My three priorities this month

As I have previously reported, during Parliamentary term-time I split my week between London and Dorset, which plays havoc with my sleep patterns and completely confuses my dog. But being present in both matters: my work in both places is always rooted in the experiences of local people and focused on bringing the voices of Mid Dorset and North Poole directly to Westminster.

This month I want to share three key issues that are dominating my work and how I have used both places to progress it.

1. Special Educational Needs & school support

The most frequent concerns raised with me come from families whose children face lengthy delays for assessments or struggling without the right support, either in unsuitable classrooms or out of school altogether. The Government has published proposals to make schools more inclusive and to reform how needs are assessed, with most EHCPs due to convert to Individual Support Plans.

Many parents worry these changes may reduce access to support, and I share those concerns. While some children will continue to need specialist placements, many others could thrive in their local school with a better environment and more creative or vocational pathways.

Locally, the issue has come into sharp focus following Initio Learning Trust’s announcement of cuts to teaching assistants and sixth-form subjects. I have raised Trust Accountability in Parliament, met with the Initio leadership, and have secured time with a Schools Ministers shortly to see how they can help.

2. Dementia care and the need for a clear pathway

I recently hosted a Dementia Roundtable in Parliament including Wessex area MPs, Councils, NHS Dorset, and charities to explore how we can create a clearer Dementia Pathway for our area. I stressed the need for a register of well-trained carers with proper qualifications, safeguarding checks, and ongoing professional development. Family carers must also receive more support and training.

This work continues in the coming weeks with a local roundtable ensuring that those with lived experience of dementia in Mid Dorset and North Poole can feed in their views.

3. Child Maintenance reform

More than one million children in the UK rely on Child Maintenance payments, yet in the last 18 months many parents have contacted me where the system has failed them. Some parents hide income or refuse to pay; others use children as a tool for emotional or financial control. A system designed to keep families out of costly court processes is now, in too many cases, not fit for purpose.

A speech I gave in Parliament in February has now reached over 1.2 million people, and I have heard from parents nationwide who feel let down. I recently held a meeting with mums and dads from our area and will take several of them to meet the Victims Minister so she can hear directly how the current system affects their wellbeing and their children’s lives.

If you are affected by any of these issues—or if there is anything else I can help with—please do get in touch. I hold regular advice surgeries across Mid Dorset and North Poole and am always here to support you.