(photo credit - David Burton-Sampson MP (Team) - Facebook ) Engaging in National SEND Reform Discussions As you are aware, the Schools White Paper is due to set out the Government’s planned reforms to the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system. We are very proud to be involved in these important discussions and are committed to engaging with every opportunity available to ensure parent carer voices are represented. We have attended several ministerial meetings hosted by the Minister for Education, Georgina Gould OBE, MP , which form part of the Department for Education’s wider SEND reform programme. These meetings brought together a range of stakeholders to explore SEND reform through the five key principles set out by the DfE: early, local, fair, effective and shared . Alongside these, we have also taken part in Parent Carer Forum (PCF)–specific meetings , which provide a dedicated space for PCFs to contribute directly to the reform process. We continue to attend both public ministerial and PCF-focused sessions, ensuring that we are fully engaged in all discussions made available to us. Within the recent PCF-specific meetings, solution-focused discussions explored two key areas: • what accountability is needed in a reformed system to support an effective and inclusive mainstream education system; and • what the key foundations are for building trust with parent carers across the SEND system. In addition to live discussions, PCF members shared extensive feedback through chat functions and written comments. This combination of lived experience, shared themes and practical suggestions was fed back collectively to the Minister to support ongoing SEND reform work. The Minister acknowledged both the complexity of the challenges and the value of the constructive contributions shared through Parent Carer Forums, recognising the importance of collective parent carer insight. At a local level, we were also particularly pleased to meet with our MP, David Burton-Sampson , and are grateful for his time and engagement. This meeting enabled us to contribute directly to Southend’s response to the Schools White Paper , ensuring that local parent carer perspectives were included. We remain committed to listening to parent carers, gathering shared experiences, and representing those voices wherever opportunities arise — locally, regionally and nationally — as SEND reform continues to develop. (NB - photo credit David Burton-Sampson

We’re excited to launch our new mini guide, What Is a Parent Carer Forum? – A Simple Guide . This guide builds on our original poster and was created in response to parent carers asking for more detail about our role. Through a short series of videos, it explains who we are, what we do, and how a Parent Carer Forum supports families of children and young people with SEND. Click the button below to watch the full guide.

Our latest Family Feedback report is now available to read. Each term SSIF collate the feedback and information shared with us by parents and carers via our Family Feedback Form (hosted here on our website) and our in-person engagements events, including our coffee mornings. We would like to thank all of the parents and carers who took the time to complete our feedback form and share their experiences with us. This information will be used to help shape and improve SEND services in Southend. Our Family Feedback survey is available all year round, so please continue to share your experiences. To read the full report and presentation click on the button below.