Mother calls community Send meeting 'outstanding'

The mother of two children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) has described a meeting with her local community as "absolutely outstanding".

The event in Corby, Northamptonshire, was organised by the town's MP, Lee Barron, who described the system for helping children with special needs as "fundamentally broken".

Julie Heron, whose daughters are autistic, said the meeting was "a massive step forward".

Last year, a report into services for children with Send in North Northamptonshire found "widespread and systemic failings".

Ms Heron now has financial support from North Northamptonshire Council for her younger daughter to be educated at home, but had to fight to get help.

She said: "As well as battling for what your child needs, you're trying to still work, you're trying to raise two children with needs, so it has a mental impact.

"It's really tough, there's nobody there to help, other than other parents and charities."

The Labour MP for Corby and East Northamptonshire, Lee Barron, said he organised a round table meeting for parents and officials from the council and other service providers because the Send system was broken.

"We all know what the problems are, it's now about shaping solutions, and that's got to be driven by central government."

He said parents often had to go as far as a tribunal to get help for their child and the process took a long time, during which the youngster was missing out on schooling.

He added that evidence gathered at the meeting would be submitted to the Parliamentary Education Committee as part of its inquiry into the Send "crisis".

Ms Heron said the meeting "really filled me with great hope".

"It's obviously just the start - the inquiry have to take on board our points," she added.

"From a local level, this was absolutely outstanding - to actually have people together, in that room.

"It needs to be everybody together and that was what was amazing."

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