Hitchin MP raises 'shocking' SEND provisions in Herts and Beds in Westminster debate

A Hertfordshire MP has raised the need for better Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) provisions in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, in a debate at Westminster Hall.

Yesterday (September 4th), Hitchin MP Alistair Strathern commenced a debate discussing the SEND provision considerations needing to be improved in the two counties.

Mr Strathern raised the issue following over 100 letters from parents and carers sent to him, divulging their difficulties, concerns and stress over trying to access provisions their children are entitled to in the SEND department.

Opening the debate, Mr Strathern said: "It is a near universally accepted truth that SEND provision across our country is simply not working. Indeed, the system had become so broken that, by the time of the election, the Conservatives’ own Education Secretary had to admit that they were presiding over a system that had become, “lose, lose, lose”.

"Vulnerable young people right across the country looking for the support they need to thrive at school are the ones who are losing."

Following Ofsted reports released into Central Bedfordshire Council and Hertfordshire County Council, Strathern urged the Education Minister, Catherine Mckinnell MP, to ramp up Labour’s work to fix the broken system.

It was one of the Hitchin MP's five election pledges to make the new Hitchin constituency the best place to grow up, with specific reference to holding Central Bedfordshire Council and Herts councils accountable for improving SEND provision locally.

The motion was continued yesterday during the debate, where other MPs across the two counties also raised the views of their constituents.

MP for Welwyn Hatfield, Andrew Lewin, was the first to discuss SEND needs with Mr Strathern, speaking of the pattern of parents describing their experiences as a fight or battle that takes months and sometimes years.

Jim Shannon, MP for Strangford, Daisy Cooper, MP for St Albans, Blake Stephenson, MP for Mid Bedfordshire David Taylor, MP for Hemel Hempstead, Lewis Cocking, MP for Broxbourne and Kevin Bonavia, MP for Stevenage all echoed Alistair Strathern's calls for SEND provision to be top of the Schools Minister's agenda.

Before The Minister for School Standards responded to the comments raised in the debate, Mr Strathern took a moment to thank young people.

"I want finally to thank every young person, every parent and every teacher who is battling to do their absolute best across those two areas in a system that just is not set up to back them to succeed. A system that is letting down children with additional needs is a system that is letting down children full stop, and it simply should not be a system that any of us tolerate any longer."

## Fixing SEND system is a 'priority' for Department for Education

Catherine McKinnell, Minister for School Standards, waited until the end of the debate in Westminster Hall to address her fellow MP's comments, congratulating Alistair Strathern on highlighting the challenges facing the local area.

"I assure him that improving the special educational needs and disabilities system across this country is a priority for this Government, and that includes improving services for children and young people with SEND in Central Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire."

More than 1.6 million children and young people in England have special educational needs, with the Minister saying far too many families have been failed.

"Just one in four pupils achieved the expected standard at the end of primary school. Families struggle to get their child the support they need and, more importantly, deserve. That really must change."

Speaking of what the Department are doing to address and fix the problems with SEND provision, Ms McKinnell said there are 'no quick fixes' but they have already started work, as a 'priority of the Department.'

"We are acting as quickly as we can to respond to the cost pressures in the SEND system because they are causing real financial problems in some local authorities, including in Hertfordshire and Central Bedfordshire. Before the parliamentary recess we announced a new core schools budget grant, which will provide special and alternative provision schools with over £140 million of extra funding in the 2024-25 financial year to help with the extra costs of the teachers’ pay award and the outcome of the negotiations for support staff. That is in addition to the high needs funding allocations for children and young people with complex special educational needs and disabilities."

[Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.](http://hellorayo.co.uk/greatest-hits/play/){:target=_blank}