WEEKLY column by Thornbury and Yate MP Claire Young.

Right across the country, children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities are being let down.

The current SEND funding formula is broken, meaning that councils and schools are not getting the support they need to deliver these vital services.

All of this has a real human impact.

Children either spend long periods out of the classroom or are placed in schools that are unable to support them in the way they need.

Every parent knows the struggle of wanting to see your child supported to achieve their potential, and this inability to get the tailored support that these children need pushes many parents to breaking point.

As a former leader of the council, I've seen first-hand the impact of underfunding on local authorities’ ability to address these problems.

The situation is even worse for those councils who have entered into ‘safety valve’ agreements.

These are agreements made with the Department of Education to try to address the huge deficit in SEND spending.

However, these agreements come with rigorous targets set in stone before the pandemic that are unachievable with the huge surge in demand since.

This leaves decision makers working with one hand tied behind their back, fruitlessly trying to meet targets that simply don't reflect the reality on the ground.

Last week, I spoke in a packed debate on SEND provision, highlighting how so many children are missing out on learning because of inadequate provision.

And this week, I raised the issue again, calling for the government to review these safety valve agreements to make sure they work for the benefit of our children.

I am glad to have secured the promise of a meeting with the Education Minister, and I plan to use this to show why our SEND services here in South Gloucestershire need greater support – making the case for change.