PACT Parents And Carers Together

24/03/2026

Police are appealing for help to trace a teenage boy who is missing from Halesworth. Aaron, aged 14, is described as being around 5ft 3ins tall, of a slight build, with brown eyes and dark, curly hair. He was last seen wearing a black tracksuit with green markings and a green logo.

Anyone who has seen Aaron or knows of his whereabouts is asked to contact Suffolk police via:
Website: https://orlo.uk/iZvZv
Phone: 101
Alternatively, you can use our Live Chat service by clicking the icon at the bottom right corner of our website.

Please note in the event of an emergency you should always call 999.

https://orlo.uk/4WTca

23/03/2026

Emailed to the SEND inspectors on behalf of us and Campaign for Change - Suffolk SEND

To: whom it may concern
From: PACT Parents and Carers Together CIC and Campaign for Change, Suffolk

Re: SEND Inspection in Suffolk March 2026

We are writing as two parent carer organisations in Suffolk, PACT Parents and Carers Together CIC who support parents and carers who care for children or young people experiencing poor mental health, and the Campaign for Change online group who campaign for SEND rights for families. We are very much aware that there is currently a SEND inspection happening across the county council, and other commissioned services. We know that a small group of young people have been invited to share their experiences with SEND inspectors, however, we have not heard if or how parents (or parent carer representatives) are able to feed into this process. Previously, we have been asked to a small group session with 2 representatives from each parent carer group (including Suffolk Parent Carer Forum) alongside several SEND inspectors. This does not seem to be the case this time around and SPCF haven’t asked for parental feedback or input, so we would like to understand exactly what and how this inspection is being informed on current lived experience of families across Suffolk.

22/03/2026

Living through tense times, like the ongoing conflict involving Iran, can take a toll on our mental health. With news coverage constantly flashing updates and social media flooded with opinions and speculations, it's hard to escape the anxiety of it all. The uncertainty about what might happen next can lead to stress and feelings of helplessness or even paranoia for some. Not knowing how these global events will play out in our personal lives can lay heavy on our shoulders. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the seemingly relentless stream of bad news. Plus, for those with family ties or roots in affected regions, there's an added emotional burden—the worry amplified as they fear for their loved ones' safety. Feeling anxious during such times is normal which is why acknowledging this and seeking support when needed is so important to help you manage these unsettling emotions.

22/03/2026

How will this impact Suffolk plans Suffolk County Council?

Insiders warn the plan could lead to a shortage of places for children with complex special educational needs and disabilities

22/03/2026

The SEND Tribunal were never the problem.

Local authorities were.

And now, instead of fixing that, we’re watching the Tribunal being hobbled.

Let’s stop pretending this is complicated.

The law is clear.

The Children and Families Act 2014
Agreed across parties
Designed to protect children with additional needs

The Tribunal’s job?

Apply that law.

That’s it.

And who sits on these panels?

Not campaigners
Not parents

Professionals

Judges
Legal experts
Specialist panel members with experience in education, health and care

People whose role is to weigh evidence
and make lawful decisions

And what did they keep finding?

Again
and again
and again

Local authorities were getting it wrong.

So let’s name it properly.

Local authorities created the Tribunal crisis.

Not parents.

They refused to assess

They refused to issue plans

They wrote plans that looked acceptable on paper
but didn’t deliver real provision

They placed children in settings that could not meet their needs

And they did it repeatedly

Why?

Because delaying decisions

Reducing provision

Avoiding statutory duties

keeps costs down in the short term

It makes balance sheets look better

For a while

Until families are forced to fight

And when they do?

They win

At extraordinarily high rates

So ask yourself this

If local authorities were following the law

why were they being overturned so often?

Parents didn’t create this

Parents are reacting to it

Most families would do anything to avoid Tribunal

Because to get there, you’ve already been worn down

You’ve asked
You’ve waited
You’ve trusted

And then you realise

no one is coming unless you force it

And here’s the part I cannot get past

Why do local authorities seem to get off scot-free?

Even when they are proven wrong

Even when they fail to meet their legal duties

Even when children lose months, years of support

Where are the consequences?

Where is the accountability?

Because families feel consequences

Children live them

Every single day

And now?

Instead of addressing that failure

the system is turning on the one place that exposed it

The Tribunal

The place where the law was actually being upheld

If you weaken that

you don’t fix anything

You just remove the evidence

Local authorities were not the victims of this system

They were the drivers of it

And now

once again

they walk away untouched

Make that make sense

20/03/2026

Excited to have a regular base in Framlingham, courtesy of the wonderfully supportive Hour Community. From Weds 13th May 2026 (and every 2nd Weds of the month) we will be running drop-in sessions for parents and carers. The morning drop-in offers peer and professional support and resources from our team of lived experience support workers. If you are the parent or carer of a child who might be having any difficulties around their mental health or wellbeing, please pop along for inclusive, non-judgemental support, refreshments and a trauma-informed approach. Children and young people welcome. Accessible and some parking available. 💜

20/03/2026

NEW POST: The DfE's response to the consultation legal case shows it doesn't care about your views of the SEND Tribunal—it’s already decided to kneecap it. For the sake of our children with SEND, we must not accept it https://www.specialneedsjungle.com/government-not-interested-views-send-tribunal-kneecap/

19/03/2026

🐰 Kids Eat Free (or for £1) Easter Holidays 2026 🐰
Updates & additions here 👉 https://moneysavingcentral.co.uk/kids-eat-free

19/03/2026

🫣💔

Position at odds with education secretary's statement that consultation happens 'before any final decisions are made'.

18/03/2026

Liz Chaplin says dealing with the local education authority was like being in an "abusive relationship"

17/03/2026

Please share with anyone who may be currently not attending school or being educated at home. It’s so vital to hear the thoughts of ALL young people not just those able to be in school. 💜

My Health, Our Future – at home (a survey for young people educated at home).

👉If you’re aged 11 – 19 (or up to 25 with special educational needs or disabilities), and educated at home, please take the survey now at https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/HomeEducated2026/

❓What’s in the survey?
Our survey is about your physical and mental wellbeing. We’ll ask about questions around topics like happiness, anxiety, sleep, social media, relationships, and other similar topics.

❓Why take part?
You’ll help us to make sure our findings represent all young people in Suffolk. That’s important because our data helps people in schools, colleges, the NHS, local Council and more, to make decisions about support available to young people across the county.

👉For more information, please visit: https://healthwatchsuffolk.co.uk/news/mhof-athome/

PACT Parents And Carers Together Suffolk Parent Carer Forum

15/03/2026

Sharing this story for Issac, a local little lad from Debenham who needs a kidney transplant. His grandparents & family are wonderful people and do so much for him to keep him smiling. But life is really tough and he needs a donor to live a healthy and happy life 💜🙏🏼

Issac has chronic kidney disease his grandparents carry out dialysis six times a week.