The Inaugural meeting of MPs to re-establish the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) took place on Wednesday 16 October 2024. It was standing-room only due to the level of interest from MPs and a long list of others who couldn’t attend but wish to be members of the group.
We are pleased to confirm that NAHT will again be providing the secretariat for the group. Olivia Blake MP was duly re-elected to chair of the group, along with Greg Stafford MP, Shockat Adam MP and Jen Craft MP, who were elected as vice-chairs,with a full list of 42 MP members.
The meeting discussed the previous work of the group, focusing on the importance of early intervention and had a brief discussion about next steps. The meeting was cut short by the division bell during a busy day in parliament.
The group will now be re-registered as an APPG and we will be arranging next steps and will keep you all up to date with progress and details of future meetings.
The membership and officers of the group are now as follows:
APPG officers
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Olivia Blake
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Labour
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Sheffield Hallam
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Greg Stafford
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Conservative
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Farnham and Bordon
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Shockat Adam
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Independent
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Leicester South
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Jen Craft
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Labour
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Thurrock
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APPG members
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David Taylor
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Labour
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Hemel Hempstead
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Jack Abbott
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Labour
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Ipswich
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Jenny Riddell-Carpenter
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Labour
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Suffolk Coastal
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David Smith
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Labour
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North Northumberland
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Pam Cox
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Labour
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Colchester
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Claire Hazelgrove
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Labour
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Filton and Bradley
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Iqbal Mohamed
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Independent
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Dewsbury and Batley
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Peter Swallow
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Labour
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Bracknell
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Laurence Turner
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Labour
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Birmingham Northfield
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Claire Young
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Liberal Democrat
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Thornbury and Yate
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Vikki Slade
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Liberal Democrat
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Mid Dorset and North Poole
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Jess Brown-Fuller
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Liberal Democrat
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Chichester
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David Baines
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Labour
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St Helens North
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Sarah Edwards
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Labour
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Tamworth
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Sarah Dyke
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Liberal Democrat
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Glastonbury and Somerton
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Daniel Aldridge
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Labour
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Weston-super-Mare
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Sharon Hodgson
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Labour
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Washington and Gateshead South
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Sarah Hall
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Labour
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Warrington South
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Steve Witherden
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Labour
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Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr
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Monica Harding
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Liberal Democrat
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Esher and Walton
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Chris Bloore
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Labour
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Redditch
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Clive Lewis
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Labour
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Norwich South
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Danny Beales
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Labour
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Uxbridge and South Ruislip
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Julia Buckley
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Labour
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Shrewsbury
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Alison Hume
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Labour
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Scarborough and Whitby
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Damian Hinds
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Conservative
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East Hampshire
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Chris Coghlan
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Liberal Democrat
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Dorking and Horley
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Marie Tidball
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Labour
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Penistone and Stocksbridge
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Josh Dean
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Labour
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Hertford and Stortford
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Laura Kyrke-Smith
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Labour
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Aylesbury
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Jayne Kirkman
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Labour
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Truro and Falmouth
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Neil Duncan-Jordan
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Labour
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Poole
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Darren Paffey
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Labour
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Southampton Itchen
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Ben Goldsborough
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Labour
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South Norfolk
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Zoe Franklin
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Liberal Democrat
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Guildford
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Lewis Cocking
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Conservative
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Broxbourne
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Patrick Spencer
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Conservative
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Central Suffolk
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Marie Goldman
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Liberal Democrat
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Chelmsford
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Helen Maguire
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Liberal Democrat
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Epsom and Ewell
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Terry Jermy
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Labour
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South West Norfok
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Lee Pitcher
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Labour
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Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme
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Reports of the APPG for SEND
Spring 2021: Forgotten. Left behind. Overlooked: The experiences of young people with SEND and their educational transitions during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 –
Forthcoming meetings
We will publish the dates and registration links for upcoming meetings here.
Previous parliament
News
Chair of the APPG for SEND, Olivia Blake MP, has criticised the government’s latest delay in the publication of the review of support for special educational needs, initially announced in September 2019.
Olivia Blake MP says: “This further delay is unacceptable and inexcusable - especially after the disproportionate impact that the pandemic has had on children and adults with special educational needs and disabilities, who in many cases have been left without any support over the past year. People with learning difficulties have continually been an afterthought in Government response to the pandemic – woefully neglected with terrible consequences."
You can read the full statement here.
Chair of the APPG for SEND, Olivia Blake MP, writes to Minister for Covid Vaccine Deployment, Nadhim Zahawi MP, to ask that staff working with children with SEND are prioritised for vaccination
Olivia Blake MP has written to the Minister for COVID Vaccine Deployment to ask that the government prioritise educational and support staff who work with children and young people with SEND in the covid-19 vaccine rollout.
You can read the full text of the letter here.
Chair of the APPG for SEND, Olivia Blake MP, writes to Prime Minister Boris Johnson seeking disclosure of scientific information behind the decision on school closures on 4 January 2021.
Olivia Blake MP has written to the Prime Minister to seek the disclosure of scientific evidence providing an adequate evidential basis for decisions that have been taken regarding special schools and alternative provision being omitted from the school closure plans for England.
You can read the full text of the letter here.
Chair of the APPG for SEND, Olivia Blake MP, writes to the secretary of state for education regarding the delay to the publication of the government’s review of SEND
Olivia Blake MP has written to the secretary of state, expressing concern that the much-needed review of SEND has been delayed because of the covid-19 pandemic. She urges him to commit resources and publish the review as soon as possible: “SEND cannot be an afterthought”.
You can read the full text of the letter here.
Chair of the APPG for SEND, Olivia Blake MP, writes to the prime minister (21 August 2020) regarding the consideration given to children and young people with SEND during the GCSE and A level results decision-making process
APPG for SEND inquiry for Autumn 2020 – the impact of covid-19 on educational transitions for children and young people with SEND
The APPG for SEND launched an inquiry for Autumn 2020 to look at the impact of covid-19 and disruption of education on children and young people with SEND, with a particular focus on the educational transitions they face.
The APPG welcomes submissions from all interested parties, but particularly from parents, carers and young people themselves.
To view the terms of reference for the inquiry click here.
Past meetings
Tuesday 9 January 2024, 2pm (focus on the impact of early intervention in SEND support)
Tuesday 27 June 2023 – annual general meeting
There is a requirement for APPG AGMs to be held in person and on the Parliamentary Estate, therefore it will be a private meeting, not open to the public. Members of the group will hear from the parliamentary under-secretary of state for children, families and wellbeing, Claire Countinho MP. The group will plan meetings for the coming year, which will be online and open to the public.
Monday 13 June 2022 – annual general meeting
Wednesday 23 March 2022, 4pm
Focus: Social, emotional, and mental health in SEND support
Wednesday 9 February 2022, 4pm
Wednesday 24 March 2021 annual general meeting
The APPG for SEND held four meetings in the autumn term of 2020 as part of its inquiry into the impact of covid-19 on educational transitions. Each meeting focused and heard evidence on a particular topic of the educational experience of children and young people with SEND. Click on the links below to watch the meetings.
Wednesday 2 December 2020 (focus on sensory and/or physical needs)
Wednesday 11 November 2020 (focus on social, emotional and mental health difficulties)
Wednesday 14 October 2020 (focus on cognition and learning)
Wednesday 23 September 2020 (focus on communication and interaction)
Wednesday 15 July 2020
Tuesday 3 March 2020