Lowestoft MP calls for people to submit evidence to an inquiry into the SEND crisis
A national inquiry is aiming to improve the experiences of children and young people in the SEND system
Last updated 13th Jan 2025
Lowestoft's MP is urging people affected by the crisis in the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities system to share their experiences.
It'd be for a national inquiry which is being run by the Education Select Committee - which is aiming to improve the experiences of children and young people in the SEND system.
The town's MP Jess Asato's part of the committee: "We'll have a number of witness sessions and will also be taking written submissions.
"Anyone can submit to that so look up the Education Select Committee, find the open inquiry and send your evidence through...
"We'll be talking to parents and also children - I think that's incredibly important to hear the voice of the children."
"A lot of the problems parents face are to do with lack of access to health"
She explains some of the key issue they're hoping to resolve with this inquiry: "The huge level of unmet need, in particular, the numbers of children who have a named school on their Education and Healthcare Plans (EHCP) but simply can't get in to that school.
"We also want to reduce the numbers of children waiting to get an EHCP and the numbers waiting for a diagnosis...
"and SEND, of course, isn't just an educational issue.
"A lot of the problems parents face are to do with lack of access to health, particularly in terms of diagnosis and support."
"We will be keeping the pressure on so that we can see the change"
Jess told us what happens when the committee's collected all its evidence and written up a report: "I'm really looking forward to making sure that we come up with a really clear plan to put us back on track and make sure those children who really need support get it...
"Once we have those recommendations they'll be sent to the Secretary of State and any other governmental department where we think there needs to be a real difference...
"We will be keeping the pressure on so that we can see the change."
People can submit written evidence to the inquiry until the 30th January 2025.