Alison Shipley

Alison is retired, but her professional experience includes senior management posts within services for special educational needs and disability (SEND), inclusion, and social care services for disabled children, within local government. As the assistant director for learning, skills and education, she successfully managed a range of services which include schools admissions, school place planning  and services for pupils with SEND. Alison was responsible for ensuring the implementation of the SEND reforms outlined in the Children and Families Act 2014, which included the development of the Local Offer and Education, Health and Care Plans. This required multi agency working across all statutory services to ensure that implementation met government timescales and involved parents and young people.  She was also responsible for leading the counties very successful SEND inspection in 2017. Alison has managed several high-profile budgets which includes the local authority’s high needs funding budget and the placement budget for disabled children. Both budgets were scrutinised by county councilors and schools forum; they are both needs led and can be volatile. She has represented the local authority in meetings with government ministers and councillors. Alison is Chair of the Friends of Burton Latimer Library.  She is a Trustee for the Burton Latimer Ancient Parish Charity and a Member of the Skylark Partnership Trust.