Keep up to date with the latest news from around Denton & Reddish

This week in Denton & Reddish
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** Dear Constituent,
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A very warm welcome to Denton and Reddish weekly news.

As you will no doubt be aware, next week we will celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen. There's lots of events right across Denton and Reddish, so scroll down to the community board to plan your long bank holiday weekend! 👑

A reminder too that tomorrow there will be a 'Family Fun Day' alongside the Worker Bee Market in Reddish. Head over to Broadstone Mill Car Park between 11am-3pm tomorrow for market stalls, fantastic food and children's activities.
Denton and Reddish continues to stand with the people of Ukraine.

I’m supporting the British Red Cross's humanitarian effort in Ukraine along with Team Denton South ([link removed]) (who set up the gofundme page) and Cllr Allison Gwynne ([link removed]) . Please donate if you can to the fundraising page.

We hope that every donation will in some way help the people of Ukraine at this extremely traumatic time.👇
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Headlines


** Gwynne backs #AllThingsEqual Guide Dogs campaign
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Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, has shown his support for the Guide Dogs #AllThingsEqual Campaign.

The campaign aims to improve support for children with vision impairments, and calls on the Government to implement reforms to the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) system. Specifically, the charity are calling on the Government to:
* Ensure that there is greater recognition throughout the SEND system of conditions such as vision impairment.
* Recognise the role of specialist professionals, and to ensure adequate access.
* Implement changes to Education, Health and Care Plans to stop a young person falling behind before they can access support.

Last month, Gwynne attended a parliamentary event to raise awareness of the campaign, and also met with some active guide dogs.

Commenting, Andrew Gwynne said:

“I’m proud to be supporting the #AllThingsEqual campaign, and the work of Guide Dogs UK. We need to make sure that children with vision impairments are given the support that they need to thrive in school, as well as access to specialist services.

It was great to hear about this campaign in-person last month, and to meet some of the very special guide dogs who do such an incredible job of supporting people and families right across the country.

I hope that the Government recognises the #AllThingsEqual campaign and implements these long overdue reforms."

Pictured: Gwynne at the #AllThingsEqual Parliamentary event last month


** Gwynne welcomes plan to 'unlock the power' of Kinship Care
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Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, has responded to a report published today by the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care in England, makes proposals to ‘unlock the power of family networks’ and support more children to live safely with kinship carers, when they can’t remain at home.

There are over 150,000 children in England who live with kinship carers. Many more than are living with unrelated foster carers or who are adopted.

Recommendations made by the Review include:
* A single legal definition of kinship care to improve recognition and access to support
* A legal right to family group decision making to ensure family care options are explored when there are concerns about a child’s welfare
* Extending legal aid to all kinship carers
* A new entitlement to kinship employment leave when a child comes to live with the carer, akin to adoption leave
* Universal ongoing support for kinship carers, including peer support and training
* A financial allowance for special guardians and kinship carers with child arrangements orders

The proposals reflect many of the experiences kinship carers and the children they are raising, have shared with the APPG and its predecessor the Parliamentary Taskforce on Kinship Care. The APPG also recently published a report this month ‘Lost in the Legal Labyrinth’ detailing how legal aid and advice could be expanded to support kinship care.

Responding to the Review’s kinship care proposals, Chair of the APPG and a kinship carer to his grandson, Andrew Gwynne MP said:

“Too many children are deprived of the chance of living safely in a loving home with family and friends when they can’t remain at home. Even when kinship care is explored, the advice and support available to help the carer and to ensure the children’s needs are met can be limited or non-existent.

“The Review have proposed a step change, to ensure that more children, who would otherwise be raised by strangers in the care system, can live safely and be properly supported with grandparents, aunts, uncles and others who love them.

“The kinship care proposals, including a legal definition of kinship care, family group decision making, legal aid, kinship employment leave and financial and peer support – reflect the experiences of thousands of kinship carers and the concerns many in the sector have been raising for some time.

“The onus is now on the government to, as the Review suggests, unlock the power of family networks and bring about the change children and carers need. Our APPG is ready to work with them to achieve that.”

To read the review in full, click here ([link removed]) .
Click here to read more of this week's stories ([link removed])
Andrew in the constituency


** Shell-abrating the Jubilee at St John Fisher 🌿 🐢
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A big thank you to St John Fisher RC Primary School ([link removed]) in Haughton Green for inviting me to come and help plant their Jubilee cherry tree in their new orchard.

I also got to see Michelle the giant African tortoise and then take lots of really good questions from Years 4,5 and 6 about my role as an MP.

A brilliant school - and well done on the “GOOD” OFSTED rating! 👏🏻


** A Jubilee Bash at Russell Scott 🇬🇧
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A big thanks also to Russell Scott Primary School ([link removed]) in Denton for inviting me and Cllr Allison Gwynne ([link removed]) to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with the children.

🏏 It was brilliant to hear about the school’s cricket team winning the Lancashire schools cup 2022. What an amazing achievement.

And it’s not a trip to Russell Scott without a pat of Dobbin 🐴
Andrew in Parliament
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📺 WATCH: We have some great schools across Denton and Reddish but at Education Questions I raise my concerns that too many pupils still fall behind their peers at secondary level. I ask the Secretary of State what he’s doing about it.

I also get to thank Stockport Children’s Services on their OFSTED 'Good' rating.
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📺 WATCH: We have a Statement on the findings of the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care and as Chair of the APPG on Kinship Care (and as a Special Guardian) I ask the Minister if he will accept the review findings on Kinship Care.
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📺 WATCH: At Justice Questions there’s a question on legal aid. The Minister seems to think, despite a 45% decrease in criminal legal aid practitioners, and with significant parts of England with little access to legal aid help, that all is ok. This is justice denied. ⚖️
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📺 WATCH: An Urgent Question has been granted on the continuing atrocities being carried out in Xinjiang, China.

Mass internment camps are detaining Uygher people, and there is evidence that there is a ‘shoot-to-kill’ policy for those who try to escape.

The security equipment and companies used in these dreadful “camps” is also being used by the UK Government. Why?
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📺 WATCH: The Prime Minister and many of his officials at Number 10 have been caught out. They partied, karaokied and lied while the public was asked to follow the rules they set.

Now he dissembles at the despatch box. I ask if he was at any time at a Christmas party on 18 December 2020 when wine was spilt up the walls of Downing Street.

“Read the report” he says. I have, which is why I asked!
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📺 WATCH: At DCMS Questions I ask the Digital Minister what assessment she’s made of the threats of a cyber attack on our critical national infrastructure. As we rely more and more on digital networks it’s vital we wake up to the threats of cyber warfare.
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📺 WATCH: At Attorney General Questions I ask if the she has read the damning Joint Inspectorate report into the post-charge handling of rape cases and if she will accept their recommendations. Not sure I got the answer. How we deal with rape cases in England and Wales needs reform. The system isn’t working. ⚖️
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📺 WATCH: At Business Questions I raise a complaint with the Leader of the House about the poor responses to important questions from the Department of Health.

One example was their refusal to answer a question on the immunocompromised and the Government’s “Living with COVID” strategy.
Andrew in the media

📰 READ: Thanks to the Justice Gap for covering my question to the Justice Minister in Parliament earlier this week.

There's been a 45% decrease in criminal legal aid practitioners, leaving legal aid deserts across the country. The Government needs to act to ensure that justice is done.

Read the full story here ([link removed]) .
Community Board
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To access the full survey click here ([link removed]) .

Local author Leanne Brown has started writing a fantastic series of books to promote, help and raise awareness for mental health in children. Leanne wants to bring these books to schools, parents and organisations to help promote mental health in children.

You can find out more, including how to buy the books, on her website. ([link removed])

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Andrew Gwynne
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