Author: Catriona Moore

Catriona Moore has a background in policy and communications and has worked for a number of health and social care organisations. She has also served as an elected councillor in a London borough and a school governor, and was for a short period a trustee of Reverse Rett. When her younger daughter was diagnosed with Rett Syndrome in 2009 shortly before her second birthday, Catriona found herself dealing in practice with things she’d previously thought she understood in principle. She juggles her work as policy officer for a national disability charity with caring and advocating for her daughter. She is passionate about improving the lives of disabled children and their families, and making the systems that should support them work more transparently and equitably.

Columnists, Home Education, special needs

MPs call on the government to act quickly on home education register

By Catriona Moore December 10, 2020 December 11, 2020

The number of children – including children with SEND – who are home educated by their parents’ choice, has increased steadily over the last five years, and sharply over the …

Columnists, SEND INQUIRY, special needs

SEND Inquiry report Part 2: No more reviews, it’s time to ACT

By Catriona Moore October 24, 2019 October 23, 2019

This is the second part in our SEND Inquiry report coverage. See Part one from Matt Keer here It has been a long time coming, but the Education Select Committee’s …

Columnists, SEND INQUIRY, SEND Politics, special needs

SEND Review: A game-changer or playing politics with vulnerable children?

By Catriona Moore September 9, 2019 September 8, 2019

While the biggest political and constitutional crisis that anyone can remember rages all around us, ministers resign, MPs are purged and no-one is quite sure who will be in Government …

Columnists, SEND Politics

First-time minister given one of the toughest jobs in government: Fixing the #SENDcrisis

By Catriona Moore July 30, 2019 July 29, 2019

The last week has brought a succession of big changes at all levels of government. The appointment of a new prime minister was followed by a more wide-ranging purge of …

Columnists, SEND INQUIRY

SEND success is a journey, apparently, one with no end in sight

By Catriona Moore May 23, 2019 May 23, 2019

“It’s a journey.” That’s what SEND minister Nadhim Zahawi said, repeatedly, at the final hearing of the House of Commons Education Select Committee’s SEND inquiry. This time, he and school …

Accountability, Columnists, SEND INQUIRY

Poor leadership and SEND law ignorance fails disabled children

By Catriona Moore April 29, 2019 April 28, 2019

Anyone who has had to grapple with the SEND system to get their child’s needs acknowledged and met knows that the system is not currently working as it should. Not …

Columnists, patient advocacy, Rare Disease, special needs

My “control freak’s guide” for my disabled daughter’s dignity and care in hospital

By Catriona Moore December 3, 2018 December 3, 2018

The thing that worries me most about my disabled daughter as she gets older is who will understand her. Who will really get to know who she is, and what …

Columnists, Rare Disease

Partnering with clinicians to reverse Rett, my daughter’s rare disease

By Catriona Moore February 28, 2018 February 28, 2018

“Did you say ‘Retz Syndrome’? How do you spell it?” These were the questions I asked the neurologist who speculated in passing that this might be the explanation for why …

accessibility, Inclusion, special needs

Fighting for my disabled child’s right to summer fun

By Catriona Moore August 23, 2017 August 21, 2017

Tania’s note: Today we’re welcoming a new columnist to SNJ, Catriona Moore. Catriona is the parent of a child with complex needs from the rare disease, Rett Syndrome. She works …