Haleema Yousaf SANDWELL Council s Haleema Yousaf has been awarded an MBE in the New Year s Honours List 2021 for services to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Haleema, who is team leader of the council s Fair Access, Exclusion and Reintegration Team, said she was humbled to receive the honour and described it as an achievement for the whole team. Haleema said it was brought home to her how far she had come during a conversation with a Sandwell headteacher, who had taught her as a child at school in Birmingham. She said: She was visibly moved by the thought that someone she had taught would one day lead a team unequivocally committed to making a difference to children and young people with SEND.