Our CEO Melissa Davis writes a personal piece in Special Needs Jungle on the realities of parenting a profoundly disabled child and the growing concern surrounding the Government’s proposed SEND reforms.
Drawing on the experiences of her daughter Jessica, who is autistic with complex and lifelong needs, our CEO Melissa, writing in Special Needs Jungle, describes the years-long battle many families face simply to secure the support, therapies and specialist education their children require. She explores the emotional, financial and practical toll of navigating the SEND system, from fighting for an EHCP to challenging inadequate provision and unsuitable mainstream placements.
The article highlights the gap between political rhetoric around inclusion and the lived reality for families caring for profoundly disabled children. Melissa argues that society too often focuses on the “cost” of disabled children rather than their inherent value, dignity and right to appropriate education and care.
Melissa also examines the Government’s current SEND reform proposals, raising concerns that families may lose important legal protections and rights of appeal. With more than 25 years’ experience in communications, including within the legal sector, she questions whether the consultation process has been sufficiently transparent or accessible for parents to properly understand the implications of the proposed changes.
The piece concludes by explaining why Jessica, through her legal team and with Melissa acting as her litigation friend, is now part of a judicial review challenge seeking to quash the consultation process. Melissa says the action is about ensuring families are given a fair, meaningful and honest opportunity to engage with reforms that could fundamentally affect the lives of disabled children across the country.
Melissa says:
“Equality cannot only apply to people whose needs are easy to accommodate or easier for society to understand.”
Read the article in Special Needs Jungle
SEND JR challenge
Melissa is bringing a legal challenge to the High Court to quash the reforms in the controversial SEND consultation. Below you can read the media coverage and Melissa’s posts about her journey so far.
LinkedIn posts and media coverage
- Law Society Gazette: ‘Unfair and unlawful’ SEND consultation facing challenge
- Special Needs Jungle: Legal challenge launched against government SEND proposals
- Read the letter to the Guardian
- The Times: Concern over legality of Labour’s ‘flawed’ Send reforms (£)
- Law Society Gazette: Plan to hobble SEND Tribunal a done deal, government admits
LinkedIn posts
- Read Melissa’s initial LinkedIn post
- Read Melissa’s second LinkedIn post
- Read Melissa’s third LinkedIn post
- Read Melissa’s fourth LinkedIn post
- Read Melissa’s fifth LinkedIn post
Press releases on Rook Irwin Sweeney’s website
- Read the initial press release
- Read the second press release
- Read the third press release
- Read the fourth press release
