Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan has responded to a damning report on support for children with special educational needs and disabilities, assessing how well the system is delivering for children and young people.
The report published by the National Audit Office (NAO), the UK’s independent public spending watchdog, was critical of the Conservative government’s approach and the resulting impact on children’s outcomes.
The report contains a number of troubling findings. It concluded that for years, there had been ‘no consistent improvement’ in outcomes for children and young people with SEN, noting that ‘families and children lack confidence in the system’. Looking ahead, it recommended that the new Labour government should consider ‘whole-system’ reform.
Mr Morgan has assured constituents that the Labour government hears their views and is committed to further engagement with the SEND community as it paves the way for reform.
Highlighting one of Labour’s five key missions, to break down the barriers to opportunity for every child, the city MP said SEND would be crucial in the government’s work to fulfil its aims.
Nevertheless, Mr Morgan was eager to stress the need for patience, outlining the scale of the challenge facing the government and keen not to overpromise to wary parents with experience of the system, who had heard ‘too many false promises’.
Since leaving government, Conservative Shadow Ministers have reflected on the SEND system with one telling a reception at Conservative Party Conference that his government ‘did not do enough’ on SEND and as a result they should ‘hang [their] heads in shame’.
The previous Conservative Education Secretary had also labelled the system ‘lose, lose, lose’.
Commenting, Portsmouth South MP, Stephen Morgan said:
“SEND is a topic that comes up on the doorstep in Portsmouth and in my surgeries all the time. I know that reforming the system is a massive priority for local people.
“I’ll be backing this Labour government every step of the way in Parliament to deliver on our mission to break down the barriers to opportunity for every child. SEND will play a crucial part in that mission.
“In our city, I’ll continue to engage with those with lived experience of the system, to hear your views and work to deliver on the mandate for change.”
Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education, said
“The NAO’s report shows that the SEND system we have inherited has totally lost the confidence of families. Labour is absolutely committed to restoring that confidence.
“My predecessor labelled the system ‘lose, lose, lose’, while current Tory Shadow Ministers say they should ‘hang [their] heads in shame’ over their record. I agree.
“But there is light at the end of the tunnel, Labour will build a system where every child is able to achieve and thrive.”
