Gideon's MP Column

Major reforms to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system are coming after the Government recently confirmed its intention to legislate through the new Education for All Bill in the recent King’s Speech.

I encouraged parents and carers across Taunton and Wellington to take the opportunity to respond the public consultation on SEND reforms and I know many did. We need their voices to be heard more loudly.

We have a system that is failing our children, but any replacement must deliver positive outcomes, not just headlines.

While new investment is welcome, proposals to reassess children’s Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) when they move schools or appeal decisions, and to limit tribunals’ powers to direct placements, raise serious concerns.

Now is the time for parents and career across the country to contact their MPs, attend constituency surgeries and ensure they are represented in Parliament when the time comes for debate in the House of Commons.

I, and the Liberal Democrats, will always stand by children’s rights in this process. Their voices, and those of their families, must be heard.

So, I am hosting a coffee morning this Saturday (May 30th) at The Den Coffee House in Taunton to discuss the Government’s proposals.

I welcome any SEND parents, carers and professionals to come and discuss your concerns and, from there, I will write to the Government, speak in debates, submit written questions and do all I can to not just get answers but to defend our children’s rights.

As Claire Naylor, founder of Coffee Chat and Support CIC, which runs The Den, said to me recently in response to the Government’s proposals: “A child sitting in a mainstream classroom is not automatically included.

“Inclusion is about safety, belonging, understanding, and support that is delivered consistently and appropriately.”

We must prevent the Government from excluding children from the support and settings they need in the name of a kind of inclusion that looks good on paper.

I recently revisited Selworthy Special School and it is clear that investment cannot be used solely for mainstream schools.

Specialist schools need investment in their facilities and staff to give children the best opportunities, and we should be less reliant on private for-profit providers to do the job.

I am also proud to be supporting Laura Brown’s ‘Speak Up for Autism’ campaign.

Laura, who lives in Taunton, is campaigning for autism-specific training for speech therapists following her experiences with her autistic son, Ethan.

Laura was told that Ethan could not be supported, so she went down the private route, paying for sessions and funding an Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) device to support her son’s speech development.

When I met Ethan at one of my pop-up surgeries recently, it was amazing to see his AAC device in action as he used it to communicate with me.

As I write this, Laura’s petition has gathered more than 6,000 signatures, and the Early Day Motion I submitted to Parliament to support her has garnered the support of 35 MPs across parties, including two from Labour.

Now, with support from Speech and Language UK, I believe the ‘Speak Up for Autism’ campaign can make a real difference and genuinely change children’s lives.

As we enter an uncertain time for children and the future of SEND, all I can ask is that you reach out to me and share your experiences. I will do everything I can to represent you in Parliament.

Whether it is at my coffee morning this Saturday, one of my surgeries in Taunton and Wellington, or via email it is my responsibility to listen and hold the Government to account.

My SEND reform coffee morning this Saturday, May 30, at The Den Coffee House in Paul Street runs from 11am to 12.30pm.

Laura’s petition can be found online: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/764248#main-content