Speaking in a Westminster Hall debate today (22.03.23), Peter Gibson MP raised his concerns with CAMHS and SEND provision in Darlington.
Speaking during the debate, Mr Gibson, welcomed the announcement of a new school in Darlington which will provide for an additional 48 school places for SEND Children. He went on to welcome the announcement of £6.19 million in additional funding from the Department for Education’s ‘safety valve’ programme, will be used by Darlington Borough Council to implement a series of improvement reforms. He also highlighted the recent SEND Improvement Plan. The plan commits to increase spending on children and young people with SEND and in AP, with investment increasing by more than 50 per cent, compared with 2019-20, to over £10 billion by 2023-24.
Mr Gibson highlighted the issues currently faced by people in Darlington with CAMHS and the delays to getting people assessed. Mr Gibson said “it is hugely important for my constituents that we speed up the woefully inadequate waiting times for CAMHS assessments by Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS (TEWV).”
Mr Gibson went on to outline that there are more than 300 people in Darlington under the age of 18 currently awaiting an assessment for autism, 20% of whom have been waiting for almost three years. Commenting on these figures, Mr Gibson said “this is just not good enough. In the absence of a diagnosis, these families’ lives are on hold and these children’s lives are not progressing as they should.”
Mr Gibson continues to engage regularly with TEWV and with the families of SEND children in Darlington, including through his Autism forum, to ensure that their voices are heard and to push for Government to take more action to reduce these backlogs which are so damaging.
Speaking further about SEND provision Mr Gibson said:
“The SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement plan are good steps on the way, but we must ensure that the actions it sets out are delivered, and we must make sure the system is totally focused on the child, and not in just pay lip service to that but break down these the silos in health, education and government to truly deliver for them, end the excessive waits and give the kids a chance.”
