Since being elected in 2019, I have met over 70 families affected by children with Special Educational Needs (SEN). Many of these have been at my surgeries or on the doorstep. In most cases, I have been able to represent their interests with the Department for Education, Bracknell Forest Council, Frimley Health and GPs. In more acute circumstances, I have even managed to re-prioritise local children on waiting lists with Berkshire Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and secured earlier appointments. Some of these stories are heart-breaking and I empathise deeply with all those families who are waiting for solace.
As Vice-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on SEN, this work is important to me and I continue to be a robust champion for neuro-diversity in Westminster. As your MP, I have regularly met and written to Ministers at the Departments for Health and Education. In the House of Commons, I have lobbied No.10, presented at seminars, spoken in debates and raised several questions to ensure that the Government’s approach to SEN is kept at the forefront of its agenda. This has been unrelenting and continues to be reported in Hansard, via social media and on my website.
Alongside my cross-party MPs on the SEN APPG, we have worked hard to ensure that all children get a better deal and ready access to care. I have lobbied for GPs to be able to prescribe much needed medication on the basis of primary assessment, rather than having to wait for CAMHS to provide a diagnosis, and for the Department of Education to streamline the process for securing Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP). I have also urged Ministers to focus on re-allocating resources within the NHS and to streamline recruitment and training schemes for new staff.
Earlier this year, I was delighted when the Government published its new SEN Review as a direct result of the work being undertaken by the SEN APPG. A link to the document can be found below and I would urge all those affected by SEN to read it. Crucially, it paves the way for additional school places and specialist medical professionals, reduced waiting times for CAMHS, better SEND training and a further £2.6 billion to be invested in special school and alternative provision capacity. Whilst I accept that the Review has taken longer than anticipated, the Government needed to get it right. Over the past decade, the demand for CAMHS has spiralled beyond recognition so this is a big step forward: SEND and alternative provision improvement plan.
Locally in Bracknell, I have visited the majority of primary and secondary schools and spoken at length to Head Teachers, SENCOs and staff about what needs to be done. I have also visited the impressive Kennel Lane School where the staff do a magnificent job. Importantly, all of this input has directly contributed to the SEN Review.
Last year, I also visited Alt Prov in Birch Hill. Until that point, Bracknell Forest Council was unable to formally recognise it as an approved provider but I advised the team to register with OFSTED and that has now happened. Crucially, Alt Prov now receives improved funding and is able to work formally alongside schools, offering a vital lifeline for local children who may not be in class. Whilst it is not any kind of substitute for a regular school place, the team does an excellent job and should be congratulated.
I was also thrilled to announce via social media in March 2023 that I have secured funding for a brand new SEN school in Bracknell following extensive lobbying at the Department for Education. This shows that sheer persistence and hard work can pay off. Not only will it make a huge difference for affected local families but it may also offer solace for those in neighbouring council areas too.
Lastly, it has been suggested that I am not doing enough to support local families in need of SEN provision but this could not be further from the truth. We know in Bracknell that all of our schools are graded GOOD or EXCELLENT but I am passionate too about giving every child the best possible offer, particularly those requiring SEN and those for whom mainstream education may not be the answer. Locally, Bracknell Forest Council ultimately remains responsible for providing this support but work is still needed within its own SEN Department. While I am confident that ongoing investment in new management, staff and processes will continue to enhance outputs since its last inspection report in 2022, I do not have a magic wand so can only continue to advise, assist and prioritise where I can.
As your MP, I am clear that we now need to throw our weight behind this locally. Councillor Mary Temperton has already announced her intention to do so, and whilst she will have to manage expectations for the simple reason that this will not be a quick or easy fix, I wish her and her new team at Bracknell Forest Council every success in delivering on this imperative. She will have my full support.