Expanding provision for children with SEND
Too many parents, carers, children and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) practitioners across Adur and Worthing have been battling a broken SEND system for years.
After hearing their experiences at my coffee morning and roundtables and sharing them ministers, I am glad that the Government is listening and reforming SEND provision.
Last week, the Government announced £1.8 billion to provide earlier, targeted support and £3.7 billion to create over 60,000 more specialist places. Every child with SEND will also have a legally backed Individual Support Plan (ISP), which sets out the extra help they will get to succeed.
Further good news came last week: from 1st April, energy bills will drop by £117 a year, as part of our efforts to tackle the cost of living for everyone.
In the House of Commons, I raised my concerns about road safety on the A283 (Old Shoreham Road) and around primary schools, including Swiss Gardens, Downsbrook, and Whytemead, and urged West Sussex County Council to act.
Also in Parliament, I spoke in a debate about the need to fix plan 2 student loan repayment plans to increase the disposable income of graduates and hosted young people and staff members from Lancing’s Electric Storm Youth for a tour of Westminster.
In the constituency, I met with farmers at Old Erringham Farm and saw some beautiful newborn lambs! I then met with Natural England to walk along the Adur Site of Special Scientific Interest, before holding my advice surgery for residents in Shoreham.
Finally, it was great to knock on doors in Shoreham and East Worthing with our brilliant council candidates over the weekend to pick up casework from residents.