16th April - Jack Abbott Welcomes £5.1m Funding for SEND Services in Ipswich and Suffolk

This is a hugely welcome announcement from our Government. Not just because of the level of funding - which is significant - but because of where it is focused.

Families face totally unacceptable wait times to get their children the right support.

Too often, by the time help finally arrives, families are already at breaking point and this has been the case in Ipswich and Suffolk for years with countless children failed.

This £5.1 million investment from our Government is a vital step towards changing that.

The new ‘Experts at Hand’ service will mean quicker access to specialist support, earlier intervention, and a system that works with families rather than against them. It’s about making sure no child is left waiting while their needs go unmet.

The new service is designed to provide children with early support and fast access to professionals like speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and educational psychologists.

We need a system that is proactive, joined up and properly resourced, and that is exactly what these reforms begin to deliver.