Latest news with #JenCraft
ITV News
07-07-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
Unease among Labour MPs as government eyes reforms to Send provisions
The future of special educational needs funding is set to be the next big spending battle in Westminster. MPs, parents, families, and teachers all agree the current system is ripe for reform. Poor state provisions have seen local councils spend billions of pounds educating pupils independently and transporting pupils to and from school. Meanwhile, parents and families have told ITV News they've had to pull their children out of mainstream state schools for months on end due to inadequate provision. In autumn this year, the Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, will outline her plans for reforming Send (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) provisions. In recent weeks, government ministers have refused to rule out scrapping Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) - the legal document outlining support for Send children. The speculation has fuelled suspicion and anger among campaigners and parent groups, who over the weekend penned an open letter urging the government not to remove the legal rights of Send children. But there are now growing concerns among Labour MPs about what these changes could look like and how they will sell reforms on the doorstep. One backbencher told ITV News that ministers needed to frame the changes in the context of improving outcomes for children rather than cost-cutting. "This is the same issue as with winter fuel and welfare - there's too much of a focus on making the numbers work on a spreadsheet without thinking about the impact on people," they said. 'If people think the government is scrapping EHCPs as another form of penny-pinching – that's going to be a hard sell,' another Labour MP said. Jen Craft, Labour MP for Thurrock and a Send parent, told ITV News that special educational needs is one of the 'biggest issues' in her inbox. She describes the government's upcoming reforms as an 'opportunity' to reform an "adversarial" and "broken" system. But she warned that any changes needed to be done in collaboration with families. 'The answer is to listen to parents, listen to families and listen to the children themselves," she said. Other MPs voiced frustration that the lack of clarity from the government has fuelled suspicion and anxiety among parents. 'They've been caught off guard, again, by the scale of concern on an issue," one added. 'EHCPs aren't a golden solution, and the system does need reform – but we've got to explain what is being done and bring parents on side,' another backbencher said. Over the summer, ministers will continue discussions with MPs and campaigners before confirming plans in the School's White Paper. With the dust still settling from last week's welfare rebellion - Downing Street will be keenly aware that the success and failure of Send reform will rely on getting MPs and - more crucially - the public onside.
BBC News
19-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Thurrock MP wants law change over declaration of parentage
An MP wants to see a new law introduced to end the "traumatic legal battle" unmarried grieving mothers can face to secure both parents' names on their child's birth certificate. Currently, unmarried mothers whose partners die during their pregnancy must apply for a declaration of parentage through the courts, before their child's father can appear on the certificate. Jen Craft, Labour MP for Thurrock, said the law was not "reflective of the way society looks" and highlighted a "deeper inequality within the legal system". She said: "For a number of women every year, what should be an uncontroversial step in their journey as a parent becomes a protracted and traumatic legal battle." Registrars already have the powers to amend birth certificates, if they have the evidence to back up the changes. However, Ms Craft, says in some cases, women have had to go to the High Court to prove the person who died "was very much intended to be the child's parents". She said: "The fact the mother does not have a ring on her finger means there is no automatic recognition of paternity. "If an unmarried woman experiences the unimaginable tragedy of losing her partner during pregnancy, there is no provision for her to register them on the child's birth certificate."Unless both parents can be present, the registrar is deemed unable to verify the paternity of the father." 'Women just give up' Upon registering their child's birth, she said bereaved mothers end up leaving with a blank space on the certificate where their partner's name should be. She said: "It's so upsetting because you started planning for your family to grow... you're so excited and then this unimaginable event happens and it feels like a kick in the teeth because all you want to do is let your child know they did have another parent and they were important."Loads and loads of women just give up," she said. Working with bereavement charity, Widowed and Young (WAY) she said she wanted to introduce the bill after being contacted by a member of her constituency. The bill will be listed for its second reading debate in the House of Commons on 11 July. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Rhyl Journal
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Rhyl Journal
MP proposes new law so unmarried mothers can name deceased father on certificate
Jen Craft said her Registration of Births (Inclusion of Deceased Parents) Bill would end the 'protracted and traumatic legal battle' grieving families currently face. Unmarried mothers whose partners die during their pregnancy must apply for a declaration of parentage through the courts, before their child's father can appear on the birth certificate. 'The law in this area has not kept pace with societal change,' Ms Craft told the Commons. The Thurrock MP said a birth certificate was 'a simple piece of paperwork which marks a special moment, and one that brings important recognition of their new family along with notable legal rights'. She added: 'Yet for a number of women every year, what should be an uncontroversial step in their journey as a parent becomes a protracted and traumatic legal battle.' Ms Craft later said: 'The fact the mother does not have a ring on her finger means there is no automatic recognition of paternity. If an unmarried woman experiences the unimaginable tragedy of losing her partner during pregnancy, there is no provision for her to register them on the child's birth certificate. 'Unless both parents can be present, the registrar is deemed unable to verify the paternity of the father. 'While suffering the grief of losing a loved one and facing the new reality of parenthood alone, bereaved mothers leave the register office with a blank space on their child's birth certificate instead of their partner's name.' To have their child's father listed, parents face a 'lengthy, costly and traumatising legal process in the family courts', Ms Craft told MPs. She warned the existing framework marked a 'deeper inequality within the legal system – that unmarried couples are held in lower regard'. Registrars can already amend birth certificates, if they have evidence to back up the changes. 'We can similarly empower them to correct an absence of a deceased parent, provided they receive sufficient evidence of intended parenthood,' Ms Craft said, as she also suggested couples could make a declaration of intended parentage during their pregnancy. The Bill will be listed for its second reading debate in the Commons on July 11.
The Independent
17-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
MP proposes new law so unmarried mothers can name deceased father on certificate
A Labour MP has proposed a new law, so unmarried mothers whose partners die during their pregnancy can name both parents on a child's birth certificate. Jen Craft said her Registration of Births (Inclusion of Deceased Parents) Bill would end the 'protracted and traumatic legal battle' grieving families currently face. Unmarried mothers whose partners die during their pregnancy must apply for a declaration of parentage through the courts, before their child's father can appear on the birth certificate. 'The law in this area has not kept pace with societal change,' Ms Craft told the Commons. The Thurrock MP said a birth certificate was 'a simple piece of paperwork which marks a special moment, and one that brings important recognition of their new family along with notable legal rights'. She added: 'Yet for a number of women every year, what should be an uncontroversial step in their journey as a parent becomes a protracted and traumatic legal battle.' Ms Craft later said: 'The fact the mother does not have a ring on her finger means there is no automatic recognition of paternity. If an unmarried woman experiences the unimaginable tragedy of losing her partner during pregnancy, there is no provision for her to register them on the child's birth certificate. 'Unless both parents can be present, the registrar is deemed unable to verify the paternity of the father. 'While suffering the grief of losing a loved one and facing the new reality of parenthood alone, bereaved mothers leave the register office with a blank space on their child's birth certificate instead of their partner's name.' To have their child's father listed, parents face a 'lengthy, costly and traumatising legal process in the family courts', Ms Craft told MPs. She warned the existing framework marked a 'deeper inequality within the legal system – that unmarried couples are held in lower regard'. Registrars can already amend birth certificates, if they have evidence to back up the changes. 'We can similarly empower them to correct an absence of a deceased parent, provided they receive sufficient evidence of intended parenthood,' Ms Craft said, as she also suggested couples could make a declaration of intended parentage during their pregnancy. The Bill will be listed for its second reading debate in the Commons on July 11.
Leader Live
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Leader Live
MP proposes new law so unmarried mothers can name deceased father on certificate
Jen Craft said her Registration of Births (Inclusion of Deceased Parents) Bill would end the 'protracted and traumatic legal battle' grieving families currently face. Unmarried mothers whose partners die during their pregnancy must apply for a declaration of parentage through the courts, before their child's father can appear on the birth certificate. 'The law in this area has not kept pace with societal change,' Ms Craft told the Commons. The Thurrock MP said a birth certificate was 'a simple piece of paperwork which marks a special moment, and one that brings important recognition of their new family along with notable legal rights'. She added: 'Yet for a number of women every year, what should be an uncontroversial step in their journey as a parent becomes a protracted and traumatic legal battle.' Ms Craft later said: 'The fact the mother does not have a ring on her finger means there is no automatic recognition of paternity. If an unmarried woman experiences the unimaginable tragedy of losing her partner during pregnancy, there is no provision for her to register them on the child's birth certificate. 'Unless both parents can be present, the registrar is deemed unable to verify the paternity of the father. 'While suffering the grief of losing a loved one and facing the new reality of parenthood alone, bereaved mothers leave the register office with a blank space on their child's birth certificate instead of their partner's name.' To have their child's father listed, parents face a 'lengthy, costly and traumatising legal process in the family courts', Ms Craft told MPs. She warned the existing framework marked a 'deeper inequality within the legal system – that unmarried couples are held in lower regard'. Registrars can already amend birth certificates, if they have evidence to back up the changes. 'We can similarly empower them to correct an absence of a deceased parent, provided they receive sufficient evidence of intended parenthood,' Ms Craft said, as she also suggested couples could make a declaration of intended parentage during their pregnancy. The Bill will be listed for its second reading debate in the Commons on July 11.
