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India Gerritsen @indiafhg.bsky.social · 15h

Great day so far at the Crisis NE regional homelessness conference!

#homelessness #crisis #regionalhomelessconference
#northeast

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India Gerritsen @indiafhg.bsky.social · 7d

Was great to be on the RIBA panel at Labour Conference #LC25 on behalf of @ipprnorth.bsky.social. I discussed what we want to see taken into account in the 1.5m homes target

Photograph of 6 people on a table with microphones, discussing housing

Photograph of 3 people on a table with microphones, discussing housing

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India Gerritsen @indiafhg.bsky.social · 7d

Lastly, you can read @arlenpettitt.bsky.social 's report, recommendations & his moving personal foreword here (sending love to your son Arlen!):

👇

www.arlenpettitt.co.uk/sen-suspensi...

SEN Suspensions — Arlen Pettitt - Policy | Content | Comms

www.arlenpettitt.co.uk

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India Gerritsen @indiafhg.bsky.social · 7d

🧠As someone with neurodivergence myself, I managed to succeed in school being the more reserved 'neurotypical' passing type, but you shouldn't have to present neurotypical to not be penalised.

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India Gerritsen @indiafhg.bsky.social · 7d

😦What really stands out for me - is these are children as young as 5 years old. And suspension rates only increase with age.

Children need to be supported right from the outset & able to flourish as themselves, not forced into neurotypical boxes.📦🙅‍♀️

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India Gerritsen @indiafhg.bsky.social · 7d

We can see the NE is:
👉 slightly more likely to refuse an initial assessment for an EHCP
👉North Tyneside most likely in the NE with 46.1% of initial assessments refused
👉more likely to miss the 20wk deadline for decisions

This means kids without a plan are more likely to have unmet needs

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India Gerritsen @indiafhg.bsky.social · 7d

📜⚖️Arlen also highlights EHCPs (Education, Health & Care Plans) - a legal document setting out a young person’s needs, and what should be done to accommodate them.

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India Gerritsen @indiafhg.bsky.social · 7d

The highest proportion of SEN suspensions is in South Tyneside (where I'm from) at 88.9%, and the lowest is Gateshead at 73.3%...

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India Gerritsen @indiafhg.bsky.social · 7d

2) In the North East, the % of suspensions of pupils in state-funded primary schools in receipt of SEN support, was higher than the English average

🔍When we look at local authority break downs for the NE we can see...

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India Gerritsen @indiafhg.bsky.social · 7d

1) Across England, the number of suspensions in state-funded primaries has increased from 49,600 in 2014/15
to 84,200 in 2022/23 (a 69.7% increase)!

But in the North East Combined Authority region, a 103% increase has been seen!😱

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India Gerritsen @indiafhg.bsky.social · 7d

Opened this morning's work inbox to a special email from @arlenpettitt.bsky.social on his new report "Set Up To Fail"
outlining regional inequality in the use of school suspensions for children, especially those with Special Educational Needs (SEN).

Let's have a look...🔍

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India Gerritsen @indiafhg.bsky.social · 8d

It's a strange feeling being back in the same university lecture theatre you sat doing your degree years ago...

But that's where I'm at, to listen to THE @michaelmarmot.bsky.social!

@insightsnortheast.bsky.social

💊 🏥 🩻 🧠 🫁 🫀🫆🩸🦠🦷🦾🦻🏻

#publichealth #marmot

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India Gerritsen @indiafhg.bsky.social · 10d

Well well well, I seem to attract becoming an advert for increased transportation spending:

➡️ NCL to Liverpool requires 3 trains on a Sunday
➡️ 1st train "power shortage issues"
➡️ Connection missed.
➡️No direct train to LV from Leeds for another hour.
➡️Next train to LV via MCR overcrowded chaos

India Gerritsen @indiafhg.bsky.social · 10d

🚂 On route to Liverpool for the @teamlabouruk.bsky.social Conference. I'm writing my speech for tomorrow's RIBA panel. I'll be speaking on what else the government needs to consider when it comes to their 1.5 million homes target🏠

(&... for those who are curious, it's a soy caramel flat white 🌝💃🏻☕)

A blurry photograph of the view outside the speeding train window. In view is a coffee cup, a laptop, notepad and pens.

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India Gerritsen @indiafhg.bsky.social · 10d

🚂 On route to Liverpool for the @teamlabouruk.bsky.social Conference. I'm writing my speech for tomorrow's RIBA panel. I'll be speaking on what else the government needs to consider when it comes to their 1.5 million homes target🏠

(&... for those who are curious, it's a soy caramel flat white 🌝💃🏻☕)

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India Gerritsen @indiafhg.bsky.social · 10d

As always, sending lots of love to everyone who is currently personally impacted by these events and rhetoric. 💔♥️

India Gerritsen @indiafhg.bsky.social · 10d

We need proper policies that will invest funds into left behind areas, eradicate poverty, and tackle inequality head on.

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India Gerritsen @indiafhg.bsky.social · 10d

This is a worrying time when statements such as these are being said so confidently, supported, and platformed.

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India Gerritsen @indiafhg.bsky.social · 10d

We have already seen this pushing of the rhetoric in parties initially targeting so-called "illegals" (btw it's a legal right to claim asylum) to all refugees to people with Indefinite Leave to Remain, or expected to gain status.

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India Gerritsen @indiafhg.bsky.social · 10d

What needs to be made clear is that this othering and scapegoating will never be enough. It will not solve the problems of decades of regional inequality, deep poverty, underinvestment, privatisation, poor policy decisions, and the under taxation of wealth.

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India Gerritsen @indiafhg.bsky.social · 10d

Let me be clear, it's not an excuse for their intimidating behaviour toward already vulnerable people

(and many people are also in the exact same circumstances *and* can also see that it is not the fault of migrants)

but it does offer some form of explanation.

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India Gerritsen @indiafhg.bsky.social · 10d

...to believe that their experiences of poverty and inequality are the fault of those already fleeing, not because of systemic inequality and under taxation of wealth.
When people feel like they are not being cared for, they will defend themselves in whatever way they see fit.

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India Gerritsen @indiafhg.bsky.social · 10d

There will be people who are in genuine poverty, deep inequality, and feel frustrated at the system, unheard and left behind. These people do not realise they are being manipulated by a minority of wealthy individuals...

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India Gerritsen @indiafhg.bsky.social · 10d

In all honesty, when it came to the right wing protestors, I felt anger and frustration but also sadness and empathy. People aren't born right wing or racist. While there will be people who actively hold these beliefs I personally oppose, I do believe many of these local people are being had.

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India Gerritsen @indiafhg.bsky.social · 10d

BUT it was a proud moment as a local to see just how many people turned out to challenge this rise of right wing populism and the targeting of refugees.♥️

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India Gerritsen @indiafhg.bsky.social · 10d

"Great" is the wrong word when it comes to how it felt to attend the counter-protest of right wing 'unite the kingdom' protestors and the planned launch of another right wing party yesterday...

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