Every Disabled Child Matters Campaign responses

One of our Facebook group members has received a reply from her MP about SEND and EDCM campaign.  Basically its a standard reply letter as I myself have just received the exact same one from our MP David Gauke, both Conservatives.  So if you signed up to support the campaign, this is the bog standard response you will get!  Our response is that this letter is corporate bullsh*t. These people really do believe their own spin. Only time will tell how much difference the Childhood and Family Task Force are going to make. Very little we would imagine. Maybe we should start writing to Labour MPs and the Band of Brothers guy who is leading them saying that we are in the mess that we are in because of them. Would they come out fighting do you think? Maybe not.......

However, if you signed up in support of this campaign we would like to hear from you if you have a Labour MP.  Our Campaign Manager Carole has received a reply this morning from her own Labour MP:-

Julie has written to Michael Gove and Andrew Lansley on the matter and when we receive a reply, we will get back to you.
With best wishes.
GRAHAM MARCH
Senior Parliamentary Affairs Assistant to Julie Elliott MP

Tory Response

Dear

Thank you for taking the time to contact me about children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and the Every Disabled Child Matters (EDCM) campaign.

I understand your concerns regarding the difficulties faced by families with children with SEND. It is clear that life can often feel like an uphill struggle for young disabled people and their families. Moreover, I am very concerned about the provision of education in this country for children with SEND. Unfortunately, the sad reality for too many families is that the provision for SEND is designed to fit the money and resources available to a local authority, rather than a child’s specific special educational needs.

I believe that people needing care deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. I am pleased therefore, that the Government is also determined to ensure that disabled children are a key priority. The Prime Minister, David Cameron MP, and the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg MP, will both be taking part in the Childhood and Family Task Force. The Task Force will look at the challenges that face disabled children and their families. Challenges like poverty and relationship breakdown.

I realise that this Government has had to make tough spending decisions. This is a result of the previous Government leaving the largest peacetime deficit in history. However, both this Government and I are committed to reducing the deficit, ensuring that our children do not pay the price for this generation’s mistakes.

I have always believed that the most vulnerable children deserve the very highest quality of care. I am pleased therefore, that the Government has announced that it will be bringing forward a Green Paper which aims to improve radically the entire SEN system and will cover issues including school choice, early identification and assessment, funding and family support.

Yours sincerely

GORDON HENDERSON MP