At the end of June, as part of the 'A Right not a Fight' campaign RNIB College Loughborough arranged for a small group of parents to meet and talk through their experiences with local MP Nicky Morgan.

The campaign calls for students with a learning difficulty or disability to have the same choices that most young people take for granted, such as choosing a further education college that best meets their learning and support needs. We thought it would be really useful if the local MP could have a personal understanding of the issues involved and the process in securing a place at a specialist College such as RNIB College Loughborough. Nicky met with Mr Doherty, father of Sam Doherty who initially was turned down funding for a place at the College; also meeting with Nicky was Mrs Kyprianou, Christopher's mother and Mr Walker, father to Emma Walker who is hoping to join the College in the autumn. All shared similar tales of the struggle to get their son/daughter the education they felt would be best for them.

There were concerns over transport and whether this would be funded to the College as it wasn't the closest provision considered suitable by the Local Authority; parents had a sense they were expected to accept the most basic of standards rather than the best provider for their children's needs.

Nicky listened intently and offered to raise common themes as well as brief her MP colleagues locally on specific issues parents faced.

The campaign has developed following on from the work Natspec has undertaken to influence the shaping of The Children and Families Act.