My Annual Report – Supporting those with SEND

Foreword

I am proud to be the Member of Parliament of Finchley and Golders Green where we are lucky to have a thriving and supportive community of people with special educational needs and disabilities. During the General Election I promised to work with you to navigate a difficult system and advocate for a better one.

Since being elected I have hired a fantastic team of staff including a caseworker, Millie, who is focused on SEND matters. In this short report I wanted to outline the work I have undertaken in my first year, from engagement to advocacy, and how I will continue to provide support to those with SEND and their families in our area.

Engaging with children, young adults, loved ones and service providers

Engagement starts with listening and meeting people with SEND. This year’s highlights included visiting Oak Lodge School in East Finchley, and being shown around the library by their students, and baking with the volunteers at CJ’s Bakery in North Finchley. A few months later, I returned to Oak Lodge to attend their Hawaiian themed prom which celebrated the achievements of their Year 13 leavers!

In March I attended a meeting for parents and carers of SEND young people at St Barnabas Church, where families of all backgrounds shared their experiences of the SEND system. The meeting confirmed my belief that the current system is inadequate, frustrating and that better support must be provided.

My team held a similar meeting for parents and carers at Oak Lodge School, where the themes focused on challenges with school transport and the transition after formal education.

My team and I are here to listen so that lived experience underpins our work on the issue.

As well as parents and carers, I have engaged with SEND teachers and service providers across the Borough. Barnet Nursery and Primary Headteacher’s Forum and my team have discussed the increasing demands and complexity of needs in Barnet schools.

Norwood, another local charity which supports Jewish adults with learning disabilities, opened its doors to me a couple of months ago. Here I learnt about their model of care and have connected them with Millie so that their services can be of use where applicable for individual casework.

Barnet Parent Carer Forum’s Lisa Coffman also shared invaluable insights on the difficulties experiences by SEND families across Barnet, specifically issues surrounding school transport, annual review delays, and the demand of admin and paperwork on SEND parents. I have taken up each of these points with Barnet’s Head of SEND.

Advocating on your behalf

At the request of those who came to the St Barnabas meeting, I wrote to Bridget Phillipson (Secretary of State for Education) and Kim Miller (Interim Head of SEND in Barnet) to highlight these families’ experiences and relay their concerns. I can send the Secretary of State’s response upon request.

I am also awaiting a response from the Secretary of State to the letter written by Barnet Nursery and Primary Headteacher’s Forum, which will be shared in due course.

I met with Kim Miller to discuss SEND provision across Barnet and the issues raised to me by those with SEND, their parents/carers and teachers. We agreed to open up a clear pathway of communication between schools across the constituency to better support SEND families. I’ve asked for the Council’s performance data on assessments, annual reviews and SEND related school avoidance so we can drive improvements across our Borough.

Looking to the future

As I am sure you are aware, changes systems surrounding SEND are being reviewed nationally. It is critical that the voices of those in Finchley and Golders Green are heard. If you would like to write to my office we would be happy to forward on your suggestions and concerns to the Department for Education on the Autumn White Paper.

In my role as Justice Minister, I have also engaged on SEND matters. I recently met with Andrew Turner and Contact who are campaigning reform the process by which young adults without mental capacity can access Child Trust Fund and other assets. The legal process to acquire this support must be improved. I am working across government, with financial institutions and the Court of Protection to make it simpler and easier for young people who lack capacity and their families to access their money.

Locally, in my second year, we are looking to hold a SEND employment fair for young adults looking to get in to the the world of work. For younger children, we are also keen to convene local primary schools and work on cross-communication so that SEND provision in mainstream schools can be improved across the board. If you have any other suggestions, or would like to get involved, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Conclusion

Supporting SEND families is a priority for me as your local MP and as a member of the Government. As your MP I will continue to engage with the SEND community in the years ahead and deliver the long overdue improvements to the experiences of SEND children and adults, their loved ones, teachers and service providers. We need change at both a national and local level, but it has to be the right one which puts families first. I promise to continue amplifying your voice and ensure that you are heard as we work together to fix a broken system.

Best wishes,

Member of Parliament for Finchley and Golders Green

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