Hull mum advocates for more parental support alongside new SEND funding

A mother from Hull is urging for additional support for parents of children with special educational needs (SEN) following new government funding for mainstream schools.

Elisha Kemp emphasises the importance of training all teachers to manage SEN effectively but believes that parents also require assistance, as challenges often persist outside the classroom.

Elisha's daughter previously struggled in her mainstream school due to inconsistent understanding and communication from staff.

She said, “Our mainstream school that she went to tried to put those measures in place, but because they had 30 other kids in the class, it wasn't the same across the board. There was no consistency. So there was a lack of communication between the teachers. There was a lack of education and understanding of what SEN is and what they require."

Elisha added that training and development in schools could empower teachers and staff to manage SEN concerns more confidently and adapt their teaching methods accordingly.

"My concern is, where's the parent support? Because it's great that you've got all this structure and all this support at school, but then when that child comes home, you don't have that same understanding or that same education."

Elisha suggests that school staff, including those not directly involved in teaching, receive education on SEN to help identify and address concerns in different school settings.