorities when we branch out into smaller regional groups in 2024.
If you would like to get involved with the campaign, please contact us . We would also encourage everyone to contact their local MP if you are having difficulties accessing support for children and young people with SEND. With the general election not far away, we must maintain momentum.
Which MPs attended?
Scroll table for complete list
MP Name | Constituency | Party |
|---|---|---|
Adam Holloway | Gravesham | Conservative |
Alex Sobe | Leeds North West | Labour co-op |
Andrew Brigden
| North West Leicester | Independent |
Andrew Selous
| Conservative | Conservative |
Anne Marie Morris | Newton Abbot | Conservative |
Anneliese Dodds | Oxford East | Labour |
Apsana Begum | Poplar and Limehouse | Labour |
Ben Bradley | Mansfield | Conservative |
Ben Bradshaw | Exeter | Labour |
Caroline Dineage | Gosport | Conservative |
Clive Lewis | Norwich South | Labour |
Daisy Cooper | St Albans | Lib Dem |
David Davis | Haltemprice and Howden | Conservative |
Florence Eshalomi | Vauxhall | Labour |
Geoffrey Clifton Brown | Cotswolds | Conservative |
Helen Hayes | Dulwich and West Norwood | Labour |
Helen Morgan | North Shropshire | Lib Dem |
Jason McCartney | Colne Valley | Conservative |
Julian Sturdy | York Outer | Conservative |
Justin Madders | Ellesmere and Neston | Labour |
Keir Mather | Selby and Ainsty | Labour |
Kerry McCarthy | Bristol East | Labour |
Laurence Robertson | Tewkesbury | Conservative |
Maggie Throup | Erewash | Conservative |
Mary Foy | City of Durham | Labour |
Mary Glindon | North Tyneside | Labour |
Matthew Hancock | West Suffolk | Independent |
Munira Wilson | Twickenham | Lib Dem |
Paul Blomfield | Sheffield Central | Labour |
Paula Barker | Liverpool Wavertree | Labour |
Rebecca Long Bailey | Salford and Eccles | Labour |
Robbie Moore | Keighley | Conservative |
Robin Walker | Worcester | Conservative |
Rosie Duffield | Canterbury | Labour |
Sarah Dyke | Glastonbury and Somerset | Lib Dem |
Stephen McCabe | Birmingham Selly Oak | Labour |
Stephen McPartland | Stevenage | Conservative |
Stephen Timms | East Ham | Labour |
Steve Tuckwell | Uxbridge and South Ruislip | Conservative |
Tobias Ellwood | Bournemouth East | Conservative |
Vicky Ford | Chelmsford | Conservative |
Zarah Sultana | Coventry South | Labour |
