Speakers

Kierran Pearce is the lead for the Multi-Schools Council (MSC). Kierran has 15 years’ experience of working within SEND education, and the idea was born while he worked within a school for young people with moderate learning differences and ASD. Since then, Kierran has worked in another local special school building a network of schools that want to challenge negative perceptions towards young people with SEND.

The council is now fully established across Essex and is funded by the local area. The model of the MSC is based on interactive meetings for young people on a half termly basis, a school delivery programme that includes workshops for young people on different themes of SEND and over 140 young ambassadors who contribute in many ways. Everything the MSC stands for is driven by young people and making sure they have a say on what matters to them.

Kierran has now been commissioned across the East of England to grow a network of SEND youth voice and look at different, local ways, of increasing engagement with young people. The model has recently been recognised (March 2024) by the NHS and won a national co-production award at the SEND awards. However, Kierran and all those that work with him are passionate that this goes deeper than ‘co-production’. The model looks at practical ways to engage young people, no matter their ability and demonstrate the clear impact of working with partners to put young people at the heart of an inclusive future.