On Friday I attended what I imagine will be the first of many incredible events by North East SEN-collective.

Claire Knight and Jane Lertas-Robinson created an amazing night striving to bring more support, visibility, understanding, and partnership working within the SEN community and it was clear from the room how much that’s needed.

Since meeting Claire a few years ago, I’ve been in awe of everything she does. So when she invited me to join the panel, I was genuinely honoured.

It was lovely to see some familiar faces there, and to meet some new ones too. That sense of connection is exactly what evenings like this are about, even though it can sometimes feel a bit like awkward networking and connecting (or is that just me? )

What I hope came across (if I wasn’t too waffly!) was the need to support parents and carers on both a practical and an emotional level. As I said on the night, you’re the regulation your child borrows. If you’re running on empty, that’s harder to offer, through no fault of your own.

Thank you to Claire, Jane and everyone who came along for such a meaningful evening.

Looking forward to seeing where the North East SEN Collective goes next.