Last month saw the launch of my new “call for evidence” looking to hear from people directly affected by Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision, right across Suffolk Coastal.

I campaigned and spoke about the SEND crisis at length to families during the General Election campaign. SEND provision – or the lack of it – is failing too many families and young people here in Martlesham. Without the right support, this means that too often, our young people and their families are being left to fend for themselves. Perhaps most importantly, too many young people are missing out on support that would allow them to have the education that they are entitled to.

So many families have already shared with me their many frustrations that they’ve experienced, in the hard fight to access education support. Nationally it has started to get a lot more attention in recent years, but the truth is it has been a silent crisis in Suffolk for much longer.

In my “call for evidence”, I’m asking parents of young students who have been impacted by SEND provision and services to get in touch and share their experiences of the SEND crisis here in Suffolk. I’m keen to hear from both current students, as well as past experiences of SEND in Suffolk over the last five years (from 2019).

Families who want to submit their evidence should do so directly via my website – at https://www. jennyforsuffolkcoastal.org/campaigns, or make contact via email at jenny.riddellcarpenter.mp@parliament.uk . Families will have until the end of November to get in touch with my office and to provide their feedback.
If you do decide to take part, you’ll be helping to make the change we need to improve our education services here in both Martlesham and beyond. All the evidence I gather will form part of a special “insights report” on SEND in Suffolk Coastal, and provide case studies for Parliament, and be used as a submission to Government.

I’ll also be inviting young people and their families to a special debate on this in Parliament in the New Year, and I do hope that you’ll take part if this is something you or your family have been affected by.

If you’d like to hear more about this work, please email me directly and I’d be happy to share more details.