Report: Help and Hope on Hold

Magpie Mums call for action to improve access to early help for their children with emerging needs – including an understanding of how No Recourse to Pubic Funds affects their search for support

About The Magpie Project Pathways Project and Report

We are proud to launch a report written by Megan Pacey for The Magpie Project, with support from Hannah Duthie and co‑authored by Magpie Mums: Chinwe Amadi, Shanta Gosh, Mayowa Okoko, Dhruvi Patel and Rashida Prah.

“This report is our story, and we appeal to you to act to help us, and so many mothers like us, to meet the needs of our wonderful and deserving children. We hope for change.”

Navigating SEND pathways for families with NRPF

Magpie families experience a “perfect storm of exclusion, poverty, homelessness and instability.”

They are:

Living with NRPF (No Recourse to Public Funds): Extreme poverty, food instability and an inability to afford transport mean children miss therapies, cannot afford specialist equipment and specialist intervention.
In insecure or unsuitable housing: Overcrowded temporary accommodation, shared bathrooms and unsafe layouts make everyday tasks—like toilet training or keeping a climber safe near broken windows—deeply challenging.
Facing language barriers: Mums often speak multiple languages, but a lack of interpreters and translated materials means they cannot fully understand assessments, advocate for their children or consent with confidence.
Digitally excluded: With only phone handsets and unreliable public Wi‑Fi, online forms, SEND information and medical booking systems are often inaccessible.
Isolated and exhausted: Frequent moves, stigma and the emotional labour of parenting a child with emerging needs without stable support networks leave many mothers burnt out and feeling disbelieved.

How the Mapgie Project worked with families

The Magpie Project created smaller, quieter SEND stay‑and‑play sessions led by our Hannah Duthie our play lead, our play team, specialist volunteers and supported by the Flying Seagull Project. Each week:

Children played with professionals and specialists in a safe, curious, child‑centred environment.
Mums joined workshops facilitated by Just Ideas, alongside health, early years and education professionals.
Support, advocacy and referrals were offered in real time, with a sensory toy to take home each week.

This was not a traditional “research project” that extracts stories and leaves family situations unchanged. It was an active, relational process grounded in trust, play and practical help.

What the report covers

The report is structured around four key areas identified with Magpie Mums:

SEND Pathways From the first moment a mother feels “my child isn’t like other children his age” to navigating referrals, waiting lists and opaque diagnostic routes.
Professional Practice The difference that kind, consistent, curious professionals make—and the harm when forms aren’t submitted, concerns are dismissed or families are bounced “from pillar to post.”
The Importance of Play How play spaces become safe ground for observation, relationship‑building and early intervention, especially for children whose lives are shaped by instability and trauma.
Policy Asks Concrete questions and invitations to change systems so that children in NRPF and housing need can access the same early help as other children.

The report is not an academic study, nor a complete answer. It is “a series of questions and an invitation to dig deeper and find out more.”

Key challenges highlighted

Confusing, fragmented SEND journeys Mums are handed lists of services and acronyms with little explanation of who does what, who can refer, or what the “SEND Pathway” actually means in practice.
Invisible or inaccessible Local Offers Many parents have never heard of the SEND Local Offer; those who have often find activities that are too expensive, too far away, or not designed with their circumstances in mind.
Long waits and stalled referrals A single unsubmitted form can delay a child’s diagnostic journey for months. Being “on the pathway” often just means more waiting, with little clarity about next steps.

What works—and what we’re asking for

From Magpie Mums’ experiences, we see clearly what helps:

Dedicated, named professionals who listen, don’t judge, follow through and stay alongside families even when eligibility is complex.
Proactive nurseries and schools that notice developmental differences, support referrals and act as stable anchors in children’s lives.
Peer and community networks where mothers can share information, feel less alone and “piece the jigsaw together” together.

Magpie Mums are calling for:

Clear, simple, multilingual information about SEND pathways, roles and assessments.
Streamlined, accountable referral processes so children are not left waiting years for early help.
Accessible, affordable Local Offers with genuinely free or low‑cost activities that families in NRPF can realistically attend.
Training for frontline services on NRPF, entitlements and trauma‑aware practice, so mothers are not made to feel like “bad parents” for being poor.

An invitation to act

This report is an invitation—to local authorities, health and education partners, funders and community organisations—to look closely at how services land for families facing the highest barriers, and to co‑create change with them.

We invite you to:

Read the full report
Share it with colleagues and partners
Work with us and with Magpie Mums to transform pathways, practice and policy so that help and hope are no longer on hold for their children.

Download the report now

Account number	A 10-12 digit number given to your bank account. You can find your account number on your online banking page or on bank statements.
Card Number	A 16-digit number with that is found on the front of your debit/credit card.
Credit Card	A credit card doesn’t spend your money. It spends the bank’s money and you must pay it back. This means you can spend more than is in your account, but you might be charged extra for doing this, especially if you are late paying the bank.
Credit Score	A number that records how likely you are to repay your debts. High credit scores are better as it means financial products such as overdrafts and credit cards cost less.
Debit Card	A debit card is a card that lets you take out money from ATMs and make payments in stores or online from your account.
Financial Service Compensation Scheme (FSCS)	An organisation set up to protect the money you put in bank accounts. If you have a current or basic account, the FSCS will pay you up to £85,000 if your bank goes bankrupt.
National Insurance Number (NI)	The number makes sure that the National Insurance contributions and tax you pay are properly recorded on your account. It also acts as a reference number for the whole social security system.
Overdraft	An amount of money you can spend even when you have no money in your account. It is like a small loan from your bank. Overdrafts are often not free, so you need to be very aware what the costs are before using one.
Personal Identification Number (PIN)	A PIN is a 4-digit number that is given to you with a debit card. This is used when taking out money from ATMs or when making in-store purchases with your card. Never share your PIN with anyone as it could be used to commit fraud.
Security Code	A 3-4 digit number found on the back of your debit/credit card in the signature section. This number will be required for nearly all online payments. The code provides an extra layer of security to safeguard you from fraud.
Sort Code	A 6-digit number that is used to identify your bank. You can find your sort code on your online banking platform, on bank statements or on your debit card.
Standing Order	When a fixed amount that you choose is paid from your account to another person or organisation. This is different from the direct debit as the amount that is paid is the same each time.

Saves time – you don’t need to remember to pay a bill.	You need to make sure there is enough money in your account when the direct debit or standing order will be taken. If there is not enough money, you could be charged extra by the bank.
You will get money back for any incorrect payments for direct debits only.	You must remember to cancel standing orders when you want to stop paying someone regularly.
You can cancel a direct debit or a standing order at any time through your online banking account or by contacting your bank.	Sometimes you might think you are setting up a direct debit, but it is actually a recurring payment or continuous payment authority (CPA). Be careful if companies ask for the long number on your card instead of your sort code and account number. This will mean they can take money whenever they think they are owed.

Saves Time	Make sure there is enough money in your account when the direct debit or standing order will be taken. If there is not enough money, you could be charged extra by the bank.
You don’t need to remember to pay a bill	You must remember to cancel standing orders when you want to stop paying someone regularly.
You will get money back for any incorrect payments for direct debits only.	Sometimes you might think you are setting up a direct debit, but it is actually a recurring payment or continuous payment authority (CPA). Be careful if companies ask for the long number on your card instead of your sort code and account number. This will mean they can take money whenever they think they are owed.
You can cancel a direct debit or a standing order at any time through your online banking account or by contacting your bank.


Magpie Mums say: “Always use direct debits if you can, so you don’t forget to pay and are charged. If you can’t use direct debits, make sure you put the dates when you’re supposed to make payments in your phone calendar.” “I’m used to it. It’s easy on the phone. I try to avoid going to banks.”

Bank Examples	Forms of Identity Needed
Metro Bank	Asylum seekers can apply for a cash account and/or savings account. This requires an Application Registration Card (ARC), proof of address and confirmation of asylum seekers support allowance or other income.
Lloyds	You can apply for a Classic Current account with a BRP, ARC or a Home Office Immigration Status document. Refugees and asylum seekers can apply for a ‘Classic current account’. This includes an arranged overdraft. Fees are charged if you go into your overdraft.
Nationwide	You can get a ‘FlexBasic account’ (basic bank account) and an ‘Instant Access saver’ (basic savings account). They accept BRP, ARC and Home Office Immigration Status document.
HSBC	You cannot open a bank account if you are from outside the EU. They accept BRP but NOT ARC. They accept BRP but NOT ARC.
Monzo	Refugees can open a current account with a BRP and their UK address. However, Monzo do not accept ARC. You can get your benefits or salary (depending on your employer) paid into your Monzo account 1 day earlier.