Stop SEN Closures in Suffolk

The threat to the Specialist Support Centres in Suffolk schools is especially pertinent to us in Sudbury with St Gregory’s Primary where there is an exceptionally well run SSC – please consider signing the petition below.

Greg Webb

Dear Supporter

Joanna and I would like to thank you so very much for supporting our campaign to stop Suffolk County Council closing all ‘Specialist Support Centres’ for SEN children. Your signature and efforts in sharing this petition has helped us to generate almost 3500 signatures in just over one week!

As many of you know, last week we achieved coverage on BBC Look East, BBC Radio Suffolk, East Anglian Daily Times and the Ipswich Star. This week even more emails have been sent and phone calls made to MPs, Councillors and other organisations who are now supporting our cause. Here’s an update of some of the things that have happened since Monday…

We are now working together with the Suffolk Parent Carer Network (SPCN) – they have a direct inroad to Council and are currently preparing their own response to the ‘Schools Forum’ document. They asked if Jo and I would be happy to be ‘lead parents’ on behalf of all parents/carers affected by the proposed SSC closures and we are, of course more than happy to, so have agreed. We have written a letter specifically about the affect of decommissioning the SSCs and this will be sent to the Council alongside the SPCN letter this coming Friday.

We have been in contact with various departments in Suffolk County Council to gain further information, direction and support. The Democratic Services Department informed us that according to the Council’s Constitution, we only need 3675 signatures on our petition to initiate a full Council debate!!! So with 3444 signatures currently, we are not far away if this becom es a necessity.

We are very grateful to Lisa Horscroft (parent from Castle Hill SSC), for putting us in touch with her sister Vicky, who has so kindly offered to print our campaign flyers and posters as a donation. We will be looking to arrange a meeting next week can meet with anyone willing to help distribute these – thank you all who have offered help.

We have also now have the support of some other Facebook Groups such as: SENSA (Special Educational Needs Support and Advocacy); Special Needs Suffolk – Uncut; DPAC (Disabled People Against Cuts); Special Educational Needs Parent to Parent Advice. If you know of any other groups please let us know.

Finally, we need as many people as possible to write to their local Councillors and MPs to air their views on the planned SSC closures. You can visit visit this page https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/page/speakout/write-to-your-councillor and input your postcode to find and write to local councillors, and this page to email your MP: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/page/speakout/action-hub-write-to-your-mp-tool

Until we update you again… please keep visiting our FB page at:

https://www.facebook.com/SaveSuffolksSpecialistSupportCentres. 

Please keep sharing our petition at: 

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-suffolk-specialist-support-centres-ssc.

We are so thankful for your support and will be in touch again soon with more updates.

Jules and Joanna

The Consultation Paper and questionnaire are attached.