Alex Ballinger

I thank the many petitioners who brought forward this debate, which is fundamental to parents in my Halesowen constituency. I have been speaking to many of them, and the message I am receiving is clear: the system is not working. Parents raised three major themes with me. First, getting support for children with special needs is too much of a fight. Time and again, EHCP processes in Halesowen have breached the 20-week timeline, and in many cases, parents are waiting for more than a year to get support. Secondly, the waiting list for child and adolescent mental health services is much too high; many families have told me that they must wait years and meet ridiculous thresholds to receive support. Thirdly, I hear from teachers and parents that capacity in mainstream schools is stretched to the limit. They know what children need but are unable to deliver in a complex and under-resourced system. That is best described in parents’ own words. One parent said to me: “I cannot underestimate the battle that parents have with the system and local authorities: to get an assessment; to get an EHCP that is meaningful and lawful; to get suitable education provision; and to get healthcare and social care support. The constant fight is exhausting.” The only conclusion must be that fundamental reform of the system is needed. It is not working for parents, teachers or the children themselves. There are no easy solutions to these very complex problems. When it comes to reform, I ask that parents—like the parents here today—are at the very heart of any changes we make.