#SENDTheTruth: A Free National Parent and Carer Panel on the Schools White Paper
Join us for #SENDTheTruth, a live panel created to ensure parents’ voices are not just shared, but truly heard. At a time when many families feel overlooked in conversations about SEND reform, this event offers a space to speak openly about your experiences. Insights from the panel and a short pre-event survey will be compiled into a report and shared with journalists and the Department for Education so we can #SENDTheTruth, helping to bring families’ real experiences into the national conversation.
Thursday April 9, 8pm - 9:30pm
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Why #SENDTheTruth Matters
The SEND White Paper and its proposed reforms have generated widespread discussion across the country. Although consultations took place in January, many parents and carers report feeling that their lived experiences have not been fully reflected in the national conversation.
#SENDTheTruth has been created to provide a structured, respectful and evidence-based platform where families, legal representatives and SEND advocates can explore the potential impact of these reforms in real terms. The panel aims to capture a broad range of perspectives including concerns, practical insights and alternative improvements, in order to represent the realities facing children and young people with SEND in a meaningful way.
By combining a panel discussion, audience participation and surveys, we aim to ensure that this conversation contributes to informed public dialogue and responsible reporting.
Panel Discussion Speakers
Jessie
Townz
Mrs Jessie Townz is a PDA advocate and mum to twins with PDA-profile Autism and ADHD. She provides support to parents and teachers with children who have PDA, including through her coaching, PDA Parent Circle community and the Keeping Sh*t Real podcast.
Douglas Hamer
Douglas is a solicitor with diagnoses of ADHD, autism and dyspraxia who has worked in education law for over 12 years, and was present for the introduction of EHCPs. As someone who practises exclusively on the “appellant” side, Douglas’s main focus is on securing EHCPs for children and young people.
Dr Chris Bagley
Dr Chris Bagley is a psychologist, teacher, writer and musician with an interest in the evolution of ideas, educational transformation and systems change. He is Director of Research at social enterprise, States of Mind, Co-Director at Square Peg CIC and a Tutor at The Institute of Education, University College London.
Christine
Mcguinness
Tanya
Slessor
Tanya Slessor is SEN Team Manager at the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, and a passionate SEND and inclusion specialist. She has hands-on experience working with local authorities and families to support meaningful educational outcomes for children and young people with additional needs.
Joanna Gibbs
Joanna Gibbs is the founder of SENsational Tutors and a qualified teacher with 20 years’ experience working with children with specific educational and behavioural needs including those with autism, ADHD/ADD, speech and language delay, focus and concentration difficulties, PDA, trauma, dyslexia, sensory processing disorder (SPD), memory difficulties and other Special Educational Needs and disabilities., both in the UK and internationally.
Glynda
Glynda is a specialist SEND educator, dyslexia assessor, and executive function practitioner with 15 years’ experience supporting children with a wide range of learning needs across mainstream and independent schools, and specialist SEND settings, including SEMH provision. Glynda works as a specialist tutor with SENsational Tutors, and also established Guiding Star Dyslexia, where she provides diagnostic dyslexia assessments and school consultancy.
Milly Allinson
AuDHD writer and SENsational Tutors' PR Lead, with lived experience of school trauma, which led to her being home-schooled from the age of nine. Milly has an MSc in Psychology, with experience of researching autistic social interactions.
Louise Walsh
As Mum to an amazing autistic son, Louise has vast experience of advocating for SEND children within the Birmingham education system, and shares her family’s experiences navigating significant trauma and loss.
Yasmin
Who Should Attend?
Turning Professional Voices Into Evidence
This panel is not just a discussion, it is part of a wider commitment to ensuring parent voices are documented responsibly and shared meaningfully. We will compile:
Panel & Audience Insights
Key discussion themes from the panel, alongside live audience poll responses.
Survey Findings
Analysis of insights gathered through the anonymous pre-event survey.
Shared Themes & Recommendations
Common concerns and recommendations emerged from the discussion.
What to Expect During the Panel
This 60-minute live panel will bring together parents, legal representatives and SEND advocates to explore the potential impact of the Schools White Paper reforms in an open and balanced discussion.
Lived Experience
Hear directly from parents navigating today’s SEND system.
White Paper Overview
Briefly outline the key proposed reforms and what they aim to change.
EOTAS Impact
Explore how the reforms may affect EOTAS processes and provision.
Opportunities & Risks
Consider both potential improvements and areas of concern.
Audience Voice
Contribute through live chat, polls and open reflection.
SEND Reforms
A discussion on what changes panellists believe are needed in future SEND reforms.
Join SENsational Tutors For a Free National Parent and Carer Panel on the Schools White Paper: #SENDTheTruth
Thursday April 9, 8pm - 9:30pm
Survey Participant Information
What is the aim of this survey and its subsequent report?
Why have I been invited to participate in this survey?
How will my data be stored and processed?
Register to receive the recording and follow-up resources.