Merseyside Send Support Network

26/04/2026

Yes to Children's Wellbeing
No to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill
All Children deserve better.

With the bill at its last stages, we need to ensure we keep highlighting what is good for children's wellbeing and what is control and surveillance dressed up as care.
Take a note of the Consultations.

26/04/2026

I believe that the Government’s proposed SEND reforms could limit EHCPs, weaken legal rights, replace individual plans with packages, reduce appeals, and remove school choice. In my view, children could be left without the support they need as a result.

26/04/2026

🌿 Our Wellness Walking Clubs are BACK! 🌿

We’re kicking things off this week and we’d love you to join us 🚶‍♀️💚

A relaxed, friendly walk to get some fresh air, clear your mind, and connect with others.

📅 Thursday 30th April
⏰ 10:00 – 12:00
📍 Croxteth Park (North Liverpool)

We’ll be alternating weekly between Croxteth Park and Sefton Park 🏞️

No pressure, no expectations — just come along as you are.
Everyone is welcome 💚

Drop a comment or message us if you’re coming! 👇

25/04/2026

25/04/2026

Save Send Legal Rights, National Demonstration details for Liverpool ❤️

25/04/2026

Liverpool Law Clinic have a free online event on Thurs 30th April at 6pm for 1 hour.

The horrors of the White Paper, explained in full for Send Parents & Carers. Click the link below to register.

Join us for a free online information session to discuss the proposed changes to the SEND system in England

25/04/2026

Sorry for the short notice!

Join us this Tuesday 28th from 1pm–3pm at Northwood Community Centre for the next Northwood Commo & Liverpool FC Pie & Mash Community Day 🎉

Enjoy a live singer, raffles, and a delicious hearty pie & mash — all completely FREE!

No need to book, just turn up and have a great time. See you there Northwood community centre association

25/04/2026

If you’re a parent or carer of a child with SEND, this is a really valuable opportunity to have your voice heard especially with the upcoming SEND reforms that could have a big impact on families.

Access to the right support, education provision, and timely assessments remains a major concern for many. Drop-in sessions like this are a chance to raise real experiences, highlight gaps, and push for the changes families need.

Please consider attending, sharing your experiences, or even just listening to what support may be available. The more SEND families engage, the stronger the message we send about what needs to improve.

If you can’t attend, it’s still worth reaching out via email or phone every voice matters when it comes to shaping better outcomes for our children 💜

I’ll be holding a drop-in surgery at Kirkby Morrisons on Friday 1st May from 3pm to 5pm, and I’d love to meet you.
Whether you’ve got a concern to raise, a question to ask, or just want to say hello, please feel free to pop by.
No need to book, just come along and speak to me in person.
🗓 Friday 1st May
🕒 3pm – 5pm
📍 Kirkby Morrisons
I’m here to listen, help, and represent you, so let’s talk. If you can’t make it this time, you’re always welcome to get in touch and I’ll let you know when my next surgery is.
📧 anneliese.midgley.mp@parliament.uk
📞 0151 305 9026
Looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible!

25/04/2026

When “it’s just a comment”… but it doesn’t feel small

“It was nothing.”
So why did it hurt so much?

For some people, especially with ADHD,
this has a name:

Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD)

From the outside, it looks small.
A sentence. A tone. A look. But inside?
It hits hard.

Your mind races:

“Did I say something wrong?”
“Are they upset with me?”
“Did I mess everything up?”

And suddenly…
a tiny moment becomes overwhelming.

RSD isn’t “being dramatic.”

It’s an intense emotional response to perceived rejection or criticism
even when it wasn’t intended.

But there’s another layer people don’t talk about enough.

Many people with ADHD also have a strong sense of justice.

You notice what’s unfair.
You speak up.
You challenge things that don’t sit right.

And that’s where it gets complicated.

Because the same intensity that drives you to stand up for what’s right…
can be misread.
As:
• Challenging
• Dismissive
• Antagonistic

When actually, you’re trying to be honest, direct, and fair.

So when someone responds negatively…

It doesn’t just feel like disagreement.
It feels like rejection.

A small correction feels like failure.
A short reply feels like rejection.
A shift in tone feels like distance.

Even when nothing actually went wrong.

And the hardest part?

You know it might not be rational.
But your emotions don’t switch off.

So you stay quiet.
Or you over-explain.
Or you replay it over and over.

Then comes the self doubt:

“Was I too much?”
“Did I come across wrong?”
“Should I have just stayed quiet?”

But this isn’t weakness.

It’s a brain that:
• Feels deeply
• Processes intensely
• Cares about fairness and truth

That sensitivity… and that drive for justice…
are part of who you are.

The goal isn’t to shut it down. It’s to remind yourself:

Not every disagreement is rejection.
Not every reaction defines you.
Not every moment means you got it wrong.

You are not the comment.
You are not the misunderstanding.
You are not “too much.”

And maybe what’s needed isn’t less emotion or less voice…

But more understanding.

More “I see what you meant.”
Less “you’re overreacting.”

So let me ask you—

Have you ever spoken up for something important…
and then spent hours wondering if you should have stayed quiet?

The truth is sometimes your disability can be used against you, that’s why understanding your rights especially The Equality Act 2010 can help you make your voice heard 💜

24/04/2026

Most of the trauma comes from what happens in our minds. The constant stress and pressure of special needs moms is real, and we need help with it.