I am sorry if I haven't published the petition as much as I should have, please do feel free to share it -  the more places its publicised the merrier.

I am delighted to have been offered a donation of 5000 leaflets and have already had some offers for help distributing them. These are currently being printed and will start making their way out at some point next week. The more I am being contacted by struggling families and the more contact we have with services the more determined I am we need change in Suffolk.  

We are being told about tightening budgets and austerity however sadly its not just about money (although I accept the lack of it causes difficulties.) I am hearing about an increase of cases where money is being spent on tribunals, on independent specialist schools even though the caseworker has been advised the child is unable to attend due to the setting not being able to meet their needs, on new strategies with public consultations (despite parents having made their views on services clear numerous times and having been ignored) and huge sums on consultants (however improvements still aren't being seen by our community). I am also being told of some children who are left without support for a considerable amount of time, during this time their current placement at a mainstream school breaks down and the child then requires a specialist placement (only exacerbating the current situation where there are simply not enough places for the children that need them) - many of these families are telling me that if they had received a decent assessment and support in a timely manner they feel their child would have been able to remain in a mainstream setting.

 I have in the past weeks attempted to work with senior members of staff to get what professionals (solicitors, educational psychologists, autism specialists etc.) are telling us is a document that is of so poor quality it is not fit for purpose, amended. Sadly with no luck so we are now heading to tribunal. I find this so frustrating as it's a real waste of my time and energy as well as costing the tax payer when really a bit of common sense could probably sort most of the issues (as could reading the solicitors recommendations of what needed further detail, specification or qualification that me and my husband funded and provided to Suffolk County Council back in January.)

I really hope that 2024 will be a period of great change for SEND families in Suffolk. I can't guarantee this sadly - however I can promise I will not stay silent until changes are made and my opinion no amount of new cash will sort this crisis, we need a whole change in attitude.

P.S If any Suffolk residents would like to do a bit of leaflet dropping please get in touch x