Background to the 1 December Debate

On 1 December 2025 at 4.30 pm, Parliament will debate the petition to withdraw the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. This debate is taking place because 166,498 people signed a petition asking MPs to reconsider the Bill, raise concerns or prevent it from progressing in its current form.

It’s one of the few opportunities MPs have to examine the Bill as a whole, hear evidence from a range of perspectives and put questions or objections on record.

Whether your family is directly affected or not, this Bill touches many parts of education and childhood in England. Among other things, it introduces changes that affect home-educating families, children in Academies, children attending alternative or part-time provision, SEND families, out-of-school providers, schools with limited physical capacity and children whose data could be collected or shared under new powers. It also alters the balance of responsibility between families, schools, Local Authorities and central government.

Due to the range and depth of these changes, many people feel the Bill requires far greater scrutiny than it has received so far. The debate on 1 December is one of the only chances to ensure that scrutiny takes place.

This post offers a clear and detailed overview of the concerns that have been raised from across the education landscape, and explains why writing to your MP before 1 December is both appropriate and worthwhile.

Concerns about the Bill in its current form

These issues have been raised by parents, educators, safeguarding specialists, home-educators, legal experts, SEND organisations, out-of-school providers, Academy leaders and community groups. They are specific, concrete and based on real-world practice.

This is not an exhaustive list but it reflects the main areas where the Bill has caused widespread unease.

1. Expanded Local Authority powers where existing duties are not being met

Many Local Authorities already struggle to fulfil their current legal obligations in education, SEND and welfare. Families routinely face delays in assessments, incorrect decisions, misapplication of legal tests and failures to provide support set out in law. These problems are well-documented and ongoing.

The Bill gives LAs substantial new powers without addressing these systemic issues. It increases their authority to request home visits, make suitability decisions, gather information, restrict home education in certain circumstances and issue new penalties. Families who have already experienced poor decision-making fear being placed at greater risk of unfair treatment, with no strengthened oversight in return.

The concern is not that LAs have no role, but that expanding powers without improving competence, accountability or training may amplify current failings rather than resolve them.

2. A shift in the balance between parental responsibility and state oversight

For decades, English law has recognised that parents hold primary responsibility for their child’s education. The state steps in where there is evidence of safeguarding risk or educational neglect. The Bill introduces measures that, in practice, shift more authority towards the state and away from families, even where children are safe, well and learning appropriately.

This includes the potential for Local Authorities to require parental permission to home educate in some circumstances, more intrusive monitoring of home-educating families and broader criteria for deeming an education unsuitable.

Families who have been providing safe, effective education for years are concerned about unnecessary interference in private family life.

This is significant because the rights involved are fundamental: the right to family privacy, the right to choose an educational approach suited to a child’s needs and the right to make decisions without unjustified state intrusion.

3. Reduction of autonomy for Academies

Academies were established on the principle of flexibility and local autonomy. Many families choose them because their structure allows for distinct educational approaches, specialist expertise, innovative curriculum design and agile decision-making.

The Bill introduces frameworks that reduce this autonomy and place Academies under more centralised oversight. While consistency can be beneficial, this risks undermining a model that has worked well for many pupils, particularly in areas where local leadership has proven more responsive than national directives.

For parents who chose Academies precisely because of their independence, this is a significant change.

4. Impacts on part-time, alternative, therapeutic and flexible provision

A significant number of children access education partly or entirely outside mainstream schools. This includes:

• therapeutic environments
• specialist SEND provision
• part-time programmes
• tutoring centres
• nature-based or skills-based learning
• recovery environments for children struggling with attendance
• flexi-schooling arrangements

These settings often address needs that mainstream schools cannot meet, including anxiety, trauma, neurodivergence, sensory processing difficulties and complex learning profiles.

The Bill risks reclassifying some of these providers or bringing them under regulations they cannot meet, either financially or structurally. This could force closures or significantly restrict the kinds of provision children have access to. For many families, these are the only settings where their children feel safe, able to learn or able to rebuild confidence.

5. New reporting duties for out-of-school settings

This is one of the most far-reaching but least understood elements of the Bill. Under the proposed measures, an out-of-school provider may be required to report certain information if even one home-educated child attends.

Most organisations – sports clubs, youth groups, arts groups, church groups, holiday clubs, community projects – do not collect this information and have no valid reason to ask for it. They are not currently required to distinguish between children who are home educated, on a school rolll, EOTIS, attending part-time or registered elsewhere.

The Bill introduces:

• duties to report
• duties to classify children’s educational status
• financial penalties for incorrect information

This creates significant administrative and legal risks for settings that operate entirely outside the education system, often on voluntary or minimal budgets.

This means some settings may decide it is safer not to accept home-educated children if they are worried about reporting incorrectly and facing penalties.

6. Lack of a published Data Protection Impact Assessment

This is a fundamental issue. Despite the Bill introducing extensive data-sharing and data-collection powers relating to children and families, there is still no published Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA).

Without a DPIA, there is no clarity about:

• what data will be collected
• what systems will store it
• how long it will be kept
• how it will be protected
• where it may be shared
• whether other agencies may access it
• what parental consent means in practice
• how children’s rights will be upheld

Given the sensitivity of children’s data, the absence of an assessment is a major gap.

7. Requirements that exceed the physical capacity of many schools

Several provisions of the Bill require schools to offer services they may not have space or staffing for, such as breakfast clubs or expanded attendance programmes.

Many schools already:

• stagger lunch breaks because dining halls are too small
• operate without spare rooms
• face significant staffing shortages
• have buildings at or beyond capacity

The Bill does not account for these constraints. Schools are concerned about being held to standards they simply cannot meet, not due to unwillingness, but due to physical limitations.

8. Inadequate impact assessments

Multiple stakeholders, including legal experts and child-rights organisations, have expressed concern about the quality and completeness of:

• the Equality Impact Assessment
• the Children’s Rights Impact Assessment
• and, as noted, the missing DPIA

For legislation of this scale, these documents should be robust, detailed and evidence-based. At present, they are not.

9. Risk of destabilising arrangements that are currently working

Across home education, Academies, alternative provision, SEND support and community organisations, there are many children who are finally thriving after long periods of difficulty. Several parts of the Bill have the potential to destabilise these arrangements, not because the intentions are harmful, but because the practical implications have not been fully thought through.

For families who have spent years finding an environment where their child can learn safely and confidently, such instability is not a small matter.

Why the 1 December debate matters

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill has passed through the Commons and is now in the House of Lords. It completed Committee stage in September 2025 and is awaiting Report stage. The 1 December debate is taking place because over 100,000 people signed the petition asking for the Bill to be reconsidered.

The debate on 1 December does not decide the future of the Bill.

However, it does:

• place concerns formally on the parliamentary record
• require Ministers to respond publicly
• allow MPs to ask for clarity, evidence and safeguards
• influence future amendments
• show the level of public concern
• signal where the Bill is not workable in practice

MPs can only do this if they attend.

Writing to your MP

Writing to your MP now increases the likelihood that they will attend the debate and raise concerns while there is still time to influence what happens to the Bill. If they receive numerous letters from their constituents on the topic, they’re more likely to:

• prioritise attendance
• understand the local impact
• raise specific cases and questions
• scrutinise legislation more effectively

A concise, factual email is sufficient. You don’t need to argue every point or provide a lengthy essay. Simply stating that you would like them to attend the debate and outlining why the Bill matters to you and in your area is appropriate and helpful.

Below is a template email you can complete with your details and your MP’s details and send to your MP. Please feel free to personalise it or write your own. Apologies, you may lose the formatting when you copy and paste the template so it will possibly require a little re-working.

Template Email to Send to Your MP

You can download a PDF version of the MP letter template to cut and paste into an email here 👉:

Template Email To Send To Your Mp Re 1 December Debate

85KB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

Subject: Request to Attend the 1 December Debate on the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Dear [MP’s Name],

I am writing as your constituent to ask you to attend the debate on the petition to withdraw the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, taking place on 1 December 2025 at 4.30pm in Westminster Hall.

The Bill introduces wide-ranging changes affecting families, schools, Local Authorities, alternative provision and out-of-school settings. Many of the practical implications have not yet been clarified, and a number of organisations have raised concerns about the Bill’s feasibility, evidence base and impact on children.

In particular, I am concerned about the following:

• expanded Local Authority powers where current duties are already inconsistently met
• the shift in balance between parental responsibility and state oversight
• reduced autonomy for Academies
• potential restrictions on alternative, part-time or therapeutic provision
• new reporting duties and penalties for out-of-school settings
• the absence of a published Data Protection Impact Assessment
• requirements for schools that many cannot meet due to limits in staffing and physical capacity
• the adequacy of the Equality and Children’s Rights Impact Assessments
• the risk of destabilising arrangements that currently support children effectively

These are significant issues that deserve careful scrutiny. Your attendance at the debate would help ensure these concerns are properly represented and examined.

I would be grateful if you could confirm whether you are able to attend and raise these matters on behalf of constituents.

Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]

You can download a PDF version of the MP letter template to cut and paste into an email here 👉:

Template Email To Send To Your Mp Re 1 December Debate

85KB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

Upcoming Public Events Connected to the Bill

Two public gatherings have been organised in response to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. These events are intended to give families, educators and professionals an opportunity to show concern in a visible but orderly way. They are not affiliated with any political party and are open to anyone who wishes to attend.

1 December 2025 – Parliament Square

A small, peaceful gathering will take place opposite Parliament on the day of the debate.

Time: 1.00pm to 3.30pm

Location: Parliament, opposite Parliament Square, SW1P 3JX

Purpose:

• to show solidarity
• to demonstrate the level of public interest
• to give families and professionals a chance to be physically present nearby during the debate

This isn’t a march. It’s simply for people to gather, stand together and show a collective presence.

17 January 2026 – March and Rally in Central London

This is a larger, pre-planned event organised by campaign groups including Stop the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill and Patience for Parents/Carers.

Assembly point: Meet from 12 noon at Russell Square to march at 1.00pm

March: From Russell Square towards Whitehall
Rally: Whitehall, 2.00pm to 5.00pm

Purpose:

• to raise awareness of concerns surrounding the Bill
• to allow affected families and professionals to share their experiences • to bring together people from different parts of the education sector (home educators, teachers, SEND families, out-of-school providers and others)
• to encourage continued scrutiny as the Bill progresses

Access and Participation

Both events are:

• peaceful
• public
• open to adults and families
• organised independently of political parties

You can find out more details and up-to-date information about these events on the Facebook page for Stop the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill:

https://www.facebook.com/stopthecwsbill

and their website:

https://www.stopcwsbill.co.uk/

Closing Note

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill is broad and far-reaching. At the very least, such legislation deserves clear evidence, complete impact assessments, properly considered data safeguards and workable expectations for schools and providers. Many people do not feel confident that this is currently the case.

The upcoming debate is an opportunity for MPs to challenge unclear provisions, highlight practical concerns and request that the Bill be reconsidered or amended before further stages.

If you believe this Bill requires closer scrutiny, please write to your MP before 1 December, asking them to attend the debate.

The debate can be watched on Parliament TV from 4:30pm.

Thank you for reading.

Please click the button below to share this post far and wide.

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I recorded this audio on a windy walk with my dog recently. It’s my first ever Substack audio so please make allowances for quality!

Whether you’re new to Christianity or you’ve been away from it for a while, I hope this short recording gives you a sense of calm, reassurance and encouragement to take the first or next small steps in your faith.

One thing I meant to say at the end of the audio is, the Bible says:

“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Matthew 18:20 (NIV)

Which means that if you can’t find a church community to go to just yet, even if you get together with just one or two other believers then Jesus promises that He is there with you. And of course, He’s with you when you’re on your own too and you can pray to Him at any time about anything!

So, here’s the audio below and following on from that is the transcript of the recording.

Audio Transcript

I’ve been thinking a lot about church and about when somebody becomes a Christian. When you first become a Christian, what do you do? What do you do with your faith?

Or if you’re listening to this, you might not be a Christian yet. I’ve seen people on Substack and social media saying, “I’m interested in Christianity, but I’m not sure if I’m a Christian,” or, “I don’t know where to start.” I just wanted to make a little audio about that really.

I’m sitting outside. I’ve gone for a walk with my dog, and she’s running around digging holes. It’s quite windy out here, so I don’t know how this audio is going to be because I’ve not done one before. But anyway, I’ll have a go while this is fresh in my mind.

The first thing is, if that’s you, then that’s wonderful. There seems to have been a bit of a revival, or a bit of a surge, in people wanting to go to church or find out more about the Christian faith or even to say, “Well, I’m a Christian now.”

In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s death, and with everything that’s going on in the UK at the moment, life feels tough. We feel under pressure from various directions, and I think people are thinking, “Is there more to life? What’s going on?”

Maybe some people have had an experience of faith or church in the past that wasn’t particularly good or maybe they’ve just drifted away. Or maybe they’ve never really been that interested in it, and it’s a sudden thing.

The thing is, there’s no kind of magic about it. It’s not like, if you say, “I’m going to be a Christian, I’m going to follow Christ,” a host of angels is going to come down and start playing trumpets. I mean, I guess that could happen… but in most cases, it’s just a very ordinary sort of commitment to something, maybe accompanied by a spiritual feeling of closeness to God, or peace, or excitement, or something like that.

But I think it’s that step of saying, “Yes, I’m going to follow God. I’m going to follow Jesus. I’m going to give my life to Him.” Whatever words you use, it’s very simple.

Faith in God, faith in Jesus, isn’t like a religion. Religion is more of an external thing. Faith is a personal relationship with God, with the Creator of the world. He’s interested in you. He wants to be in your life, to be part of your every day. He’s very close to us: within us, outside of us, in the whole universe. It’s really quite mysterious and amazing when you think about it.

So it’s saying, “I want a relationship with that God, that Creator, that King of the Universe.” And there’s a lot of power in that.

It’s very simple, really. Then it’s a case of how to develop that relationship - how to follow Jesus, how to follow God.

One way is by reading the Bible. God will speak to you through the Bible, and through it you learn about His nature, His character, and His history. There’s guidance in there - it’s like a manual for life. Like how you have a manual for your car, it’s a manual for living.

There’s a lot of wisdom in it. Every day you can open your Bible and find something that applies to you, something that really speaks to you. It’s living and breathing Spirit–inspired Scripture. It’s come from God, and it’s for us, and it still speaks to us today, just as it has throughout history.

It contains everything about God’s plans for us, for the world, for eternity. So that’s how you start reading, really. But that can be difficult, so there are notes you can get, online studies, and all sorts of resources. You can go online or to a bookshop and find people who can guide you in this. You’ll find them anywhere - Spotify, YouTube -people who can help you along the way.

Prayer is another big one. Talking to God - quietly inside, or out loud, or in writing. I often pray while I’m walking. It can be in the morning, at night, or anytime during your day.

God hears your prayers. Someone once said it’s like a light system with three responses: Yes, No, or Not Yet. God always answers; He just knows the right timing.

And then there’s community and connection with other Christians because that helps to keep your faith alive and encourages you.

This is the tricky one, I think, because we tend to think, “Oh, I need to go to church.” And it’s great if you can find a good church but churches vary. Some are better than others. Some are not so good, and some are amazing.

You want to find a church that’s biblically based, that teaches from Scripture, both the Old and New Testament, and doesn’t bend Christianity to fit the world around it. You can usually tell when you go. You have to be discerning, and that discernment will grow over time.

Pray, “God, is this the right place? Is this a scriptural church or not?” Are they strong in truth, or are they vague and bending things to fit the world’s way? That’s one of the main things to look for.

Is it friendly? Is it welcoming? Are the people growing in their faith? Are they feeding you spiritual ‘meat,’ not just ‘milk’? Are they helping you grow in the Word of God?

And yes, sometimes it can come down to whether you like the music, whether you feel at home… you can tell.

I’ve been looking for a church for years - several years. I’ve had very good churches in the past, but I’ve also had some really bad experiences. Eventually I decided, “You know what, I’m not going to go to church for a while. I’ll just live my faith on my own at home.”

If I’m honest, after a while that got really tough. Some things happened in our lives that made me realise I needed more encouragement and connection. I prayed and said, “God, I need to find a church so badly.”

And He led us to a couple of churches. Today, both my husband and I really felt God saying, “This is the church for you. This is where I want you to be.”

I feel really hopeful about that. I’m not going to rush in or get overexcited. I’m just going to take it week by week. I’m not going to throw myself into rotas and church activities right away. I’ve done that before, and it had its season, but right now there’s so much going on in my life that I just want somewhere to go on a Sunday, to hear the Word of God, to meet people, and to grow quietly.

It’s given me a real peace, which is lovely.

So, I’d say it can be a feeling: you just know you’re at peace or feel at home. Maybe you sense God saying, “This is the place.” Or maybe you simply see that it’s biblically sound and aligned with Scripture.

There are different ways you might realise, “This is where I want to be.”

And I think that’s it. There was something else I was going to say, but I can’t remember what it is… so never mind. I think that’s probably enough for now.

If this resonates with you, I’d love to know. You can drop me a comment, or just take it in quietly. I hope it’s helpful. And if that’s you, I hope you find somewhere that feels right. I’m excited to think you might be taking the next steps in your Christian faith.

That’s it for now. Bye!

Thanks for listening. If this spoke to you, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the Comments.

If you don’t want to share, that’s fine, I just hope there was something helpful here.

“If there's one positive thing you do today, please choose NOT to scroll past this VITAL post...

The government's proposed Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill is set to affect each and every parent and child currently residing in England and Wales and will drastically reshape the relationship between families and the state.

The concerned voices of those who are already standing up against this bill, however, are remaining largely unheard; drowned out by the forceful rhetoric of a government which persistently (and falsely) hails the bill as a champion of children's wellbeing, claiming it will bring only positive outcomes to all whom it's set to affect. This, however, is far from the truth.

In reality, the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill will severely infringe on the rights of both children and parents, placing an increasing level of power in the hands of the state. It's an affront on parental rights and responsibility, regardless of whether you're a home educating parent or take advantage of the school system, and undermines a parent's ability to judge what's best for their child, with the new government policies surrounding children all seeking to pass an ever larger proportion of their care to the state, threatening the bond between parent and child.

It consistently reinforces these actions through proposals such as:

👉 Introducing powers for local authorities to deny deregistration of a child from a school setting if they attend a special or independent school under local authority arrangements, or if they're under a Section 47 investigation or protection plan. Section 47 investigations in particular often find no cause for concern, so this new measure threatens to disproportionately act against a child's wellbeing, with local authorities given the ability to insist a child remain in school, regardless of a parent or guardian's opinion.

👉 Introducing a compulsory Children Not In School register, requiring home educating parents/guardians to impart a huge, unrealistic amount of data regarding their children, families and educational provision, all to be judged under stricter monitoring by local authorities who have little understanding of the ethos and diverse nature of home education. This will have far reaching, negative effects on all home educating families.

👉 Giving local authorities the power to demand home visits if educational provision is brought under question, with threats of school attendance orders and prison sentences if this request is denied by parents/guardians. This directly infringes on our right to a private life, and will seriously impact the wellbeing of many home educating families, particularly those with SEN.

👉 Enforcing a duty for academies to follow the National Curriculum, restricting the ability to offer a more diverse and independently led education, forcing academies to run in line with the standardised, one-size-fits-all experience offered in state funded schools.

👉 Introducing a Single Unique Identifier for every child, allowing personal data to be shared between multiple parties. This poses a huge data protection risk, with potential for abuse and breaches.

This is just a brief outline of the main concerns with the bill, but the proposed legislation as a whole will act to remove any form of autonomy in education and greatly diminish the quality of education many children receive, restrict a parent/guardian's right to educate their child other than at school, and risk discriminating against many children and families, particularly those with SEN. Many SEN families or those with children struggling in school are already targeted by harsh punishments and non-attendance fines if they struggle to attend a school setting, and many are being outpriced by newly implemented VAT charges on private schools, which offer a vital alternative for many SEN children. The bill will only accentuate these struggles. Mine is not an opinion based on scaremongering, but one based on lived experience; a broad experience of neurodivergence, school trauma and home education.

As a long standing member of the home education community, I have a deep understanding of its dynamics, and feel confident in my interpretation of the negative impacts the bill will have on home educating families in particular. In this regard it oversteps lawful boundaries, breaching several acts which were put in place to protect our rights, all with the effect of targeting a minority community whose only aim is to provide a tailored educational experience based on the individual needs of their children in an environment which allows them space and time to thrive.

Our school system is outdated and broken, but this bill does nothing to address these deep routed problems, from a lack of SEND support to huge increases in mental health issues amongst students. Rather than addressing these failings, the bill's clauses consistently push for more children to be forced to attend a school setting which is in desperate need of reform, and those in government pushing for its implementation are working hard to suggest that school is the best and safest place for every child. This, however, is far removed from the experiences of so many families who find that the rigid, pressurised and often overwhelming environment of school has detrimentally effected their children's wellbeing, particularly in cases where bullying or unmet needs have played a part. These families rely on the ability to educate their children in an alternative setting in order to improve their child's welfare. In direct action against this, the bill will act to weaken a parent/guardian's opportunities to utilise such an avenue, threatening to use increased powers to ensure that an increasing number of children attend a school setting, regardless of the suffering it may cause them.

These proposed measures will be costly, invasive and will give no further protection for children at risk. The existing rights and freedoms of educational choice so many families currently benefit from as alternative to mainstream education should be protected, whilst government funding should instead be used to improve our education systems to make them more accessible to those who do wish to access them, as well as ensuring current, established safeguarding procedures are more effectively used. There's already sufficient measures in place to protect all vulnerable children, and I find it wrong that it's children and families as a whole who will suffer under harsh legislation, simply due to the failings of those who already hold the power to protect those at risk.

Many have already been fighting tirelessly against the bill since it was revealed on 17th December 2024, from taking part in online campaigns to 'March For Children' protests, but it's vital we ALL stand against this bill. This is not a campaign aligned to any one party, and is bigger than any single issue. Many who've already joined along have vastly differing worldviews, but we're all united in our singular aim - to stop the overreaches of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, and to protect the rights of ALL children and their parents, now and in the future.

No matter who we are, or whether the threats will directly affect us, it's vital we ALL stand together whenever the value of any rights are in peril, for, if not your own rights today, yours may soon be at risk tomorrow.

We will all know individuals who will feel the effects of this legislation if passed, or may be personally affected by it in the future, so it's paramount that we ALL take the time to understand the detrimental impact this bill will have on our basic freedoms. If such a law is passed through it will give the government grounds to propose yet more heavy handed bills, with the ability to irrevocably affect all our lives.

📣 We're calling on YOU to educate yourself on the bill and its dangerous clauses, in as small or large a way as you feel able. I know our lives are all so busy and legislation can seem so overwhelming, but campaigners are working hard to present the information in an accessible way, so we can all grasp the gravity of the situation.

You can find out more information about the bill on Fiona Nicholson's brilliant Ed Yourself website. Follow this link to find out more:

https://edyourself.org/faq-2-childrens-wellbeing-bill/

You can find many posts highlighting the concerns about the bill and how we can all play a part in the campaign by searching the hashtag #AreYouListeningNow on all social media platforms.

This open letter perfectly sums up all that's wrong with the bill and the state's idea of education, backed up with plenty of evidence. It's well worth a read:

https://happyparentandchildinitiative.co.uk/blog/f/schools-bill-a-threat-to-child-wellbeing---are-you-listening-now

If you feel confident you can also take a look at the bill itself on the government's website:

https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3909

📣 Add your name to the petitions listed on the site linked below. This simple act can make a huge difference:

https://qr.link/nzE4Le

There's also more simple actions to take here:

https://doingeducationdifferently.co.uk/take_part/

📣 Take a look at Michael Charles' page. As a specialist solicitor in education law, special needs law and human rights, he is tirelessly campaigning against this bill and highlighting the disastrous effects it will have on so many. Here's a link to his page:

https://www.facebook.com/share/1EfEFEp56n/

📣 Write to your local MP to highlight your concerns about the bill, and ask for them to stand up on your behalf in Parliament and support any amendments which will see a reduction of risk if the bill is passed through.

📣 And do make sure to follow the Stop the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill page to find more inspiration for positive actions you can take, and to keep up with news on the campaign:

https://www.facebook.com/share/1VppCucTmL/

Following London's 'March For Children' protest on 18th May, a Labour source claimed that "nothing is going to stop this Labour government from delivering educational excellence for every child, and certainly not today’s sparsely attended protest". We need to show the government that we DO NOT believe in this bill or their approaches to achieving their view of "educational excellence". We need to show the true number of people who oppose this bill, and make our voices loud and clear for all in power to hear.

📣 If you would have attended the 'March For Children' protests but were unable to, or did not hear about it 'til now, you can add your name to this petition to show the government a true representation of how many people actually support the protest against the bill:

https://www.change.org/p/count-us-as-having-attended-the-london-rally-against-children-s-wellbeing-and-schools-bill

As an autistic adult now in my mid twenties I've concluded my own educational journey, but I'm fighting for all those like me who struggle in school and need the choice of an alternative education in order to thrive. This is a fight for us all, so please join along and add your own voice to the campaign.

📣 You can help raise further awareness by SHARING THIS POST AS FAR AND WIDE AS POSSIBLE, by instigating conversations about the bill with your friends, family and colleagues etc., and by posting about the bill on your social media accounts, making sure to use hashtags like: #AreYouListeningNow #SaveOurChildrensRights #MarchForChildren #StoptheCWSBill #StoptheChildrensWellbeingSchoolsBill “

Thank you to Poppy Coles for this brilliant explanation and helpful links on the subject.

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Hi

Whenever I find myself in a new place - whether in real life or online - there’s always a mixture of feelings that come up: excitement, fear, hope, wonder and expectation to name a few.

I love to write but I don’t always feel like it - or feel confident or inspired when I do.

I’m hoping that saying yes to the personal challenge of joining Substack will be the beginning of a long, fun, fascinating and exciting adventure. It’s an adventure I need to go on - to express what’s on my heart, get thoughts and words out of my head, and do something messy and creative and bring order out of chaos.

I also look forward to reading what others have to say and interacting with other Substackers.

So here I am - introducing myself to the world of Substack.

So far I like what I see. I’m enjoying the experience. Being here feels good.

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Why this, why now?

“I'm a writer at heart.”

A few days ago, I heard those words coming out of my mouth in a conversation. It was strange to hear them. They reverberated in my core.

Did I really just say that?

I surprised myself. Why did those words sound so true and yet so alien at the same time?

I’m both a recovering perfectionist and living in a crazy-busy, messy, full-on stage of life. Sometimes I feel confident in myself and my abilities. Other times I feel I’m caught in the mudflats of self-doubt, worry and not-good-enough.

I didn’t realise the impact and significance of those five words. I didn’t think at the time they’d lead to me sitting here, so soon after saying them, writing my first Substack post.

How did I miss Substack for so long?

How is it that I’ve only just found it?

How is it that I seem to be getting my writing mojo back?

Well, first of all there are just certain things in life that either demand attention or take priority.

Secondly, I have post-concussion syndrome (aka a mild brain injury) from a car accident nine years ago. And although, since then, writing has been a part of my recovery, I’ve struggled with it.

There’s the almost-constant pain down the right-hand side of my body. The brain fog that intermittently descends. The train of thought that so often derails. The slowing down that feels like swimming through treacle. All part of the joys of living with this condition. But I don’t want to dwell on that or write about it much. I just thought I’d mention it here anyway.

Writing has been like a healing balm when I’ve felt up to doing it. And I want to do more.

During that time I’ve managed to write several paid blog posts on the topic of post-concussion syndrome for a law firm, co-author a book on concussion recovery, write lots of Instagram posts and journal a fair amount.

So the words are there. They just don’t always flow.

But now I’m hoping that, by signing up to Substack, I’ll be more motivated again.

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What kind of space will this be?

I want to share thoughts, insights and learnings from my life along with helpful and encouraging posts, particularly for mothers, speaking from my current stage of midlife.

It’s a space for thinking, breathing, questioning, learning, sharing, wondering, changing and growing. It’s a call to live more authentically, courageously, gently, fully, intentionally and wholeheartedly.

This will be a place to connect with others who share similar concerns and interests. Let’s talk about the things that really matter and grow and learn together through the joy and the mess.

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What to expect

I’ll aim to share:

• 1 heartfelt post once a month, hopefully more often - something real and reflective

• Short Notes during the week - nature notes, today’s glimmers, quotes, inspiration, random thoughts, politics, etc.

• Restacks of other people’s posts - on issues as varied as motherhood, the brain, nervous system regulation, personal development, home ed, nature, social issues and whatever else I come across that I think you may be interested in too

• Occasional printables or coaching tools - things I think might help or encourage

• Invites to coaching offers - for a 1-to-1 coaching experience for now, maybe other offerings in the future

• A few photos - to bring a little beauty and interest to your inbox and to brighten up my Substack home

I look forward to seeing where this journey leads. Please do join me if you’d like to. It’s free to subscribe - just click the button below.

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Yours,

Anna