Dr Roz Savage

I thank the petitioners again for making today’s debate possible, and I thank everybody who spoke. I hope the breadth and depth of both feeling and understanding across the House is clear to the petitioners. I thank the Minister for her response and welcome her to her place. I hope she will forgive me for observing that I heard a great deal of empathy but not a great deal of action. I trust that the forthcoming White Paper will set out in much more detail and far more concrete terms what the Government will do to address the crisis in SEND. There is a crisis of funding and of trust, but behind the national crisis are countless families in crisis, pushed to breaking point by the fight to get their children the provision they deserve. We need accountability, training and funding; we need early and timely intervention; we need a system that works with and for parents, not against them; and above all else, we need a system that enables all children, no matter what their challenges, to fulfil their potential. I, for one, look forward very much to hearing what the Government will do to provide that. Question put and agreed to. Resolved, That this House has considered e-petition 711021 relating to assessments and support for children with SEND.