York Central MP to hold Community Meeting to discuss SEND Support in York
Date: Friday 13th October
Location: Southlands Methodist Church Hall
Time: 6:30pm
RSVP: email rachael.maskell.mp@parliament.uk or phone 01904 613723
Rachael Maskell MP is to host a community meeting to discuss access to support for children with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) in York.
The meeting will take place on Friday 13th October, beginning at 6:30pm, at the Southlands Methodist Church Hall.
Rachael is inviting all parents, community groups and service providers across York to attend to discuss the issues faced in trying to access support for children with Special Educational Need and Disability (SEND).
This meeting has been arranged due to a sharp rise in casework Rachael’s office has been receiving from parents who are struggling to access suitable support for their children, whether at school or in accessing services, and following conversations she has had with staff about the challenges they are facing in trying to support this rising need across charities, the council and health services.
During the meeting, people will have the opportunity to share their experiences, raise concerns, and hear from others about why such challenges exist locally, as well as engaging in a discussion on what is needed to address these issues to ensure support and services are available to those who need them.
Speaking about the event, Rachael said:
“I am seeing more and more people writing to me to share the difficulties they are facing in trying to get access to help and support for their children with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND). I appreciate the significant challenges services are facing in trying to accommodate the rising need, and know that real reform must come from the Government to properly fund such provision.
“As I recently highlighted in my column for York Press, the underfunding of provision for children with SEND by the Government has led to rising numbers of children struggling with their education, parents struggling to navigate the systems in place, and the local authority and other services struggling to meet the demand here in York.
“With the slashing of education budgets, schools and the local authority are noting increasing challenges in trying to address the growing need for support. This is compounded further by the significant under-resourcing of Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), leading to huge delays for those waiting for assessment, and long waits for those trying to access the Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) that would enable them to access support. I know some have waited years to get a diagnosis.
“We need to see a change, and I want to take the experiences of those in York to the Government, to highlight what is not working and put forward solutions to these issues. I am clear that children in York must have the support and opportunities available to them that others enjoy.
“I would encourage all those who have experience of trying to access support for a child or young person with SEND to attend the meeting on the 13th October. If you would like to know more, please contact my office.”
To book a place at this meeting, please RSVP via email to rachael.maskell.mp@parliament.uk or phone 01904 613723.