Terry Jermy

I thank the hon. Member, my county colleague from Norfolk, for raising that point, and I entirely agree. I want to explain and give information to the Minister about the experiences I have documented in my rural constituency. I have produced a SEND report, “Rural Realities”, and I have shared a draft with her. Through in-person group sessions, questionnaires and our detailed casework, we have gathered data about what is happening on the ground. At the first SEND roundtable in the market town of Downham Market, it was clear that many of the parents and carers from the local villages did not know one another. They arrived individually but soon discovered that their experiences were remarkably similar. They spoke of not receiving much support in their child’s early years. Health visitors came less frequently, and in many cases an in-person visit did not happen at all. Warning signs and opportunities for support were ignored at primary school, and when their child entered high school, often some distance away in a rural setting, the impact of having little to no support was further compounded. From our own assessments, it is clear that rural areas typically have a limited range of local SEND provision.