Firstly, I hope everyone had a great Easter and was able to spend some time enjoying the long weekend. Parliament has now rise for the Easter Recess and I am looking forward to working in Truro and Falmouth for the next couple of weeks.
One of the most common issues raised with me when I am out
and about and in particular with parents contacting me with concerns, is around
the support available for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN).
It Is a good thing that our NHS and council services are
increasingly able to diagnose and recognise conditions such as autism and ADHD
in children and young people, but at the same time, it is critical that appropriate
funds are provided to support these children and their families through their
schooling and beyond.
Issues with delays to getting the support needed are often
raised with by parents and this is something I am in regular contact with Cornwall
Council about.
Cornwall Council have recognised the issue and in recent
years have developed the Celebrating Neurodiversity strategy – putting extra
resources into supporting families while their children are on the diagnostic
pathway, and also working more closely with local NHS partner organisations to
improve both the diagnosis process and the support that is subsequently made
available.
But it is also important that Government plays its role in
this and more funding to help children and families with special educational
needs is something I have long-lobbied for, along with my Cornish MP
colleagues.
I was delighted then to see last week the Government confirm
a record annual investment of £850 million going to councils to create new
places for young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
and in Alternative Provision (AP) in mainstream and special schools, and to
improve the accessibility of existing buildings. As part of this, Cornwall will receive
£9,701,294.
This will provide specialist support for children with
autism, learning difficulties, mobility difficulties and more to meet their
extra needs, including extra encouragement in their learning, help communicating
with other children and support with physical or personal care difficulties,
such as using the toilet or getting around the school safely.
The Government is sticking to the plan to ensure every child
can receive the education they need to succeed, where hard work is rewarded and
aspiration is celebrated. The funding is part of the £2.6 billion investment
between 2022 and 2025 – more than tripling the previous levels of investment -
to help to put an end to families having to fight for the right support for
their children.
When combined with the places already being created by the
special free schools programme, this funding is creating over 60,000 new places
across the country.
This is helping to increase capacity, following a decrease
in pupils in special schools from 1997 to 2010.
This is good news and I will continue to work with both
Cornwall Council and the Government to ensure that Cornwall continues to get
its fair share of money made available to support SEN children and also that
this money is quickly drawn down and used to help those who need it in our
Duchy.
As always, I am fully focused on the job at hand and if
there is ever anything at all I
can do to help, then please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please get in touch with
me by email at Cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk, or by
telephone on 01872
229698. My regular constituency advice surgeries are held
at my office, so please do get in touch should you wish to meet me about any
matters that I can be of assistance with.
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