Rosie hosts SEND Roundtable

Last week, Rosie Duffield MP hosted a roundtable discussion with Headteachers, SENCOs and parents of children with SEND alongside representatives from the Department of Education, to discuss the ongoing SEND funding crisis and explore what is going wrong and what more can be done to ensure some of the most vulnerable children in our society are not failed.

It was heart-breaking to hear yet more desperate stories about children with documented needs on an EHCP (Educational Health and Care Plan) are no longer receiving adequate funding in some cases, and of Headteachers and SENCOs within my constituency who are working as hard as they can to ensure all children receive an excellent education, without adequate resources or funding.

The blame for this sudden decrease in SEND funding throughout the constituency lies at the door of the Reform led Kent County Council who - despite being invited - did not attend this meeting. Their current policies and approach to engaging with key stakeholders, particularly Kent's Members of Parliament, alongside the delay in responding to any cases of concern are having a direct impact on children’s education and lives.

I will not give up the fight to raise the voices and concerns of those who are being failed by bad choices and governance.