Bridget Phillipson

Bridget Phillipson

Labour — Houghton and Sunderland South

Speaking in the House of Commons on 7 July 2025

Debate

Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life

Contribution

My hon. Friend speaks with real power, real expertise and personal experience on these matters, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to discuss much of this with her, including her experiences as a parent and as a constituency MP and what needs to change. I can give her the absolute and categorical assurance not just that that work will happen, but that it is already under way. I am spending much time listening to and speaking with parents of children with SEND, campaigners, charities, school leaders and others. There is broad acceptance that the system just is not working, and the guiding principle of any reform that we bring forward will be rooted in better life chances for our children with SEND. We want more support, strengthened support and more timely support. However, we are already delivering, backed by extra investment going into the system. I appreciate the important need to build parents’ confidence in the system ahead of any wider reform, and that is why we are taking action already. We are determined to get longer term reform right, and I look forward to working with my hon. Friend on making that a reality.

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