Parents told that there was no quick solution for special-needs pupil failure, no quick solution existed to ensure success of these pupils.

After 14 years in government service, Minister Amir Faruk said his plan lacked detail for reform of education services in Pakistan. While parents who attended debate stated their disappointment with minister’s approach. Koreen Fisher was in Westminster Hall’s gallery watching from above with her 10-year-old son who suffers from autism, ADHD and speech delay. Parents may request local authorities assess and develop an Individual Care Plan to support special educational needs of school age children like Koreen’s son; Ms Fisher said she could not apply to secondary schools due to delays with his care plan application process; when asked her opinion of this debate debate she responded “Everybody seemed in agreement but nothing is being done”. “She stated that if teaching staff were given more training and resources, many more children would attend mainstream schools. Louise Polkinghorne has her son with SEND as well and attended this debate to listen to what MPs had to say regarding problems facing families like hers. Louise noted her son needs “one-to-one support at all times” within schools while trying to update his care plan accordingly; as for this debate itself she thought MPs “all said the right things”. But she added: “Unfortunately, additional resources require spending money.” School’s minister Catherine McKinnell acknowledged funding pressures. Councils are already facing substantial costs associated with SEND services as they currently exist and Ms McKinnell noted this “low confidence in SEND system is very low”. She then went on to explain funding would ultimately depend on government’s next spending review announcement slated for October. “But we are working diligently and are acutely aware of the funding pressures local authorities are experiencing,” she noted. “Solving this will not be simple or quick; rather we want to focus on long-term solutions like reviewing the national funding formula.” “Sarah Morgan, parent of a child with Special Educational Needs (SEND), who attended this debate was critical that minister’s statement lacked specific details due to time restrictions of debate”. She stated “although her intentions seem promising, effectively addressing SEND provision will take much more than funding, building schools or making commitments like those mentioned in today’s speech from her”.