Claire Crossley

I am first and foremost a parent! I have 4 children with a variety of needs and have experienced all aspects of services and tribunals in the last 20 years. My oldest son now 24 is entering his last stage of education and will be accessing a bespoke package to pursue his dream of being a gaming designer. I challenged my local council who have provided 24/7 care via a personal budget since 2016. He has accessed all aspects of education and I have been successful at repeated tribunals. We had a statement from the age of 3 in a private nursey, followed by a placement in a ASD unit provision. This then followed an in-borough specialist school, out of borough ASD specific school and currently now out of borough college with AP provision. We have been successful in all our challenges. I also have twins (15) with ASD and complex health who access mainstream with full EHCP and private Salt funded via EHCP. Lastly I have a 13 year old with complex health needs.
I have worked for the local authority on Aiming high for disabled children, established the first parents forum locally and procured both phases of funding. Completed inspections of Assessment treatment units inc large long stay hospital (forensic) I’ve been part of a local charity committee that completed a successful class action in 2004-2005 which resulted in an injunction against our LSA so all children care packages across the borough were reinstated immediately
I have been part of a member led organisation Learning disability England and studied various subjects at university including disability law and Law.
I have conducted many media interviews over the last 20 years including Victoria Derbyshire on the avoidable deaths ‘dying to matter’ (LeDeR), #solvethesleepincrisis to lobby for minimum wage for overnight carers (not set fee)
I have been part of a panel interviewing services for the National Learning disability awards and attended the gala to give out awards personally.

Throughout my career, I have demonstrated a deep commitment to enhancing the lives of individuals facing various challenges. At Learning Disability England, I played a pivotal role in developing policies and procedures to make our organization more accessible. This involved empowering individuals through personalised support and training, ensuring their full partnership. My efforts were instrumental in fostering an inclusive environment where every voice was heard and valued.
I have over 23 years’ experience of SEND including policy process, legislation, third party agencies and organisations. My experiences also include the lengthy processes in the pursuit of answers of health issues and the barriers resulting in an Ehlers Danlos diagnosis and all its associated health difficulties. The journey to this took till age 40 and I have a real understanding of the impact across all aspects of life, including the damage delayed diagnosis can cause.

My tenure as a Consultant at SEND Advocacy further honed my skills in governance support and policy development. Collaborating closely with local authority partners, I was able to influence SEND policy objectives significantly. This role also allowed me to build productive relationships with parent carers, local authorities, and other organizations, facilitating effective service delivery that met government needs.

Moreover, my experience as an Auditor has endowed me with a keen eye for detail and a comprehensive understanding of quality assurance processes. These roles required me to evaluate services critically, ensuring compliance with legal standards and safeguarding practices. My ability to manage complex case deliveries effectively will be invaluable in maintaining high standards of service delivery.

If you want to book Claire contact us HERE