This is horrifying!

Did you see the DofE deleted a series of posts on their socials. Slides of FAQs just vanished. People obviously have screenshots but where is the accountability. It’s just shocking and honestly we are already exhausted being a SEND parent this feels insulting.

I totally did the same. I’ve been a day ahead of myself all week in fact for some reason!

Dear Shabana, I notice today that you referred to me in your speech on immigration at the IPPR think tank. You said: “A party leader should not be on the beaches of France encouraging people to make a perilous crossing on small boats.” I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised especially after the hateful Labour campaign in Gorton and Denton, but this is just the latest in a string of lies peddled by a discredited Government who intentionally fan the flames of racism and division. When I went to Calais, I was not there to encourage people to travel to the UK. I was there to see at first hand the suffering your Government and successive Governments have done in demonising migrants in a pathetic bid to pander to the base instincts of Reform and the flawed strategy of Morgan McSweeney. As you will know, if you even bothered to research my visit instead of taking Reform talking points, I was there to witness the brutality of families living in tents in freezing temperatures. I filled water tanks and picked up litter. What that visit did do is confirm my belief that if we are to smash the boat gangs and stop the boats, we need to offer safer and managed routes for migrants to come to this country. Showing compassion as a politician is not a crime. In fact, we need to see much more of it. It reminded me of a young MP who in October 2015 spent three days in Lesbos helping migrants fleeing war-torn Syria. She posted videos on X, talked about handing out water and croissants to refugees and food parcels. When she returned to the UK, she wrote a very moving piece in the New Statesman. She said “we have to work with our European partners and create new, safe, and legal routes for refugees to get to Europe. We cannot abandon them to their fate, left as prey for smugglers whilst risking death on the seas.” She said “maybe we can make ourselves feel better by saying no-one is making them get on the boats. And again, the Home Secretary is not entirely wrong when …

Dear Shabana,

Let's clear some things up around migration and remember we're talking about people's lives.

‘Bravo! We expect this will be the first of many legal challenges. All of this could have been prevented if the government and its proxies had listened to families.

Unfair and unlawful’ SEND consultation facing legal challenge

The government's SEND reform plan: good intentions, progressive instincts – and a terrifying loss of rights The eventual scything-down of Education, Health and Care Plans threatens to leave families stranded

And if you want even more on the SEND reform plan, here's a piece on my (free!) Substack maybeimamazed.substack.com/p/the-govern...

Anyone suggest where I can listen to the education secretary speech this morning re SEND reform?

Academia.edu - Find Research Papers, Topics, Researchers Academia.edu is the platform to share, find, and explore 50 Million research papers. Join us to accelerate your research needs & academic interests.

FYI, Academia.edu has changed its terms of service to give an irrevocable worldwide license for anything uploaded to its site to be used for generative AI. I do not consent to this and have pulled all my papers.

‘Beyond worried’: the families waiting to hear how Send reform will change their lives Already struggling to get help, families with children with special needs are concerned changes could make things worse

Superb reporting from @estheraddley.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Working on this paper took time and a few major head scratching moments trying to get it all to come together with so many disciplines involved but we did it and I’m really proud of this and LOVED this gang of women 💪

Oh thanks for sharing. I forget I have blue sky 🤦‍♀️

Why the politics of media leaks, briefings and "sources" is only spreading dread and fear The painfully long story of the government's SEND reforms has pushed exactly those buttons, among people already used to a level of anxiety that may soon get even worse

Latest from me, and one of the most important pieces on Special Needs I've written so far: "In fifteen years of political journalism, I don’t think I have seen anything quite like this: a mad game of briefing, counter-briefing and official stonewalling."
maybeimamazed.substack.com/p/why-the-po...

Oh amazing. I really want to skill up on GIS if you know any good courses? I’ve had someone helping me a little but I don’t want to keep asking them and I’d rather get some training!

Tamara is great. We are thinking of doing some sort of mapping workshop/seminar type thing.

I’d be interested too. I’ve started mapping processions. Might Tamaras work be of interest rommig.org

Ha! Tbf we are near the main village so it’s busy but far enough away from Heaton park to avoid the carnage!

Try living in Prestwich 🙈😂

image shows official Alison Ismail with dark long hair and Minister Catherine McKinnell with short wavy hair

NEW POST: Under questioning from MPs at this week's Education Select Committee's SEND Inquiry hearing, Schools Minister, Catherine McKinnell repeatedly refused to guarantee SEND legal rights. @catrionamoore.bsky.social bravely watched it all for SNJ. Your thoughts? www.specialneedsjungle.com/s...

If you know of parades or processions of any type in GM or Lancashire please see below. There is a link in here to add events to the map. We are missing so much (past and present) practice.

Processional Cultures Greater Manchester and Lancashire

We made a map (well it’s ongoing… please add!) of parades and processions in GM and Lancashire with zero GIS skills but I’m open to learning (and trial and error) and I’m pretty pleased storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/8d6d...

A Quiet Life EP on cassette, case and cassette side by side with A Quiet Life artwork.

A Quiet Life EP cassette case, showing A Quiet Life artwork.

A Quiet Life EP on cassette, case and cassette side by side with Transition artwork.

A Quiet Life EP cassette case, showing Transition artwork.

Twenty years ago we released our second EP, A Quiet Life, on Deltasonic Records. To mark the anniversary, we’re releasing the original EP on streaming services and our first ever cassette. Available on Bandcamp and limited to 100 copies. thelongcut.bandcamp.com/album/transi...

Another parade cancelled. This is something I’m really concerned about and building into my research. I’ve not focused on Pride really as mainly looked at traditional heritage events but this news is so worrying for the community and for processional practices.

after a year the LA finally agreed his EHCP..four days before our tribunal hearing. It is a massive waste of time and resource and I’m too angry to celebrate yet. A place at a SEN school was agreed in Oct (to start in Sept) but we wanted SLT intervention added. It took til now to get that.

I’m still hoping got more responses! I know all the local Pride parades are missing but also there must be lots of village and small town parades out there (historical or contemporary). Please share! (I promise to get more active on here 🙈).

The special needs trap What one parent’s experience reveals about a system on the brink of collapse.

An excellent piece from @johnharris1969.bsky.social in The @newstatesman.com on his family's SEND struggles. High praise for SNJ's "battle-hardened SEND veterans" ”Don’t take away children’s rights, because if you do, you'll have a hell of a fight on your hands.” www.newstatesman.com/politic...

Landed in my postbox yesterday and really excited to read. Your son and ours sound so similar (he is just 4) and music is so central to him. We are lucky to access a group session with Nordoff and Robbins (not always the most relaxing experience it has to be said) and for that we are grateful!

I am mapping processions and parades in greater Manchester and Lancashire. Can you help me by adding any you know about/remember! forms.office.com/Pages/Respon...

50th Leisure Studies Association Annual Conference | York St John University The 50th Leisure Studies Association Annual Conference provides opportunities for researchers and practitioners to examine a range of social and spatial justice issues.

The second call for papers for LSA 2025 is available! To submit your abstract, please access templates and instructions @ leisurestudies.org/lsa2025/ and email your abstract to lsa2025@yorksj.ac.uk.

Updated Conference Updates: www.yorksj.ac.uk/events/50th-...

The Longcut - Transition artwork

The original Transition EP is now available on streaming. Listen here:

music.lnk.to/Vy2nzq

Cath Aubergine from the legendary ManchesterMusic.co.uk has written a few words reflecting on the release, far better than we could. Link below:

thelongcut.com

Creative Research Methods for Critical Event Studies This timely and innovative book offers an introduction to a range of creative methods, providing both empirical and conceptual guidance.  Based upon existing empirical work and richly illustrated thro...

Check out our new book: Creative Methods in Critical Event Studies. Great working with @drluplatt.bsky.social and Dr Briony Sharp as always, and such interesting and innovative research highlighted by chapter authors. www.routledge.com/Creative-Res...