SEND provision is one of my key priorities as MP for Suffolk Coastal. Across the constituency, I continue to hear from families who are struggling with long delays, inconsistent support and a system that is not always delivering the right outcomes for children and young people with additional needs.
While there has been some improvement in recent years, significant challenges remain, and it is essential that momentum is maintained and further progress is made. I am working with families, schools, local partners and Government to push for improvements across the system and to ensure that children receive the support they are entitled to as early as possible.
This page brings together my work on SEND — including campaigning activity, constituency reports, contributions in Parliament, and ongoing engagement with Government reforms. It also sets out key campaigns, updates on local projects, and signposts support for families who may need advice or assistance.
My "five steps to deliver Suffolk’s SEND improvements" campaign
I'm calling on the Reform leadership at Suffolk County Council to deliver these five steps to improve SEND provision in our county:
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1. Provide real leadership and a clear commitment to deliver real improvements in SEND services across Suffolk.
2. Suffolk County Council must overhaul its relationship with families, and commit to better communications.
3. Suffolk County Council must now set out its firm commitment to deliver the new Saxmundham and Bury St Edmund SEND schools, with timelines and next steps published in full.
4. Make Suffolk a pioneer in delivering rural SEND spaces and SEND units.
5. Regular engagement with local MPs and stakeholders on complex SEND cases affecting local families
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Read my letter to Suffolk County Council below:
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Parliamentary Contributions
Since being elected I have continued to bang the drum for better SEND support both in the constituency and nationally
Watch some of my contributions below
SEND Report
In May 2025 I released my first SEND report titled “SEND in Crisis” The report highlighted once again, the significant pressures facing children, parents and schools within the SEND system, including delays to Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), inconsistent support, poor communication and difficulties accessing suitable school places.
Alongside highlighting the challenges faced by families, the report set out a series of recommendations for both local and national government. These included calls for a national review of SEND provision – which I’m incredibly glad to see is now taking place, sustainable long-term funding, improved communication with families, and the expansion of local specialist provision — including reopening the former Saxmundham school site as a specialist SEND school – which has now been committed to by Suffolk County Council – an incredible win and a huge relief for local families.
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Reopen the former Saxmundham school site as a specialist SEND school
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Expand specialist SEND provision across Suffolk
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Improve communication and accountability for families
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Deliver a national review and family-led conversation on SEND reform
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Provide sustainable long-term funding for SEND services
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Put the experiences of children and families at the heart of future reforms
The report also contributed to the wider national conversation around SEND reform and called for families’ experiences to be placed at the centre of future policy changes.
You can read the full report here:
SENDinSAX Campaign
One of my major local campaigns has been the push to reopen the former SET Saxmundham school site as a specialist SEND school.
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Following numerous conversations with ministers in parliament, the Government announced funding in December 2025 for a new specialist SEND school at the Saxmundham site. However, the final decision on whether the school would go ahead rested with Suffolk County Council, which had the option of using the funding elsewhere within mainstream SEND provision across the whole of Suffolk.
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Following the announcement, I immediately wrote to Suffolk County Council urging them to commit to reopening the school, ringfence the funding for the Saxmundham site, and publish a clear timetable for delivery. I argued that there was no better site in Suffolk for specialist provision, given the existing SEND-ready facilities already in place and the school’s ability to serve families across a wide geographical area.
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When the council indicated it was still “considering all options”, I launched a major public campaign to put pressure on decision makers to back the school. More than 641 parents, young people, teachers, health professionals and concerned constituents signed the campaign, sending emails directly to the Cabinet Member for SEND calling for the school to be approved and opened as quickly as possible.
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Alongside this, local school trusts and I sent Suffolk County Council urging them to approve the new school without delay.
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Following further discussions with ministers and Department for Education officials, the Government confirmed it would fully fund the cost of the project, removing concerns around affordability and placing further pressure on the council to proceed.
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I also organised a community SEND Day of Action in Saxmundham to demonstrate the strength of local feeling and keep pressure on the council ahead of its final decision.
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Following this intense campaign, Suffolk County Council confirmed that the specialist SEND school in Saxmundham would go ahead, securing around 120 specialist places for children and young people with complex needs.
While this was a major victory for families across Suffolk Coastal, my work on this campaign continues. I am now focused on:
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Monitoring progress towards opening the school
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Holding Suffolk County Council to delivery timescales
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Ensuring families remain informed and involved
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Continuing to push for wider improvements to SEND provision across Suffolk
This campaign demonstrated the strength of feeling amongst local families and showed what can be achieved when communities come together to demand better support for children with additional needs. Thank you to everyone who supported my in getting this school opened.
SEND Reforms and Consultation
Over the past six months, I have engaged extensively with families, carers, schools and professionals across Suffolk Coastal to understand their experiences of the SEND System.
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This included in-person events, a dedicated SEND conference, and my own online consultation
I have now submitted my response to the Government’s SEND reform consultation, informed directly by this feedback and by wider engagement in my constituency.
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The message from families has been clear and consistent:
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The SEND system is not working effectively for many children and families
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Too many children are waiting too long for assessments and support
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Parents are often forced to fight for provision that should be routinely available
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Support plans such as EHCPs are not consistently delivered in practice
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Communication between services and families is often poor and unclear
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There are too few specialist school places and post-16 options locally
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Inclusion in mainstream education only works when properly resourced
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These findings reflect a system where accountability and consistency are not currently strong enough, and where families are too often left carrying the burden of navigating complex processes alone.
Key recommendations for the government as they take these reforms forward include:
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Stronger national accountability for failing local authorities, with meaningful intervention powers where standards are not met
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Clear national minimum standards for Individual Support Plans, including named responsibility for delivery and escalation routes if support is not provided
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Workforce and capacity requirements to be met before changes are implemented, including educational psychology, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and mental health support
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Fully funded inclusion in mainstream schools, with ringfenced funding, training and specialist staffing
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Safeguards to ensure no child loses support during the transition from EHCPs to new support pathways
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Better use of rural school capacity to expand local specialist provision
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Expansion of inclusive out-of-school provision, including holiday clubs and wraparound care
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A “SEND Passport into Adulthood” to improve transition support from age 14 through to 25
You can read my full submission here:
Support
If you or your family need support relating to SEND provision, the following organisations and services may be helpful:
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Suffolk SENDIASS
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Suffolk County Council SEND Local Offer
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IPSEA
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Contact
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National Autistic Society
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SOS!SEN
If you are a constituent in Suffolk Coastal and would like to contact my office regarding a SEND issue, please do reach out to me at jenny.riddellcarpenter.mp@parliament.uk