It’s no secret that after decades of cuts, adult learning remains woefully underfunded whilst continuing to deliver impressive outcomes not just in skills but for health and wellbeing, work progression and community building amongst others. However, unless the government reverses the trend of cuts to adult education, learning will be shut off from those who need it most.  Ahead of the Government's Spending Review, the Department for Education has announced that next year's Adult Skills Fund will be cut. The Fund is split between the Mayoral Combined Authorities and the central agency, the ESFA. The ESFA’s budget will be reduced by 6%, whilst the Mayors’ skills budgets can expect a reduction of 2-3%. This cut will affect thousands of learners across the whole country.   We still have no guarantees that it won’t be cut further in the Spending Review.  “"The WEA has 100% impacted positively on my life. My friend said just come along and see the cookery class, so I went and absolutely loved it. It was amazing, and through that I ended up volunteering at the school's breakfast club. Now I've moved on to teaching assistant training at the local community centre and I'm doing the placement at the children's school. Honestly, I was stuck at home, down in the dumps and absolutely doing nothing. But now I'm out four days a week working and at classes. it's like a career the WEA has created for me." Joanne, a WEA learner”

We are parents and carers of autistic children and young people in Lewisham who have been supported by Drumbeat Outreach over recent years.   We recently found out that Drumbeat Outreach are subject to a consultation with a view to an overall loss of around half of its skilled team. We understand some staff will be offered roles within Drumbeat School but many are facing redundancy if the proposed restructure goes ahead. We have heard that around half of the team will be lost.   Drumbeat Outreach is a service of which Lewisham should be proud. Our children and young people and our families have been supported by Drumbeat Outreach in countless ways.    Firstly, their work in schools has led to tangible changes in the way our children are understood and their needs supported. Their unique model of working with both families and schools gives them an insight into challenges and an ability to suggest adaptations and solutions that no-one else has. They understand school policies, build strong relationships with school teams, and support parents and schools to work together constructively. They have intervened promptly at crucial points in our children’s lives, are able to follow and support them as they journey through the school system. As parents and carers, we know what a difference their input has made to ensuring our children access education and reach their potential.   Secondly, their parent workshops have provided us with timely advice and expertise to better support our own children. Drumbeat Outreach workshops speak to our realities and challenges, giving us evidence-based solutions and support. Over time, these workshops have covered an unparalleled breadth of issues of relevance to our children and our lives, delivered with a depth of knowledge and expertise that others simply do not have.   Thirdly, Drumbeat Outreach run and support many other activities that support and inspire us. These include their coffee mornings for Black and dual heritage families, a podcast, a youth advocates network, a Dads’ group, their sessions for grandparents. Taken together, these activities have improved our children’s mental health, wellbeing and sense of pride in who they are and helped strengthen our families and wider support networks.   If you ask us parents and carers of autistic children and young people in Lewisham what service has helped them in understanding and supporting their children’s needs, their education, mental health and their futures, a large number of them would single out Drumbeat Outreach. They are uniquely trusted by families from across Lewisham’s diverse communities and this trust has been built over many years by skilled and committed professionals.   In the light of the news about cuts, a number of us have written to Councillors, Council staff and Drumbeat School to ask for more information about the plans and to express our concern about any reduction in the Outreach service. The responses we have received give little clarity about the rationale for these drastic cuts, and have confused us further. We are surprised to learn that Councillors in relevant roles appear not to have known anything about these planned cuts.    Lewisham’s Autism Strategy commits to ensuring “specialised support, training, advice and signposting to all stakeholders involved in the care, education and effective inclusion of autistic children and young people in order to create a community that provides equality of provision and life chances, supports independence, champions autonomy and promotes acceptance of difference/neurodiversity”. How will this be achieved with a halved Drumbeat Outreach service?   The Autism Strategy also states its first key principle is “Nothing about us without us”, yet families who will be affected by these cuts have not been consulted and are not being given clear information about these cuts.    The impact of these cuts will be felt across Lewisham and will have a knock-on effect on schools and other Local Authority services who rely on Drumbeat Outreach’s expertise. The loss of a highly-skilled workforce will leave a lasting legacy. While the government puts in motion its plans to ensure more children with SEND are educated in mainstream settings, Lewisham seems to be cutting back the one team that can make this work in practice. What will this mean for our children’s futures?

The Government has proposed giving teachers a 2.8% pay rise, and that this will be unfunded. This means that the additional cost in wages will come out of existing school budgets. After over a decade of austerity in schools, there is only one thing left to cut, jobs.  Schools in Leicestershire are facing additional cuts as the government has underfunded the provision of education for children with a high level of SEND needs. This will cost schools on average 0.5% of their current budgets, with some of the schools in the most deprived areas paying more (https://democracy.leics.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=1018&MId=7978&Ver=4) We are calling on Leicestershire MPs to put children first and:  1. Speak out against the proposed cuts to school budgets  2. Make a stand for the proper funding of SEND education in the county  3. To pressure the government to offer an pay increase for all school workers which will allow schools to recruit. 

Children are in crisis, and the system is failing them. Across the UK, children are struggling in silence-dealing with mental health issues, family instability, bullying, and trauma. And far too many are slipping through the cracks of an overwhelmed system that only reacts when it's too late. But we can do something about this right now. We are calling for the UK government to implement full-time social workers in every school. This simple, proactive change could transform the lives of children, save billions of pounds, and ensure that no child is left to face a crisis alone.   Why Now?    Every day that passes without social workers in schools is another day we risk losing children to an overwhelmed system that's designed to deal with problems after they've escalated. We cannot afford to wait any longer.   Children and families need immediate access to support, and schools are the perfect place for this to happen. By placing social workers in schools, we can provide early intervention, prevent future crises, and save lives.     The Benefits of School-Based Social Workers: 1. Prevention Over Crisis: Early intervention by social workers can prevent small problems from becoming full-blown crises. Whether it's mental health issues, family problems, or bullying, early help means fewer children needing foster care or psychiatric hospitalisation. Saving £160 million annually by keeping just 5% of at-risk children out of the foster care system.  2. Reducing Stigma & Normalising Help: Many families are afraid to seek help due to the stigma around social services. But by placing social workers in schools, we normalise seeking help, breaking down barriers to support. A child can talk to a social worker in confidence within their school-where they already feel safe and trusted. 3. Better Safeguarding: Social workers are trained to spot the early warning signs of abuse or neglect. This helps protect vulnerable children before their situations worsen. Faster action, better protection-helping every child stay safe. 4. Improved Academic Success:   Mental and emotional support leads directly to better academic performance. When children's emotional needs are met, they are able to focus better and achieve more in school. 5. Massive Government Savings: The government spends around £10.8 billion annually on children's services, including foster care, crisis management, and mental health care. By implementing school-based social workers, we can reduce the need for many of these expensive services. Saving around £1.25 billion annually in preventable costs, including foster care, hospital stays, and long-term social services.    This Isn't Just About Spending-It's About Saving Lives:    Social workers in schools don't just save money-they save children. Every year we delay this change means more children struggle in isolation, more families reach breaking point, and more taxpayer money is spent on costly interventions instead of prevention.    The Time to Act is Now:    Every child in the UK deserves the chance to succeed, to feel safe, and to get the support they need before problems escalate. It's time for the government to invest in proactive care and stop waiting for a crisis to force action. We must act now to bring social workers into schools. To re-iterate, these are just a few of the positives that can be achieved with this : Positives for Teachers: *Less stress and workload with social workers handling emotional issues. *Improved classroom environment and student focus. *More time for teaching, less time spent managing crises. *Support for at-risk students through early intervention.  Positives for Parents: *Easier access to support for children’s emotional and social needs. *Reduced stigma around seeking help, as support is embedded in the school. *Better communication between home and school. *More resources for children before issues escalate.  Positives for Children: *Early help for emotional, behavioral, or family challenges. *Access to a safe space for support without fear of judgment. *Improved mental health, leading to better focus and academic performance. *Development of coping skills and resilience for future challenges.   What We Need:   We are urging the UK government to allocate funding for the immediate placement of social workers in all schools across the country. This change will reduce the cost of public services, improve children's mental health, and protect families before they reach breaking point.   Sign the Petition Today: If we gather 100,000 signatures, the petition can be considered for a debate in the UK Parliament. Signing this petition helps amplify the message and support the cause.  Join us in calling for immediate action. Sign this petition to demand that the government prioritises the integration of social workers into schools, providing children with the early support they deserve. Sign & Share - Together, we can build a safer, healthier future for our children.  Thank you so much for your support, Mum On A Mission Disclaimer: This petition is intended to raise awareness and advocate for the integration of full-time social workers in schools across the United Kingdom. The content shared in this petition is based on publicly available information and reflects the views and concerns of the petition creator. While the petition includes estimates of potential savings and benefits, it is not an official government report or financial analysis.The petition is designed to generate public support and encourage policymakers to consider the proposed initiative. Signing this petition does not guarantee that any specific outcomes will occur, nor does it create any legal obligations or rights. By signing this petition, you acknowledge that the information provided is intended for advocacy purposes only, and while we strive for accuracy, no official commitment or implementation has been made by the UK government at this time.

Students studying their GCSE's in year 11, but who are still 15, currently get kicked out of the library at 5pm. Other students in the same year group ,aged 16, are able to stay until 8:30. Pupils need a quiet place to study as many come from homes with younger siblings and have very little space to themselves. The library is essential for these students yet they are only able to have a maximum of 2.5 hours of peaceful studying on a school night. Which is why it's crucial to allow these students to study until 8:30 to improve their own education.

This is the second time in just over two years that the Council has proposed to close the school and is stating budget constraints and low numbers of 4 and 5 year olds in the area as its reason for its actions. This is not acceptable and will have a devastating impact for our school community. Queensway Primary School has more than 50% of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), a group that requires significant support. A recent parliamentary report highlights inadequacies in SEND provision on a national scale. Leeds is not an exception and the Council is currently asking both its primary and secondary schools to express interest in opening their own onsite provisions that the Council can utilise. Closing Queensway would exacerbate this problem, displacing these vulnerable children and forcing them to travel out of area for the support they currently receive locally – support that is already in short supply. Transporting these children to other areas not only incurs additional costs but also disrupts their education and wellbeing. This closure merely shifts the financial burden rather than addressing the root issues, making it a shortsighted solution. A recent OFSTED inspection (about to be published) has shown that Queensway has made incredible strides since the first closure consultation in 2022 – which it successfully fought and saw the Council say it wouldn’t put the School through this again. We wholeheartedly believe that Queensway Primary School effectively meets the needs of its students, particularly those with SEND. The Council should develop a comprehensive plan to fund SEND provisions citywide, rather than focusing on the closure of one school, which would have significant negative impact on the local community. We urge Leeds City Council to take immediate action to prevent this closure and ensure the continued support and education of the children at Queensway.

Please help us to show the council that music is so much more important than the they are giving it credit for. It is vital for our young people’s growth! It is a way for young people to engage with each other, it is so inclusive and people of all abilities can interact together; music is proven to have benefits to mental health, in particular stress and anxiety, in addition to this can give young people the ability to express their creativity and develop a great sense of worth and self esteem. Research shows that pupils who learn music perform better in many subjects and have a greater ability in problems solving and mathematics. Music helps young people to work collaboratively, cooperatively in smaller and larger groups. All of these points show that music helps our children to become healthier, well rounded, contributing members of society. Surely that’s what the government and our council want for our young people? 

The proposed cuts to inclusion will affect ALL children in Edinburgh schools, disproportionately impacting the most vulnerable.  Some of the proposed cuts are currently as follows - Removal of a central Additional Support for Learning (ASL) service - Removal of Forest school. - Removal of Hospital education services  - Restructuring of Educational Psychology department. - Removal or paring back holiday hub service that supports disabled and ASN children in the school holidays.  - Adding more duties to PSA job descriptions including the expectation that they will have to deal with physical violence as standard.  - It is unclear what will happen to English as an Additional Language services, one of the largest additional support needs in the city. Why is this petition important? Despite the spin that this is merely restructuring, it is quite clear that this is a cost-cutting exercise for an already overstretched service.  The cuts will have a huge negative impact on ALL children's education: disproportionately impacting both children with disabilities and those from minority ethnic backgrounds. Over the last year, the  families of children with ASN have already fought CEC attempts to remove Edinburgh Childcare for All (afterschool care for disabled children), the Enhanced Support Bases (support for ASN pupils in mainstream schools) and Holiday Hubs (holiday support for disabled children who can't attend typical holiday clubs). Concerned parents have attempted to consult with CEC over the last year but are extremely disappointed with how this has been handled. Surveys and engagement meetings appear to be tick box exercises, with concerns expressed by parents and teaching staff not being addressed and unrealistic timescales being imposed.  Therefore we need your help. We  ALL need to work together and raise our voices to make CEC listen and realise that their plans are not acceptable. By sharing and signing this petition and writing to your councillors,  you can add your voice to tell Edinburgh councillors loud and clear to STOP INCLUSION CUTS. What’s the bigger picture? School should be accessible to all children, regardless of disability or support needs. 48% of school pupils across Lothian have some sort of Additional Support Need, a percentage dramatically rising. Removal of any of these services is going to be detrimental to ALL our children. According to the Scottish Government, “Disabled people should have freedom, dignity, choice and control over their lives. We want to remove the barriers that stop people from enjoying equal access to full citizenship.” These plans are clearly at odds with this ethos.  The Holyrood Education, Children and Young People Committee 2024/4 inquiry into Additional support needs in Education found that local authorities were already failing to implement mainstreaming properly, saying 'the situation for children with additional support needs is intolerable' (Susan Webber MSP Committee Convener) By signing this petition, you are also telling the Scottish Government that they need make good on their promises and provide adequate budgets for councils to be able to protect these services. 

This is important for our colleagues but to us, nurses of all generations supporting each other.  This is important for students of University of Brighton to have a positive relationship of trust with the tutors of the University and the Exam board.  The NHS depends on each and every one of us to contribute to the immense gap in the workforce.  The decision of this board can encourage current and future students when taking into consideration their place of study. 

As students move up into KS4, there will be far more on their minds than spending 4% of their lesson time per week doing sports. While Year 10 students can be using this time to prepare for important assessments or even their mock exams, Year 11 students can be using this time to revise for their official exams which will completely shape their future. Considering there are approximately 39 weeks in each UK school year, 2 hours of PE per week would add up to 78 hours of wasted time in school. 78 hours can make a massive difference to academic achievement and boost possibilities for students.

The Children's Space worked in conjunction with White Rose Primary school, providing a pre-school service as well as wraparound services. This ensured children transitioned into full time education seamlessly and allowed parents in the area to work full-time.  Please sign this petition and help us try and reverse the decision to close the facility

The library was open six and a half hours on a Saturday but this has been cut to just three. The Library is instead open on a Tuesday.  Saturdays are vital because they allow children and young people to visit the library.  This is not only for books, but as a place to do research, study quietly and use the computers. This is especially true in Swanage where many of our teenage children have to travel long distances to attend schools and colleges.  The cut in Saturday hours will reduce the time available for the fantastic educational activities targeted at children and young people that have previously been delivered by our kind and experienced library staff. By reducing the hours available for young people, Dorset Council are disproportionally disadvantaging those least able to improve their circumstances.  The recent consultation concluded that young people and the employed, wanted Saturday and late night opening. There was no demand to open on a Tuesday instead of Saturday. As this change is cost neutral, it should have no impact on budgets.  Well educated and informed young people are not only our legacy, they will provide the future economic growth Dorset so desperately needs.  Swanage opening hours from 1st July 2024 • Monday:  10 am to 5pm • Tuesday: 10 am to 5 pm • Wednesday: 12 noon to 6 pm • Thursday: Closed • Friday: 10 am to 5 pm • Saturday: 10 am to 1 pm • Sunday: Closed Swanage previous opening hours • Monday: 10 am to 6.30 pm • Tuesday: Closed • Wednesday: 9.30 am to 5 pm • Thursday: Closed • Friday: 9.30 am to 5 pm • Saturday: 9.30 am to 4 pm • Sunday: Closed