On 19 November, I attended an emergency meeting organised by SEND Crisis Tower Hamlets and the National Education Union. It was a chance for parents, teachers and children to talk about their experiences and the impacts of ongoing cuts, and to tell elected officials about their experiences of SEND support in the borough. The meeting focused on the rights of the child with other invited speakers including Amanda Elliot from Hackney SEND Crisis (who have recently taken the govt to court), local councillors, the NEU joint general secretaries, and of course Tower Hamlets parents speaking about their experiences.
Schools in Tower Hamlets have been hit with £30 million cuts and the council has announced it has a shortfall of £7.5million. Before the General Election was called the Tories promised our council a one-off top up payment, that wonít solve the problem long term. While we wait for the new government this country needs, these cuts to vital services are still pending, and potentially could still be put in place.
I am ready to stand up and fight against any further slashing of provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities. By coming together we can create strategies to put a stop to the slashing of vital special needs services.