Jess Brown-Fuller MP hosts SEND parents and WSCC’s Cllr Raby for safe space discussion

Jess Brown-Fuller MP hosted a meeting between parents supporting children with SEND needs across Chichester and WSCC's Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Councillor Sam Raby.

The group represented parents of children aged from 4 to 17, who have varied and complex SEND, behavioural and health needs, but one thing in common: an ongoing battle with local authorities to get the specialist educational support their child needs.

Parents each had the opportunity to share their family’s experience with Cllr Raby, Jess and the other parents. Details of lost education, violence at home and broken relationships were shared by many of the parents present.

While some at the meeting were many years into their SEND education journey, navigating the teenage years and exams, others parents were at the very start of campaigning for the right support and funding, and crucially, the correct school places to support their child.

While primarily a listening exercise, and a chance to speak with West Sussex County Council’s Cabinet Member face-to-face, common feelings of isolation, abandoned careers and poor communication between the council and schools in accounts stretching back years, highlighted that there has been long-term dissatisfaction with SEND education provision.

“Nobody gives you a manual on how to support a child with SEND needs, we have had to teach ourselves and there is no support,” one parent said.

The parent of a (should be) primary school starter added, “Just hearing all of your stories has been so emotional because I am not there yet, but I know that’s where I am going and this will be our lives too.”

Another parent described the stress of living with a child whose needs are unsupported as “more stressful than my job in an A&E department; I go to work for a break”.

Jess Brown-Fuller MP said: “Today was incredibly important; for the Cabinet Member to hear about the challenges that each family has had to overcome and, in their own words, describe how hard they have had to fight to support their child is heartbreaking. I know that there are many, many more families in Chichester that have similar stories too.”

Cllr Raby said, following the discussion: “I was really moved by the stories shared by the parents and carers about the struggles they faced getting their children’s needs met.

I am determined to find ways to improve the system so that their children get the education and support that they need.  This is an absolute top priority for me as the new cabinet member for children, young people and learning.”

Parents were also able to hear about some of the wider national constraints and challenges with SEND and there was positive news from Cllr Raby about West Sussex's Local SEND Reform plan, which has now had approval from the Department for Education. The funding will ensure that WSCC is able to continue to fund local SEND services despite a backlog of funding deficits.

The session ended with a discussion around how improvements can be made to support children with SEND needs and their families and hope from all that their stories would be heard and taken seriously, so that their children would get the support they and their families need.

Overwhelmingly, what all families are asking for is real change, so that no other parents have to go through what they have, just to ensure their children get the support and education they deserve.