22/05/2026
💚 For any of our North Star families who may feel this is an important opportunity to share their experiences, concerns, or hopes around SEND support locally - we wanted to make sure you had sight of this upcoming SEND Listening Event being hosted by Jonathan Brash MP.
We also want to acknowledge something really important…
For many families, simply “telling your story” is not easy.
By the time parents reach spaces like this, many have already experienced:
• years of fighting to be heard
• emotional exhaustion
• feeling blamed, dismissed, or misunderstood
• repeated retelling of deeply personal experiences
• fear of judgment or repercussions
• the emotional toll of advocating whilst trying to hold their child together at the same time
That vulnerability is real.
So if attending something like this feels important to you, but also overwhelming, anxiety-provoking, or emotionally exposing - please know that response is completely understandable.
At North Star, we see the emotional weight families carry navigating the SEND system every single day. You should never have had to become “experts” through crisis and survival.
If attending would help you feel heard, validated, or part of pushing for change, we would gently encourage you to consider it - but equally, please protect your wellbeing too. You do not owe anyone your trauma in order to prove your child needs support.
If anyone would like support thinking through:
• whether to attend
• what to say
• how to structure concerns
• or simply wants reassurance beforehand
please feel free to reach out privately to us. 💚
No family should have to navigate this alone.
A listening event for parents and carers of children with SEND to share experiences and help shape local support in Hartlepool.
